I’m surprised the Lombardis don’t have an on-call doctor or nurse. I was Uncle Yaroslav’s. It’s the only reason he paid for my nursing school. If one of his men was injured, it was my job to tend to them.
I snap on a pair of latex gloves and get to work.
“Motherfucker!” Leo hisses as I disinfect his wound. “Some warning would’ve been nice.”
“The peroxide was in her hand,” Emilio states with irritation. “Be respectful and open your fucking eyes.”
Ah, so he’s the only one allowed to act like an asshole to me.
“My apologies, Liliya,” Leo says, relaxing his shoulders as I fan my hand over his wound, attempting to dry it.
When it’s time to stitch him up, the men cater to my every request without argument. Emilio stands close behind me as I thread the needle through Leo’s skin. With each pass of the needle, the bleeding slows down.
“All right,” I say when I’m finished. “You need to make sure you keep this clean, okay?”
Leo nods.
Julian and Damien help Leo off the table.
“Thanks, Liliya,” Leo says before winking. “Keep the panini maker. I was only bullshitting.”
I offer him a gentle smile. “You’re welcome.”
He gives me a salute, and the other two men thank me before assisting Leo out the front door. As soon as they’re gone, I whip around to glare at Emilio.
I inch closer, putting my finger in his face the same way I did earlier. “Let me make this clear, mister. If you want a favor from me, acting like a jerk isn’t how you get it. Be nice for once in your mean-face life.”
He narrows his dark eyes at me. “I’m never nice,guaio.”
“I’m not trouble. I’m yourwife.”
He inches closer, clasping my chin in his hand. “If you weren’t trouble,wife, then you wouldn’t be here.”
“Contractedwife,” I huff out. “Not by choice.”
“In case you forgot, you weren’t my first choice either.”
I attempt to jerk out of his hold for that comment, but he tightens it. He sweeps his cold, callous thumb over my cheek, and my teeth chatter.
“You’re easily replaceable, just like your sister.” He taps my cheek before pulling away. “Who knows what Aleksy would do with you after? No man wants adisposed-ofwife.”
12
I’m already a shit husband.
Though not for the same reasons as most men.
Not for another woman, a drink, or gambling.
More along the lines of murder and business.
We took Leo home, and while Damien stayed with him to make sure the idiot didn’t bleed out, we disposed of the two men responsible for his stabbing.
I gave them quick deaths. Not out of mercy, but because I was fucking exhausted and gave no fucks about them.
It was Leo’s fault that he had been stabbed. We’d banned the men from Lucky Kings, and they snuck into the casino. Instead of calling for backup, Leo decided to handle it on his own.
Lesson fucking learned for him.
