He stood in front of the doctor with his arms across his chest, his gaze unwavering. The doctor was explaining something I couldn’t quite catch. But judging by the concern on Nial’s face, whatever it was, it wasn’t good.
My breath hitched in my throat as my hand darted to my belly, my heart racing.
God, I hope my baby’s okay.
Chapter 26 — Nial
One minute, she was fine, engrossed in our kiss. The next, she was stumbling backward, her hand on her forehead.
“What’s the matter—are you okay?” I asked, concerned.
“Yeah, I’m just a little dizzy; that’s all,” she answered, her voice weak and faint.
Her knees bucked, her eyes rolled backward, and her body dropped.
“Kiera!” I called, closing the distance between us in a single stride. With quick reflexes, I caught her before she hit the ground.
Her arms fell out, her breathing was shallow, and she barely had a pulse. My eyes widened in terror as her weight settled against me, slack and unresponsive.
Fuck.
Panic set in.
“Kiera!” I shook her body, my worried eyes roaming over her. “Keira!”
No answer.
“Shit!” I slid one arm beneath her knees, the other around her back, and then lifted her against my chest.
A cold, vicious spike of alarm tore through me as I made it out of the bedroom. I raced through the hallway with urgent steps, my shoes echoing against the floor.
“Boris!” I called out mid-stride. “Boris!”
He appeared at the end of the hall, his expression shifting ever so slightly as he realized this was an emergency.
“Get the car, now!” I bellowed.
He dematerialized immediately.
Doors opened on both sides of the hall, and some of the maids stuck their heads out, wondering what was going on.
“What’s happening?” Polina asked, stepping out of her room.
“I don’t know—I’m taking her to the hospital,” I answered without slowing down.
“I’m coming with you.” She began rushing up behind me. “Olga, get my sweater—hurry!”
By the time I got outside, the car was ready, and Boris was at the wheel, honking. Two other cars had their engines running—the security detail he’d mobilized.
Polina hurried to help open the back door for me, and together, we slid Kiera into the backseat. I got inside with her, placing her head on my lap. Polina stepped into the front passenger seat, whispering prayers in Russian.
“Boris, drive!” I barked.
He revved the engine and rolled the vehicle out of the compound.
This was a critical moment, and time was of the essence. Every second was important because none of us had any idea what the actual fuck was going on.
“Stay with me, Kiera,” I said softly as I caressed her face.
