"Don't get me wrong. I am aware that your arranging for me to stay here buys me time to get me back on my feet, but don't mistake it for weakness. I don't take kindly to orders."
We glare at each other, then Michael bares his teeth, "If it was your idea to kill Christian, then nothing in the world can save you, Axel."
"Wait," Theresa walks over to stand between me and Michael, "you can’t be implying what you think I am."
"You know I don’t have a choice, Theresa. If he’s turned against us, then I can’t let him live."
"No," Theresa shakes her head, "there must be some other way."
"Let’s hope the reason for his actions doesn’t turn out to be the kind that necessitates such action then."
"He’s your brother, Michael," Theresa pleads with him. And for some reason, I hate it. She shouldn’t be asking him to spare my life. Hell, she shouldn’t be asking anyone for anything… Except. me. She should be pleading with me for her orgasm. Pleading with me to spank her. Pleading with me to make her come. Pleading with me for my forgiveness. She should be allowed to only use that tone of voice with me, not anyone else.
"Please, Michael, don’t do this."
"Theresa, stop. You don’t need to beseech him for anything."
"I do," she scowls at me over her shoulder. "He’s the Don, in case you hadn’t noticed. He can take anyone’s life at any time, and no one can say no to him."
"So can I." The words burst out of me and I am not sure where they come from. Perhaps instinct, or perhaps, I am regaining some of my memory.
I glance up to find Michael and Luca watching me intently.
"What was that all about?" Theresa asks in a low voice. "Why did you say that. Is it because you're like Michael? Are you also a Don? But that doesn’t make sense. If you were the head of a clan, you wouldn’t be going around dirtying your hands. You would be putting others up to the job."
"Unless this was so personal—" Michael interjects.
"—that I couldn’t trust anyone else," I exchange glances with him. So we are on opposite teams, for all purposes, but damn, if the two of us don’t think alike. If my brief interaction with my other brothers is any indication, Michael and I are the closest when it comes to how we approach a problem.
"So you understand why I need to keep you under guard for the moment?" Michael murmurs. "You may be my brother, but until you give me a reason to trust you, I’ll have to treat you as I would a potential enemy."
"I’d have done the same thing in your position," I admit. "Doesn’t mean I am not going to be angry with you for doing this."
"I’d have the same reaction," Michael agrees.
"Jesus, for guys who don’t like each other, you sure do think alike," Luca grumbles.
"For the moment, at least, we are on the same side." I shoot Michael a glance. "At least, until I am back on my feet, you can be assured that I won’t have the strength to come for you."
"I’m not holding my breath," Michael informs him. "And you Theresa," he turns to me, "what are you going to do, now that Axel is moving out of the hospital?"
"She goes with me," I snap.
"No way, am I going anywhere with you," Theresa retorts at the same time, then shoots me an angry glance. So fucking cute. Like she has any say in this matter.
I glare at Michael, who’s watching our exchange with interest.
"Surely, Theresa has a say in this matter," Luca suggests.
"No," I retort.
"Yes, I do." Theresa wraps her arms about her waist. "I can go where I want, when I want, and no one can stop me."
She spins around and stomps to the door, but Luca blocks her way.
"Let me go," she says in a low voice.
"I’m sorry, I can’t do that," Luca replies, his tone gentle. "It’s not safe for you to be without someone guarding you."