the feeling of her in my arms is better than anything I’ve known before. She steps back to look at me, and over her shoulder, I just barely see Rogers raise his gun one last time.
I push Victoria out of the way and my chest explodes in pain.
Victoria screams.
The world tilts.
I hit the ground, hard. Flat on my back, I see Victoria’s face come into view. She drops to her knees beside me, cupping my face and crying, but I can’t speak. I can’t form words. All I know is the agonizing pain in my chest. The rasping breaths I’m taking. I’m going to die.
My vision darkens, and the last thing I see before I close my eyes for the last time is Victoria bending over me, screaming. Then everything fades away.
30
Matvei
Holzman Hospital.
I know it’s where I am before I even open my eyes. The familiar sound of the heart-rate monitor. The smell of bleach. The squeak of nurses and doctors walking back and forth on the tiled floor.
I can’t decide which is worse: being shot in the chest or being in this goddamn place again.
Slowly, I open my eyes. To my left, Victoria sits with her head on her hands, eyes closed. I shift in the bed and her head snaps up instantly.
When our eyes meet, she covers her mouth. “Oh my God,” she breathes. “You’re awake.”
Victoria practically jumps onto me, hugging me close. Her elbow bumps against my pectoral muscle and I wince. Immediately, she pulls back. “I’m so sorry,” she says.
“It’s okay,” I cough, reaching for her hand. “I’m just happy to see you.”
“You’re happy to see me? The doctors said they weren’t sure when you were going to wake up, or even if. I’m just …” Victoria’s eyes fill with tears, and she turns her head, biting down on her knuckle. When she’s composed again, she swipes her eyes and says, “I’m just so thankful that you’re awake.”
I rub my thumb over her fingers, trying my best to offer her some sort of comfort. “It’s going to be okay, Victoria. I’m going to be okay.”
I try to sit up, but the pain in my chest keeps me lying on my back instead. Victoria fusses with my blankets. “Don’t try to do anything too soon,” she says.
“What happened?” I ask. “What day is it?”
“Friday.”
“I was out for six days?” I ask.
She nods solemnly. “On day three, they said I should go home and shower, but I didn’t want to leave. I couldn’t leave you.”
“And … Brahim?”
Victoria glances over her shoulder at the door. Nurses pass by, but no one seems to notice us just yet. In a hushed voice, she says, “Timofei and the guys took care of it. Cleaned up the house and got rid of his body. No one will know what happened to him.”
“What about Niko?”
She smiles. “Niko’s at school. He’ll come see you when you’re awake. I didn’t think…” She bites her lip. “I didn’t want him to come here before I knew it was going to be okay. That wouldn't be good for him. Not after… everything that’s happened.”
I squeeze her hand and smile as best as I can manage. Just hearing the boy’s name again makes my heart clench. He’s what I did this for. He’s always been what I’ve fought for. He’s okay. The man that killed his parents and nearly took me and Victoria out is gone for good. The vigilante has been stopped.
This should be a happy moment, but Victoria looks at me like a kicked puppy.
“What’s wrong?” I ask her.
For a long time, she says nothing, fiddling with the hem of the blanket in my lap. “I had to bring you here because of the bullet wound. There was no way we could stop the bleeding and get it out without hurting you. Timofei wanted to take you to Chris Walter, but there wasn’t enough time, so we brought you here. The doctors called the police because you were shot, and they’ve been bothering me ever since you were admitted here.”
That’s not good news. If they suspect illegal activity, that could very well be it for me. The cops here already don’t like me based on my name alone. Having a bullet wound but not giving them a suspect is really going to piss them off.
“Why aren’t you freaking out on me?” she asks when I don’t say anything.
“Because I don’t care.”
“What?”
I shrug, struggling to make it look laid back. “I don’t care, Victoria. You saved my