Page 24 of Declan's Dove

“Let me see the patient.” The doctor enters the room and gently nudges Vincenzo to the side. Again, Vincenzo growls.

“Careful, doctor.” Matteo issues a warning from his place by the door.

“I mean no disrespect, sir. I need room to view the patient. Perhaps you could all wait in the other room while I do my exam?”

I release Mili’s hand, stand up, and start for the door, only to stop when Vincenzo says, “No.”

“No?” Mili asks.

“Yes. No.” He repeats firmly.

“You don’t have the right to say no. It’s my choice who stays with me for a medical exam. It’s a confidential conversation that takes place between a patient and her doctor. Legally, you cannot say shit about it.” Mili sounds frustrated. Understandably so, although she’s chosen the wrong person to take her anger out on.

Vincenzo leans back on his heals, arms folded over his chest. He must’ve left his suit jacket in the car, but the way his eyes have darkened, nearly matching the deep black of his shirt, is all the warning I need to step out of the way.

Don’t freak out. You’re okay. Vincenzo wouldn’t hurt you.

I chant the words over and over in my head, trying to keep my panic at bay.

He won’t hurt my friend. I know this much about Vincenzo. He doesn’t hurt women or innocents. But it doesn’t mean he won’t scare the living shit out of her.

Or me.

“Well, Gattina, since the doctor is on my payroll and you refuse to go to a traditional hospital, your care will be done under my laws. How I deem fit. And in my fucking presence. ‘Patient’s rights’ means absolutely fuck all to me.”

Did he just say fuck all? Where the hell am I and what the fuck is happening?

Mili narrows her eyes, but Vincenzo isn’t finished. “Everyone else, out. Violet, please pack Emilia’s things. Whatever she will need for the foreseeable future. She will not be returning to this apartment once we leave here tonight. Matteo, help her.”

“Yes, Boss.” Matteo grabs my shoulder gently, shoving me out of the room. As we pass through the door, I hear Mili swearing in Italian. She hardly ever speaks in Italian.

“Oh, shit.”

“Indeed, Dolcezza. Indeed.” Matteo grunts.

CHAPTER SIX

Declan

I pull into my garage and cut the engine to my bike. Ethan pulls into the driveway, with Skyler pulling in next to him in her truck. Ethan asked her to meet us at Violet’s apartment. We figured it was safer for Carter to ride in a cage with all his shit than try to maneuver it all on the bikes. The kid was disappointed, but I promised to buy him a proper helmet so he could ride with me and his mama won’t complain. Right. It made the kid happy, and now here we are.

I dismount and head toward the truck to get the kid and carry his shit into the house. He slings the door open before I can reach him and jumps down. “This is your house, Mr. Declan?”

“Stop with all the Mister shit. How many times do I need to tell you to call me Declan?”

“Mama says I need to address adults as Mr. or Miss. It’s polite and respectful.” Carter replies.

I lean down until I’m at his level and quietly tell him, “But your mama ain’t here. Bro code, right?” His face splits with the biggest grin.

“Hell yeah.”

Skyler’s head spins on both of us. Ethan must’ve helped her out of the truck because I didn’t see her standing there and she’s not thrilled with Carter’s response. She points her finger at me, glaring. I stand to my full height, my arms crossed over my chest, fighting like hell not to smile.

“If his mother asks me where he learned to talk like that, I am going to …”

“Do absolutely nothing, Sunshine.” Ethan says, grabbing her around her waist from behind. “You know why?”

“Because snitches get stitches, right Uncle Ethan?” Carter chimes in and giggles when Skyler’s mouth drops open.

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