Page 24 of Her Darkest Possession

I nod, not trusting myself to speak. How can I explain that I'm feeling everything at once? Relief that our baby is safe. Terror for Amara. Worry about what Valentina might do when she learns I've returned. Anxiety about the future. And underneath it all, a stubborn, inexplicable hope that somehow, we'll find a way through this mess.

That our love is enough to carry us through this.

The car slows to a stop at the front entrance. Before I can even reach for the handle, someone rushes forward to open my door.

Anatoly squeezes my hand once more before letting go so I can exit the car.

I step out and take a deep breath, letting the familiar salt of the sea breeze in the cold air fill my lungs until the antiseptic smell of the hospital starts to fade.

"Svetlana," I say suddenly, turning to Anatoly as he exits the car and joins my side. "Which hospital is she at?"

"She's here," Anatoly replies. "I had her transferred to the mansion once she was stable enough to move. She's awake now, being monitored by a private medical team in the east wing."

"Thank God."

Svetlana put herself in danger because of me. Because she was protecting me and Amara. And even though I know that there was nothing I could've done to stop that cop from shooting her by the road, I can't shake the feeling that it was my fault that she's hurt.

"Can I see her?"

Anatoly's hand finds the small of my back, his touch gentle but grounding. "Of course you can," he says without hesitation. "I'll take you to her right now, if you want."

"I'd like that."

Once inside, Anatoly leads me down the winding corridors of the mansion.

As we approach the east wing, I can't help but notice the increased security everywhere. There are armed men stationed at various points along the hallway. Their eyes track us as we pass.

Clearly, the rule that Anatoly imposed on my first day here that nobody should look at me has been revoked, in light of everything that has happened.

"In here," Anatoly says softly, stopping at a door near the end of the corridor.

He opens it for me, and I step inside what looks like a fully equipped hospital room. Medical monitors beep steadily, an IVstand holds bags of fluid, and there, propped up against white pillows, is Svetlana.

Her face is paler than usual, and the dark circles under her eyes make her look almost ghostly. Her black hair, usually so sleek, looks matted and messy.

"Svetlana," I whisper as I move quickly to her bedside.

Her eyes find me, and somehow, she manages to give me a weak smile.

"Why the tears, silly girl? I'm alive, aren't I?"

I touch my cheek and realize it's wet. I hadn't even noticed I was crying.

"I'm so sorry," I say, the words feeling completely inadequate. "This is all because of me."

"Nonsense," she replies, her voice raspy but still carrying that familiar no-nonsense tone. "This is because of Lola and her dogs. Not you."

Anatoly clears his throat behind me. "I'll give you two some time," he says. "I need to check in with Roma anyway. I'll be just down the hall if you need anything."

I nod gratefully as he steps out, closing the door quietly behind him.

"What happened?" Svetlana and I both ask at the exact same time.

We look at each other for a beat, then share a small laugh despite everything. It feels good to be able to laugh, even if Svetlana immediately winces from the exertion.

She gestures at the medical equipment surrounding her bed, then at herself. "I think this answers your question, no? Now it's your turn to tell me, silly girl."

"Lola happened." I take a deep breath. "After that cop shot you, he forced me into Lola's car. She and Grisha were inside. She knew I was pregnant."