Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Kirill
“Edik, get an ambulance here, now!” I command, catching the falling bride before her head hits the floor.
“Yes, Pakhan,” Edik answers, already pulling out his cellphone.
“Oh, great,” I hear Pyotr grumble.
I don’t have time to look back and glare at my little brother. I’ll deal with him later.
“Her veil,” I command to Yulian, “Lift her veil! Get her some air!”
Yulian hurriedly draws the veil back from the young woman’s face, and I feel like a lightning bolt strikes me as he begins fanning her. Even now, with her collapsed and unconscious in my arms, my body sings with need. I know this woman. Intimately.
I’ve never considered myself a pining man, but I have dreamed of the heady pleasure I found with this woman since that fated night she got into the cab two months ago. Now she is right before me- only minutes away from marrying my brother.
“Annika, doch, wake up,” Yulian pleads, patting her cheeks.
The fear in Yulian’s voice snaps me out of my shock, and I quickly move into action.
“Help me turn her over,” I command. “Watch her head.”
Yulian does as I command, and I immediately begin to undo the long line of satin buttons down the woman’s back. As the dress parts, I note that the entire expanse of her back is flushed bright red, and my concern intensifies.
Come on, I urge silently, rubbing the heel of my palm up and down her fevered back, Breathe! She is breathing, I can feel that much, but it isn’t deep enough.
“Pakhan, the ambulance will be here in a minute,” Edik reports, “I have the dispatcher on the phone.”
“She’s fine!” Pyotr calls from the stage, “Just stand her up and let’s get this over with!”
As he speaks, the woman’s eyes flutter open, and she takes her first deep breath. I turn her over quickly, and she looks directly into my eyes.
“It’s you,” she whispers.
I can’t help the small smile that touches my lips, relief flooding through me.
“There you are. You took quite a spill,” I tell her. Again I surprise myself. I’ve never spoken to anyone so gently.
“Annika, doch, what is wrong?” Yulian begs.
Annika. Her name was Annika. Beautiful.
“I…don’t know, I don’t…feel…” Annika’s words fade as her lashes flutter shut, and she goes limp in my arms again.
I curse as I pull her closer and lift her up with ease.
“Edik, get Yulian and Pyotr in the car. Meet us at the hospital,” I command.
“I don’t want to go,” Pyotr complains.
“And I am absolutely going,” the golden bridesmaid demands.
“Just get in the damn car!” I snarl to all four of them.
Before more arguments can be presented, I lead them out of the church with Annika in my arms, meeting the ambulance just as they pull up in front of the church’s grand steps.
“What about you?” Edik asks me, corralling Pyotr into the car.
“I’ll ride in the ambulance,” I say, laying Annika on the stretcher, “Just go!”
“What happened here, sir?” the EMT asks.
“I don’t know,” I answer, watching as they slip an oxygen mask over Annika’s beautiful face. “She was walking down the aisle when she suddenly fainted.”
The EMT and his partner just nod as they lift the stretcher and move Annika to the back. I’m about to climb in when the more muscular one stops me and asks, “Are you family?”
“We’re at a church for a wedding so what the hell do you think?,” I snarl, “Now let me in this damned thing!”
Both EMTs give me a warning look, but with a sigh, one of them waves me up, and I quickly join them in the back.
As the ambulance takes off, the EMTs began their work.
I nearly throw myself at one that begins to cut down the center of Annika’s wedding dress, barely stopping myself in time from body checking him into the side of the ambulance.
It's a beautiful gown, and no doubt means a lot to the woman. It isn’t just that though.
Having her chest exposed so brazenly in front of two strangers spikes a fury within me I don’t quite understand, even if the logical part of me knows it needed to be done.
I clench my fists, watching with hawk-like eyes as the man then lays the leads on Annika’s chest, my urge to protect her growing stronger by the second.
“O2 stats are low and heartbeat is thready,” the EMT states, looking up at the monitor.
