I run my hands over her to check for wounds, and see a bullet hole. Checking her back, I don’t find an exit wound. I curse to myself. The shot Callaghan meant for me ended up in Emma because she pushed me out of the way.
“Emma, wake up,” I tell her, shaking her gently while trying not to shake her too much. I’m pretty sure she hit her head on the floor when she landed. She doesn’t stir.
“Ivan, we need to get her to a hospital,” Dmitri says, using a blanket from the couch to cover and put pressure on her wound.
“I’ve got our friend at Mass Gen on the phone. He’s going to meet us at the emergency room,” Maksim tells me.
“Oh God, what happened?” I hear Lidiya ask behind me.
“Callaghan tried to shoot Ivan, and Emma took the bullet instead,” Dmitri tells her.
I never thought I’d have to use my Special Forces training to defend my family in my own home. Now I’m using those skills to try and save Emma’s life.
“Get the fucking doctor here now!” I yell. “Dmitri, keep pressure on that wound and somebody get me something to keep her neck still.”
Maksim leaves and returns with a medical bag I keep in my office for emergencies. This is one emergency I never thought I’d be in, and I’m terrified of losing Emma.
“Emma, I need you to wake up and talk to me,” I tell her as I move quickly. She stirs and her eyes flutter for a brief moment.
“What happened?” she asks weakly.
“You were shot, and I think you hit your head. I need you to stay awake and talk to me,” I try to explain.
“I can’t feel my legs,” she says.
“What about your hands?” I ask her. I look down and she wiggles her fingers. Good. She has movement in them.
“I’m tired, Ivan,” she says as her eyes start closing.
“Emma, don’t go to sleep. I need you to stay awake,” I tell her. The doctor finally shows up and is helping us get Emma somewhat stabilized.
“I’ll call our friend in the department. Tell him we have an emergency and need an escort to Mass Gen,” I hear Grigory on the phone. “Ivan, I’m going to get the SUV so we can take her.”
“Good call, Grigory,” the doctor replies. “We can lay her down across the backseat, and I’ll need Ivan to keep her head stable on the drive.”
When Grigory pulls up to the front door, I tell Emma that we’re going to take her to the hospital and get her some help. I pick her up gently in my arms, Lidiya helping me keep her head still as we walk to the car and place Emma inside. I get in behind her and keep her head in place. Grigory is in the driver’s seat, waiting to drive us to the emergency room.
As soon as the doctor says she’s ready, Grigory peels down the driveway and out the front gate. My brothers, Mikhail, and Lidiya follow us in another SUV. Two of our friends from the police department meet us at the end of the driveway, and escort us all the way to Mass Gen in the city. It’s normally a twenty-five minute drive—we make it in ten.
Our friend at the hospital takes over once Emma is out of the car and on a stretcher. He says that the extent of her injuries is severe, and she needs immediate surgery. I follow them for as long as I can. The doctor stops me at the door to the operating room, and won’t let me go further. It takes all three of my brothers and Mikhail to hold me back.
Callaghan may be dead, but if Emma dies, too, I will take and destroy everything thatmudakleft behind.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
EMMA
“EMMA, I MISS you. Please come back to me.”
The voice in my head sounds so far away.
“Ya tebya lyublu. I love you. There hasn’t been enough time to tell you that. Please wake up,” the voice begs.
It sounds like Ivan’s voice and also not Ivan’s voice, all at the same time. Maybe it’s my mom’s voice or even Gran’s. Either way, it’s so far away and I just want to sleep.
I feel something grab onto my hand and squeeze it. It’s a nice feeling. The hand is strong and warm. Safe. I try opening my eyes to see whoever is squeezing my hand, but my eyes want to stay closed.
Instead, I let out a small whimper and give the hand holding mine a weak squeeze in return. It’s not much, but it’s all the energy I have right now.
