"I've got it?—"
"I insist."
There was no way to refuse without making things more suspicious. Dimitri waited while Petrov climbed the stairs and took hold of the other end of the bed frame.
"Ready?" Petrov asked.
"Ready."
They lifted together, or rather, Dimitri lifted while Petrov provided mostly moral support, and they navigated the bed up the remaining stairs and down the short hallway to Dimitri's room.
Mattie had cleared a space near the wall, pushing his existing bed aside to make room for the new one.
"Right here," she said, pointing to the spot.
As they lowered the bed, Petrov bent over, hands on his knees, breathing hard.
"Boje," he gasped. "That thing weighs a ton. How were you carrying it by yourself?"
The man's face was flushed, sweat beading on his forehead, but his eyes were sharp and suspicious.
Dimitri shrugged, trying to keep his expression neutral. "I told you. Motivation."
Petrov straightened and fixed him with a searching look. "Have you been experimenting with the compounds we're giving Dave?"
"What? No."
"I can understand the temptation, especially when you have a pretty girl you are desperate to protect. But it would be incredibly dangerous for a human. In fact, it would probably kill you."
"I'm not taking anything." Dimitri met Petrov's gaze steadily. "My drug is love. I'm motivated by love."
Petrov stared at him for a long moment, then burst out laughing. "Love?"
"Love is a powerful force."
"Love is a chemical reaction in the brain. It doesn't grant superhuman strength."
"Yes, it does. We all know the stories about mothers who lifted cars to save their children."
"Stories." Petrov shook his head, still chuckling. "That's all they are, and you're a terrible liar, Dimitri. Just be careful. Those compounds are not meant for humans." He glanced at Mattie, who was standing very still, one hand pressed to her chest. "Talk to him. He will listen to you."
"I will," she whispered.
Petrov turned to leave, then paused at the door. "Do you need help pushing the beds together?"
"I think we can manage."
"Good. I'm going to have another drink, or two, or three. I need to drink myself to sleep tonight."
When he walked out of their room, Dimitri let out a breath and turned to face Mattie, who was still standing in the same spot,her hand still pressed to her chest, her eyes wide as she stared at him.
"What?" he asked. "You know that I'm not taking any drugs."
"You said your drug is love."
The way she was looking at him made his heart stutter. There was something vulnerable in her expression, something hopeful and fragile and terrifying.
He hadn't told her he loved her. Not in words. He'd shown her in the way he held her, the way he looked at her, the way he needed to be near her, but he'd never actually said the words.
