Doctor Wakeford looks at me then and pauses. Her eyes flick to the door and she walks a few steps around the bed to talk quietly to me.

“Nico will be taking you to a safe house, Annie. Dante still needs to keep you hidden because there is still a threat, I believe. You will be okay, don’t worry.” She gives me a small smile and squeezes my hand.

“Okay, thank you,” I say on a sigh.

Doctor Wakeford puts the medical files back, and with one last small smile, she walks back out the door, leaving me with my thoughts.

I am devastated that I won’t see Leo again, or Maria, and I am heartbroken from the loss of the home I had, albeit for such a small time. I knew he would be angry at me for not being totally honest with him. He said multiple times that he hated liars, yet that is exactly what I did. I lied. Every time he asked me if I was alright, I lied. Every time he asked me if anything was wrong, I lied. During our nighttime chats, there were multiple opportunities for me to talk to him about my health. I could have been honest with him, but I didn’t want my perfect bubble to burst. But keeping it all from him has shattered anything we had and any hope of a future with him. Who am I kidding, I am not Little Red, or Annie, I am no one. And I have no one. I have nothing, I am nothing.

The door opens, and I look up quickly, expecting to see the nurses, but it is Nico. We have met briefly, but he stays outside my room each and every day, like a bodyguard. I watch him with interest as he walks in, closing the door behind him.

“Hi, Annie. Today is the day we move you to the safe house,” he says quietly, approaching me like I am a dangerous animal and he needs to proceed with caution.

“Okay. I will cause no trouble, Nico. I am sorry you got stuck with me,” I say with a soft smile.

“No need to apologize. We will get to hang out together for a little while because I will also be at the house with you. We won’t leave you on your own, Annie. Dante has told us you must be 100% protected at all times,” he says, smiling as he stands at the end of my bed.

Dante. Just the mention of his name breaks my heart all over again.

“Everyone is on lockdown. Things are getting a little crazy out on the streets because we can’t locate the man who is a threat, but Dante, Sebastian, and Carter are all hunting for him, so it is only a matter of time. Then you will be safe.”