Page 92 of A New Days Don

Do I want to be with someone in the mafia?

That is the most ludicrous question to ever ask yourself. No! He’s dangerous, and I don’t want anything to do with the criminal underworld. He killed a man! And there is no way he was that well-versed in killing if it was his first.

My stomach churns with nausea.

Great, so now that you are done lying to yourself… My internal voice snorts.

Now is not the time to be having this existential crisis. Especially with Dr. Alverez looking at me with curiosity. His sharp jawline is accentuated as he clenches his teeth. His skin is weathered from years of stress. His mocha hair is littered with greys, and the dark bags under his eyes tell me he doesn’t sleep much.

Despite barely remembering the evening, he looks familiar. My skin crawls as he eyes me up and down, taking me in as if he’s cataloguing me in his mind—or maybe undressing me. The contents in my stomach threaten to spill.

“Mila,” Massimo murmurs, pulling me out of my head.

“Uh… I- Hi,” I say to the man in front of me. Recognition crosses his familiar hazel eyes, his face blanching. They widen almost imperceptibly before he turns his gaze back to his monitor. He looks at us briefly from the corner of his eye.

Is he nervous?

“The main desk is down the hall to the right,” I look up to Massimo, who is glaring at the man.

Okay, so I am not crazy—that was suspicious.

“We are here to speak with you,” I tell him, and he stiffens.

“I don’t have any meetings today.” Dr. Alverez responds, and then Massimo begins to chuckle, drawing Alverez’s attention to us. His eyes look tortured.

“Wrong answer,” Massimo growls, pulling his gun from the waistband of his pants while simultaneously pushing me into the room before he shuts the door behind us, “Ah! No screaming.”

Cold, calculated power rolls off Massimo in droves. It’s overwhelming, yet it doesn’t scare me. It fuels every fibre of my being. I want answers, and it’s clear this guy is hiding them.

I don’t stop Massimo, even if it would be the right thing to do. Playing by the law and Miss Nice Gal haven’t worked, and women are paying the price for that.

“Now, I’m going to tell you how this is going to go.” Alverez tries to stand, his tall, six-foot frame barely compared to Massimo's. Massimo presses the cold end of his gun to the man’s forehead, “Sit your grimy ass back down.” He does exactly that.

Massimo turns to me, the cold-blooded killer grinning wickedly, but his voice is softer than it was while talking to Alverez, “Love, time to ask your questions.”

He turns back to Alverez, “Answer her questions truthfully, and you’ll live to see another day. So much as think about lying, and I’ll paint your office with your entrails.”

“Mila, don’t you think this is a little much. You and I both know a person of the law shouldn’t be committing acts of crime.” Dr. Mitch Alverez stammers anxiously, and I stiffen.

“How do you know my name?” I ignore his attempt at making me second-guess what we are doing. I was shot today. If someone had targeted me, then that means we are getting closer.

His nervous eyes shift back and forth between Massimo and I, “You didn’t mention it earlier.”

“No, I didn’t.” My eyes narrow on him as I cautiously step around his office.

His eyes return to Massimo, and I snap, “Eyes on me.” The words come out threateningly from deep within my chest.

Massimo groans, and in my peripherals, I watch him adjust his cock in his pants. Is he hard? Oh my God, he’s psychotic.

I shoot him a look, and he shrugs as if to say, ‘What do you expect?’

“You remember me.” It isn’t a question, but Alverez nods, “Why are you so afraid that I have come back?”

“I’m not afraid.” Alverez snaps defensively, and Massimo cocks his gun.

“Watch your fucking tone.” He warns in a tone that sends a chill down my spine, but not one of fear. Massimo winks at me, and my thighs tighten. Oh my God, I’m just as psychotic.

“No, but you seem more than ready to get rid of me,” I respond.