Page 143 of Cruel Promise

“What are you going to do if he survives?”

“You mean, am I going to stay with him?”

“Yes,” she answers honestly.

“I’m not sure. I just need to know he’ll survive before I decide. And then there’s the matter of Claude. We’ll need to have a funeral for him. And Anton is still out there. Who knows what he’ll do in the future? And?—”

“Honey.” She puts her hand on my arm. “Just worry about your husband right now.”

I give her a grateful nod and rest my head on her shoulder. “I’m so happy I have you back.”

“I’m so happy I haveyouback.”

We sit like that for the next few hours until the doctor who performed Nik’s surgery shows up. His name is Dr. Sanderson. He has a kind face and warm eyes and slightly messy brown hair. If this was any other situation, I’d feel safe with him, but right now, I’m terrified he’s going to tell me Nikolai is dead.

“He made it through surgery,” he says instead, making me slump against my mom.

“Thank god.”

“We got the bullet out of his leg and abdomen. He’ll have a long recovery ahead of him, but he’ll make it through. He’s strong.”

“Can I see him?” I ask.

“He’s resting, but you can go in.”

I hurry past the doctor and practically run to Nik’s hospital room. I stop in the doorway when I see him asleep in the bed. He looks so … small. For the first time since I’ve met him, he looks just like a man. Not a god. Not the Bratva. Just a man.

Somehow, it makes me love him more.

But my mom’s words keep filtering through my mind. Can I stay with him after he didn’t tell me my mom was alive? Can I ever truly trust him again?

Slowly, I approach his bed and take his hand. I remain like that for a long time until he stirs awake.

“Ava?” he asks in a groggy voice.

“Shh. Don’t speak. Just rest.”

Of course, Nikolai can’t listen. “You’re here.”

“Where did you think I’d be?”

“Gone by now. Done with me.”

“Oh, Nik. I’m not sure I’ll ever be done with you. You’re a hard man to say goodbye to. I didn’t last more than a day.”

“That’s because it was an”—he lets out a deep, tired sigh— “emergency.”

“True.”

He finally notices my hand on his and curls his fingers around mine. “Are you going to stay?”

“I’m not going to leave your bedside. Not until I know you’re ok.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

I can’t meet him in the eye as I answer. “I’m not sure, Nik. I don’t know if I can stay. I have my mom back. I want things to return to normal.”

When I finally work up the courage to look at him, I can see the disappointment in his gaze and … something else. Resignation. He knew this was coming.

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