Prologue
Jason's eyes darted between the half open door of the master bedroom and the ever still elevator doors, mind wandering what the hell was taking Dr. Johnjulio so long in getting there. The good doctor had been handsomely paid for his services throughout the years as the Morgan family physician. Jason knew today would be no different. What he was about to request of Dr. Harold Johnjulio had the potential of sparking an all out Mafia war but none of that mattered to Jason.
"Jason," the man's voice startled him.
"What the hell took you so long?!?" Jason barked.
"I was in the middle of an examination when you called. Jason....I couldn't just walk out on a patient," the older gentleman countered.
"Excuse me?" Jason said sarcastically.
"I do have a legitimate practice," Dr. Johnjulio said as though it should have made a difference.
"I don't give a fuck about your life inside the law. You know the game Harold," Jason's voice dripped with animosity. "When we say jump you say how high. I am making myself clear? I would hate for your practice to be short a partner." Jason smiled while he spoke.
The subtle threat was one that wasn't lost on Harold Johnjulio. "Point taken Jason. Now what seems to be the problem? You were so vague on the phone."
"Follow me." He motioned to the master bedroom of the expansive penthouse. Jason nodded to the two heavily armed men who immediately took position guarding the door.
"Isn't that?" Dr. Johnjulio asked pointing to the young woman sprawled across the king size bed.
"Yes it is," Jason answered the doctor's question with few words.
"What happened?" Jason handed over the empty vial. "Are you saying that she took them all?" The concern in Harold Johnjulio's tone wasn't lost on Jason who was only able to nod his head in response as her cryptic call scrolled through his head continuously.
"Do you have any idea how many she took or how many were even in the bottle?" Dr. Johnjulio moved forward to where his patient lay inert atop the ornate comforter. He needed to assess her condition further even though in the back of his mind he was certain that the outcome wouldn't be a good one.
Jason knew that the man across the room was talking to him but he wasn't able to concentrate on anything he was hearing. All he could hear was her soft words of goodbye – how sorry she was – and how much she had loved him.
He walked across the room to the wall of windows that looked out over the Chicago skyline. He watched the storm brewing overhead. Ominous clouds rolled quickly across the darkening sky as brilliant flashes of light now and again lit up the city with magnum force. Jason stood surveying the impending tempest finally coming to realize that his life held the same destructive force yet he was powerless to do a damn thing to stop it.
So many times he had attempted to reign in his feelings; to heed the words of men much wiser than himself; to fully understand the severity of what his actions could cost, yet all those logical, reasonable thoughts got lost in the beauty of her face; the sound of her intense laughter and brilliance of her smile.
Jason swallowed hard around the lump in his throat forcing down the flow of tears that hung in his eyes. Now wasn't the time for such emotions. He had to be clear headed and rational – yet he knew that for more than a year now he had been neither of those things.
He had known all along leading with his heart was bound to bring about his own demise and that coupled with who held the strings to his tender heart only served to complicate things all the more. Both of them knew what they were doing was wrong, what it could cost them but all those things, well, they were better left unsaid.
A loud clap of thunder above followed by yet another powerful burst of light sent a chill through Jason's frame. He breathed deeply running his fingers through his spiked blonde hair forcing his mind to consciously devise a plan.
"Jason," Dr. Johnjulio came up from behind. "We need to get her to the emergency room immediately. I don't have any idea how many of those sleeping pills she's taken. It's obvious from the empty wine bottle that's what she took them with. Not a great combination. Then again for the effect she was looking to achieve it works well. I have to get her stomach pumped."
"NO!"
"What do you mean no?" the doctor countered. "Jason, you don't seem to grasp the severity of this. Her breathing is shallow and pulse is thready at best. The longer those drugs are in her system the greater the chance is that she will die. Is that what you want?" Dr. Johnjulio asked knowing full well of the not so silent war that raged between the Morgan and Malucci families. He was unable to gauge exactly what was running through Jason's mind presently.
"No," Jason whispered as his stare was drawn to her lifeless body.
"Then what other choice do we have?"
"Do it here," Jason answered completely serious.
"What?" the doctor countered in shock.
"You heard me. Do it here."
