Page 18 of Vegas Baby

I lean over her, checking for breath as I hold her wrist for a pulse. I almost cry with relief when I find both. I hear a call from the theater.

“In here,” I roar.

The doors blow open to reveal Ty with the jump bag. He tosses it to me, and I catch it on instinct. I set it down and begrudgingly turn back to Andrei. Blood is seeping slowly out from under his head.

When Ty reaches Kira, I tell him, “Breathing and pulse are okay. I think he was smothering her. See if you can wake her and check for signs of neurological damage. When you’re done, we’re going to need the trauma board for this guy. Unconscious with a rear cranial contusion, blood loss, possible concussion. If he doesn’t come to before I’ve got his head wrapped and stabilized, I need you to help me intubate and get an IV going.”

“Roger,” Ty responds, checking Kira’s pupils. Ty pulls away to get the bottle of ammonia inhalant as I work to stop Andrei’s bleeding long enough to clean his wound. But a small groan stops us both in our tracks.

Kira sits up before Ty can stop her. She waves him away. “I’m fine,” she says, clearly annoyed.

Ty shoots me a wry look at her sass. “I’ll be the judge of that,” he says to her.

I check Andrei’s bleeding and move to clean and wrap him. By the time I’m done Ty has finished checking out Kira. “She’s good. No signs of concussion or neurological damage. LVPD is enroute.”

I stabilize Andrei while Ty tries to bring him around. When he fails, he begins intubation while I get the IV going. Once we’re both done, Ty heads back to the ambulance for the trauma board and scoop stretcher.

“Is he going to live?” Kira asks, scooting toward us carefully.

I look up at her, locking eyes with her for the first time since she regained consciousness. And I almost lose it I’m so glad she’s okay.

“I don’t think I can officially say I hope not,” I grumble. And Kira laughs. It’s wry and bitter, and a pained laugh chokes out of my throat in response.

“I’m sorry,” she says immediately. “It shouldn’t be funny. Not after what he just did.” She looks down at herself. Luckily her shirt is long enough to cover her thighs.

“Almost did,” I correct her. “Almost did.” I repeat it like it can change that he did, in fact, assault her. Even if he didn’t get to the rape part.

Suddenly I hear the LVPD announce themselves, jogging in with Ty hot on their heels. And so begins the lengthy explanation of what happened. I don’t even care if I get fired for going in ahead. As we ride to the hospital, with Kira in the front of the ambulance with me, I’m just so fucking glad I got there in time to save her.

I hold her hand tightly the whole way. Hoping I’ll get the chance to always be there when she needs saving.

13

KIRA

I wake up and before I even open my eyes, I remember I am in quite possibly the exact same hospital bed I was in at the exact same time last week. Even though Sebastian’s partner cleared me at the scene, the doctors insisted on observing me overnight given my recent injury and the potential for further damage, or brain trauma, or something along those lines. Too tired to remember or care, all I want is to open my eyes and find this all was a dream.

I blink the sleep away and scooch into a sitting position. Only to find Sebastian in the very same chair he’d occupied in likely this very same room at this very same time last week.

“Well, this is déjà vu all over again,” I joke dryly. But the look on Sebastian’s face leaves no room for humor. “What happened? Is he alive?”

Sebastian sighs and rises to resettle on the edge of my bed. “He’s alive. And he’s going to be just fine.” He pauses, a sad, stern air about him. “Why didn’t you tell me what he did?”

My heart skips a beat. And it only takes me a moment to understand. “They know,” I say. Sebastian dips his head in agreement. A slew of emotions passes through me. Disgust. Relief. Unease. “What’s going to happen to him?”

“I don’t know yet. Why didn’t you tell me?” It’s the closest to angry I’ve ever seen him.

“Would it have mattered?” I ask.

“That he tortured and killed your lover while you watched? That he was capable of something so … so …” Sebastian trails off, clearly unable to put words to how awful what Andrei did was.

“Heinous? Unthinkable? Demented? You don’t have to tell me, Sebastian. I know. I was there. Why do you think I was so afraid of him? Why do you think I wanted you nowhere near me? Why do you think I hate myself for needing you? For even thinking about falling for you?” I yell the words at him as tears stream down my face. But they don’t have the effect I intended. If I had any real intent. But his reaction is nothing like I expected.

His mouth descends on mine roughly. His searing, claiming kiss tears through my rage, my defenses, my very soul until I wrap my arms around his neck, begging for him to keep punishing me with his lips, his tongue. To wipe everything else from my mind.

He pulls back long before I’m ready for him to. “You could’ve died, Kira. He could’ve killed you any time. And I would have never had a chance to fall for you either.”

I look up at him with doubt. How? How could someone like him fall for me? I didn’t even know I was falling for him until the words just tumbled out of my lips. Though once they did, I knew they were true. Even if I’m not ready. But life happens in its own course, whether you’re ready or not. I know this better than anyone.