Page 75 of Wicked Serve

Tears spill down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize for anything.”

“You don’t have to be here, you had—”

“I know,” I interrupt. “I don’t care about that. Nothing mattered except getting here to see you.”

“But earlier...”

I brush my lips against her cheek, featherlight. “I was an asshole, earlier. You were right. It’s real, Isabelle.”

Her breath catches audibly. I kiss her on the lips, relief zinging through me when she kisses back.

“Are you okay?” she asks, rubbing down my bare arm.

Of course she’s asking me that, even though she’s the one in the hospital bed. I squeeze her hand, overcome with fondness.

“I had a panic attack.” She stays silent, taking that in. I swallow as I continue. “It happens sometimes, and I just... I shut down. But it’s not an excuse, and I shouldn’t have left you alone. I’m so sorry.”

“Panic attacks?” She shifts closer to me, wincing.

“I’ll tell you everything. I promise.” As I say the words, I know they’re true. I’m scared out of my mind at the prospect of sharing my past, but I’ll do it anyway, for her. Only for her. “But right now, you need to rest.”

More voices outside. She bites her lip as she looks at the door.

“It’s probably my parents,” she says, the words careful and measured. “If you want to go.”

Fresh worry slams through me as I take in—really take in—the depth of her injury. She’s going to have a scar on her temple; there’s at least ten stitches there. Hopefully this is only a minor concussion, and she’s being observed as a precaution.

“No. I’m staying.”

Half a day spent thinking I fucked things up was more than enough for me. I might lose her one day, because a brightness like hers can’t linger with my darkness forever, but today isn’t that day. Not yet.

I stand as the door opens. Isabelle’s mother stifles a small cry at the sight of her daughter and hurries for the bed. Her father, flanked by her brothers and Penny, stops when he sees me.

“Nikolai,” he says. “What a surprise.”

I don’t hesitate before reaching out my hand to shake his again. “I didn’t introduce myself properly the last time we met, sir.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Oh?”

I spare Cooper half a glance before answering, “I’m Isabelle’s boyfriend.”

Chapter 37

Izzy

Nik’s words hang in the air for the longest ten seconds of my life. The day has been a blur, from this morning to the party to the hospital, but I see this moment in perfect clarity.

Nikolai. My boyfriend.

Joy rushes through me like wildfire.

When I woke up this morning, I knew I couldn’t handle sneaking around anymore. I didn’t want to do it. And I thought I lost him over it, only now... now he’s in front of my family, declaring himself mine.

Which makes me his.

“Yes,” I say. “We’re together.”

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