Chapter 6 - The Knock at Midnight
Three weeks later, I was back in an emergency room.
Not as a nurse.
As an applicant.
St. Catherine's had an opening.
The interview lasted forty minutes.
“We can offer nights,” the supervisor said.
“When would I start?”
“Monday.”
I should have been thrilled.
Instead, I heard Dominic's voice.
Is that what you want?
I signed nothing.
“I need twenty-four hours.”
That evening, someone knocked on my apartment door.
Three slow knocks.
I looked through the peephole.
Leo.
I opened it.
“What happened?”
“Mr. Rossi is fine.”
My shoulders relaxed.
“Then why are you here?”
Leo held out a small box.
“Your belongings.”
“I didn't leave anything.”
“You did.”
Inside was my cheap plastic pen.
The one I'd used to record Dominic's temperature on my first day.
“You drove across town for a pen?”
“Apparently.”
“Leo.”
He sighed.
“He's unbearable.”
I laughed.
“He was unbearable when I met him.”
“Worse.”
“Why?”
Leo stared at me.
“You know why.”
I didn't answer.
“He's firing chefs.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“You made soup.”
“Once.”
“He claims nobody else makes it correctly.”
“He hated my soup.”
“He ate three bowls.”
I smiled.
Leo continued.
“He also keeps finding reasons to walk past the guest room you used.”
My smile disappeared.
“Leo.”
“He won't call you.”
“I know.”
“He thinks that would be an order.”
That sounded exactly like Dominic.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Nothing.”
Leo stepped toward the stairs.
“Mr. Rossi was correct about one thing.”
“What?”
“You should decide what you want.”
Then he left.
At 11:48 that night, I was still awake.
At midnight, I grabbed my keys.
The Rossi gates opened before I reached them.
Of course Leo had warned security.
I entered the mansion.
The lights were low.
Dominic stood alone in the library wearing a black shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, revealing the tattoos along his forearms.
His shoulder had healed enough that he no longer needed bandages.
He looked stronger.
Dangerous again.
But when he saw me, every trace of authority disappeared from his expression.
“Nora?”
“Hi.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Then why are you here at midnight?”
I held up the pen.
“You sent Leo across the city with this.”
Dominic looked almost embarrassed.
“I thought you might need it.”
“It's worth forty cents.”
“You liked it.”
“I hate this pen.”
Silence.
Then I laughed.
Dominic did too.
The tension broke.
I walked closer.
“I got a hospital offer.”
His expression became guarded.
“Congratulations.”
“I haven't accepted.”
“Why?”
“Because you asked me what I wanted.”
“And?”
I looked around the enormous library.
“I want to work in medicine.”
He nodded slowly.
“You should.”
“But I don't want to spend my entire life working nights just to survive.”
“Then don't.”
“And there's something else.”
Dominic waited.
“You.”
He went completely still.
“Nora.”
“I know who you are.”
“Do you?”
“Enough.”
“My life isn't simple.”
“Neither is mine.”
“My name brings danger.”
“So does untreated sepsis.”
He almost smiled.
Then his expression turned serious.
“I won't make you part of anything criminal.”
“Good.”
“I mean it.”
“So do I.”
“I've spent years trying to move the businesses away from what my father built.”
“I know.”
His eyes narrowed.
“How?”
“Leo talks when you aren't around.”
“I'm firing Leo.”
“No, you're not.”
“Probably not.”
I stopped inches from him.
“What happens now?”
Dominic looked down at me.
“For the first time in my life, I have absolutely no idea.”
“Good.”
“Good?”
“Means I finally found something Dominic Rossi can't control.”
His hand lifted slowly.
He touched my cheek.
I didn't move away.
“Can I kiss you?”
The most feared man I'd ever met was asking permission.
I smiled.
“Yes.”
May you like
And for once, Dominic Rossi heard that word instead.
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