When I'm done, I stand up next to Victor and we both look down at Adrian.
"You'll live," Victor says. "But you need a real doctor, obviously."
"I'm fine," Adrian says, wincing as he repositions himself on the seat.
Victor laughs. "Yeah, no biggie."
He then looks at me. "You got it from here," he says and heads to the bathroom to wash his hands.
I should too, but I don't want to leave him so I just take a seat and use the wipes in the first aid kit.
"There's aspirin in here, do you want some for the pain?" I ask.
He shakes his head. "No, I'm okay."
Victor passes us and he's on his phone now talking to someone. I can't make out everything, but the last part I do hear.
"We're landing in Bra?ov," he says into the phone. "Not Bucharest. Have someone meet us and we'll need a med team."
He ends the call and plops into a chair and leans back. He catches me staring and his expression softens. "He'll be fine, Elena. I promise."
I force a fake smile and turn back to Adrian who must be able to tell I'm nervous.
"It's just a scratch, my angel," he says. "Doesn't even hurt much."
"Liar."
He shrugs. "Okay, maybe a little. It's not something I would want to feel every day."
He leans over and kisses me and grabs my hand with his good arm and squeezes it.
"How are you doing?" he asks.
I stare at Adrian, at the blood seeping through the bandages, at the way his chest rises and falls, I'm sure too slowly.
And suddenly, I can't hold it in anymore.
The vault I've kept locked for eighteen months, the one I've refused to open even to myself, cracks wide and I know right now might not even be the right time, but he needs to know, just in case anything happens to him. He needs to know.
27
ELENA
"It was Friday," I say, keeping my voice steady. "Our date night. Do you remember?"
The muscles in Adrian's jaw flex, and his neck stiffens before he looks at me.
"Of course I remember."
The plane hums around us, but my heartbeat drowns it all out now.
"I was on my way to get my hair done," I continue, the words tumbling faster now, like if I stop, I'll lose my nerve and shut down. "In that wavy style I know you liked. I was at a light when someone rear-ended me."
Adrian doesn't move. He just keeps his dark, unreadable eyes locked onto mine.
"The man got out and came up to my window, apologizing. He seemed nice. He looked nice. Like a normal person."
I twirl my fingers in my lap as if it will help me.