Page 67 of Ivory Oath

“I wasn’t going to ask anything.” Was I thinking it? Obviously. I’m not stupid.

“Tell that to your judgmental face.” He kisses the top of my head. “It’s good to see you.”

Being in this little bubble with Dante and Mikhail has been a little slice of magic, but it’s not a lie when I tell Anatoly I’m happy to see him, too.

I step back to let Raoul through the door, but he surprises me by wrapping his arms around me and squeezing tight.

“Anatoly didn’t put a gun to his head,” he repeats, his voice low. “I did.”

It makes sense, then, why the doctor gives Raoul a very wide berth as he tromps through the door.

He’s a middle-aged man with a thick mustache and even thicker glasses. He offers a tight smile. “I’m Dr. Price. Where’s the patient?”

Dante has been bundled in the bottom bunk in his room since we took him out of the tub. He seems fine, just exhausted. I’d never be able to completely relax until a professional looked him over, though.

“You did everything right,” Dr. Price tells us after a thorough examination.

I squeeze Mikhail’s hand. “It was all Mikhail. He pulled Dante out of the water and did compressions.”

“She gave him mouth-to-mouth,” Mikhail adds.

“But I turned the water on hot when we got inside.” I shake my head, still disappointed in myself that I didn’t know better. “You’re the one who turned it to the right temperature. If you hadn’t been there, I would have burned him.”

“Are we having a compliment battle?” Anatoly is leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed. “Someone tell me how pretty I am.”

Mikhail rolls his eyes and presses his lips behind my ear. “It was a team effort. You did great, Viviana.”

Dante leans around Dr. Price. “I think you’re pretty, Uncle Nat.”

Anatoly winks at him. “That’s because you have impeccable taste, little man.”

Dr. Price looks Dante over three times in total, assuring us each time that he is perfectly fine. His lungs sound clear and his body temperature is normal.

“He’s young and resilient,” he announces, wrapping his stethoscope around his neck. “I’m sure he’ll bounce back.”

“I’m sure he will. Especially since you’re going to stay and monitor him tonight.” Mikhail arches one brow in a silent challenge.

Given the fact the good doctor had a gun to his head no more than two hours ago, he isn’t in much of an arguing mood.

“It never hurts to be thorough,” he mutters, dropping his medical bag at the foot of the bed with a sigh.

It turns out abduction is hot when it’s done in the name of protecting my child. Who would’ve guessed?

Dante drifts to sleep a few minutes later and Mikhail and I meet up with Anatoly and Raoul in the kitchen.

“I want one of you to sleep in the room with Dante,” Mikhail orders. “I don’t care which of you it is, but I don’t want the doctor alone with him all night.”

“I can do it,” I offer.

Mikhail starts to answer, but Anatoly cuts in. “On your wedding night, Viv? Absolutely not.”

“My wedding—Who told you?” I look from Mikhail to Anatoly. “It just happened an hour ago.”

Anatoly bats his eyes at his brother. “Lover Boy over there just couldn’t wait to share the news. He called and told me to bring a doctor and a priest.”

“So you did hear me. I wasn’t sure, since you didn’t fucking listen. One out of two isn’t a great showing.” Mikhail wraps an arm around me. His hand is splayed across my hip and I lean back into him.

“We don’t need a priest,” I whisper. “It can be just the two of us. You and me.”

---