Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81947 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81947 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
I threw back my head and closed my eyes as relief washed over me. Focusing back on the doctor, I said, “So she’ll be okay?”
The doctor rested a hand on my upper arm. “She’ll be fine. Because of the hour, I’ll need to admit her. In the morning, we should have all the tests back. The nurse will come find you once the patient has finished with the oxygen saturation and is moved into a communal room.”
I yanked the doctor to my chest and gave her a hug. “Thank you! God, you have no idea. Thank you, Doctor. Whatever you want. Grant money. Payoff of student loans. A new building. You name it. It’s yours.”
I then turned and hugged Vaska and Mary.
Serg had his arms full with accepting hugs from Barb and Millie, which included grabbing his ass.
I moved to the nurse’s desk and gave them Vivian’s name. “I want her moved into a private room. I don’t want her lying in a public emergency room bed.”
She clicked her fingers against her keyboard. “We haven’t verified health insurance yet. And private rooms are by request only and need approval from the billing department.”
Reaching into my wallet, I slapped an American Express Black Card on the counter. “Get your billing department on the phone. My girl gets a private room. Now.”
She nodded as she picked up the phone receiver. “Yes, sir.”
After another hour’s wait, I finally could see Vivian.
But when I crossed the threshold into her private room, it wasn’t relief I felt, but rage.
There was a man leaning over her half naked body, touching the inside of her bare thigh.
Storming over, I snatched the bastard by the shoulders and tossed him across the room.
His body slid along the linoleum to slam against the wall. “What the fuck?”
I stood over his prone form, yanked my gun from its holster, and pointed it at his face. “Keep your hands off her.”
“How did you get in here with a gun?”
I bared my teeth as I deliberately deepened my Russian accent to increase his terror. “No one takes my gun, not even your security.” I pulled the slide back, chambering a bullet. “I also have many friends in your morgue. They’ll never find your body.”
The man’s eyes widened as he stretched out his arm and gestured toward Vivian’s still sleeping form. He spoke rapidly as if he knew his life was on the line. Because it was.
“I removed the IV fluid tube. That’s all. I swear.”
My gaze narrowed as I raised the gun to target the center of his forehead. “Why were your hands on her thigh?”
I’d witnessed, as well as experienced, enough bullet and knife wounds to know the IV was almost always put in the back of the hand or jugular.
There was no reason for this bastard to be putting his hands on my girl’s legs while she was still groggy from all the procedures they’d performed on her.
“They put it in the femoral vein in case they needed to intubate. They wanted the jugular clear and the veins on the back of her hand lacked elasticity because of dehydration.”
Vaska entered the room. “I see you’re making friends.”
I took a deep breath to calm down and stepped back as I holstered my gun. “There was a misunderstanding.”
Vaska helped the nurse to his feet. “Excuse my friend. He’s mostly Mongolian, which means he is practically a Neanderthal. You should see his table manners.”
Vaska winked at me over the man’s head as he placed an arm over his shoulder. “How can we apologize? Do you like fast cars?”
He closed the door behind him, giving Vivian and me privacy.
Crossing to her hospital bed, I sat on the edge, careful to do so softly so as not to jostle her.
I cupped her cheek, grateful beyond belief to feel its comforting warmth. My thumb stroked her once more cherry pink lips.
Taking her hand, I kissed the back before resting it against my cheek. My fingers wrapped around her wrist as I checked her pulse, still not quite believing that she was going to be okay.
I whispered against her skin, “Christ, woman, you gave me a scare.”
Her eyelids remained closed.
I had been warned she might still be sleeping and to not be alarmed. Her body had gone through a shock, and she’d likely be exhausted.
Placing my hand on the center of her chest to feel her heartbeat, my vision blurred slightly.
Sniffing, I rubbed my jaw before clearing my throat. “I know we drive each other crazy. Hell, I don’t think we’ve gotten through a single conversation without fighting, but damn if you haven’t gotten under my skin, beautiful. I don’t know what I would have done if I lost you.”
I caressed her hand and forearm, needing to touch her, to reassure my still heated brain that she was alive and safe.