Page 224 of Toxic Temptation
She’s right. The words are right there, ready to spill out.You almost got us both killed. You put yourself in danger. You didn’t trust me when I told you it was a trap.
But looking at her face, seeing the terror and guilt written across her features, I can’t bring myself to say any of it.
“You’re bleeding,” she whispers, reaching for me.
I flinch away from her touch and climb out of the SUV. “I’m fine. Pavel, get Vesper cleaned up and take her home. Now.”
I can feel her staring at me, but I don’t look back. I can’t.
Not when I failed so completely to protect her. Not when I let my guard down and nearly got her killed. Not when the woman Ilove almost died because I was stupid enough to believe we could have one normal evening.
IknewIhor would retaliate eventually. Iknewhe’d come for what mattered most to me.
But I let myself be convinced that maybe, just maybe, we could steal a few hours of happiness. That maybe Vesper was right about living our lives instead of just surviving them.
Turns out she was wrong.
And now, I know exactly what Ihor’s next move will be. He’s figured out my weakness, and he’s going to keep using it against me until one of us is dead.
The question is: Can I live with myself if it turns out to be her?
77
VESPER
“You’re not eating.”
Osip’s voice cuts through the fog of my thoughts. I look down at my untouched tuna melt, the bread already soggy from sitting too long. The sight of it makes my stomach turn.
“I need more coffee,” I mumble.
“You’ve had four cups in two hours.” He takes another bite of his pastrami sandwich, chewing slowly while watching me with those sharp hazel eyes. “At this point, you’re going to vibrate right out of your chair.”
“What are you, the caffeine police?”
“How can you even drink that swill?” He gestures toward the hospital cafeteria’s coffee station with obvious disgust. “It tastes like used motor oil.”
I push my plate away. The screech of ceramic against Formica makes several nearby doctors look up from their lunches in alarm. “You don’t have to be here, you know. I work here. Youcan go get your precious artisanal coffee wherever the hell you want.”
Osip leans back in his chair, completely unbothered by my hostility. “Actually, I kind of like it here. The hospital cafeteria is prime people-watching territory. You’d be amazed what goes down between the vending machines and the hand sanitizer stations.”
“You’re insane.”
“Clinically. Besides,” he adds, his tone shifting to something more serious, “this is technically my job now.”
Right. Because I need a bodyguard. I can no longer be trusted to make smart decisions when someone’s life is on the line.
“I should have requested Pavel instead,” I mutter. “At least he doesn’t force-feed me like a heifer.”
Osip picks up his coffee cup, takes one sip, and immediately makes a face like he’s been poisoned. “Someone’s in a mood today.”
He’s not wrong. I’ve been a complete bitch for three days running, snapping at nurses, arguing with residents, and generally making everyone around me miserable. It’s not fair to take it out on Osip when the person I’m really angry with is myself.
“Sorry.” I rub my temples, feeling the familiar ache of too much caffeine and too little sleep. “It’s been a rough week.”
“Has it? Because from where I’m sitting, you’ve nailed every single surgery you’ve performed since?—”
“Kovan’s avoiding me.”
