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!Sheisbreathing, 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 amabsolutelygoing,” 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 thelogical 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.”
