Page 151 of Dmitri

“Try me.”

His eyes glaze over for a few seconds before latching back onto me. “There she is,” he says softly.

My heart soars.

“Keep your mask on, dipshit.” Knox places it back over D’s face.

Dmitri slowly raises his hand and flips him the bird.

Ryker and Vault chuckle from the doorway and I have no idea where Silas or Casey have gone.

Then Dmitri barks out in pain again, his body locking as a fresh wave of agony tears through him. “Fuuuuck!”

“Stay still,” the scrub guy orders.

The pain he’s in must be excruciating. “Hey, hey, look at me.”

Dmitri’s gaze swirls back to mine. His eyes are swollen and there’s so much blood on him. It makes me want to kill Kaleb all over again. “Eyes on me,” I order, taking the reins. “Stay with me, Dmitri.”

He grunts and trembles while they work on the worst of his wounds. A tear falls from the corner of his less swollen eye. Our connection never breaks.

“You’re doing so good.”

His resolve hardens even though he keeps trembling in silent torment.

“Why can’t you give him a painkiller or something? Knock him out so he doesn’t have to feel any of this.”

“No!” Ryker and Vault yell at the same time.

“He doesn’t allow that,” Knox explains. “Stubborn masochistic fucker.” He puts his hands up. “Not that I’m kink shaming, but damn, a little relief might do you some good, bro.”

Dmitri clenches his teeth. “No.”

I think I understand why he wants this pain, and it has nothing to do with sexual gratification.

If he can still hurt… then he’s still living.

“I’ve got you,” I say, lacing my hand with his. “You feel me?” I squeeze him. “You’re still alive. You’re still fighting.”

His expression tenses as they finish closing the last puncture.

Finally, it’s over.

“He’s going to be okay,” the scrub guy says. “I have no clue how he got this goddamn lucky, but the blade struck bone or soft tissues. Not a single vital organ was hit.”

Relieved, I slump over, kissing his forehead. “Here that? You’re stuck with me for life now.”

“You had an angel on your shoulder tonight, D.” The scrub guy pulls off his gloves and tosses them in the trash. “Either that, or the devil still isn’t done with you.”

Dmitri groans as his eyes flutter shut.

Chapter 42

Dmitri

“That’s not necessary.”

“First off, fuck you. Second off, yes, it is.” Knox holds out some painkillers. “Shut up and take the damn things. It’s over-the-counter shit, not Oxi.”

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