"That's impossible," Dr. Johnjulio stuttered. "I don't have the equipment necessary to handle such a procedure. Besides it's not just pumping her stomach. She will have to be monitored for at least seventy- two hours. That's the standard for any suicide attempt," he said as if he had forgotten whom it was he was talking with. What he had just mentioned was the hospital protocols. Yet in the Mafia there was an entirely different set of rules.
"FUCK your standards! Get whatever you need to pump her stomach and then make arrangements for her to be moved to a private facility well outside of the Chicago area."
"What?"
"Aren't you listening man?" Jason almost growled.
"No, I think you are the one that hasn't been listening Jason. What's happening with her right now could have dire consequences if we don't get her to a hospital right now."
"It could have the same fucking outcome if we do!" Jason said matter of fact thinking back to the tail Malucci had placed on her. He wasn't about to take any more chances. "JUST DO IT!" Jason yelled.
"At least let me take her to my office," the man argued.
"DO IT HERE!"
"Jason...."
Before the good doctor was able to say anymore Jason had him pinned against the cold panes of glass. His hand tightly wrapped around Harold Johnjulio's throat. "You have taken bullets out of men on my fucking dining room table; you have stitched up wounds without any anesthesia in the back of god damned cars; so you WILL be taking care of her RIGHT HERE and RIGHT NOW. If she dies – well after I get through with you, you will wish that my father would have killed you all those years ago!" Jason's voice boomed.
"I don't have the equipment......." Dr. Johnjulio heard his voice quiver.
Jason turned his head, eyes coming to rest on her lifeless frame. Even from this short distance he could barely see the rise and fall of her chest. The idea of never seeing her again; never feeling the touch of her skin against his; never taking the pleasure in the warmth of her body; losing what Jason knew to be the love of his life had been difficult enough to deal with when she was pushing him away but now to think that she could cease to exist – well that was a notion that his mind couldn't fathom.
To hell with the consequences. Whatever war this would bring forth he would fight it. He had come this far and he wasn't about to let Malucci win the ultimate prize. He wasn't about to let him have Elizabeth one second longer than he already had.
Jason's eyes darted between the half open door of the master bedroom and the ever still elevator doors, mind wandering what the hell was taking Dr. Johnjulio so long in getting there. The good doctor had been handsomely paid for his services throughout the years as the Morgan family physician. Jason knew today would be no different. What he was about to request of Dr. Harold Johnjulio had the potential of sparking an all out Mafia war but none of that mattered to Jason.
"Jason," the man's voice startled him.
"What the hell took you so long?!?" Jason barked.
"I was in the middle of an examination when you called. Jason....I couldn't just walk out on a patient," the older gentleman countered.
"Excuse me?" Jason said sarcastically.
"I do have a legitimate practice," Dr. Johnjulio said as though it should have made a difference.
"I don't give a fuck about your life inside the law. You know the game Harold," Jason's voice dripped with animosity. "When we say jump you say how high. I am making myself clear? I would hate for your practice to be short a partner." Jason smiled while he spoke.
The subtle threat was one that wasn't lost on Harold Johnjulio. "Point taken Jason. Now what seems to be the problem? You were so vague on the phone."
"Follow me." He motioned to the master bedroom of the expansive penthouse. Jason nodded to the two heavily armed men who immediately took position guarding the door.
"Isn't that?" Dr. Johnjulio asked pointing to the young woman sprawled across the king size bed.
"Yes it is," Jason answered the doctor's question with few words.
"What happened?" Jason handed over the empty vial. "Are you saying that she took them all?" The concern in Harold Johnjulio's tone wasn't lost on Jason who was only able to nod his head in response as her cryptic call scrolled through his head continuously.
"Do you have any idea how many she took or how many were even in the bottle?" Dr. Johnjulio moved forward to where his patient lay inert atop the ornate comforter. He needed to assess her condition further even though in the back of his mind he was certain that the outcome wouldn't be a good one.
Jason knew that the man across the room was talking to him but he wasn't able to concentrate on anything he was hearing. All he could hear was her soft words of goodbye – how sorry she was – and how much she had loved him.
