That’s all I would be except that he’d figured out I was much more valuable.
I bit my lip, keeping my wits together. I’d need to get a story straight because it wouldn’t take long for my uncle to find out,demanding an answer on how I’d dared get involved with a slimy Russian.
With my parents still in Europe, he’d grill me as if I was one of his men. He’d do everything to make my life miserable. That’s how it worked and always had.
The weight on my shoulders was significant, but I reminded myself that right now, I was a doctor hoping to save a man’s life.
“Please hurry,” I told them. Whether or not the soldiers heard me or even cared, I couldn’t tell other than by the way the driver was maneuvering the roads. He was exceeding the speed limit. Not that his driving skills made me feel any better.
Every time I touched Kirill’s forehead, I was reminded how dire the situation was. The interior of the SUV was silent, the two men in front remaining still.
So was Kirill.
I had to check more than once to ensure he was still breathing. When we were within a few blocks, I tried to hold my resolve, having more difficulty doing so.
“Pull up to emergency.”
The two men looked at each other, obviously questioning why I was giving orders. As if I gave a damn.
“Do it.”
As the SUV was driven into the parking lot, I strained to see if I recognized any of the other vehicles. Maybe my mind was still in a fog because nothing seemed familiar.
Maybe it would never feel like home again.
As soon as the driver stopped, I rushed outside before one of the soldiers decided to restrain me. I rushed into the emergency room, holding up my credentials. “I’m Doctor Vivian Hamilton and I have a patient with me. He’s dying.”
The moment I’d stepped into the emergency room, I felt the weight of a thousand judging eyes crashing down on me. Tonight I wasn’t merely a doctor at the hospital, I was someone else.
I was the niece of one of the most dangerous and powerful men in town.
And by bringing Kirill here, I’d likely just started a war.
* * *
The constant beep of the patient monitor was a sound I’d all but ignored until chaining myself by Kirill’s bedside. He was resting comfortably, his vitals in the satisfactory range, but that didn’t mean he was out of the woods yet.
His heart had stopped mere moments after I’d brought him into emergency, his pulse still irregular. At least with a breathing tube, I was satisfied he was getting enough oxygen.
While the two men who’d brought him in had hung around for a little while, by the time I’d gone to talk to them a couple of hours later, they’d disappeared. That had prompted me to take the bull by the horns.
I’d made a phone call.
Given my family’s financial interest in the hospital, I could either wait for the shoe to drop with my uncle or provide some sense of the truth. Yes, I was well aware of what I’d risked in doing so.This was my one favor to ask my uncle. We all got them. I’d seen it in action with everyone I knew.
Besides, Sean McCarthy was still a respected businessman. He wouldn’t be eager to start a war with the Russians inside the hospital where I worked.
I’d learned a long time ago what ‘good business’ meant in the world of the mob. I’d need to leave soon so I could meet with my uncle, preferring to do so at a restaurant he frequented instead of at the hospital.
Hearing a sound behind me, I bristled, half laughing when a cup of steaming coffee was presented over my shoulder.
“I thought you could use this.”
“You don’t know how much.” I was thankful Emily had been on duty, refraining from asking any questions as she’d worked by my side for the several hours it had taken to get Kirill stable.
She moved beside me, a cup also in her hand. I barely flitted my eyes in her direction, exhausted yet wired from the horrific experience.
“I smell hazelnut,” I told her, finally offering a smile. I couldn’t budge from the chair, my legs nothing but noodles at this point.
