Page 68 of Darkest Game

Mikhail and Nico. And they look fucking pissed.

Chapter Thirteen

Liam

“Did you do this?” Mikhail asks, nodding at Irina. “You hurt her?”

“I didn’t do this to her.” But I can’t say I had nothing to do with this since I technically did. Elaine is after us because I killed Jack. Elaine was able to cut Irina’s throat because I used Irina as a distraction to save my mom.

“You can’t be in here,” the nurse says, trying to back Mikhail and Nico up but they’re not moving.

“You’re a dead man, Liam,” Nico says.

“I’m going to call security,” the nurse warns them. “So leave. Now.”

The two men finally walk out of the room but I can see them through the glass. They’re waiting for me to get out. My mom is out there. They could use her to hurt me just like Elaine did. I just have to hope that they don’t know what my mom looks like.

“Do you need me to call security?” the nurse asks me.

“I’ll deal with them,” I say, turning back to Irina. She clutches at my hand, pleading with her eyes to… not fight? Not die? Wishful thinking.

“Please,” she rasps out. “Let me tell them.”

“You can barely speak.”

“But… you’ll… die.”

I grip her hand and give it a kiss. “I’ll be fine. They’re not going to kill me in the middle of a hospital. They’ll want to get me outside and they won’t be able to. Not with security. Even they’re not invincible when it comes to the police.”

“Tell them… the truth.”

“I’ll try to. But you know they’re not going to listen. I already told them about Elaine before and they didn’t want to hear it. They’re determined to hate me.”

“Just try.”

“I promise.” I gaze down into her eyes, feeling my heart beat faster and my head swim like I’m underwater and trying to breathe for the first time. These feelings I have for Irina are encompassing. Jack changed my life forever when he forced me and Irina to marry. I fucking hated the bastard. But Irina has been the only good thing I’ve ever had in my entire life. I’m not ready to lose her just yet. “I’m glad you survived. I was… scared.”

Her eyes widen at my admission.

“I want you, Irina,” I say gruffly. “I want you in my life. There’s no use pretending. So I’m going to fight to keep you.”

“My family?”

“I don’t want to keep you from your family. But if Mikhail and Nico refuse to see reason… I know you can’t speak much. But tell me what you want?”

“I… want… my family.”

Her words crush my fucking heart but it’s not unexpected.

Then she speaks again. “But I also want… you.”

My breath hitches. How can this girl make me feel this way when no one ever has before? Her sweet, caring nature has rubbed off on me.

“I’ll find a way to give you both,” I promise. “But it’s all up to Mikhail and Nico. They’re fucking stubborn.”

She smiles but there’s a sadness to her eyes.

“We’re going to move her to a different room now,” the nurse tells me. “You can come with.” She warily looks at Mikhail and Nico. “I can still call security on them if you want.”