THE DON'S FAVOURITE SIN

DON JASON MORETTI

ason

My phone rang just as I was about to enter into Ava’s room.

Shit.

With the bizarre discovery this morning, I completely forgot about today’s operation. The Milan Gang had been getting bold, like they suddenly grew wings overnight. Their leader, Gustavo, thought he could go against my instruction in the underworld and not face the consequences. I was going to show him, why the name Don Jason Moretti wasn’t just a title, it was a warning.

I answered the call, with a sharp voice.

“Speak”

“We are about to leave Don, but we haven’t heard anything from you all morning” Anton’s voice came on.

“Do I need to be there before you catch someone so irrelevant?” I growled. The stress of everything had pushed me to the edge.

“N… NO, Don. Forgive me.” He sounded nervous, as he should.

I ended the call without saying another word.

The city of Valentia knew who I was- I was a nightmare to the women and children and a terror to men. I earned every ounce of fear they gave to me. I didn’t claw my way out of hell to babysit men I trained myself. After everything I went through in the hands of Gilmore, I need not to prove anything to anyone-that’s a story for another time.

But her?

She made me feel like I still had something to lose.

I pushed the door opened.

Ava was sitting on the bed, staring off like the world had ended and nobody told her how to move on. I walked over and sat beside her, the second the bed dipped, she flinched and started to jerk away.

I drew her back gently.

“Hey, it’s me. Jason”

She stared at me blankly at first, her eyes were locked with mine and that was all it took for the tears to start falling, it came fast and heavy, like a broken dam.

“Ssh, baby girl” I took her hands into mine, brushing my thumb softly over her skin. “You’ll be fine. I promise.

She shook her head, crying harder. “I just want to go home,” she said through her sobs. “The orphanage… it was there this morning when I left for school. You can’t tell me it’s gone… please take me there.”

God

She didn’t remember.

Her voice cracked like a glass under pressure and something inside of me shattered. This was the second time seeing her this broken and it killed me that I couldn’t give her what she wanted.

“I know you’re upset but stressing yourself like this isn’t good for your condition. You need to calm down.”

She pulled her hand away, there was pain and confusion etched on her face. “How do you expect me to calm down when nothing is making sense right know, everything I remembered feels like a dream. I don’t even know who I am anymore.”

I took a deep breath.

“Once you recover, I’ll take you home. My home. Because Ava… you don’t have anywhere else to go and I did not tell you before because you just woke up but we were engaged , before the incident occurred.

She didn’t say anything but stared with so much hurt, it made me want to destroy the world for her. Then she turned her back on me and curled up under the blanket.

I didn’t stop her.

I just got up and sat on the couch across the room, watching her in silence.

Five minutes passed.

Her voice came in soft and small. “I’m hungry. I want to eat.”

I looked up. “What do you want to eat?”

She didn’t turn. “Cheeseburger. And a milkshake.”

I stood up immediately.

“Cheeseburger and milkshake. Got it. I’ll be back in five.’

Ava

I waited until Jason shut the door behind him and his footsteps faded down the hallway. Then I let out the breath I’d been holding and sat up in the bed.

My hands were shaking.

Everything about him felt… off. He was too caring and perfect, it was as if he studied and memorized who I used to be.

He said he was my fiancé but something about his whole act felt… wrong. Don’t blame me for doubting, I’m only but a girl who has no idea of who she is right now, he can’t just spring ownership on me and want to take me home with him.

Well, I wasn’t buying that.

There was still time-if I moved fast and I should be able to get out of here before he comes back

I tiptoed to the door and peeked through the tiny peephole. The hallway was empty.

He actually left me alone? Did he really trust me to stay put?.

Either way, that was my shot.

I opened the door quietly and slipped out with my heart racing fast. Down the hall, my eyes landed on a door labeled Dressing Room. I pushed it open and shut it quietly behind me, I was looking for anything that could help me blend in-my clothes may give me away when they notice I’m gone and start searching.

I opened the closet cabinet-in there laid a pair of scrubs that seemed clean enough, I took it out and threw it on, then pulled a surgical mask over my face. My hair was messy, but it would have to do for now, time was running out.

The real challenge was getting out of the building.

I slipped back into the hallway and bowed my hair while walking, I wasn’t familiar with the place and I had no idea of getting out. I tried mimicking the casual pace of someone who works here, “Act like you belong here. Walk. Don’t run” that was what I kept repeating to myself.

The elevator was just five feet away, when I saw him.

Ben.

My stomach dropped. He stopped in front of the elevator, waiting for it to open. I turned my head away, lowering it further, while I hoped the mask would do the job.

But then I heard his voice.

“Wait!”

I froze. My heart slammed out of my ribs.

He came closer and I braced myself for the worst-I started calculating how fast I could run if anything happens.

“You must be the new nurse, right? The one starting today ?”

I gave the smallest nod I could manage.

He smiled. “Cool. Go to the emergency ward. Most of the team’s there-you’ll get to know everyone.”

“Okay, sir” I muttered and tried to walk away.

“It’s this way” he called out pointing to the left side of the hall.

I stopped and forced out a “thank you”

“It’s understandable that you don’t your away around now. No pressure”

I gave a bow and walked away quickly, once I turned the corner, I exhaled slowly.

That was too close.

Wasn’t sure if he and Jason were in on this but I can’t take the risk.

I found the stairs and forced myself down one step at a time. My knees almost gave out and the anxiety inside my heart was so strong-my chest burned from holding it in.

I got out the main door.

The air outside hit me like a slap-it was cold, open and free.

The whole place looked unfamiliar, but there was no time to remain here an figure out where exactly I was, only one thing mattered, I told myself.

Run.