3. His Unsettling Smirk

The moment Rose entered room 77, she felt Roman Bianchi’s penetrating gaze on her. It made shivers of awareness run down her spine, but also made a part of her want to make a run for it. 

She defiantly met his stare head on, unwilling to submit to the sheer pressure oozing off him. 

The mafia boss’ smirk was bewitching, and it unsettled her that her patient had so much power over her. She needed to remind herself that Roman Bianchi was her patient, and not just any patient, a dangerous one at that. 

“I accept,” she told him in a firm tone of voice. “I accept the deal.” 

“Naturally,” he nodded at her, almost as if he was humoring her. 

Soon, she explained to him that she’d have to monitor his temperature till it was back to normal, and that meant more touching – no matter if he liked it or not. 

His answer was a grunt. 

Rose figured that a grunt was a disgruntled yes of sorts. Roman Bianchi didn’t like having to repeat himself, but also didn’t like talking, unless it was absolutely necessary it would seem.    

Once she was done with her task, she told him in her softest tone, which she sometimes used with reticent children, “It is time that I let you rest, Mr Bianchi. I will be one press of the button away.” 

She was the one who needed to rest really, and to be away from him and his calculated but penetrating looks. 

He wordlessly nodded at her, his icy blue eyes soon shifting to his phone, and she was on her way out of the room that seemed just about ready to suffocate her. Indeed, most of the patients she encountered in her few years as a registered nurse were more talkative, whether it was to whine about the pain or to make small talk because they were bored. 

Naturally, Roman Bianchi was unlike any patient she had before, and she would have to get used to him and his temperament. It would take some time but, hopefully, she would be able to stand the man throughout the 10 days. 

Upon going to the room where both Zina and Catherine, but also Daniel, were gathered, she could barely stifle a yawn. 

“You look tired, Rose,” Catherine observed in a soft tone of voice. 

Rose stretched back, enough to make her shoulders feel less stiff, and then popped the joints of her neck before saying, “How can I not be?” 

“But you’re still rocking those scrubs,” Daniel let out jokingly while nodding approvingly. 

He wasn’t hitting on her. He had the looks and the brains any woman would love to have in a man… It was sad that he swung the other way though. 

“I could do with some shut-eye honestly,” she nodded at them numbly. 

Knowing that starting tomorrow she would have to take care solely of the mafia boss, at his villa no less, she remained wide awake despite her tiredness. She kept chatting with her colleagues, among which the usually insomniac and ever bubbly Daniel. 

“What I would do to be in your shoes,” he said in a dreamy tone that could have upset her, but that made her smile instead. “Roman Bianchi is one fine specimen.” 

“You were allowed near him?” She asked in a bewildered tone of voice, wondering if he didn’t pass the vibe check either. 

“No,” he shook his head negatively, “and it’s all for the best, you know? My dignity wouldn’t allow me to let him make me cry, not unless we were in bed…” 

Rose giggled at that. And while Roman Bianchi was hard to read, she didn’t think he belonged to Daniel’s team. His looks, although not amorous, were so intense, a shiver ran down her spine at the mere memory of one.

She wanted to tell Daniel that he could have him, if the man ever approved of him that was. But then again, Daniel lived for chaos, and that was why he preferred the ER. He only came to chat them up on his late dinner break.     

Soon, he left, after making her promise to tell him everything – absolutely everything – about the mysterious and stubborn patient who was under her care.  

Catherine soon sat next to her and said in a soft tone of voice, “Get some rest. I will tell you if he ever asks for you.” 

  

Rose offered her a warm smile, “How about I help you with your patients instead? You had to take 2 of mine each.” 

“It was a no brainer,” Zina said in a soft tone of voice, “We are sorry you got pulled out of bed because he is too stubborn to have anyone touch him.” 

The warning he had given Rose, about touching him casually on their first encounter, was still fresh in her memory… And she wondered whether it was because he didn’t trust random people – even healthcare workers – to touch him, or because of some other reason. The man was indeed full of mysteries. 

4 rounds and 4 hours later, and Rose was just about ready to fall asleep while standing against the wall. Her previous night shift had been in the ER, and people sometimes underestimated the work that was put in to make it run smoothly. It was hell and back, especially on busy nights like the night prior. 

She ended up flopping on a chair, promising herself to rest for 15 minutes, no more. 

When she woke up, however, it was day time. She shot up at once, and realized that someone had covered her with a quilt when this latter fell on the floor. 

“Oh my god!” She let out, panicking more than she probably let it show, “I can’t believe I slept through 2 whole hours.” 

“No harm done,” the deep voice that answered her made blood freeze over in her veins. 

Roman Bianchi was behind her, standing, looking unbothered on his phone. More than just unbothered, the man looked straight up out of a magazine cover… that was how handsome he was, and then some.  

“What are you doing, up and about?” She demanded at once, her eyes narrowing on him. 

“Well, good morning to you too,” he said sarcastically, focusing his gaze on her. 

She pinched the bridge on her nose briefly, and then tried again, containing her irritation, “Morning, Mr Bianchi. What are you doing outside your bed?” 

“I did say I was getting discharged today, didn’t I?” He retorted in his most blasé tone of voice, while raising an eyebrow at her. 

“What about your venous access?” She asked in a weary tone next. 

“The doctor removed it. I am no longer feverish,” he said, nodding at the end.  

She wondered if he thought this explained his behavior… but then again, the man was a mafia boss and he didn’t need to explain himself. 

Her colleagues were nowhere to be found, and she wondered if he had intimidated them into leaving the hall, away from his angry looks. 

“So, we’re leaving now?” She asked, squaring her shoulders, even though all fight had left her yesterday after her second call with Elizabeth. 

He raised an eyebrow at her and then asked, “You’re planning to leave looking like that?” 

“No,” she shook her head negatively. “I’m going to change back into regular clothes first.” 

“You do that, and then we will be on our way.” 

The words held a finality to them that scared and thrilled her at the same time. 

She knew that her encounter with the mafia boss was meant to be unforgettable, but she didn’t realize at the time how utterly life-changing it would be.