“Do you know if she took anything? Does she have any pre-existing conditions?” he asks me.
All I know is she gave me the most satisfying night of my life and she is fun as hell to argue with, I think. Knowing neither bit of information is helpful, I shake my head.
“No, I don’t think so,” I answer instead. “But her father is meeting us at the hospital’s emergency room. Hopefully he’ll have her paperwork filled out.”
The ride to the hospital is short and fast, but Annika still hasn’t regained consciousness by the time they unload her.
I see Yulian and the others as the EMTs and I race through the E.R.
, but I don’t stop, intent on going back with Annika.
I'm able to make it to the heavy double doors leading to the exam rooms before a large male nurse grabs me by the shoulders, forcing me to stop.
“Sir, you’re going to have to wait with the rest of her family,” he states sternly.
“The hell I am,” I snarl, breaking out of the nurse’s hold, “I need to know what’s wrong with her!”
I race for the closing doors, but they shut just as I get there, the sound of the automatic lock ringing loudly in my ears.
“Open this damned thing!” I command, slamming my fist into the mesh-inlaid panel of glass.
“Sir!” the nurse insists, coming to my side. “You’re not getting back there without a key card or an escort. Now I know you’re worried about your wife, but-”
“She’s not my wife!” I shoot back. I let out an irritated sigh, suddenly realizing how insane I probably sound. Hell, maybe I am insane. I barely know the woman and yet here I am, ready to break a damned door down to make sure she's alright.
I draw in another deep breath, straining for calm.
“She’s not my wife,” I state again, calmer this time. “She’s to be my brother’s.”
The nurse raises an intrigued brow.
“Are you close?” he asks.
I shake my head.
“No, but we take family very seriously.”
The nurse looks over to the others. Edik, Yulian, and the golden bridesmaid are all standing a few yards away with intense expressions. Pyotr, however, has loosened his tie and is slumped slovenly into one of the waiting room chairs, looking as bored as ever.
“Does your brother know that?” the nurse asks.
I feel my scowl deepen as I stalk over to Pyotr, grab him by his jacket, and drag him to his feet.
“Hey!” Pyotr yelps.
“Get up,” I snarl in my face. “Your future wife just had a medical emergency, show some damned respect!”
Pyotr’s expression screws into a frown and he shoves at me. Immediately Edik is there, putting his body between the two of us and ready to protect his Pakhan.
“Cool it down, Pyotr,” Edik warns. “Or you and I will take a walk.”
“You won’t do shit,’ Pyotr growls back. “I’m the brother of the Pakhan, you’re just the bodyguard.”
“That’s right, I am the bodyguard, and I will do anything necessary to protect your brother. Including dealing with a spoiled little shit like you,” Edik warns.
“Enough,” I growl.
I run a hand through his hair, take a steadying breath, and walk over to Yulian. The man looks absolutely terrified for his daughter, but I don’t miss the disappointed look he throws at Pyotr.
“Yulian, I am sorry for all of this,” I offer, my tone diplomatic. “Please know that my family will cover the expenses.”
“I’m not worried about the expenses,” Yulian sniffles, his blue eyes shining with tears. “I’m worried about my daughter.”
I nod in understanding, and send up a silent prayer that Annika is going to be alright.
To pass the time, I offer Yulian formal introductions to Edik and Pyotr.
I know Edik is someone Yulian has seen before; he was in the room during our meetings, but like Yulian’s man, he’s always been a silent presence.
I then introduce Pyotr, who barely gives a respectable handshake to the man and mumbles well wishes.
Yulian then introduced us to Valya, who, in my opinion, is only a slightly less intense version of my little brother.
She makes eye contact and accepts the introduction with respect, but quickly goes back to her phone once they are over. Lastly, I meet Viktor, Yulian’s man.
“Mr. Shabalin?”
We all turn as we hear the doctor’s voice, and I find myself by Yulian’s side as he walks over to the doctor.
