The Mafia's Nurse

Caught in Her Coat

Chapter 2

I eye the thick black coat with brown fur lining the hood and even sleeves. It is dated in terms of fashion but I bet it does the trick against the fall wind. My gaze then travels down the hand that holds it out and meets a pair of baby blue eyes.

"No," I say firmly before turning around to grab the last handful of cloths and shove them into my bag.

"Yes."

Landon doesn't seem to understand that I do not like Niki. I don't like her voice, her cloths, her smell- god she reeks of cigars and nicotine but I know she doesn't smoke.

"I'm not wearing it," I sing to him as I swing my bag over my shoulders.

"Theo it's 36 degrees out tonight and you missed the 1am bus. Where the damn coat," his firm tone surprises me as Launch is usually a easy going guy.

I turn to look at him and am met with a pair of green bags under soft eyes, "Please, you could catch a cold."

The pins and needles feeling spread through my chest and my heart feels like its slowly being eaten away. One look from him and I am already in pieces it seems.

"Are you alright?" I know it is a stupid question the second it's out of my mouth. Of course he's not, life just gave him a countdown with his own mother.

"I mean all things considered, yes. I'm just worried about you," he says with a small smile and I look down towards the ground.

I don't want to have the talk not while he's already hurting, "Landon," i begin but he cuts me off.

"I care about you Theo," the sincerity in his voice causes guilt to wash over me línea total wave.

Truth be told if I wanted an easy life, if I took the obvious path, then I would be with Landon. It makes sense. He has a similar career path, parents who care for me, and would be a tentative husband & father. But the reality of it is I don't feel that way about him, which seems absurd to anyone with eyes. How could I not want to marry an attractive and honest guy?

"Maybe more than you would even notice," he continued and I tense up because for the love of god how do you reject your best friend when his mother is dying.

"Landon we agreed that-" I try and reason with him, not longer having energy after another exhausting day in the ER, where I truly belong.

"I know," he sighs, "but that doesn't mean I can just stop my feelings. Even this distance you're putting between us isn't going to make it go away."

"You know it would never work. I'm fucked up and my dad-"

"You still haven't told me his name," he reminds and I roll my eyes.

"That's because you don't want to know," my tone leaving no room for argument or disagreement.

His sharp gaze shoots to the floor and he runs a tired hand down his face as he just shoves the coat out once more towards me.

I take it wordlessly, and allow Landon to help put my arms through and even zip it up for me, "feel better?" I ask quietly with a teasing smile.

Thankfully, he returns my smirk and shakes his head, "I will when I get your text saying you made it home."

I hum back a reply as I fix the strap on my shoulder, "right well I'll see you tomorrow."

Ace

Running a hand through my own dark hair, I let out a sigh and I roll my shoulders hoping to ease the tension in them.

Nichole Johnson is a smart women whose made a very dumb decision. Screwing me over, more importantly El Jefe, who is not a forgiving man. I should know. After working with him for years as his second and enforcer, even I will admit the man scares me. His Spanish roots run deep in the Cartel and his power rivals the Italian Mafia, but more than anything he is loyal yet cruel which is a hard combination to understand and sometimes people being to think it makes him weak. So when I got a call saying he wants Nikki brought in for silencing, I wasn't surprised to hear she tried to pull a fast one.