Page 206 of Wicked Proposal

“Good. That’s what I wanna hear.”

Maksim’s gaze fixes on me. “I don’t suppose you want to talk about what happened with Yulian?”

The wound in my heart rips open again. “As a matter of fact, I don’t.”

“He didn’t mean it, you know. What he said at the end.”

“Maks, I really?—”

“He loves you.” His tone is firm, certain. The most certain I’ve heard him all night. “He’s been wrestling with demons all his life. Dark things straight from the pit of hell, stuff that most people can’t even imagine. When he met you, he had no idea how to handle it.”

“He made me bait,” I whisper bitterly. “That’s how he handled it.”

“And he’s regretted it ever since.”

“He still did it, though.”

“Yes,” he murmurs. “He isn’t that good at handling regret, either. Last time he felt it, there was nothing to be done about it.”

Uncertainty mixes with the pain in my heart. It makes the fortress of my anger waver, if only just a little.

“Did you know?” I ask with little emotion. “About his plan?”

“I suggested it.”

I fist my dress.Of course he was in on it. They were all in on it.

Only I was stupid enough to believe it.

I try to turn my anger at Maksim, but it fizzles out like an old lightbulb. “Don’t tell Kallie,” I warn him. “She’ll never forgive you.”

Maksim’s smile turns sad. “If tonight’s taught me anything, it’s that secrets don’t lead to good places.”

“So you’ll tell her?”

“All of it. As soon as she’s well enough.”

I shake my head with fondness. Leave it to Maksim to redefine the standards for Bratva boyfriends. “It’s your funeral.”

“Who’s dead?”

We both turn towards the third voice in the room.

“You’re awake,” I whisper.

Kallie gives me a shit-eating grin and lifts her oxygen mask. “Ding-dong, this witch hasn’t kicked it yet. So stop planning my funeral.”

“We wouldn’t dream of it,” Maksim says, hoarse. “You’d have opinions about everything.”

“Damn right. I want elephants.”

“Is this the drugs talking?”

“Nope.” I smile through the tears. “That’s all her.”

“Wanted them since I was four. The elephants, not the drugs. Those didn’t come up until my Sweet Sixteen wish list.” She tries to sit up and winces. “Ouch. So, what’s the damage?”

I update Kallie as best I can. Letting the nurse in me take over is the only thing keeping me from bursting into tears again. I don’t mention Yulian, nor our final argument.