𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐃𝐎 𝐔𝐒 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 - 𝟏𝟖+

T H I R T Y - T W O

N I K O L A I

Chicago, USA

My head was ringing with something beeping right beside my ears, and I opened my eyes to shut it off, only to be startled by brilliant white light. I opened my eyes again, slower this time, and looked around myself, not surprised to find myself in a hospital bed. Almost instinctively, my eyes went to my torso, but I couldn't really see much of the damage as everything was covered by a hospital gown and blanket. It was probably a good thing I was loaded with painkillers right now because I still remembered that a bullet hurt like a motherfucker. Still, it wasn't the wound on my flesh that had an ache developing inside my heart, taking over my insides and making it harder for me to breathe by the second as I searched the room again. My eyes stilled on Keira's passed-out form beside me, her head lolled to the side, her fingers holding mine in a death grip even in her sleep, and fuck, this time was nothing like the last time I'd woken up in a hospital.

She was here. With Me.

Wanting to let her sleep, I tried prying her fingers off my hand so I could brush my lips against them, but the moment I moved my hand, she jerked awake, her frantic gaze settling on me. Keira's soft, green gaze settled on me, and she rubbed her eyes almost like she was caught in a trance, and my lips stretched in a small smile.

"Hey," I whispered, my voice raspy.

"Hi." She murmured, her eyes wide, her jaw lose, "You're awake. You're here." She covered her mouth as she let out a sob, her whole frame shaking with the force of her pain.

Pain that was there because of me.

"Keira. Hey," I squeezed her hand, tugging her forward, grimacing when she fell forward on my chest, her hand pushing against me as she steadied herself.

"What are you doing? I could have hurt you!" She hissed, trying to move away, and I pulled her back against me.

"It's nothing I can't handle."

Her eyes met mine. This time, they were alight with a fiery glint I knew nothing about, "And can you handle me finding anyone else?" I opened my mouth to argue as radiating pain took hold of my muscles as the very idea of someone else kissing her. "What the fuck was throwing yourself in front of a bullet? What were you thinking, Nikolai? You could—"

"But I didn't," I reassured her, ignoring the groans of my muscles. "And Angelo had a backup plan. I watched someone else take out a gun and point it at you, so I had to act. I'd rather it's my flesh that gets torn into if it means you'll be safe."

"Oh, Niko..." Her tears were flowing freely now, and she sniffled, burying her head into my neck. I threaded my fingers through her hair, moving them slowly with my free hand. Keira held my other hand in a death grip. "I can't lose you. I love you."

For a second, it was like my heart stopped beating in my chest as my fingers massaging her scalp stopped. Noticing my newfound state of paralysis, Keira pulled back and tilted her head.

"You don't have to say it back, Nikolai." She whispered softly, her fingers brushing hair away from my forehead.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, "Loving me means staying, Keira. Can you do that?"

"Nikolai, I stayed when you were too busy hurting me in your rage. I'm not going anywhere now. You don't have to forgive me, but how many people get another chance to be with someone they love?"

"Is this what it is? Another chance?" I asked, turning my head away, not trusting myself not to fall for the green threads in her gaze that called onto me like an old favorite song that'd gotten buried in one of my playlists.