Page 90 of The Crimson Lily
The loud bullet pierces through my arm, making the sound of a fish slipping away.
I fall on the gravel, the pain spreading into my shoulder.
Enervated bangs. Cracks and thumps.
For as long as I can keep my eyes open, I see Maksim, his fists loaded, going at William until there’s nothing left of his face. Muffled screams, bones crushing, maybe it’s just Maksim taking out each of his knuckles against the gravel.
He comes for me when he’s done. He wraps his arms around me and holds me there, almost lifeless. I can’t move. I’ve lost too much blood already.
“Maksim…” I murmur. “You came.”
He squeezes me so I stay awake. “Always, Liliana. I’ll always come for you.”
I offer a silly simper. Maksim lifts me up in the air and begins to walk into the woods. I can see more police cars behind us, with colorful spinning beacons that create a perfect show of blinking lights.
“Carabinieri!” a voice rings into the night.
I don’t know where it comes from, but I let its echo slowly rock me to sleep. I’m still awake, or maybe already dreaming, when I hear Giovanni’s voice merge with Maksim’s. And maybe more voices. Are they speaking Italian? Russian? Both? I don’t know anymore.
Startled, I loudly breathe in a chunk of air. I was awoken by my own racing heartbeat sounding on the monitor beside my bed. A hospital bed. I shake my head. Am I really in a hospital? There are no windows, only the white walls of a room underground.
Maksim rests his head in his arms, which are crossed near my leg, one hand clenched around my shin. He’s here. Even if he’s sleeping, he makes me understand he won’t let me go. There are cuts on his face but significantly less blood than the last time I saw him. He has a big bruise peeking above his left eye. I can’t see the rest of his beautiful face.
I raise my upper body to sit up, noticing now that my right arm is wrapped in tight bandages where I was shot. I don’t feel pain. I just feel…woozy, and the more I straighten myself, the dizzier I feel.
Morphine. I’ve never had morphine, but that’s definitelyit.
I lay my hand nonchalantly on his strong arm booming out of his crumpled white shirt.
Maksim opens his eyes.
“You need to rest,zaya,” he urges, coming close to me.
“Where am I?” I prompt.
“Mafia Capitale quarters,” he answers. “You’re safe.”
I look at my now bleeding arm, a red spot forming under the bandages. “I got shot,” I observe, Captain Obvious style.
I still have my hand on his arm, so I squeeze it a little. I let the relief—morphine—take over most of my mind. I am safe. Maksim is here.
“The dagger?” I press.
Maksim gives me an affirmative nod, and I fall back against my pillow.
Relief.
“William?” I ask, swooshing up again.
Another nod followed by a concerned frown. “Get some rest,” he prescribes. He delicately pushes me back onto the pillow himself.
I catch his arm again before he can leave.
“Don’t go,” I beg with the little strength I have left.
Maksim frowns at me, incredulous. “Why do you think I’d go anywhere?”
I instantly retract my hand, feeling silly. Of course he won’t leave me. Stupid Liliana. That man wouldn’t leave you even if the world depended on it. I stretch both my arms out this time, requesting Maksim to come into them. I notice the bruise around his right eye looks worse than the other. It makes me feel bad. It also makes me wonder what I look like right now myself.
