Page 99 of Thorns of Love

“She needs a doctor!” I shouted, keeping my hand on the knife and getting to my feet. Carrying her to the car, Alexei’s hand steady on the knife, I barked “The hospital. Now!”

Her beautiful red lips paled a shade. Life was leaving her.

It wouldn’t be. It couldn’t be.

She’s mine. Death can’t have her.

I made a promise. I’d always come for her and save her and I meant to keep it. She was fucking mine, and if I had to kill Death itself, I would.

Because the two of us had a future to look forward to.

* * *

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Back at the hospital. A year ago, our story started back up in the hospital, but fuck if I’d let it end here too.

That annoying machine was what kept me going. Eachbeepmeant she was alive. Eachbeepbrought her closer to me. Eachbeepduring the last two days kept my promise to keep her alive.

She was strong and stubborn. Fierce. She’d never let Adrian win. She’d pull through. She had to - for me, for our own happily-ever-after. Sasha couldn’t stop talking over the last two days, filling my head with all the shit Tatiana made him do when they were kids. Playing fairytales was one of them. He said she insisted on having happily-ever-afters.

Because anything else was unacceptable,she’d tell him.

The doctor came back to check on the monitors and Tatiana’s vitals. His gaze flickered hesitantly my way. He suggested I shower or change. I refused. Dr. Sergei at the Moscow hospital used to be on my father’s payroll. Now he was on mine. However, after Nikita’s betrayal, I didn’t trust anyone. Not with my wife’s life. So I refused to leave Tatiana’s side.

I watched the doctor and nurses work efficiently as they stitched her up. No internal organs were harmed. And by some miracle, the babies were safe.Healthy and strong,the doctor said. But I couldn’t find any peace, not as long as their mama’s eyes remained closed.

“I can’t believe she’s having twins,” Sasha blurted out, sitting in the corner of the hospital room while Dr. Sergei performed another sonogram. Sasha tried to hide it but he was worried. Vasili and Alexei too.

“Not that shocking,” Isla muttered. “After all, my brothers were twins. Unless you’ve forgotten.”

“We didn’t forget,” Sasha retorted. “He tried to kill my wife.”

“He needed help,” she snapped back. “Not a bullet in his skull. Which one of you did it? Maybe you’d like a bullet in your little brain?”

Sasha glared at her. Vasili shook his head, glaring at his younger brother. Alexei did nothing. I was too exhausted to tell them all to fuck off.

Needless to say, Isla had found out all my secrets. It went over like a ton of bricks. But she had a soft heart and it was the reason she flew back as soon as she learned of Tatiana’s condition.

She forgave her. She didn’t forgive me.

“Twins are usually from the mother’s side,” Dr. Sergei chimed in, writing down his prognosis. “But as you can see, it’s possible to have surprises.”

“Maybe we get to beat those Morrellis who breed like rabbits after all,” Sasha remarked, although his humor was wasted on everyone. Including himself. At this point, it was probably a habit to drop ridiculous comments.

“Don’t you have a wife to go back to?” I snapped. He had to get out of here or I’d lose my mind. “You know, the one you kidnapped.”

Sasha glared at me. “She’s at the hotel. I’m not leaving until Tatiana wakes up.”

Until. Not if.

And just like that, I liked Sasha a bit more. We were moving in the right direction, I guess. After all, we were brothers-in-law.

Silence followed again. Broken only by the doctor’s shuffling of the equipment.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

And the beeping. He pushed the equipment to the left and the sound went off. All of our heads snapped in his direction, our breaths cut off.