Page 16 of Conceal

I walk through the front of the restaurant, past the destruction and the pool of blood. Fuck. I might not call Roman a friend, but I admire and respect the fuck out of the guy. I really hope he pulls through. For me. For him. For Tati. Because she’d never forgive herself if he died protecting her.

I find the truck, key in the keyless entry and hot-wire it, driving it around to the back, where Mik has dragged the fucker. It’s satisfying to see the little bit of blood leaking from the corner of his mouth.

I hook my arm under the guy’s shoulder and haul him to his feet, lifting the tailgate and shoving him in roughly, slamming it back down and hoping I catch a finger or two in the latch.

“I’ll drop you off at the hospital. She’s going to want you.”

Mik only nods and pulls himself up into the passenger seat of the SUV. Tati and he couldn’t be more different - her with her pretty clothes and hair and makeup, and him with his baggy clothes, tats, and piercings. He never shows any skin, but there are places on his neck and wrists where the hint of tattoos shows up. His ears are gaged slightly, his eyebrow pierced with a ring, and he has snakebite piercings in his lower lip.

In fact, it’s one of the few times they’re not attached at the hip - when he goes to the gym, shower, or tattoo parlor.

I drop him off at the hospital with a two-finger wave and drive to the Chernov mansion.

Chapter twelve

Roman

My body is too heavy. I feel like a thousand-pound weight is pressing me against the mattress.

The mattress?

Where the fuck am I?

The last thing I remember was the restaurant... Tati... that red-pilled prick... my mind feels sluggish and drunk. I flex my hands, trying to get control back of my body when my left hand is squeezed.

“It’s okay, Ro, you’re okay,” Tati says, but she sounds far away.

Okay, prick. Think! The restaurant. The waiter. The waiter, who pulled out a gun. Rushing to Tatiana and covering her. Getting shot.

The smell registers now. And the beeping. And why my veins feel cold. I’m in the hospital. But Tatiana’s here, and so am I.

And with that being enough, I let sleep take me under again.

***

A few hours later, I blink my heavy eyes open. There’s a weight on my arm now, and I look down to see Tatiana’s head resting in the crook of my elbow, both of her hands wrapped around mine.

“Tanya,” I say, but my throat hurts, and I have to clear it a few times. Her head snaps up, and she rushes to the sideboard and returns with a plastic cup and a straw. I don’t remember a time I was ever this thirsty, so I take my time sipping the water and clearing my throat again. As I do, I really take her in. She looks destroyed. Her eyes are red, her cheeks blotchy from where tears have ruined her makeup. She’s wearing a set of light blue scrubs that look incredible on her fair skin.

Stop thinking about how beautiful your charge is, asshole!

“Are you hurt?” I manage to get out without coughing once I’ve finished the water.

“A little bruised, but not from you, Ro,” she replies, and her voice is small; shaky. I hate how rattled she looks.

It’s risky, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take. I sit myself up as best as I can with the pain in my stomach, and slide to the edge of the bed, lifting my arm and inviting her in.

She climbs into my hospital bed immediately and wraps her arms around me, burying her face in my chest. I rest my hand on the back of her head, and everything in me settles. Whatever happened after I got shot, she’s okay. Nothing else matters.

I don’t know how long we stay that way. Every few minutes she sniffs or shakes, and I know she’s crying, but all I can do is hold her and remind her that I’m okay.

We both startle apart, though, when the door opens suddenly.

Luckily, it’s just Lev.

I didn’t even notice Mik, curled up on a couch much too small for him, sleeping.

“You’re lucky it was me and not Dmitri or Niko,” he says grumpily as he closes the door behind him. He stares at us for an uncomfortable moment before Tati slides off the bed and retakes her chair. I instantly miss her warmth.