Page 31 of The Stalking King

“In bad shape,” Anton grunts. “But still with his mouth shut.” He says this with a note of respect. There’s no question we’d all do the same in these circumstances.

“So, we have nothing,” I say.

“For now,” Nikolai says. “Take a breath. We’ll work this out. We’re clearly missing something important.”

“Clearly,” I grunt.

“We’ve got this, brother,” Nikolai says. “This is bad, sure. But we’ve been through bad before and come out the other side.”

I nod. He’s right.

Moping won’t get us anywhere.

I wave a hand at Anton. “Check again. I don’t doubt your work, but something isn’t right.”

“Yes, boss.”

CHAPTER 13

LIA

I’m in the break room with Tessa, the doctor I’m closest with here at the hospital. She’s only a few years older than me and a serious inspiration. She’s tall, neat, and extremely smart. She wears her red hair short. I’ve just asked her what she’d do if a man she liked was secretly watching her.

The look on her face tells me it was a mistake. “Watching you?”

“I’m not asking for me,” I say quickly. “I’m reading a book about it and it got me thinking, that’s all. They have crazy chemistry and they feel strongly about each other. But he was watching her without her knowing.” I shrug. “Just curious what you’d think.”

She relaxes a little, buying my lie. I feel bad, but it’s not like I can tell her anything that’s going on. The hospital is experiencing a minor scandal because of Daniel’s sudden disappearance. Patients discharging themselves is nothing new, but vanishing? That’s a different matter entirely.

Now that Tessa thinks we’re talking about a book, she brightens up. “Is this guy hot?”

I think about last night, how reckless I became after reading his messages. It was like I went into a completely different state, every inch of my skin burning. I don’t understand how something as simple as texting can produce that response in me, but it did.

“Yes, very,” I murmur.

“Does he want the best for her, or is he some unhinged psycho?”

I tap my chin. “Both?”

She laughs. “Can a man be both?”

“I think so,” I reply. “He can be a psycho… but nice to her?”

“Except for the watching part?”

Or maybe as well as the watching part, but I don’t say that. It’s a confusing mess. I’m relieved when another nurse pops her head into the room and demands Tessa’s attention. She’ll forget about this conversation in a few minutes, once she’s immersed in the chaos of saving lives.

His messages weren’t just hot yesterday. They were intimate and caring too.

I glance at the window, my breath catching. Is he serious?

Maksim is sitting across the street in his car, staring right at the hospital. I check how much longer I’ve got left—a few minutes, if that—and quickly rush outside. He climbs from the car, rising to his full, massive height. After the steamy texting, there’s a new atmosphere between us, like any second we’re ready to collapse against each other.

The emotions are complicated. The physical chemistry? Not so much.

“I thought you were done with the whole stalking thing?” I say, trying to keep my voice firm. I can’t help it. There’s a weird relief in being able to lose control.

“I thought you were talking about the cameras,” he says in his low, gravelly voice.