Chapter 19
Halle
Perfect.
That’s what I would consider the way the night had gone.
Alexsey was the perfect date. The perfect sous chef. The perfect distraction for my daughter. The perfect storyteller.
And the perfect lover.
Except in a few short seconds, I was reminded there was no such thing as perfection in my world.
By a cough.
Not just one.
Several.
I jerked up my head, my heart pounding as I listened intently. Emily often coughed in her sleep and usually, she settled down with no issues.
But the cough continued.
“What’s wrong?” Alexsey asked and for some reason, I was very surprised at hearing the level of concern in his voice.
I pushed my hands against his chest. “Shush.”
Emily coughed again, only this time it turned into wheezing. So I pushed him. Hard.
Yet he was too big. Too strong. And he didn’t budge.
“Get off me! Get. Off. Me. Now!”
Shocked, he scrambled to move and I was even quicker than he was.
As soon as the weight of his body was off mine, I shoved him enough to crawl off the couch.
Nothing about the move was ladylike, but I didn’t give a shit.
My daughter was in trouble. I rushed down the hall, knocking my shoulder against the wall while trying to hurry.
The pain didn’t matter.
When I flew into the room, I instantly knew she was in trouble.
She was limp, half her body off the bed as if she’d been trying to get to me.
To her mommy. To safety and protection. Gasping, my hands were shaking so badly by the time I got to her that the moment my fingers wrapped around the inhaler, it flipped from my hands.
The crash against the wall made me cry out.
Tears were in my eyes, clouding my vision, but I noticed a huge form standing in my way of clamoring to get the inhaler.
Him.
Alexsey.
Instead of freaking out, he took a long stride toward me, very calmly placing the inhaler in my hand. “It’s okay. Breathe and take your time.”
While his deep voice was somewhat comforting, he just didn’t understand.
“You don’t get it,” I said while lifting her little head, forcing the inhaler into her mouth.
“She doesn’t have time. She could go into respiratory distress.
That could cause permanent lung damage. Breathe, baby girl. Breathe for Mommy.”
I don’t know if he had any clue what I was really dealing with, but he seemed to sense one of the worst things that could happen was if I was freaking out. Additional agitation would make things worse.
So he pulled me onto the edge of the bed, sitting behind me and stroking my back. It had an immediate calming effect, and I was able to breathe easier.
But my special little girl wasn’t. Her coughing and wheezing only got worse until her chest was heaving.
“It’s not working. Oh, God. Oh, no.”
“Then what do we do?”
I knew he was asking me questions, but I just couldn’t comprehend or answer. I’d been through this before so why was it so difficult to deal with this time?
“Mom…my.”
I tried the inhaler one last time. Now I was freaking out. “We need to call 9-1-1.”
“That’s going to take too long,” he growled, jerking to his feet. “We’ll take her.”
“You don’t understand. Mercy Hospital is too far away. She might stop breathing by then.” I jerked up with her in my arms, fighting tears and anger, hatred and other emotions I couldn’t even name.
“Mercy Hospital? No, we’re going to Sunrise Children’s Hospital. That’s a few blocks away and I can get her there much faster than an ambulance.”
“That’s not where we go.” Why was I arguing with him? I knew why. Money. Oh, my God. What was wrong with me?
“It is now. Go get dressed. Let me hold her.”
When I hesitated even slightly, he got in my face. “Listen to me, Halle. Breathe and trust me. I’ll hold her while you get dressed.”
I was vaguely aware he had his pants on at least. I was losing it this time and I knew why. Her attacks were coming closer together.
“Do it!” he barked and I gently placed her into his arms, taking a split second of looking at her before sprinting into my room.
I dressed without thinking, and I couldn’t remember if I’d brought my purse with my identification with me. It wouldn’t matter if I had my insurance card because the hospital was out of network.
But he was right. That couldn’t matter. All that did was saving my daughter’s life.
Somehow in the melee, he managed to jerk on his shirt and jacket, rushing toward the car first and throwing open the door.
“Boss. What’s wrong?” one of the security men asked as he rushed from the driver’s door of the SUV.
“We’re headed to the children’s hospital.” That’s all Alexsey said before making certain we were secured in the passenger seat and jumping over the hood of his car to the driver’s side.
