Page 15 of Ice Cold Liar (Ice Breaker Cold Case #14)

Chapter Seven

“I need an ambulance!” Eb blasted into his phone.

“My—” What is she? What is Naomi to me? “My girlfriend is having a seizure, and I need help right now! We’re in the damn guesthouse at…

” Eb fired off the address as quickly as he could and heard the instant promise from the nine-one-one operator that help was coming.

Help needed to hurry the hell up.

Naomi’s body seized again. The dog barked.

Service dog. The firefighter had been right about that score. The dog Naomi had wanted back so badly, the dog that Ivan had stolen from her had been an epileptic service dog. The sonofabitch had taken a lifeline from her.

The dog had known before Naomi’s seizure began. Henry had known it was coming and tried to get her to a safe spot so she wouldn’t fall and hurt herself.

He was going to buy Henry every treat in the world. After. After Naomi was okay. After her seizure had stopped.

How long had it been? Two minutes? Three?

Three damn minutes that lasted forever in his mind?

His heart raced and sweat slickened his back, and Eb wanted to make it stop.

He knew from previous emergency responder training that five minutes was the time when he should have called for an ambulance.

That he should have waited because most seizures didn’t last longer than that time period. But?—

Screw that. He hadn’t waited five minutes. He’d called for help because he felt frantic. He didn’t know Naomi’s history. Didn’t know how bad things could get for her.

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.

It was a vow.