Paging Doctor Asshole

Not what you planned

"Why did that guy just run away?" Maverick asked, causing me to jump. It had been pretty silent ever since we left the house so his sudden question really made me jump. I had been asking pretty similar questions ever since I watched Maverick bandage his sprained wrist.

Why me?

Who sent him?

Who is he?

Does he know he has to die for hurting my little Doctor Asshole?

"Polly?"

I shook my head to clear it yet again before peaking over at him. He looked tired and also somehow amped up. His eyes were darting to all of the mirrors in the car and whenever one would pass he would tense. He was really messed up over a little scrap. I know he isn't used to being attacked at random times, but, growing up, that was all I had ever known. I had once almost been kidnapped on my way to school by another "up and coming" gang. My dad had found out when I came home from tutoring out of breath, thanks to running six blocks, and lets just say the only thing up and coming are their bodies when the rocks fall out. It wasn't in our nature to get scared, we had to get even.

But, that was for later.

"He probably ran because he was only supposed to attack me," I answered honestly. "When you showed up, it was a possible casualty he had not intended. He'll be back though. They always come back."

Example "A" being the Esposito parents. Ernesto and his bitch of a wife had planned to use their own children to come after us when Ace wouldn't let them encroach on our territory. Cal had been the first one to be acquired, you can say kidnapped but I call it saving, before we learned they wanted to strap bombs to the kids and then we saved them all. The point is... they always come back and this fucker better hope he is trained better than to be knocked out by a skillet.

Maverick sighed and put his head into his hands. "This is probably why my dad wants me to move to Europe. I could have died if I walked in any sooner, Apollo," he said solemnly. "What if I had walked in and you had been dead?"

I snickered at the thought. The guy barley got my leg before I was taking him out with a rice cooker and a skillet. Mav, however, did not find it funny. "You. Could. Have. Died. I. Could. Have. Died. I COULD HAVE FOUND YOU DEAD!" I pulled the car over into a parking space on the side of the road as soon as he yelled and turned to look at him.

He was shaking now. I reached over to grab his hand but he pulled away immediately, squeezing my heart in a vice grip that took my breath away. Ouch. "I don't know what to say," I said honestly even through my own hurt. How does someone with little to no skills in comforting people, who are not trained killers, fix this? He was upset because he could have seen me dead? Well, yeah. I literally risk my life everyday just by having my last name. How could he be upset by that when it's a part of the whole badass, Italian thing i got goin' on? It added to the allure... or so I've been told.

Maverick had literally come to patch up Mario after a little family affair went sideways because of his stupid little cop. He knew how dangerous it was. He knew what my life was.

Why did it scare him then?

"I care about you," he answered and I zipped my eyes over to him with my mouth open in shock. Had he read my mind? "Apollo, its hard to be around someone who blackmails your father, its hard to be around someone who does not understand what emotional connectivity is, but the hardest thing is knowing you could die, okay? I see people die every single day and yet thinking about not seeing your stupid man-bun leaning against your way-too-nice car with a ratty band tee on makes me want to cry... Apollo... I..."

He trailed off. I just stared. He really cared about me. But, it made no sense. How can you care that much about someone you've fucked once and went on a date with twice? How do I care so much about a man Ive fucked once and went on a date with twice? None of these fucking feelings made sense. It made me angry. He can't care enough to not want me dead. He said it. He watches people die everyday, what's a stupid mafia man who blackmails his dad gonna do to him really? I barely even matter to my fucking family. I don't matter to my fiuckiong family.