Page 28 of Wounded King

"Marcello?" She cries one more time from the door, but I turn my back. I put up with a lot of her shit, but nobody cheats on me. Or decides when I get married.

"Make sure she's gone by the time we get home," I instruct Luciano when he returns.

"Already done, boss. You ready?"

I grab the crutches he brought just as a nurse rolls in a wheelchair. "Are you ready to go home, Mr. Orsi?" she croons.

On a rational level, I understand that she is only irritating me because she's not Chirps, but a wheelchair? Really?

"I hope that chair is for you," I state, adjusting the crutch underneath my armpit.

"Oh no," she giggles nervously. "It's hospital policy."

"We won't be needing this," Luciano pushes her out the door, allowing her a glimpse of his gun, which stops any further protests.

"You ready, boss?"

My head pounds, my leg aches, and my shoulder screams at me, but I'll be damned if I waste another minute in this room.

Kurt and Giacomo, two of my new bodyguards, are already positioned by the waiting elevator, glaring at a crying woman who wants to use it.

"Let the lady use it," Luciano instructs before I can.

The woman turns toward Luciano, then her eyes catch on my sorry ass. "No, that's okay. I'll wait."

"Please, ladies first," I insist.

"There's enough room for all of us," she offers, but looks even more nervous.

"Please," I let go of the handle, pushing my weight into the armpit pad and barely repressing a groan from the pain. But I wave her on, forcing a smile to my lips.

As soon as the doors close behind her, Luciano pushes the button to summon the next.

"Always be courteous to women," Luciano instructs Kurt and Giacomo. "Sorry, boss. These two idiots have no clue how to behave yet."

"They'd better learn quick," I remark, rooting them to their spots with a glare.

"You've had a bad run with bodyguards lately," Luciano excuses his choice of men.

He's not wrong. Three were killed in the parking garage, four if you count Casimo the traitor, and four more just two nights ago in this hospital.

The cab arrives and takes us up to the roof, where a helicopter is waiting. The hospital wasn't happy about me using their landing pad, but I didn't give them much of a choice.

Luciano positions himself to help me in, but an icy glare from me has him backing up, raising his hands in the air. It would have been easier to accept his help, but I'll be damned if I'll let anybody see a weakness.

The noise of the rotors isn't doing my headache any favors, but the pain in my shoulder distracts me when I pull myself into the chopper. I can't help the sweat running up and down my body, or how out of wind I am, but I'm out of the damn hospital, and I count that as a win.

Luciano is grinning, sitting opposite me, typing on his phone.

"Who are you texting?"

"Violet. Alejandro is about to pick her up."

"How close did you two get, exactly?" I want to know, irritated at how comfortable they seem to be with each other.

"She's a very nice lady. Brave, a fighter." Luciano looks up from the screen, meeting my eyes. I arch an eyebrow.

"Do I hear wedding bells ringing?" I press out; I'll be damned if I let him see how much that thought bothers me.