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How do I not know?The CIA had given him lots of intel on her, but there had been no notation of any health conditions.
Really, CIA?Gonna actually obey HIPAA rules?
He’d removed anything close to Naomi that might cause any sort of accident.Not that much had been close.
He’d turned Naomi onto her side.Made sure her airway was clear.
He hovered over her.“Naomi, you’re going to be okay.”Eb tried to sound soothing, but the truth was that fear filled him.Fear and fury.
She was too vulnerable this way.She could be hurt.Couldn’t defend herself from an attack in this state.
Henry edged closer to her.He sniffed her.Barked.
“I’ve got her,” Eb promised.How long had it been?Four minutes now?Her breathing seemed labored.Her eyes had sagged closed.“Naomi?”
She’d asked for help.Tried to ask for help, anyway.He’d do whatever she needed.
The seconds ticked past.Another hard jerk of her arms.
Five minutes?The ambulance had better be flying to them.Come on, come on…
More precious time ground past.His heart thudded.He watched her, utterly helpless and hating that he could do nothing for her.Eb didn’t do well with being helpless.
Not at all.
Her body stopped jerking.Did her breathing ease?He thought it did.His fingers skimmed over her cheek.Her eyelashes fluttered.
“Naomi?”
Her body seemed to go slack.She’d been tense before but…
She softened against the couch.
He wanted to scoop her into his arms and hold her tightly, but he was afraid.Can’t hurt her.Won’t hurt her.
Her lashes fluttered once more.
“I’m here.Help is coming.”The ambulance needed to hurry.
She…moved her head.A no.
“Yeah, well, too damn bad, sweetheart.An ambulance is on the way.You’re getting checked out because you just scared ten years of my life away.”Did she understand him?He knew confusion could follow a seizure.
Her hands fluttered, as if she was trying to get up.Her body shifted against the couch cushions.
Cute.“No.Stay where you are.”He was adamant.“You just had a seizure.But you’re safe.”
“N-no…”
“You are safe,” Eb repeated.Her voice had been slurred.Hell, yes, that slurring alarmed him.Too much.“I’m with you, and you are always safe with me.”
A tear trickled down her cheek.
“Did you hear me?You will always be safe with me.”
“Liar…”A breath.
Eb swallowed.He also stared hard into the tear-filled darkness of her eyes.“You will always be safe with me.”That wasn’t a lie.