Chapter 5 Chapter 5
One doctor yelled for the OR to be prepped, another tried to hold me back. “Let her go, we’ll take care of her…” “I’m staying here, for fuck’s sake!” Only when they pushed her into the OR did I let go. My hands were red, my jacket soaked, my gaze empty. I staggered back and leaned against the wall, my heart pounding like a sledgehammer. I was back. Right in the middle of this shit. “What did you do, Nico?” I spun around. Vito stood in the doorway, his face carved from stone. “How the hell are you here?” “I followed you, you idiot. I knew you’d fuck something up, but this? This?” He pointed at the blood on my shirt, at the corridor that reeked of iron. “You made it easy for them. No backup, no protection.” “Shut up, Vito.” I couldn’t even yell. I was too empty, too done. “She almost died. I was just a few seconds too late…” “You shouldn’t have gone alone at all.” He stepped toward me, his finger digging into my chest. I grabbed him by the collar. “No, man, I’m not taking that on myself. You asshole were supposed to make sure she didn’t leave.” Vito tore away from me, shoved me against the wall. “Forget it, Nicolai. That wasn’t my fault. I did my job. I was the backup. You were the one who was supposed to watch her, not me. You failed. Again. And now we’re here. And I hope you die from those bullets.” On his last words he rammed his fist into my lower abdomen, right on the entry wounds. I gasped, half collapsing, clawing at the wall. Pain shot through my entire body and everything went black for a moment. It was like my whole system shut down just to slam back on at full force. I coughed, tasted blood, but I laughed. “Then do it,” I growled, lifting my head even though my knees were giving out. “If you want me to die, do it right, Vito. But don’t you dare pretend you’re better than me. You were never better, just quieter.” His gaze flickered. Just for a second. Then he stepped back like he’d scared himself. “I hate you for always dragging her into this shit,” he said quietly, but his voice was sharper than any blade. “And I hate myself for not being able to stop it,” I whispered back. He stood there, motionless, staring at me. I slowly slid down the wall, breathing shallow, my whole body shaking. I had no right to be angry anymore. It was only fair if the remorse cost me everything now. Vito was right: her blood was on my hands if she didn’t make it through the surgery. Then his fist slammed into the wall next to my head. “God damn it, Nico… if she dies…” I closed my eyes. “Then everything that was left of me dies with her.” Silence for a moment. Then I felt him haul me up. “A hospital hallway isn’t the place for martyrs, brother.” He dragged me to a bed. “Hey, we need someone over here before this little fucker dies on us.” Before anyone got there, I heard the ripping of fabric and saw Vito tearing open my shirt. I looked him in the eyes while three people pushed him aside and started talking about some medical crap. We didn’t break eye contact, and I could’ve sworn I saw a tear at the corner of his eye. I sat up without resisting and finally looked away from Vito when the doctor kept trying to get my attention, telling me she thought I had gotten lucky and the bullets hadn’t hit anything vital. To confirm it she wanted to do a quick ultrasound and then stitch up the entry and exit wounds. The gel was cold on my skin, my gaze fixed on the ceiling. “Do you think you can manage to breathe calmly?” she asked gently. I hadn’t even realized how uneven my breathing was, but I tried to calm down and do what she said while I felt Vito’s stare burning into me from the side. “How’s my sister?” I forced out when one of the nurses wiped the gel off my stomach and the doctor went to get the suture kit. “She’s still in surgery. I’ll try to find out more and keep you updated, Mister Petrovich.” “Nicolai. Mister Petrovich is my father.” That made the nurses giggle and blush before they walked away. It didn’t take long for the doctor to come back and quickly, skillfully stitch the three bullet wounds front and back. She gave me a few instructions on what I could and couldn’t do over the next days, then left. “How long are you planning to stare at me like an idiot? You can just take a picture and stare at that as long as you want. Alone. And far away from me.” “Don’t worry, little cousin, I’m just keeping an eye on you until your father gets here. That’s my assignment.” I snorted in disgust. “Of course he knows and sends you. And like a good little dog you follow every one of his shitty orders.” I got up and went to the waiting area in front of the OR where they’d taken Selena, and sat down. Vito followed and it didn’t take long before I fell asleep. A few hours passed before Vito woke me up, my head resting on his shoulder.