Page 87 of Virgin Bratva Hostage

“You might want to move a little slower,” she laughs.

“When can I go home?” I say in annoyance. I hate hospitals.

“You need a few days of proper care, we need to keep an eye on you. Then you can go home.”

I roll my eyes, sinking back into the bed.

The days roll by and the pain in my side gets a little better, but my heart is aching in ways I can’t describe.

I miss her terribly.

I don’t think I have ever missed someone like this before.

I should be happy that she’s safe. That is all that should matter to me, but it’s not. I want to see her.

Every person who walks past my hospital room door sets my heart jumping because I keep waiting for her to walk through it. I know it’s a stupid hope—but I can’t let it go. I want to see her so badly.

On the fourth day, the doctor very reluctantly signs my release papers and lets me go home under very strict orders that I have to rest.

I thought that coming home would make things easier—that being here would at least feel familiar—but the moment Iwalk through the door I can smell her scent and my heart aches inside me.

She’s not here anymore and never will be again.

And now this house feels like an empty shell of what it used to be.

But, despite my heartache, a massive smile spreads across my face when Dex comes limping towards me.

“Hey old man,” he laughs, gesturing over my slow movements.

“Speak for yourself,” I laugh back. “How are you feeling?”

He pats his side where the knife almost pierced straight through his kidney. “Yeah, it hurts, but I’m good.”

“I thought I told you to stay home and rest.”

“Yes, but I heard you were coming home today, and I wanted to just stop in, say hello, check in on you—my wife made brownies which I left in the kitchen. I’m just happy you’re ok man,” he says with a warm smile.

“You too, Dex. You too.”

He sits with me for about an hour, talking about what happened, eating brownies and drinking coffee—then he heads back home to his family and I am alone again.

Days drift by and I can’t stop thinking about her. I can’t even work because I have been forced to take time off to heal. There is nothing to distract me. Dex visits, but the visits are short because both of us are healing.

Day by day I am stronger, feeling better, but my heart is aching.

After two weeks I feel almost fully back to my old self, I just need to add in some gym time to rebuild my lost strength.But nothing is motivating me, and nothing feels right without her.

I don’t know what I am supposed to do. I don’t know how to get over this.

Chapter 26 - Ruslana

Rigor is giving me hell because I brought Avraam up again.

It’s been over a week since they brought me home—and every day I plead with Rodion not to retaliate against Avraam for taking me. I want him to let it go and leave him alone.

Renat pulled me aside on that first day, seeing how distraught I was when I realized that Avraam got shot and saved my life in the process—he told me what happened—and that he got him to a hospital, and everything will be fine—but that’s not enough.

Avraam literally took a bullet for me and I was in such a state of shock I didn’t even have a chance to thank him. The least I can do is convince my brothers to leave him alone.

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