He walked across the room to the wall of windows that looked out over the Chicago skyline. He watched the storm brewing overhead. Ominous clouds rolled quickly across the darkening sky as brilliant flashes of light now and again lit up the city with magnum force. Jason stood surveying the impending tempest finally coming to realize that his life held the same destructive force yet he was powerless to do a damn thing to stop it.
So many times he had attempted to reign in his feelings; to heed the words of men much wiser than himself; to fully understand the severity of what his actions could cost, yet all those logical, reasonable thoughts got lost in the beauty of her face; the sound of her intense laughter and brilliance of her smile.
Jason swallowed hard around the lump in his throat forcing down the flow of tears that hung in his eyes. Now wasn't the time for such emotions. He had to be clear headed and rational – yet he knew that for more than a year now he had been neither of those things.
He had known all along leading with his heart was bound to bring about his own demise and that coupled with who held the strings to his tender heart only served to complicate things all the more. Both of them knew what they were doing was wrong, what it could cost them but all those things, well, they were better left unsaid.
A loud clap of thunder above followed by yet another powerful burst of light sent a chill through Jason's frame. He breathed deeply running his fingers through his spiked blonde hair forcing his mind to consciously devise a plan.
"Jason," Dr. Johnjulio came up from behind. "We need to get her to the emergency room immediately. I don't have any idea how many of those sleeping pills she's taken. It's obvious from the empty wine bottle that's what she took them with. Not a great combination. Then again for the effect she was looking to achieve it works well. I have to get her stomach pumped."
"NO!"
"What do you mean no?" the doctor countered. "Jason, you don't seem to grasp the severity of this. Her breathing is shallow and pulse is thready at best. The longer those drugs are in her system the greater the chance is that she will die. Is that what you want?" Dr. Johnjulio asked knowing full well of the not so silent war that raged between the Morgan and Malucci families. He was unable to gauge exactly what was running through Jason's mind presently.
"No," Jason whispered as his stare was drawn to her lifeless body.
"Then what other choice do we have?"
"Do it here," Jason answered completely serious.
"What?" the doctor countered in shock.
"You heard me. Do it here."
"That's impossible," Dr. Johnjulio stuttered. "I don't have the equipment necessary to handle such a procedure. Besides it's not just pumping her stomach. She will have to be monitored for at least seventy- two hours. That's the standard for any suicide attempt," he said as if he had forgotten whom it was he was talking with. What he had just mentioned was the hospital protocols. Yet in the Mafia there was an entirely different set of rules.
"FUCK your standards! Get whatever you need to pump her stomach and then make arrangements for her to be moved to a private facility well outside of the Chicago area."
"What?"
"Aren't you listening man?" Jason almost growled.
"No, I think you are the one that hasn't been listening Jason. What's happening with her right now could have dire consequences if we don't get her to a hospital right now."
"It could have the same fucking outcome if we do!" Jason said matter of fact thinking back to the tail Malucci had placed on her. He wasn't about to take any more chances. "JUST DO IT!" Jason yelled.
"At least let me take her to my office," the man argued.
"DO IT HERE!"
"Jason...."
Before the good doctor was able to say anymore Jason had him pinned against the cold panes of glass. His hand tightly wrapped around Harold Johnjulio's throat. "You have taken bullets out of men on my fucking dining room table; you have stitched up wounds without any anesthesia in the back of god damned cars; so you WILL be taking care of her RIGHT HERE and RIGHT NOW. If she dies – well after I get through with you, you will wish that my father would have killed you all those years ago!" Jason's voice boomed.
"I don't have the equipment......." Dr. Johnjulio heard his voice quiver.
Jason turned his head, eyes coming to rest on her lifeless frame. Even from this short distance he could barely see the rise and fall of her chest. The idea of never seeing her again; never feeling the touch of her skin against his; never taking the pleasure in the warmth of her body; losing what Jason knew to be the love of his life had been difficult enough to deal with when she was pushing him away but now to think that she could cease to exist – well that was a notion that his mind couldn't fathom.
To hell with the consequences. Whatever war this would bring forth he would fight it. He had come this far and he wasn't about to let Malucci win the ultimate prize. He wasn't about to let him have Elizabeth one second longer than he already had.