Page 176 of Graves

Should I tell Dr. Mason about this?

I always knew this side of me existed—I’m Boris Rashkov’s son, after all. For years, I thought Luke had helped me bury that darkness.

Strange how relieved I am that I was wrong. I feel light. Unburdened. Ready for the next chapter.

With Aran.

A few weeks ago, I would have given him hell for being the reason I had a sleepless night. Now thoughts of him keep me awake because I’m worried about him.

38

—

Koh

Fresh from the shower, my knuckles wrapped in bandages, I lie down in bed, but sleep never comes. By five in the morning, I give up and take a taxi back to the hospital.

When I arrive, Leslie is draping a blanket over Liam, who has fallen asleep on a couch in the waiting area.

“Hi, Koh,” she says tiredly, sinking back into her chair where her bag and phone are lying.

I sit down beside her and yawn. “What are you still doing here?”

“I can’t leave Aran alone.” She finishes the last sip of her coffee and sets the cup on the small table between us. “Not after everything we’ve been through together.”

“Hm…” is all I manage.

“Thank you for getting there in time.”

“I never would’ve forgiven myself if I’d been too late.”

“Back in Poland…” Leslie starts quietly. “I would’ve done anything to help him. After he found out about Ben’s death, he tried to kill himself. The police found him just in time. He’d taken so many pills. Shit… and they weren’t even his—they were Ben’s. Their relationship was never healthy. Ben was the golden boy the press loved, but he had a terrible temper and treated Aran…” She searches for the right words, then shakes her head and sighs. “He was controlling. Sometimes really cruel. But for some reason, they couldn’t let each other go.”

“That sounds familiar,” I murmur. “Sometimes the world has to fall apart before you see your own mistakes.”

My gaze drifts to Liam, who’s using his denim jacket as a pillow, and I wonder what it will take for him to finally quit the drugs.

“He can sleep anywhere. That really comes in handy on tour. I envy him for that.” Leslie yawns, and I notice her eyes land on my bandaged hands. “Did you hurt yourself?”

“Yeah… but it’s nothing,” I say, standing up. “I’m going to stretch my legs a bit.”

Leslie just nods and turns back to her phone.

The morning drags on painfully slowly. I make several trips to the cafeteria and work my way through their entire tea selection. Around ten, Liam joins me. The face he makes after the first sip of coffee confirms my suspicion that it’s undrinkable.

“I spoke to his sister,” he says, setting the cup down.

My head snaps up in surprise. “You sound worried.”

“Aran hasn’t heard from his family since he got arrested in Poland. But I know his sister. We grew up together, and she’s friends with my sister. I had to tell her what happened.”

“What did you say? How did she take it?”

“I told her some hater slashed both his wrists. Well… I think I ruined her night. And the woman is heavily pregnant.”

I smile sadly. “She won’t come, will she?”

Liam opens a message on his phone and holds it out to me.