Page 90 of Mafia King's Forbidden Obsession

“What happened?!” I demand, my voice shrill.

No answer.

Ezra’s still, too still.

“What the hell happened to him?!”

I try to keep up as they hurry down the hallway.

“Tell me!” I shout again, grabbing the arm of the nearest man.

The man briefly looks in my direction, his expression grim, but he says nothing. His silence is an answer in itself, filling me with dread. I let him go, my steps faltering, my hands trembling, as the men push through the door leading to the stitch room.

I can’t breathe. My mind spirals until my heartbeat is the only thing I can hear. He can’t die. Not now.

I have to help him.

With my mind made up, I stumble forward. My legs almost give way as I rush to the door but before I can make it, strong arms suddenly yank me back.

I whirl around to find Elio behind me with a stern gaze. I wrench free, but he steps in front of me, blocking my way.

“No,” he says firmly. “You can’t.”

I blink, shaking my head as I try to push past him. “What do you mean I can’t? I’m his doctor. I can—”

He grabs me gently but firmly by the waist while I struggle against him.

“You can’t,” he reiterates. “Raven, stop. You have to let the doctor work.”

I shake my head, my arms and legs flailing. “He needs me, Elio. I can help him.” All I can envision is Ezra’s pale body, bleeding out on the operating table. I have to save him!

Elio must’ve realized there was no getting through to me because he lifts me over his shoulder and walks away from the stitch room.

“No. Let me go…” I bring down my fists on his hard back. “Put me down this instant,” my voice quakes. I wiggle around to escape but the man’s grip is strong.

Elio only grunts as he makes his way up the stairs to Ezra’s bedroom, completely unfazed. Once there, he puts me down by the bed and holds me steady by my shoulders.

He steps closer. His eyes sweep over me; they’re soft, instead of the same cold scrutiny they always hold. “Your hands are shaking. You can’t save him like this.”

I look down, and sure enough, my hands are trembling vigorously.

I bite down on my lip, fighting back the tears that well up in my eyes as I step back. I wrap my arms around myself, trying to stop the shaking, but that doesn’t work.

“Look!” Elio’s voice cuts through the haze. “The house doctor is here. He is good. Let him handle this.” He adds with a firm tone in his voice.

Elio begins to say something, but I’m barely aware of anything beyond the numbness sinking into my bones. The world fades into the background and slows as my mind is clouded with the sight of Ezra in his near-death state.

He promised he would be careful.

“Rave…Raven.” When I look up, Elio’s mouth is moving.

“Raven!” His voice finally pierces through my muffled world when he shakes me. “You should clean up.”

I don’t argue. The panic has robbed me of my strength. My body feels heavy, my head throbs. I barely notice Elio slip out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

The mattress sinks as I fall onto it. I barely register the cold sheets as I stare at the ceiling, tears streaming down the sides of my head. Thoughts swirl and fade, one bleeding into the next.

Ezra’s a strong man. He’ll surely survive. In his words, he’s been through worse. A bullet can’t keep the mafia boss down. Can it?