Page 17 of Conceal

Instead of the lecture I know he wants to give us, he taps Mik on the shoulder to wake him. “Hey, can I talk to you outside for a sec?” Lev’s serious. Lev’s almost never serious.

Instantly, I’m more awake. “What’s wrong?” I may not be able to do much physically, but if the threat is still there for Tati, I need to figure something out.

“Nothing to worry your pretty little head over.” He tries to bring some teasing back into his voice, but he fails. Now, I’m even more nervous.

Tati must be too, because she squeezes my hand again subconsciously.

A few minutes later, Lev walks back in without Mikhail.

“What’s going on?” Tati asks, and I hate how small she sounds.

Lev’s looking everywhere but at her.

Shit.

This can’t be good.

“We... uh... they...”

“Spit it out, Lev,” I say, knowing he’s just making her more anxious.

Finally, he levels Tatiana with a blank stare. “I’ve packed your bags and Sparkle. We’re being sent to a safe house until they can figure out who is behind the attack.”

She slumps in defeat. This means no more school. No more dating. No more life as a civilian.

"Da," she says, her voice completely toneless.

“We need to go… now,” he says, and she stands.

“What about Roman?”

He hesitates because he hadn’t considered leaving me. Shit. I don’t even know how long until I can be discharged.

Wanting her safe more than anything, I jump in. “I’ll arrange medical transport as soon as possible. Go. Don’t worry about me.”

She leans in and presses a kiss to my cheek as my eyes flutter shut.

“I want you there tomorrow, Ro, or I’m coming to get you,” she threatens, but she sounds as scary as a mouse.

I squeeze her hand back in return.

“I promise.” I try to smile, but it feels foreign and wrong. “Can’t let my best girl get hurt, now can I?”

Her brow scrunches in confusion, but she walks to the door anyway and lets Lev lead her out into the hallway with a hand on her lower back.

Chapter thirteen

Mikhail

Istare at our apartment, but it’s like I don’t recognize it. Like it’s still our apartment, but from an alternate timeline. It’s so still. So quiet. Tati always has a movie or some music going in the background. Even Sparkle’s little coos and squeaks are a constant that I didn’t realize I’d miss.

My biggest fear has happened. We’ve been separated.

Maybe it’s for the best. Maybe we need some space to get used to the idea of a future where she’s found her happily ever-after and I just... what? I just what? Disappear? Find someone else?

Except why does it feel like I’ve left my beating heart back at the hospital and have a rock in my chest where my heart used to be?

I walk over to our bed and flop onto my back diagonally, leaving one leg hanging off of it.