He shrugs. “You were losing your mind.”
I chuckle weakly. “I think I’ve lost it completely. Even though every logical analysis says she’ll be alright, there will only be a scar left and no other permanent injury, I’m not able to accept it. It’s like my emotions are fucking my reason.”
“It’s okay. You’re allowed to feel this way. You’re human, not a robot,” he says, then adds, “But don’t pull that shit again. It scared the shit out of me.”
“Why did you come even after I told you not to?” I ask him.
He smiles.
We were planning to fight in a different way, but Zo’s arrival forced us to change our plan. We had intel that all the leaders would be there to mock Mikhailov, and we intended todeal with all of them at once, that’s why we let them catch us. Women were never part of the plan, but some rat fed them the information about where the women would be, and they took them hostage.
Only a few men from the enemy’s side were left; otherwise, who would have guided the men from Kaz’s top security force to strike? That was the plan. But we thought we had killed them all, we thought wrong, and now my Angel is paying the price.
Iselyn
I hear many voices. I can recognize them all, Uncle, Kaz, Zo, Papa, but there is no voice of Matleon. Where is Matleon? I remember that man pointing a gun at him. Matleon… is he shot?
I force my eyes open and look around. There’s no one. I’m alone in a hospital. Why am I here? I try to get up, but a sharp pain in my chest pins me down.
“Angel!” A cry of joy comes from the door of the ward.
I look toward him. He’s fine. He comes sprinting toward me and collapses into the chair beside me. “You’re awake.”
He looks exhausted, his eyes red. He leans forward and kisses my forehead. “You’re awake.”
“Matleon,” I croak from my dry throat.
He nods. “Yes, Angel.”
“Why am I here?” I ask after gulping some saliva to ease the dryness.
“You took the bullet for me,” he says, his voice heavy with guilt and sadness.
The memory comes back. “I shot him, he shot me. I guess it’s fair.” I force the words out in a slurry voice, then fall back into sleep.
The next time I wake up, Papa is sitting beside me. This time, I feel more aware; my thoughts are still scattered, but I’m clearer than before.
Papa caresses my head. “How’s my little girl feeling?”
“Better. Where’s Mom?” I ask slowly.
“She’s sleeping,” he mutters.
“You almost killed your old man,” he adds with a sad smile.
“I’m sorry, Papa. I wasn’t thinking straight.” I could have moved away along with Matleon, but my mind was in shock.
“Next time,” Papa says softly, “if something like this happens and you have to choose between Matleon and yourself, let him take the bullet. It’s not because you’re my daughter and I’m selfish. It’s because that bullet would have been manageable for him. He could have stayed standing, he has extremely high muscle density. But that bullet almost killed you. And it’s not just about Matleon; the same goes for me, your uncles, Kaz, Zo, and Zan as well.”
“But how could I just stand there and watch my loved ones get hurt?” I whisper.
“You don’t know, Kroshka, how much you hurt your loved ones by trying to save him. You didn’t see him crying. You didn’t see every man around feeling that crushing guilt.”
Thinking like that, I realize I may have caused more damage than I prevented. Papa suddenly looks older in a single day, and I don’t even know how bad Mom must be looking. Matleon earlier also looked utterly exhausted.
“How’s Mom?” I ask, my voice catching.
“She became unconscious from shock. She came back to consciousness today. When we told her you were safe, she began recovering,” he says.
