Page 97 of Sweet Animosity

My gaze narrowed as I raised the gun to target the center of his forehead. “Why were your hands on her thigh?”

I’d witnessed, as well as experienced, enough bullet and knife wounds to know the IV was almost always put in the back of the hand or jugular.

There was no reason for this bastard to be putting his hands on my girl’s legs while she was still groggy from all the procedures they’d performed on her.

“They put it in the femoral vein in case they needed to intubate. They wanted the jugular clear and the veins on the back of her hand lacked elasticity because of dehydration.”

Vaska entered the room. “I see you’re making friends.”

I took a deep breath to calm down and stepped back as I holstered my gun. “There was a misunderstanding.”

Vaska helped the nurse to his feet. “Excuse my friend. He’s mostly Mongolian, which means he is practically a Neanderthal. You should see his table manners.”

Vaska winked at me over the man’s head as he placed an arm over his shoulder. “How can we apologize? Do you like fast cars?”

He closed the door behind him, giving Vivian and me privacy.

Crossing to her hospital bed, I sat on the edge, careful to do so softly so as not to jostle her.

I cupped her cheek, grateful beyond belief to feel its comforting warmth. My thumb stroked her once more cherry pink lips.

Taking her hand, I kissed the back before resting it against my cheek. My fingers wrapped around her wrist as I checked her pulse, still not quite believing that she was going to be okay.

I whispered against her skin, “Christ, woman, you gave me a scare.”

Her eyelids remained closed.

I had been warned she might still be sleeping and to not be alarmed. Her body had gone through a shock, and she’d likely be exhausted.

Placing my hand on the center of her chest to feel her heartbeat, my vision blurred slightly.

Sniffing, I rubbed my jaw before clearing my throat. “I know we drive each other crazy. Hell, I don’t think we’ve gotten through a single conversation without fighting, but damn if you haven’t gotten under my skin, beautiful. I don’t know what I would have done if I lost you.”

I caressed her hand and forearm, needing to touch her, to reassure my still heated brain that she was alive and safe.

Although her color had returned, she was so unnaturally still.

Even in her sleep, she tossed and turned and murmured nonsense. Last night had been like sleeping with a restless puppy.

“Open your eyes, baby girl.” Only when I saw her beautiful emerald eyes would I truly believe she was going to be okay.

Her head moved from side to side as she moaned.

Shifting closer, I placed my palm against her jaw. “Baby, I’m here.”

Her brow furrowed as she licked her lips before saying, “Humphrey, is that you?”

My jaw clenched as I moved my hand to clasp around the back of her neck. “Are you fucking kidding me right now? Who the hell is fucking Humph?—”

Before I could even work myself up into a rage, I noticed her lips tweak at the corners.

When she opened her eyes, they were filled with mirth.

Her voice was hoarse and scratchy as she teased, “You almost make it too easy, Var.”

My girl was going to be just fine.

I rose, placing my hands on my hips. I towered over her as I scowled. “You think that’s funny?”

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