Page 96 of Sweet Animosity

“She’s with the doctors now.”

“Oh, our poor girl.”

“We should have called the police. This is all our fault.”

I placed my hands on each of their shoulders. “This is not your fault. I’m certain Vivian will be fine.”

They sagged with relief as they turned their attention back to Serg.

My lie had comforted them. If only I could believe it myself.

After another two hours and half a cup of the worst coffee I’d ever tried to choke down, the doctor reappeared.

I raced up to her. “How is she?”

She raised an eyebrow. “You’re the husband?”

Knowing she wouldn’t speak to me otherwise, I nodded.

Her hands pushed into the pockets of her lab coat. “A Venus Blood gas has confirmed she suffered from hydrocarbon exposure, which caused her to lose oxygen and pass out. I’ve ordered a chest x-ray as a precaution. And we’ve taken blood to check for liver and kidney damage. If this was her first overexposure, there shouldn’t be any issues. Fortunately, her symptoms were not so severe they required intubation. We’re giving her oxygen therapy through a mask and an IV fluid drip to further stabilize her.”

I threw back my head and closed my eyes as relief washed over me. Focusing back on the doctor, I said, “So she’ll be okay?”

The doctor rested a hand on my upper arm. “She’ll be fine. Because of the hour, I’ll need to admit her. In the morning, we should have all the tests back. The nurse will come find you once the patient has finished with the oxygen saturation and is moved into a communal room.”

I yanked the doctor to my chest and gave her a hug. “Thank you! God, you have no idea. Thank you, Doctor. Whatever you want. Grant money. Payoff of student loans. A new building. You name it. It’s yours.”

I then turned and hugged Vaska and Mary.

Serg had his arms full with accepting hugs from Barb and Millie, which included grabbing his ass.

I moved to the nurse’s desk and gave them Vivian’s name. “I want her moved into a private room. I don’t want her lying in a public emergency room bed.”

She clicked her fingers against her keyboard. “We haven’t verified health insurance yet. And private rooms are by request only and need approval from the billing department.”

Reaching into my wallet, I slapped an American Express Black Card on the counter. “Get your billing department on the phone. My girl gets a private room. Now.”

She nodded as she picked up the phone receiver. “Yes, sir.”

After another hour’s wait, I finally could see Vivian.

But when I crossed the threshold into her private room, it wasn’t relief I felt, but rage.

There was a man leaning over her half naked body, touching the inside of her bare thigh.

Storming over, I snatched the bastard by the shoulders and tossed him across the room.

His body slid along the linoleum to slam against the wall. “What the fuck?”

I stood over his prone form, yanked my gun from its holster, and pointed it at his face. “Keep your hands off her.”

“How did you get in here with a gun?”

I bared my teeth as I deliberately deepened my Russian accent to increase his terror. “No one takes my gun, not even your security.” I pulled the slide back, chambering a bullet. “I also have many friends in your morgue. They’ll never find your body.”

The man’s eyes widened as he stretched out his arm and gestured toward Vivian’s still sleeping form. He spoke rapidly as if he knew his life was on the line. Because it was.

“I removed the IV fluid tube. That’s all. I swear.”

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