Chapter Twenty-Nine
Strong arms draggedElizabeth away from the scent of blood and gunpowder. The hitman lay on the ground, panting, with his hands pressed to his abdomen. Blood gushed from between his fingers. A black-booted foot kicked the gunaway.
“I’ve got you. Come on now. He needsyou.”
Thomas.
Milos shouldered past them, and Elizabeth focused on the gun in her bodyguard’s hand, the wisp of smoke emanating from the barrel. Thomas pulled Elizabeth’s arm around his shoulders and together, they rushed to Alexander’sside.
On his back, legs bent awkwardly underneath him, Alexander’s breath stuttered as he forced shallow, gasping inhalations. Elizabeth dropped to her knees next to him. “No. Look at me. You arenotallowed to die onme!”
Thomas yelled into a phone. “We’re in the North End. Just off Hanover Street. He’s been shot in the chest. Struggling to breathe. Left side.” The driver rounded Alexander and pressed his hands to the wound, the phone tucked between his shoulder andear.
Eyelids fluttering, Alexandergroaned.
“Open,” Elizabeth ordered him. “Now.”
He struggled to obey, and when he focused on her, a smile, almost serene, graced his lips. “Love. You.” A gasp punctuated each word, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as hecoughed.
Elizabeth tried not to sob as she cupped his cheeks. “Shhh, it’s okay. You’re going to beokay.”
“Can’t. Breathe.” He fought for each word, each tiny movement of his chest. Thomas relayed his words to the 911operator.
“The EMTs are only four blocks away. Hold on,sir.”
Milos shouted at someone down the alley as sirens wailed. Bringing Alexander’s hand to her lips, she fought not to retch at the scent of his blood. “Stay with me, you arrogant control freak. You’re not getting out of us living together thateasily.”
His smile faded as he shuddered and his eyes rolled back in hishead.
“Look at me, dammit. I have something to say to you, and I’m not going to tell you what it is if you die on me.” Her tears spilled over her cheeks, landing on their joined hands. Alexander coughed again, his mouth opening and closing, but no words escaped. The short, stuttering breathsslowed.
Brakes squealed, and boots thudded towards them. Elizabeth was pulled out of the way, and as Alexander’s hand slipped from hers, he tried to raise his head. “Eliz—”
“I’m right here,” she called from behind the EMTs. “I won’t leaveyou.”
His lids fluttered closed, and Elizabeth’s sanity faded away. She couldn’t think—couldn’t believe this was actuallyhappening.
The EMTs worked quickly, loading him onto a gurney and pressing an oxygen mask to his nose and mouth. “We need to take him now,” one of them said to her. She ran after them, but the tired EMT blocked her way. “We’re going to Mass General. He’s critical. We need the room towork.”
As the door slammed in her face, shivers wracked her body. Her hands went numb, then her lips. She couldn’t breathe, her throat constrictingpainfully.
“Miss Elizabeth, come withme.”
The familiar voice sounded hollow in her ears. Elizabeth couldn’t move, couldn’t do anything but stare at the ambulance pulling away with her heart trappedinside.
“Elizabeth!” Thomas snapped out her name as the buildings and cars spun around her. Hands forced her down to the ground and guided her head between her knees. “Breathe. In and out. Slow now. You have to calm down so I can take you tohim.”
Thomas rubbed her back. “Get her coat,” he said to someone behind her. Moments later, with Alexander’s leather jacket wrapped around her shoulders and his comforting spicy scent calming her, Elizabeth took her first easy breath. The second staved off the dizziness. The third strengthened her enough to raise her head and look into the driver’s earnest hazeleyes.
“Better?” heasked.
Shenodded.
“I’m going to take you to the hospital now. You’ve got some injuries yourself, and Mr. Fairhaven would want you looked after. And he’ll want you close when they’re done patching him up.” Even though Thomas kept his words encouraging, she read the fear in the driver’seyes.
Three uniformed police officers approached, and Toni ran over and wrapped her arms aroundElizabeth.
“Gawd, Lizzie, I’m so sorry. We usually keep that door locked, but I took the trash out earlier, and I guess Ididn’t—”
