The Mafia's Nurse

A Safe House is Never Safe

He is bleeding. There is so much blood. The red stains my hands and cloths

"Ace," there is fear in my voice, and he can hear it, maybe evet feel it. It is the fear I should have felt earlier finally showing itself.

He doesn't respond. Instead, his hand tightens around my waist -tighter than a metal band holding me against him. His smells like trash, bloody, and grease. The other hand limps against his side blood runs down his arm gliding around his hands to drip off his fingertips onto the pavement.

His breath is ragged but all I can hear is the faucet of his blood hitting the pavement. He's going to bleed out. I know he is.

"You sound worries," his voice shakes as he tries to sound playful but the ash color of his skin tells me he feels just as shit as he looks.

"I'm not worried," I hiss letting my alternative persona take over.

I need her. I need the strong -bad ass- Theo right now because he usually won't listen to anyone, but he'll listen to her. He always listens to her.

"Ah of course. After all you are the best of the best Nurse Blue." Again he is trying to sound playful but his grip around my waist begins to shake as tempers run through his body. He is going to go into shock.

"Ace," I say, proud my voice is stern, "I am not worried. I am scared."

He freezes, "Don't."

The playfulness is gone and he stops us from moving down the next back street, "I won't let them hurt you."

My stupid heart swells at his promise, at the thought of him being there to protect me no matter what. The fears of looking over my shoulder for the men my father sent seems so far fetched with his promises of safety.

It takes effort to shake the warm sensation away, reminding myself it is all just false promises from a man who doesn't know me.

"It's not me I am scared for," I say and look away from his blue gaze to get a closer look at his limp shoulder.

"Don't sweet talk me right now mia damigella in pericolo. The blood lose makes me very susceptible to seduction."

I bristle at his words and grip the wrist current wrapped around me.

"I am. Not. Seducing you," the hiss in my voice is back but that doesn't seem to bother him.

"Could have fooled me," He mumbles but says, "don't fear for the devil."

I want to tell him he's not the devil he has mad himself out to be but in truth I am the women held captive which so much as a last name to the man in charge of me. Even a real name seems so far away.

My silence seems to harden something in him and we are silent as we final stop before the back of a city apartment complex. The type that's rent controlled but you never report the broken elevator to building inspectors and don't bother meeting you neighbors.

The building brick exterior is faded with bas on the first-floor windows and to railing on the back steps. The black door before us looks like it could be broken down with a good kick from someone like me.

"Ace," There is fear in my voice again which must be why he spares me a glance before moving us towards the door.

He doesn't have to say much as he lets go of me for the first time since the shootout. There is a pause for a quick sweep around before he drops pops open the trash in the corner between the bottom of the stairs and the side of the brick building. He reaches down into the can wincing.

"Stop you're hurt," I rush out moving forward and he groans from the motion before straightening.

My hands find his waist to try and help him upright and my fingers dig into the fabric of his button down noting how much of it is sopping wet in blood.