Never Tear Us Apart - Complete

Chapter Sixty-four

"Breaking his shoulder wasn't enough?! Come to gloat, too, have you?!"

I should have known Elizaveta would be at Artyom's bedside, but somehow it didn't occur to me until I saw her there. She took a good look at me in my Guardian uniform, glaring at me angrily. Artyom, on the other hand, seemed to like what he saw.

Thankfully, Dimitri and Croft trailed me into the room, so Elizaveta shut it after seeing them. But the damage had been done.

"That's enough Guardian Vitsin," Croft rebuked. "Injuries happen in the elimination fights, and I'm sure you and your brother knew that when you agreed to take part."

"I did, and Rose didn't do it on purpose," Artyom agreed, frowning at his sister.

"Still, I'm so sorry about your shoulder," I apologized legitimately to the male Vitsin.

He was in a shoulder cast. Evidently, I'd not done things by half.

"Easy done in a competition environment," Artyom elegantly excused. He was being very forgiving about the injury. While I hadn't intended to break a bone, it did happen. He had a right to be pissed off, and the fact he chose to overlook it spoke volumes.

"True – but I am sorry you were seriously injured."

"We just came by to say farewell. Rose, Eddie, Meredith and myself are off to Baia in a few minutes to say goodbye to my family; then we're leaving for the States tomorrow."

"You have your allocation ceremony on Monday don't you?" Artyom asked, "same as ours?"

"Yes, that's right," I said, not giving any indication I already knew about my allocation. Croft had said we could tell close family and friends, and really the Vitsins were neither. "What are you hoping for?" I asked, thinking if he heard it, Croft might make it happen. It was the least I could do considering I'd broken the guy's shoulder and, unbeknownst to him, also stolen an amazing allocation from him so that I wouldn't be separated from my lover.

"We're hoping for an allocation together," Elizaveta quickly replied, also using Croft's presence to further her cause.

Artyom didn't comment, but from his look, I didn't get the sense he was quite so keen to be placed with his sister. I hope Croft picked up on that as well.

"Keep in touch when you know where you end up," Artyom suggested hopefully.

I smiled and promised him I would. I could feel Dimitri tense a little beside me and had to stop myself reaching out to soothe him. He should know Artyom would never be anything more than a colleague to me.

"We should probably get going," Dimitri said, offering his left hand for Artyom to shake, given it was the right shoulder I'd injured. He shook Elizaveta's hand too. I leaned over and gave Artyom a chaste kiss on the cheek – mostly to piss Elizaveta off although I knew Dimitri wouldn't particularly like it either.

"Get well soon, and stay safe," I said with a smile. I nodded to Elizaveta; Croft gave them both his best wishes, then the three of us left the infirmary.

"Safe travels back to the States," Croft said shaking our hands. "I'll see you at your allocation ceremony on Monday, Rose. If the two of you come and see me afterward, I'll have more details about your mission."

"Thank you, Guardian Croft. Until then," Dimitri said formally before the two of us walked back to our room in guest accommodations.

"I don't like you kissing Vitsin," he grumbled quietly as we walked side by side, keeping a professional distance between us.