“Sia?” Carina’s voice pulled me out of my spiral. I looked up as she walked in, concern etched across her face.
I forced a smile. “That was quick.”
She glanced at the bag I had ready for the hospital. “What happened? Were you crying?”
“We can’t go to the hospital for now. Someone knows Rodion is there, and they killed the donor.”
“What?”
“Yeah. Seems like someone from inside leaked information.” I pressed my fingers to my temple as the headache sharpened. “I don’t know what to do anymore.”
“But how? When did this happen? So there won’t be surgery?”
I ran a hand through my hair. “No.”
Carina shook her head. “That’s messed up. So what’s the solution now? Getting another donor isn’t easy.”
Dmitri’s voice echoed in my head. He knew I understood what was at stake. Leonid could provide a donor, but I would be the price.
“Did you hear me?” Carina snapped her fingers in my face.
I blinked. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“What would you do if you knew a way to get a kidney for someone you have started falling for?”
Carina’s brows furrowed. “You’re not a match, are you?”
“No.” I shook my head. “This is bad.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What am I missing?”
This was bad, and I wasn’t supposed to think about it at all. I drew a deep breath. “I… hate that man.” The words broke out of me.
Carina groaned. “If you don’t speak, I’ll slap you.”
Fear crawled up my spine, but I forced the words out. “There’s a man called Leonid. I don’t know much, but he has networks that move organs under the table.”
Carina’s eyes widened with a flicker of hope. “Well, don’t they know? Can’t they pay him?”
“That’s the problem.” My throat tightened. “He… kinda needs me.”
Carina stared at me for a moment, processing the information, then asked, “What do you mean by that?”
“He wants me in return for giving Rodion a kidney.”
She studied me, then let out a hollow laugh. “Why would he? How does he even know you? That’s ridiculous. And he expects you to agree? Why would he even want you—”
“Look, these people are insane,” I whispered. “But what if that’s the only way?”
She smacked my shoulder. “You’re forgetting who Rodion is. They’ll find solutions.”
She didn’t understand, and I pressed on. “It might take too long. There are people controlling organ distribution.”
Carina’s brows arched. “And you don’t think Rodion has his hands in it? He already had one donor. He’ll get another.”
I shook my head. “Let me break it down for you. Rodion’s business is different. Leonid runs the organ sector. If Rodion needs something from that world, he has to cross lines, make deals. And the same goes for Leonid; he doesn’t interfere with what Rodion does. That’s why there was a deal.”