Chapter 4 - The Ghost of the Past
Weeks turned into a strange, beautiful routine.
The Moretti estate was a fortress on the outside, but inside, it became a sanctuary.
I spent my days in the nursery, a vast room flooded with natural light, working with Leo and Luca.
They were beautiful babies, with their father's dark hair and olive skin.
Because of the neurotoxin, they suffered from lingering sensory processing issues. Loud noises made them freeze; bright lights made them cry.
I used my training. I brought in acoustic guitars, singing bowls, and metronomes.
I created rhythmic soundscapes that helped their traumatized nervous systems heal.
And every afternoon, Damien would come in to watch.
He would sit in the corner armchair, discarding his suit jacket, his gun holstered at his side, just watching me sing and play with his sons.
The cold mafia boss melted away in this room.
One rainy afternoon, as I rocked a sleeping Leo, Damien spoke up.
"Why did you leave the medical field, Ellie? A talent like yours belongs in a premier hospital, not a restaurant."
I stiffened, the old wound throbbing.
"It doesn't matter," I whispered.
"It matters to me," he said, walking over and kneeling beside the rocking chair. He was so close I could feel the heat radiating from him.
I took a deep breath. "I was working at a private clinic. The director's son was a doctor there. He made a terrible mistake with a pediatric patient's dosage. To protect his son, the director framed me for the error. They ruined my reputation, buried me in legal fees, and drove me out of the industry."
Damien's eyes darkened, a storm brewing in his irises.
"What was the name of the clinic?" he asked, his voice a low growl.
"Damien, no. I'm not telling you so you can go hurt someone."
He reached out, his calloused thumb gently brushing a stray tear from my cheek. The touch sent a jolt of electricity straight to my heart.
"No one hurts what is mine, Ellie," he said softly.
The words what is mine hung in the air, heavy with a meaning I was terrified to explore.
He looked at my lips, then back to my eyes.
For a moment, I thought he was going to kiss me. I wanted him to.
May you like
But Luca cooed in his crib, breaking the spell.
Damien stood up, clearing his throat. "I will fix it, Ellie. That is a promise."
