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She takes my hand and places it on the shirt she’s been pressing into my shoulder, cups my face with her hands, and kisses me.
“No. But I will be.”She signs and kisses me again.
“We need to set up some rules. When I tell you to run, you run, Bianca. Is that clear?”
“And leave you to be killed?”
“Yes.”
Bruno could have killed her. I didn’t think he’d do that, but I would never risk her life, even if there is a one percent possibility that she would end up hurt.
“I can’t promise you that. I’m sorry.”
“Bianca, baby, if you don’t promise me, I’m going to lock you in that apartment and put two men at the door. I am so angry with you for what you pulled out there. Please don’t test me on this.”
“Okay.”
“Okay, what? Okay, you promise you will do as I say?”
She smirks a little, puts her arms around my waist, and places her head on my chest.
I don’t know what makes me lift my head from Mikhail’s chest and look at my father, lying on the floor a dozen paces or so behind Mikhail. For a moment it looks like he’s still passed out, but then my eyes fall to his right hand tucked into his jacket. The scene unfolds as if in slow-motion. His hand comes out of his jacket, holding a gun, a mad look in his eyes and a wide smile on his face. He points the gun at Mikhail’s back. I step around Mikhail and start to run toward my father. Someone is shouting. One strong arm wraps around my middle, turning me around, my back pressed to Mikhail’s wide chest. Two gunshots explode somewhere behind me, almost simultaneously. Mikhail winces and steps forward, still clutching my body to his. A kiss lands on the top of my head.
“Don’t you dare try taking a bullet meant for me ever again,” a whisper in my ear.
His arm loosens around me as Denis looks up from my father’s unmoving body, then turns and runs toward us. I let out a breath, thankful that everything is over and wrap my arms around Mikhail. His shirt is wet. I pull my right palm away—red. Horror builds in my stomach as I look up at Mikhail, who stumbles forward, but Denis manages to catch him.
“Get my car!” Denis shouts, throws Mikhail’s arm around his shoulders, and drags him toward the front door. “Now, Bianca!”
I run.
Chapter 20
I feel someone’s hand on my shoulder and open my eyes. Nina is sitting on a chair next to me, watching me.
“Any news?” she asks, but I just shake my head.
They took Mikhail into surgery the moment we arrived at the hospital yesterday. It lasted four hours. The doctor said the bullet nicked his lung, but everything should be okay and that they will be releasing him from the ICU today. I was waiting for the nurse to let me know which room they would be moving him to, only to be informed that he started bleeding internally, and that they had to take him into emergency surgery again. That was six hours ago.
“Denis brought some clothes for you,” Nina says and reaches for my hand. “A towel and some cosmetics, as well. You need to shower and change. Then, you have to eat something.”
I wrap myself in the jacket Denis gave me and shake my head. I’m not leaving this chair until someone comes to tell me Mikhail is okay.
“There is an empty room two doors down. We will be back in ten minutes, tops. Roman will stay here and call us if anyone comes with news. If Grumpy sees you like that, he will divorce you right away, you know that right?”
I look up at the pakhan, who is standing a few feet to my right, and he nods. “I will be right here and will come get you if the doctor comes out.”
I unfold my legs from under me and slowly stand up. I have no idea how many hours I’ve spent in that position, and my legs feel stiff as if all blood flow to them have ceased. It takes me less than ten minutes to shower, brush my teeth, and put on the jeans and T-shirt I found in the bag. I collect the cosmetics to place them back in the bag when I notice a folded grey hoodie at the bottom. I take it out and start crying again. It’s the one I stole from Mikhail. Denis probably packed it thinking it was mine. I’m not cold, but I put it on anyway and return to the waiting room.
Nina looks me over when I enter and smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Shit, honey. Is that Grumpy’s?”
I nod and try to keep the tears from falling again.
Nina sniffs and enfolds me into a hug. “He will be okay, you will see.” She sniffs again. “Come on. Let’s find you something to eat.”
One hour later the doctor comes out from the operating room and informs us that the surgery went well. He tells us to go home and come back in the morning since Mikhail won’t be released from ICU before then, but I just shake my head and go back to my seat. I am not going anywhere.
Across the hallway, Roman and Nina start arguing, but I only catch the part about him threatening to carry her home himself if she doesn’t leave. Fifteen minutes later, two men in suits arrive. The older one with glasses approaches Roman and gives him the laptop he brought. They sit down at the far end of the hallway, discussing something. The other man follows Nina as she comes to stand in front of me and takes my hand in hers.
