Page 75 of Dark Obsession

I turn my head slowly and see Alexei and Yuri sitting there with lunch spread out between them, looking like they’re settling in for a picnic.

“You want some waffle fries?” Yuri holds out the bag and shakes it a little.

The doctor clicks his tongue. “I wouldn’t if I were you. Go easy—your body’s been through hell.” He lists my injuries as if they’re minor inconveniences: broken ribs, two cracked vertebrae, torn shoulder ligaments, a concussion, and a near-miss on internalbleeding, not to mention multiple contusions and cuts.

I scoff, letting my gaze settle on them. “You two stayed? How heartwarming.” I manage a weak smile. “Guess you really do like me.”

Alexei grins. “You’re charmed, Grigori. You shouldn’t even be able to sit up, yet here you are, cracking jokes. Miracles happen every day, my friend.

“But,” he goes on, exchanging a look with Yuri, “it’s not just our kind-hearted nature keeping us here.”

I squint at him, confused. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Yuri and Alexei exchange another glance, and there’s a weight to it that puts me on high alert. Whatever’s coming, it’s nothing good.

“Look, the rest of the Bratva leadership,” Alexei begins, choosing his words carefully, “they’re not exactly thrilled with how things went down.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, narrowing my eyes.

Yuri sighs. “Your lone wolf shit, Grigori. It’s one thing when it’s your job, another when it’s an all-out war with the cartel. They’re questioning your reliability.”

“Questioning my—” I stop, incredulous. “I saved them at that damn warehouse. It was rigged to blow; Molina had every intention of taking us all out. You’re telling me they’re calling my reliability into questionnow?”

Alexei raises a hand. “Hey, we’re not saying it’s fair. Lucky for you, though, I learned how to keep tabs on you. As soon as you left, Elena helped hack into a government satellite system andtracked you right to that lake. And she did it on her goddamn phone, believe it or not. Without that, you’d have died out there.”

I feel a twinge at the mention of Elena. “And Elena?” I ask, the question slipping out before I can stop myself.

“She’s fine,” Yuri assures me with a half-smile. “The doctor here decided against letting her sit vigil by your bedside. His call.”

The doctor snorts. “You’d have been out of that bed in seconds if she were here. And right now, rest is what you need.”

I let out a low laugh. “So everyone knows, I take it.”

“Everyone knows,” Alexei confirms, smirking. “No more secrets, my friend.”

I want to stay awake, to press for more answers about what’s coming next and where this leaves me with the Bratva leadership, but fatigue pulls at me like an anchor. The edges of the room blur, and my eyelids get heavier.

“Just rest for now,” Alexei says, patting my good shoulder. “We’ll fill you in later. You’ve earned it.”

The last thing I see is Alexei’s smirk fading and Yuri’s steady gaze watching over me as the world slips away into darkness once again.

I’ve been in the hospital for a few days, and the doc’s finally cleared me to leave.

My arm’s in a sling, ribs bruised as hell, and there’s still a sharp, pulsing pain in my head every time I take a step. The doc smirks as he gives me his final instructions. “Take it easy, no international gang fights for a bit, yeah?”

I snort, wincing at the ache in my side. “In my line of work, that’s not exactly guaranteed, Doc.”

He shakes his head, muttering something about stubborn idiots, but I thank him anyway. If not for him and his work, I wouldn’t be walking out of here at all.

Alexei and Yuri stand by the doorway, arms crossed, eyes assessing.

“Alright, let’s get you out of here,” Yuri says, clapping me on the back—carefully, for once.

The drive back is quiet, too quiet, save for Alexei finally breaking the silence as we head into the city. “How’s the body? Ready for another round?”

I shift in the seat, feeling the pull on my shoulder. “I’m ready to get this meeting over with,” I say, avoiding a real answer.

Truth is, I’d take on another fight right now if it got me one minute with Elena. Even the thought of her is enough to pull me through the pain and soreness. Knowing she’s safe—that I get to see her soon—hell, I’m practically giddy, though I’d never admit it.

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