Debt To The Mafia King

Chapter 14

“There, that should do it” I said admiring my handy work. 

I had taken off my cardigan and tied it around Ezio’s stomach to keep the pressure on the gauze covering his wound. He looked a lot cleaner but was still hardly recognisable from his injuries. I know he has done the same, maybe worse to some of Michele’s guys but I can’t leave his wounds to get infected. 

When I saw the blood on Michele’s shirt yesterday, I knew that he had done a number on Ezio. After working in medicine and seeing all of the patients in the hospital I volunteered in, I can’t leave someone to die. I’ve watched families and loved ones say goodbye; sometimes they don’t get there before they pass. 

I remember the time that an elderly lady had been mugged and beaten up by a group of teens. She was in bad shape and a lot of people walked past her on the street and didn’t help her at all. When she finally got to us, she had lost a lot of blood unnecessarily and was very weak. We sent her straight into surgery but her wounds had been left too long and she lost too much blood. The poor lady died within 20 minutes of arriving to the hospital. Her husband who was in his 80s was roaming around with his walking stick, trying to find out where she was and I was the one who had to explain to him that the love of his life had died. The poor man broke down in front of me which broke my heart. 

All of that could have been avoided if someone had stopped for this woman and just put pressure on her wounds and got her to a hospital. After that day I swore that I would never leave someone to suffer from their wounds unless mine or someone else’s life is in danger. I wasn’t about to break that promise now. 

Ezio was so badly hurt that he could hardly lift his head let alone his fist so he was no threat to me at the moment. I stood up and collected the used gauzes and the bottle. I headed out of the cell and locked it behind me, leaving Ezio’s arms free from his chains but still confined to his cell. He groaned slightly and called out my name to which I turned my attention to him.

“Rickie” he groaned. 

“What about him?” I asked. 

“M... Mick...Elle” I stepped towards the cell bars and tensed my brows with confusion.

“Michele... was going... to...” 

As if on cue, Michele stormed through the door with his hands clenched into fists. The veins on the side of his head were protruding from the rage pumping through his body. He looked at me with venom in his eyes and snarled. 

“What the f**k are you doing!” He screamed at me. 

I was frozen in fear of the anger he was portraying through his death stare. He’s been angry at me before but this time it was different. He looked even more monstrous that when he had his hands around my throat. I opened my mouth to speak but only a quivering sound escaped my lips. He glanced down at my hands that were holding the medical supplies and paused; he’s going to blow.

“Get out” he growled.

“Michele, this is wrong. This isn’t like you at all...”

“I said, get the f**k out!” He bellowed. 

I sighed deeply and looked over at Ezio who was laying on the ground to one side, staring at me apologetically. If I leave now, then Michele will undo everything I have done to help Ezio. Not only that, but he will probably end up killing him and then I will never know what he was about to say. I stood up straight and scowled at Michele. 

“No” I replied shakily. 

Michele stepped towards me, panting with rage until he was towering over me. I stood my ground and mustered up as much confidence as I could to not move away. My hands were full so I was at a disadvantage if Michele was going to try and hit me. 

“No?” He said quietly. I let out a long breath and put the gauzes and alcohol on the side.

“Michele, you’ve won...” I began with a softened tone. 

“...he’s hurt and you have made him pay. Please, for me, just take a step back and look at yourself”. I reached up and moved the strand of hair that had fell from his neatly swept back do. 

“You’re not this monster, you’re smarter than this”. I thought that my words were getting through to him because his expression relaxed. I cupped his cheek and pressed my forehead against his.

“This isn’t you” I breathed. After a long pause, I could feel his anger start to subside - or so I thought.

“Go to my office and wait for me there” he sternly said in a low voice. I moved back from him in shock. 

“Don’t do this” I begged, cupping his face one more time to try and regain the merciful man deep within in his soul. He gripped my wrist and removed it slowly.

“Go”. 

Tears started to run down my cheeks and I bowed my head to hide them. The sharp pain in my chest increased when I picked the items back up off of the table and turned to Ezio. Is this really the last time I’m going to see him? I should fight harder to save him from Michele’s wrath but I know that there is no point. When Michele is set on doing something then he is going to do it. I just thought that maybe I would be able to change his mind and get him to see past his anger. Before stepping out of the room, I stopped and stared at the concrete steps. 

“If you kill him... I will never forgive, I will leave and never come back” I warned.