He sighs and stares up at the ceiling like he’s summoning up all his patience. “He’s not a total bag of shit, okay?” That might be the nicest thing Lance has ever said about Grae. Still, not exactly a glowing defense.
I turn down the next hallway. Hospitals are labyrinths built by sadists, with emotional minotaurs waiting at every corner. The fathers are lined along the wall… disappointed. Of course they’re disappointed. None of them say anything, except Andrey.
“Coward,” he mutters under his breath.
After everything I’ve dealt with for you? Go fuck yourself.
Teddy surprises me most. He’s leaning against the wall, one foot braced behind him, shoulders back like he’s trying to look casual. “You know,” he says. “Grae would’ve fit in perfectly fine. He had one bad day.”
“He’s had lots of bad days,” I reply. “And they’re all connected to me.”
Silence.
I’m finally halfway to the elevator when Uri steps forward, blocking my path. “You know what?” he says. “We should get matching jackets.”
“What?”
“Chicken-shit jackets. Because we’re both too afraid to go after what we want.”
A bitter laugh escapes me, “Yeah. I’ll have my designer work on that. It’s been a while since I’ve called her anyway.” I hit the elevator button, but someone steps directly in front of me.
Donny.
“You are a bitch,” he says flatly. I blink. “I’m not allowed to be in love?” he continues. “I’m not allowed to be happy, because you choose to be miserable? Fuck you, Alana. I had your back for everything. And this is what you do? You run.”
The elevator doors open. I shove past him and slam my fingers against the close button. You’ve survived the emotional gauntlet. Just get to the car. The elevator dings and opens again on the garage level.
And Nonna is standing there. Of course she is.
“You’re allowed to be happy,” she says calmly. “All warriors are.” She studies me with those sharp, knowing eyes. “Out of all my granddaughters, you are the one who worries me most. Because you would never choose your own happiness.”
This is too much. Too many emotions hit me at once. Run. I have a family. I don’t need any more. “I’m not your granddaughter.”
“Family is not only who you are born to,” she replies. “It is who you choose. You were not born into this world. You chose it. And now you will choose it over your own happiness. Over your future.” Her voice hardens. “You need to choose forgiveness. For yourself. For him. For the entire world around you.”
It’s going to hurt too much when it’s over. They’re all better off without me. “Thank you,” I say quietly. “But I’ve made my decision.” I step toward the garage, my footsteps echoing in the concrete corridor connecting the hospital to the parking lot.
And there they are. The final bosses: the kids.
Maria looks confused and on the verge of tears. Shae’s expression is bored, except I see the nerves under it. Drew looks scared. Ian is furious.
“You’re going to walk away?” Ian demands. I stare at him. Has he ever been this mad? Maybe, but not at me. He’s not the scared boy from Russia I rescued. He’s on the verge of his teenage years.
“I’ve learned a lot of lessons in my life,” he continues. “But if you walk away from him, then I’ll learn that love is temporary. That it’s easily broken. Easily forgotten.” His jaw tightens. “And that’s not a lesson I want to learn.” He’s always going to have Dimitri and Katya, and everyone else. None of them need me.
Maria pushes her bangs out of her face to glance up at me. “Does this mean you’re going to leave us too?”
Fuck. That. Is. It. I can handle the men being mad. I can handle disappointment and bitterness. But this? This is too far. I grab Ian’s arm and yank him forward.
“Come on.”
“Um… Aunt Alana?” he winces. “You’re hurting me.”
“You’ll live.” I snap. “You’ve got a lesson to learn.” I drag him back toward the elevator. Nonna is still standing there, smirking. “Not a word,” I warn her. “Not a single word.”
We go back upstairs. Donny is still in the hallway, scrolling on his phone. “Oh, you’re back already?” he says lazily.
“Fuck you.” My brain flashes a replay of his rescue of Lena. With one hand still gripping Ian’s arm, I slam my other forearm against Donny’s chest and pin him to the wall.