By the time the engine started, he was already rolling, the brakes squealing as he pulled away from the curb.
“It’s okay, baby. We’re going to be fine.” I rocked her, something she loved so much. Her eyes were open, staring at me as if begging me to help her. I’d never felt so utterly helpless in my life. Unable to get full control, tears slipped past my eyelashes, dripping on her little arm.
The sharp sob erupting from my throat filled the dense space. Instantly, his hand gripped my knee. I knew at this moment he was simply trying to anchor me.
Even as he floored the accelerator, he managed to pull something from his jacket. I finally realized what was in his hand. An earpiece for a cellphone. Who the hell was he calling right now? Just drive. Just please fucking drive and get to the hospital on time.
“Yes, this is Alexsey Dmitriyev. I need a full crash cart waiting in emergency. I’m bringing in a little girl with breathing difficulties from an asthma attack.”
What the fuck? I turned my head in his direction. He could just snap his fingers and order a crash cart to be waiting for our arrival?
“Yes, we’ve used an inhaler more than once.
Yes, we have it with us. I need the best pulmonologist in the hospital made available.
” He was in utter control, making the turn with one hand while talking on the phone and his other hand remaining on my knee.
“I don’t care what time it is or where he’s at.
Get him to the hospital. Now. We’ll be there in three minutes. ”
I was so shocked, I had no idea what to say. He finally realized I was staring at him, barely offering a smile. Now he did concentrate on driving, swerving around any vehicle in our way, but not once did he blow his horn.
For some reason, I had a feeling he knew that could upset Emily.
He didn’t take three minutes to glide into the bay of the emergency room at the finest children’s hospital in Nevada. It was more like two and a half and with severe asthma attacks, seconds mattered.
True to his demands, there was a crash team that appeared even before he jumped from the car, racing around to yank open the door.
Everything was a blur and their words were in a vacuum. I was holding her so tightly, terrified to let her go even though I knew they were telling me she’d be in good hands.
Finally, Alexsey pressed his hand on the small of my back, leaning over so he could whisper in my ear, “I’ll be right by your side. I’m not going anywhere.”
Nodding, I finally managed to find the courage to let her go. Instantly, she was given an oxygen mask and whisked away. Before I’d taken two steps, I stopped and turned toward him. Terrified of sobbing openly, I mouthed my thank you, unable to stop tears from streaming down both sides of my face.
I’d take him at his word that he wouldn’t leave me alone. While I hated to admit it, I needed him. His strong arms. His comforting yet commanding voice. Something about him grounded me.
As I entered the hospital, I felt his eyes on me. And at least for a little while, I could feel protected.
In a daze.
I knew at least three hours had passed and I’d refused to leave her side until she was resting peacefully. She would have cried had I left the room while she was still awake.
That’s how I felt and very little was going to change that at this point.
I was stumbling along the corridor or at least that’s what it felt like, moving toward the waiting room they’d told me to go to.
She was resting and there was little I could do at this point.
There were still echoes made from every noise, but at least my heart rate had slowed.
When I noticed the sign, it seemed like a mile away. Somehow, I lumbered closer and suddenly a pair of strong hands pulled me into a tight hold where I allowed myself a few seconds of weakness.
Before I lifted my head to look in his eyes, I inhaled Alexsey’s incredible musky scent. It rekindled a fire, but not about passion. About how precious life was. I clung to him, wrapping my hand around his shirt, twisting the material. A single sob erupted and I told myself that was enough.
“It’s okay,” he said quietly. “Everything is going to be okay.”
A part of me wanted to argue as I usually would do, but I didn’t have it in me.
He pulled me gently toward a couch, easing me down.
A split second later, I had a handful of tissues in my hand.
For some reason, it made me laugh. At least it broke the horrible mood enough I was able to lift my head, darting my eyes back and forth across his.
“Thank you. For everything. I think you saved her life.”
He seemed taken aback, his shoulders tensing. “I didn’t know her condition could be fatal.”
“Yes, although not very often; that was the worst attack she’s had.”
“Was it the pizza or something I did?”
He was asking real questions, which kept the smile on my face. I placed my hand on his, feeling the sharp draw of electricity yet refusing to react. “It’s nothing you did. She had a wonderful time tonight. It can be anything. Dust. Smoke. Allergies.”
“What did the pulmonologist say?”