Maid for the Mafia

ALEX

We're already headed back when my phone rings with an unfamiliar number flashing across the screen. With a frown, I flip it open and hit send. "Yes?" I say in way of answer. I never use my name. Not even when I know who is calling.

"Mister Alex DeMarco? This is Guadalupe Herrera at St. Martin's Urgent Care. You are the emergency contact for one Rubyna Dubois. Is this Alex DeMarco?"

My throat constricts, every muscle in my body locking with tension. My gaze shoots to Mickey in the seat next to me and I almost want to scream. He stares back at me through narrowed eyes and I lower the volume on my receiver dramatically.

*She's dead just like I thought.*

*Holy fuck.*

*Santos, you bastard.*

"This is DeMarco," I say and Mickey freezes, his expression wary.

The bitch has a thick Spanish accent and I listen to Miss Herrera's next words carefully, trepidation building in my chest. Everything she recounts for me sounds a little more like rubbish with each mispronounced syllable, yet I'm not entirely sure of it until she offers to send a picture of Ruby to my phone.

That is when I know for certain something isn't right. Because first of all... who does that? And second, I happen to know the only person on Ruby's emergency contact list is not me. It is Romany.

*What game is this?*

I play along, promising to be there as soon as possible, but when I hang up I hit the intercom button and tell my driver to step on it.

*We need to be home and we need to be there yesterday!*

Mickey watches me carefully, shifting in his seat as if waiting for me to play back a transcript of the fairytale I just heard. When I don't, he snarls, "Well, tell me! What is it? What happened?"

I sigh, stretching out the time as best I can so that I can put off the eventual argument that is undoubtedly heading my way.

*Mickey is going to insist that we fetch Ruby immediately just to please my angel and that would be a mistake.*

"Alex?!" He growls.

*Fucking hell.*

I tell him, "According to the nurse on the phone, Ruby was dropped off at St Martin's Urgent Care by someone claiming to have found her in the middle of the goddamned road. She was severely dehydrated and riding high off of opiates. They claim to have detoxed her and swear that she is in the recovery room waiting to be picked up. Annnd according to this - 'nurse' - *I am the only person* they will release her to."

"What the fuck? How long have they had her?"

"The woman claims that Ruby has been there for the last three days, but the bitch is *lying*."

"You don't know that."

I roll my eyes. "Okay. Fine. I don't know that. Never mind that detoxing opiates takes a fucking minimum of NINE days, not three and then of course, add that if Ruby was truly there and ready for release, she would have called me her fucking self. But according to you, I don't know that."

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Mickey hits the intercom to speak to Vincenzo and all I can do is gawk at him in absolute wonder. "You are such a fucking tool," I hiss.

He flips me off and speaks into the mic, "Vincenzo - change course for St Martin's Urgent Care."

I slap Mickey's hand away from *my* device. "What the fuck are you doing? He's my goddamned driver, *cousin!*" I hit the button, "Vincenzo - disregard that order and take us directly home." I release the button and glare. "We have to go home first!" Mickey is livid and fairly frothing at the mouth. "Are you crazy? Romany would kill us if she knew we left Ruby in the hospital."

"First - we have absolutely *no proof* that Ruby is actually there. Second - I don't buy that 'we found her in the road' bullshit, not at all. It's a distraction. We go home."

"Fuck that shit. You don't want to get her because you're afraid. You know that when Ruby finds out what you've done-"

I explode, "That IS NOT the reason, idiot! Think for a minute if you can. Take a couple

of deep breaths, let the oxygen flow, let your brain cells have a sip and realize that *my angel* is virtually *alone* in my house-"

"She's not alone!"

"SHE! IS!"

Mickey chuckles cruelly. "She's not. There are guards all over that place."

"Oh yes, the guards. Silly me. I forgot how fucking reliable they are. Oh! That's right! Ana Romano is there with her too! Fucking OUTSTANDING! She's perfectly safe then. Fuck you Mickey! It's Santos! He's after Romany."

If you're loving the book, nel5s.com is where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! Mickey snickers, "You're some piece of work, you know that."

"Of course I fucking know that, asshole. But when I say that Romany is in danger, I mean it. You just want to get to Ruby because you want to play the goddamned hero, well I'm telling you right fucking now - *my angel* - is in fucking danger and if we head to the fucking Urgent Care she'll be *gone* by the time we get back and you will have absolutely no clit to suck up to! I am telling you that if Ruby is at this hospital, which she very well might be, SHE CAN WAIT another fucking night before she is to be picked up! Now... we go home first. We grab Romany. Then we head for Ruby. And then and ONLY then... when the pair of them are safe and sound inside my mansion - will I be worried about Ruby murdering me for what I've done."

Mickey growls. "Fine. This is how we'll settle this. We call Romany first. We see how she's doing. We give *her the choice*."

I shake my head. "NO!"

Mickey whips out his gun and cocks it back at the same time I pull mine, leaving the pair of us sitting there with the end of the world just a pinch away.

"Why NO?" he shouts.

"Because she will tell us to retrieve Ruby no matter what kind of danger she's in. She could be buried alive in a coffin with naught but an hour of air left to suck into her perfect chest and she would still tell us to fetch her bloody cousin. That is why. NO!" "You're right. She would." Mickey lowers his gun. "Fuck me. You love her."

"I should blow you away."

"You love her."

"I hate her."

Mickey shrugs, "To-may-toe - To-mah-toe."noveldrama