Page 248 of Inferno

As the door slams shut, I let out a breath of relief.

“Drago!” I call out.

“Hmm?”

“Talk to me. Stay with me.”

The amount of blood he’s losing, he doesn’t have long. I need Declan.

“W-where is Isabella?” he grits out.

“Safe. With Declan. It’s okay.”

He nods. I swear I see a tear rolling down his cheek.

“How did you end up here?” I ask him.

I need to keep his mind active.

“Got caught. Trying to defuse the bomb,” he sputters, and blood flies out of his mouth.

His head drops and my own tears start to fall. As I erratically thrash in my ropes, it cuts deeper into my skin. He’s spent the last ten years being responsible for my safety. He put himself in that position. I became his problem to lighten the wrath of Vlad on me. That was the deal. He keeps me in line and trained to go on jobs, we all stay alive.

“Drago!” I scream at the top of my lungs.

“Do not fucking leave me here on my own. Fight, goddamn it. Fight, please. We need you.”

He grunts again.

“I’m sorry, Drago. I’m so sorry I landed you in this mess,” I sob.

He shakes his head.

“I’d do it again. No regrets. Not for you two. We did it, warrior.”

I shake my head.

“No. No. We both survive this.”

He coughs again, this time heaving for air.

“I’m proud of you, Charlotte.”

“Drago, don’t do this. Please.”

“It’s my time,” he says quietly.

The warm tears freefall down my face.

“Just hold on a while longer, Drago.”

“Tell Tatiana,” he hisses in pain and stops talking.

“Tell her what, Drago?”

“Remember who she is.” Is the last thing he says.

“What does that mean?”

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