“How is she?” Yulian asks. “Is she alright? What happened?”
The doctor, a middle-aged man with thick glasses and graying hair, shoots his faded blue eyes over to me.
“Perhaps we should discuss your daughter’s condition in private?” he asks.
“I’m not going anywhere, doctor. Now tell us what the hell happened,” I demand.
Yulian throws a surprised glance at me, but then nods toward the doctor.
“Yes, doctor, tell us. It’s fine. He’s family,” Yulian insists as the others gather around us.
The good doctor gives me another wary look, but nods.
“Well, it’s not that terrible. Your daughter was severely dehydrated and we’re fixing that with an IV bag. And the rest of her symptoms are normal.”
“What do you mean normal?” I demand before Yulian can speak. “What symptoms?”
“I mean congratulations are in order,” the doctor states. “She’s pregnant!”
It’s rare that I'm ever shocked, but Annika has now made me speechless for the second time.
Pregnant?
“How far along is she?” I ask.
Behind me, Pyotr lets out a vicious laugh.
“Pregnant? Deal’s off! No way I’m marrying a shlyukha carrying someone else’s bastard!”
I spin on my heel and cold-cock my brother in the face before I even realize what I’m doing, sending him flying backwards into the chairs.
“What the hell, Kirill!” Pyotr roars.
“Get him out of here, Edik,” I snarl. “Get him out of here now! I’ll deal with his disrespectful ass later.”
Edik makes no move to help Pyotr up from the floor, but as soon as he is on his feet, Edik snatches his arm in a vice grip and begins leading him away.
“Get your fucking hands off me,” Pyotr snarls, blood flecking from his busted lip.
Edik ignores him, and drags the enraged man out of the emergency room.
“Apologies, doctor, Yulian,” I offer calmly, nodding to them both. “Now please, go on?”
The flustered doctor quickly lifts his clipboard and ruffles through the pages.
“Umm, she- she’s about eight weeks along, almost to the day,” the doctor stammers.
I feel the breath sweep out of his lungs. For a moment I’m sure my heart stops beating. Two months. It has been exactly two months since we’d met. Since I went up to her room with her and…
There is no doubt in my mind. The child is mine.
“That…that’s impossible,” Yulian says, his voice hollow. “My Annika is a good girl. She barely leaves the house. She dedicates all her time to her art. She can’t…she can’t be…”
The doctor gives him a sympathetic look.
“I understand this news is a shock, sir. But the truth is right here. She is pregnant.”
Then as if understanding we need a moment, the doctor adds, “I’m going to walk over to the nurse’s station. Just come get me when you’re ready to see her.”
Silence settles over our small group; several worlds crashing all at once. It is Yulian who speaks first.
“Pakhan, I- I am so sorry. I had no idea Annika could be so irresponsible,” he apologizes. “But I promise you she’s not normally like this. And this alliance…it’s important to us. We can’t afford to lose it. I beg you to have your brother reconsider-”
“No,” I say, not letting him finish the sentence. “After how my brother behaved, he doesn’t deserve to marry your daughter. But we will work something out.”
Yulian gives me a helpless look.
“Not Valya,” he begs. “She’s too young. She’s not like her sister, she doesn’t understand the responsibility of all of this.”
“No,” I quickly assure him. “Rest easy, friend. That is not what I’m suggesting. I think I should have a talk with Annika myself. Find out more about her situation.”
“I don’t know,” Yulian says warily, “She doesn’t know you. You could scare her, and her condition…”
“Don’t worry,” I assure him. “I won’t upset her, and I won’t take long. Why don’t you have the nurses tell you what the care plan is while I go back?”
Though Yulian still looks unsure, he nods.
“Take me to her, would you, doctor?” I ask. Though, it isn’t really a question. I’m going back there whether they like it or not. I have to know. Have to find out for sure.
As if finally understanding that I'm not a man to be questioned, the doctor nods, and leads me to Annika.