I reach the door and yank it open, and my vision goes red.
Kelly’s in the bed, his head wrapped in white bandages soaked through just enough to show red bleeding into the gauze. I go straight to his bedside and grab his hand. It’s warm. He’s breathing, but completely unconscious. I lift my other hand and touch his chin, careful and gentle.
“Kelly.”
Nothing. He’s completely out cold.
I’m going to find whoever put their hands on him, and I’m going to destroy them. Not kill them. Destroy them. Break every finger, every rib. Make them watch while I work. They’ll beg me to end it, and I won’t—not for hours, not until they understand that touching him was the last mistake they’ll ever make.
“Hey, you can’t be in here.”
A nurse appears in the doorway, glancing between the three of us.
“We’re his family,” Mikhail says.
She scoffs. “Yeah, sure. Now get out before I call security.”
I let go of Kelly’s hand and move toward her, and she flinches.
Mikhail steps in front of me and throws out his arm to block my path. “Miss, can you just tell us what happened before he goes full murder-suicide and this whole thing becomes a mess?”
“I can’t tell you anything. It’s confidential. And if you don’t leave right now, I’m calling security.”
I open my mouth, about to tell her exactly where she can shove her fucking policy.
“Stop,” Kelly croaks.
I whip my head around.
The nurse steps forward. “Do you know these men?”
“Yes, I know them,” Kelly mumbles. “Don’t call anyone.”
She sighs and walks out, closing the door.
I turn to Mikhail and Daniil. “Get out. I need to talk to him alone. Wait in the lobby.”
Mikhail rolls his eyes and rubs his head. “Fine. Come on, Danya.” He grabs Daniil by the shoulders and steers him toward the door.
The door shuts, and I turn back to Kelly.
“Tell me what happened. Right now. I am not doing this thing again when you say you are fine and nothing is wrong. I can’t take this anymore.”
A tear slips down his cheek, and he wipes it away.
“I’m sorry, Alexei.”
His voice cracks; and that sound punches straight through my chest.
I sit on the edge of the bed and wrap my arms around him carefully, avoiding the bandage, and kiss his cheek gently.
“Don’t say sorry. You do not have anything to be sorry for. Just tell me what happened.”
He nods, arms locking around me like he is scared I will pull away.
“Please don’t be mad at me. I … I …” He stops. “My head hurts so bad.”
I tighten my hold around him, careful of not hurting him.
