Page 36 of Owned By the Mafia

“Get some rest, buddy.” I wait for him to close his eyes and leave. I take a long way around to the ER, approaching it from a different side, away from the waiting room where Ronan and Daniel last were.

I peek through the open doors and see Dina sitting on the edge of her bed, her arm in a sling. I walk toward her but quickly hide behind a curtain as I notice her speaking to someone. I get as close as I can and inwardly groan as I realize it's her boss, Katya.

I listen for a few minutes while Katya interrogates her about her relationship with me and how she landed up at my apartment that morning. I think it’s best I scramble out of here before she notices me and I give away Dina’s game. I hurry out and down the corridor but have to dive into a room as I hear my brothers coming down the hall that intercedes with mine. They must be looking for Aiden’s room to check on him. At least, I hope they are, and they’re not looking for me.

I wait for them to pass. I can’t make out what they’re talking about and don’t want to give myself away. They’re probably just bitching about me anyway.

I leave and grab a cab to my house. I take out my phone and text Ronan that I’m going to clean up Callum and get his body dumped in the Hudson River. He doesn’t respond straight away, so I put my phone away.

There’s blood spray on the wall behind where Callum was shot and more blood on my bed. It wouldn’t be the first time either of those places had blood on them. Probably won’t be the last.

I look at the towel we had put on the bed and smile. Dina and I had a wild night. It was fitting for the two of us to end in bloodshed.

I called some of my more private security guards to remove the body and contact a crime scene cleaning team to get the blood out and make my apartment look new. Before my guards get there, though, I ensure the bloody sheets are gone. I’m not shot, and I don’t need them to ask any questions or make any assumptions.

I sit on my sofa and text Dina.

Saw Katya was there, wanted to give you a kiss bye.

When can we see each other? Is she gone? Can I come now? Fuck visiting hours.

Rob.

I wait patiently and then see the little bubbles pop up to indicate she’s typing before I get her reply.

Can’t. Katya waited for me to be discharged to bring me back to Alessandro’s house. We’ll have to call later when I can be alone. Don’t let anyone know about us. Delete message.

D

I deleted the messages and put my phone down.

There’s an ache in my heart that one of my oldest friends betrayed me, but it’s quickly replaced with my longing for Dina.

Chapter 20 - Dinara

I don’t even flinch as the intern works on taking the bullet out of my arm. The numbing has worked wonders; although I feel some discomfort, I don’t feel pain.

“You fucking idiot.” I look up to see Katya storming into the room, raising her voice in Russian. “How the fuck did you get shot? Where did you get shot?”

“I only texted you so you’d know where I was,” I say calmly, answering in Russian.

Katya crosses her arms as the intern looks at me and then at Katya.

I gesture for her to continue. “Don’t worry. We’re family.”

“Tell me what happened,” Katya demands.

I screw up my face as the inter pulls the slug out, and some blood sprays onto her scrubs. “What’s there to tell?” I ask. “I had to go see the Quinns about security for the event. We were meeting this morning, and when he didn’t show up, I went to his apartment to get him. I assumed he’d overslept. When I got there, one of his men, someone who had previously acted as a guard to me, was there and took me hostage. Luckily, I found a gun Quinn had hidden, and I shot the fucker. He squeezed the trigger of his gun as he fell and caught my arm.” We keep speaking Russian. I’ve already paid the doctors off not to call the police, but I don’t want them to know the details.

“I’m thankful you’re okay, woman.” Katya frowns. “But don’t lie to me, Dinara. Your feelings for Robbie Quinn are crystal clear to everyone who’s spent a minute in the same room as the two of you.”

“That’s my story, and it isn’t going to change,” I quip back. The intern starts to stitch up my arm, and a nurse brings me some medication in a package.

“The doctor said to follow the instructions on the labels and to come back if the pain increases or the painkillers don’t help.” The nurse glances nervously at Katya as she speaks. My friend, and boss, has clearly been to this hospital before.

The nurse walks away, and I look back at Katya sitting in a chair facing me. “Don’t bring emotions into your job; it makes you vulnerable and will have you looking over your shoulder every ten minutes. It won’t serve you in your position.”

“It seems to have served the heads of the families just fine until now.” I look at her. I don’t mean to be cold, but when her eyes narrow, I know I’ve crossed a boundary.

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