Page 32 of Bleed with Me

My attention drifted back to the blurry corner of the screen where Dorian walked down the hall, running his hand through his tousled hair like he owned the damn universe. The simple gesture sent a shiver through me. My fingertips twitched with the desperate need to touch him, to smooth that same messy strand back into place. My chest tightened with a longing so fierce it almost hurt. I wanted him close. No, “wanted” wasn’t the right word. I needed him, like he was oxygen in my lungs, like he was the only thing keeping my heart beating.

“Where is he going?” I leaned forward, almost climbing into the computer screen.

“His office,” Lucas answered, frowning at his computer. “He’s been sneaking there between the tests. Nurses complained, doctors complained, and his family threatened to tie him to the bed, but nothing helped. The man’s addicted to work.”

My eyes widened when Dorian disappeared behind the massive dark wooden door, and from my screen, too.

“There are no cameras in his office,” I mumbled, clicking on different videos.

“Obviously,” Lucas deadpanned, lifting a brow when I violently hit the keyboard. “Patient privacy. Doctor’s privacy. Also, rich psycho privacy,” he recited, moving the laptop from my reach as if he worried I wished to break it for lack of source material.

But my mind was preoccupied with something else, something dangerous, stupid, yet magnificent. Something that would feed the hunger inside me only his presence could satisfy.

“Lucas—” I started, but he instantly cut me off.

“No.” He firmly shook his head, moving misbehaving curls that fell to his eyes away from his forehead.

“You didn’t let me say anything yet,” I complained, pouting.

“You didn’t have to,” he pointed out matter-of-factly, finally looking at me. “I know that deranged gleam in your eyes very well. Every time you look at me like that, I lose five years of my life expectancy.”

“It’s not that dramatic.” I poked him with my foot playfully, casting him my best innocent smile. “Just hear me out.”

“No,” he refused, returning to typing, but I wouldn’t waste this idea for anything.

“What if,” I began slowly, tasting the insanity on my tongue. I moved closer to him, trying to catch his attention. “I go to the hospital?”

Lucas snapped his gaze to my face, staring at me like I suggested we juggle grenades while on fire, in a pool full of gasoline. I almost laughed at his flabbergasted expression. Well, it wasn’t my best idea ever, but he’d already kidnapped a mafia prince with me.

“Oh, fantastic,” he drawled sarcastically. “Because the first attempt to meet him ended so well.”

“I have to see him,” I whispered, ashamed of the desperation in my voice

Lucas’s expression softened for a second before he returned to his realistic self.

“Nina,” he exhaled, his tone suggesting he was about to lecture me. “You nearly died. Malin’s killers were centimeters from blowing your head off, and now you want to walk willingly into the hospital guarded by the same men who literally shot at you? Are you clinically insane?”

“Clinically, no.” I raised my chin. “Emotionally, absolutely.”

He groaned loudly, massaging his temples.

“Of course,” he mumbled. “Why not? Let’s just jump into the lion’s throat and tell him to chew slower.”

“Lucas.” I took his hand. “I miss him. His presence, his scent, even that stupid cocky smile. I know I barely spent a day with him, and I know the risk, but watching him through cameras isn’t enough.” I tightened my grip on his hand. “And I can’t do this without you.”

His jaw clenched, eyes narrowing at the edges. Every inch of his face screamed disapproval.

“Fine,” he muttered, defeated. “If you’re determined to commit suicide, at least let me choreograph the dance.”

My lips stretched into a smile.

“Does that mean you’ll help me?”

“I’ll help,” he sighed heavily, returning to his laptop. He typed something furiously, lines of code flashing across the screen.

“Best entrance?” I prompted, jumping from the bed because I couldn’t sit still.

“Normally? The roof,” he replied, grimacing. “But Malin stationed four men there. And six more in the hall outside Dorian’s room. So unless you’ve learned to turn invisible, that’s out.”