Page 20 of Devilish Prince

Jen’s forehead crinkles in concern. “Alright?”

“And stay calm…” I relax my shoulders and lean on the clothing rack casually. The man can’t see my face, but if he reads my body language hopefully he won’t pick up that we’re talking about him. When Jen’s gaze is fixed on mine, I say, “There is a man about twenty yards away behind me.” Her eyes shift and I quietly say, “Ah!” And her eyes snap back to mine. “He’s been following us for about forty minutes or so. I’m not sure what to think.”

Her face calms, as if she’s realized she needs to play a little poker right now. “I see.” She picks up the dress I was just holding and holds it up to me again, then says “Hold this.” I do as she says, and she takes her phone out and nonchalantly snaps a picture of me holding the dress then immediately looks down at her phone, zooming in on the picture. “I don’t recognize him.”

I lean over and gawk at her phone where the man’s face is blown up to the size of the screen. I try to place him, but nothing rings a bell. I haven’t seen him around the hospital or Lorenzo. He’s not from any of Calvin’s appointments, nor is he a patient. I’m stumped as to why this man would be interested in me or Jen.

“I don’t think I feel comfortable being here anymore. Want to get out of here? I can just wear a dress I have in my closet.” I hang the dress back on the rack. Jen is right. It’s not my color anyway.

“Yeah, let’s go,” she says, putting her phone back in her purse. “But let’s not make it look obvious.”

I agree with her, so we browse a bit longer, and I see a few things I like, but I’m not about to stand in a line of dozens of people for another thirty minutes when I feel this way. It’s very possible this man is just one of Lorenzo’s goons who was sent to protect me but I haven’t exactly been compliant with his wishes.I ignored his dinner request the other day and kept my door locked when Norm came knocking, using the excuse that I was feeling ill.

That refusal to obey Mr. Gatti came with a warning call from him that I would attend the Memorial Day Festival with him or else, and all I want to do is disappear. Making this agreement with him was a horrible decision. People around me are suffering now because of it. Dr. Holder is a good man with a family and he loves this city and his patients. He doesn’t deserve to be put out for me like that.

“Are you okay?” Jen asks, hooking her arm around mine. She pulls me close because our mystery man is closer now, only fifteen yards or so but obviously following us still. I want to believe he’s my protection but there is a nagging fear I can’t shake.

“No... I’m not. I got messed up in something I wish I hadn’t.” I lay my head on her shoulder and walk awkwardly beside her as I take each step.

“Tell me everything.” Jen knows about Lorenzo attempting to court me, and even some of the protectiveness he has for me, but she doesn’t know the dirty details about everything and I’m not sure I can put it in words without sounding pathetic. “Tell me,” she says, nudging me.

“I made an agreement with him but it’s out of hand now. I’m not sure how to go back on it.”

“What agreement?” Her grasp on my arm tightens and I sigh hard.

“My safety in exchange for dating him, except I’m not liking the attention I’m getting from being seen in public with him.”I straighten and glance over my shoulder. The guy is still there and he catches my eye. He is definitely not my protection and I haven’t seen hide nor hair of Norm at all, though I rarely do. That thought is slightly comforting because maybe he’s still around, lurking and watching me, but maybe he’s not.

“What else?” Jen asks and I shake my head.

“Nothing else.” But as I say the words my gut churns. There is something else but I’m deeply ashamed to admit what I know. It’s clear at least some of the board members know about how Lorenzo is getting rid of Dr. Holder to put me in that position, but if I tell other people in the hospital there could be an ethics investigation. I could be put before a review board because I am dating the man who is pulling the strings. I can’t have that.

“Don’t lie to me, Sofia. You’re hiding something. Tell me everything.”

I avoid Jen’s gaze as we step out of the Yards onto the bustling sidewalk and turn toward the subway entrance a few blocks away. The man is still there, still following. My heartbeat feels too fast, like I’ve been running but I’m keeping my pace even and steady. People are surrounding me right now, but it’s only a small comfort. I’ve seen men attack a woman in the middle of a crowd before, much like that jerk in the locker room.

“Listen, I can’t tell you how he’s doing it, but he got Holder fired. They want to make me surgery chair. Me… I’m twenty-nine. People my age don’t get made chair; they get told to climb the ranks. I’m skipping like seven promotions between my current position and chair. Jen, this is insane. He thinks he’s going to move me around like a pawn in a game of chess and I’ll be okay with it.” I glance over my shoulder again. The man is closer nowas we step into the subway entrance and descend with the flow of foot traffic.

“You need to get out of this deal, Sofia. Maybe he’s just using you for optics, but when you don’t play nice, or maybe you’ll fail at being chair and get fired—then what?”

That stings but it’s true. Without the years of experience needed to know enough to hold that position in the hospital I may very well fail. And if that happens, there is no telling what Lorenzo would do, or how badly patients may suffer. I swore an oath to do no harm, so how can I willingly rise to the seat of honor when it could cause people to suffer?

We swipe our metro passes and move through the turnstiles trying to duck lower in order to be seen as easily, and for the moment I think we’ve avoided the man. We follow the crowd and find a place to wait for the subway. Mine will be here in minutes, but Jen has a bit longer to wait.

“You’re right, I’m just not sure how to get out of it all now. He’s not the type of guy you make angry, Jen. I’m certain if I try to back out he’s going to kill me, or worse, force me to do things I’m not okay with until I’m forced to turn him in. How do I defend myself against that?” My eyes continue to scan faces around me but I don’t see the man.

“Then you leave town. Take Calvin and go to my cabin in the Catskills. You can take a leave from work and just lay low until the smoke clears. I bet Dr. Kline will help you find a different place to work if you need to.” She pats my hand and offers a weak smile. “You need to get away from him, Sofia. It’s the safe thing to do.

The train swooshes into the station and the conductor starts making announcements. The doors slide open and people disembark and I offer her a fast hug before taking my spot on the train. A place out of town where I can lie low is a good idea, but I’m not sure how to get there, or what to tell people at work. If I just don’t show up for Lorenzo he’ll be furious. He knows how to manipulate people and hurt them. It’s what he does for a living.

I hug the pole and wait for the train to start moving but before the doors even shut I notice the man in the back of the car. He isn’t looking at me, but I’m sure it’s him. He’s not even shy about following me around. There are enough people on this train I could call him out and the men around me would likely rally to protect me, but if he has a gun I could also cause a major incident.

So I keep my mouth shut. I watch the doors slide shut and I hug that pole like it’s my life line. With my eyes closed I whisper a prayer that somehow this is merely Lorenzo’s guardian angel and that I’m not being followed by someone with nefarious thoughts about me. For all I know it’s the man who attacked me in the locker room. I heard he got arrested but who knows if he made bail and if he did I’d never recognize him. He wore a mask.

14

LORENZO

Sofia didn’t get a new dress like I instructed her but she’s here with a smile on her face for the cameras greeting everyone who approaches us with tact and grace. Though, each time the cameras die down and there is a lull in foot traffic our direction, she sinks into a sullen mood with a scowl on her face.

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