Sempre (Forever Series #1)(76)

“I know it’s a lot to take in,” Dr. DeMarco said. “I’m walking a fine line trying to distance my son from this lifestyle. When I vowed my life to the organization, I swore they would always come first. Little did I know, years later, they’d expect me to hand over my son. Sal views Carmine as the Principe, a Mafia prince, and if he discovers I spoke out against them, he’ll see me as a traitor. Do you know what the punishment for treachery is in my world? What happens to people when they forget their place?”

She flinched at his choice of words. “Death.”

“So you see the predicament I’m in. You’re helping my son in ways I’ve failed him, but you need to realize I’m trying to help him, too. I’m saving him from something he doesn’t realize he needs to be saved from. I just haven’t found a way out of this without somebody getting hurt, a way where someone doesn’t have to be sacrificed.”

He grabbed his pen again and sorted through papers, subject closed. Haven watched him for a moment before picking up the book from the floor.

* * *

Before Haven knew it, the door behind her flew open, and Dr. DeMarco groaned. “How many times do we have to go through this, Carmine Marcello, before you stop entering rooms without permission?”

Haven sat still, staring straight ahead at the desk, her skin prickling as Carmine plopped down in the chair beside her. “I had permission. You told me to be here.”

Dr. DeMarco shook his head. “Give me your car keys.”

Carmine tensed. “Excuse me?”

“What is it with you kids acting ignorant? Give me your keys.”

“This shit again?”

“Son . . .”

Carmine pulled out his keys and threw them on his father’s desk. They landed on a pile of papers, and Dr. DeMarco picked them up before tossing a different set to Carmine.

Carmine looked at him with confusion. “Why are you giving me the keys to the Mercedes?”

“Because it’s not yours.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“I figured you’d prefer to use someone else’s,” Dr. DeMarco said, “but if you’d rather her start with the Mazda, by all means take your keys back.”

Carmine shook his head. “You aren’t making any f**king sense.”

“Watch your mouth,” Dr. DeMarco said. “If you’d stop being defensive, you’d see I was telling you to teach the girl how to drive.”

Carmine’s eyes widened. “You’re f**king kidding me?”

Dr. DeMarco groaned. “Sometimes I want to knock the shit out of you, son.”

“You realize you’re cursing at me for cursing, right? What kinda role model are you?”

“Not the type of role model you need. Do what I say, not what I do. You’re too good to follow in my footsteps.”

“Too good to be a doctor?”

“You know what I’m talking about.”

There was a subtle sadness in Dr. DeMarco’s expression that struck Haven hard. Up until then, she hadn’t been able to sympathize with him. She could understand him now, could see his fears, and the most startling part was they wanted the same thing.

How was that possible? She couldn’t wrap her mind around it.

“Doesn’t seem so bad,” Carmine said. “Look what it’s gotten you.”

“Looks are deceiving.”

“You’re telling me,” he said. “So, why are we at the hospital? Implanting shit? Running more tests? Or let me guess—it’s a secret?”

Dr. DeMarco’s expression flickered with the same aggravation Haven had seen earlier in the day. “You kids get going. I have patients to see.”

He walked out, leaving Carmine and Haven alone. They sat quietly for a moment after the door closed before Carmine stood up. “It scared the hell out of me when I saw you sitting here. I thought I was gonna have to sucker punch him, grab you, and run.”

His words brought back everything Dr. DeMarco had said. Last week, Carmine told her he’d put her safety above his desires, and now she needed to do the same. She didn’t want him to get hurt, and if that meant giving Dr. DeMarco her loyalty, she’d do it for Carmine.

Because she’d rather sacrifice herself than him suffer a single moment because of her existence.

* * *

Haven stepped off the curb and paused beside the passenger door to the car. She and Carmine stood there silently for a second before he cleared his throat. “Why are you over here? You’re driving.”

“Now?”

He jingled the keys in front of her face. “Yeah, why not?”

She took them. “But I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“I’ll walk you through it. See the black thing with the big-ass red button on it? Push—”

Before he could tell her what to push, she hit the red button. The lights flashed as the horn blared. He hit the button to stop it as she smiled sheepishly. This was about to be a disaster if they couldn’t get the doors open without a mistake. “You see the button with the picture of the opened lock?”

“Yes.”

“Press that motherf*cker.” She pressed it, her face lighting up when the car unlocked. He smiled at her expression of pride. “Good. Now get into the car, but don’t touch anything.”