"Everything hurts."
"Fair point." She starts peeling away the old bandage on my shoulder.
I hiss through my teeth as the fabric pulls at the wound. She murmurs apologies but doesn't stop. She’s gentle as she assesses the injury.
She applies fresh bandaging, her fingers gentle despite the clinical efficiency.
I watch her. “Are you hurt?” I ask softly. “Beyond the bruises. Did he—”
“No,” she replies. “I was tossed in a room. You found us before anything could happen.”
“Good.”
"I’m mad at you,” she murmurs.
“I know.”
“You threw yourself between me and bullets."
"Always will."
She pauses, her eyes meeting mine. "I know. And that terrifies me."
"Why?"
"Because you'll get yourself killed protecting me." Her voice cracks slightly. "And I can't lose you again, Maksim. I can't survive that twice."
I catch her hand, pulling her down until she's sitting beside me on the bed. "You're not going to lose me."
"You can't promise that."
"I just did." I bring her hand to my lips. "We're going to end Roman. Together. And then we're going to have the life we should have had.”
“Does that life include you taking your place as the rightful Barinov heir?"
I sigh. “I don’t know. Even if Roman is killed, I don’t know.”
"You're legitimate. Your father's son. Roman is a usurper who murdered his way to power. People will follow you, Maksim. If you're willing to lead."
The question I've been avoiding.
Am I willing to take power? To become what my father wanted? To lead the Barinov bratva?
A week ago, the answer would have been no. I wanted revenge, not responsibility.
But now, looking at this evidence of Roman's systematic evil, I realize someone has to stop him. Someone has to build something better.
And that someone might have to be me.
"I don't want to perpetuate the same systems," I say finally. "The same violence. I’m tired of the brutality.”
"Then don't,” she says. “Take power. Then change how it works. All those progressive ideas Roman killed you for? Implement them."
"That's assuming I survive to take power."
"We'll survive."
"I need to make this right," I say quietly.
