Chapter
Alex POV
I caught the way Antonio, Marlo, and Cash avoided looking directly at me. Their discomfort was as clear as day, and it only made me more impatient.
“The doctor hasn’t come to see me in two days,” I said, trying to keep my tone calm but firm. “That has to mean I’m cleared to leave. I feel fine, Nikolai.”
His response was quick and resolute. “You’re not leaving.”
I let out a frustrated sigh. “Why not? I hate being cooped up in this place. What’s the big deal?”
“It’s safe here,” Nikolai replied, his voice steady, but there was something underneath it—something he wasn’t saying outright.
I set my coffee down and studied him. His expression gave him away, even if his words didn’t. “The threat hasn’t gone away, has it?”
Nikolai hesitated, his jaw tightening. “At this hos
