Page 57 of Bratva Daddies for the Single Mom

Fyodor stepped into my line of sight and held out a hand. “Ilya?”

“I’m fine.” I bit out the words through gritted teeth. “When will Roman arrive?”

Viktor walked our way with Annie in his arms. “Get the door, Ilya. We are going home. Roman will meet us there.”

I rushed to comply, almost tearing the door off the hinges in my haste. Fyodor slid into the seat and held out his arms for Viktor to pass Annie into the backseat. They worked together to get her settled, then climbed in and supported her body with their own.

A single, morbid thought stuck with me through the entire drive to the mansion. What if we found her, only to lose her again?

30

FYODOR

Ilonged to see Annie’s gem-green eyes open, her smile warming her face and giving me back the heart that had been ripped from my chest when I saw her fall and knew we’d never reach her in time. Ilya drove fast but safely as he navigated the twists and turns until we reached the mansion.

Viktor was out of the car with Annie in his arms before Ilya even came to a full stop. We threw ourselves out after him, Ilya running ahead to open the front door.

The sound of a second engine preceded Doctor Roman. The tall older man had been Viktor’s personal physician for decades. We trusted him almost like family.

“Any change?” He tagged along beside me, his old-fashioned, black medical bag bumping his thigh.

I shook my head. “Still sleeping.”

“You said she took a fall?” His graying hair lay slicked back, revealing his high forehead and long ears.

I’d always been fascinated by the style choice that made him equal parts menacing with the old-school Mafia hair and ridiculous because I’d never been able to look at much other than his ears.

“Mama?” Hailey skidded to a stop in the middle of the foyer. She spotted Annie in Viktor’s arms and burst into tears.

Hannah grabbed her sister in a tight hug. “What happened to her? Is she dead?”

“No.” Viktor’s arms relaxed and somehow, he managed to keep his tone from betraying his worry. “She fell, and she’s asleep. But we brought a doctor to look at her.”

Tina rushed toward the girls, her face pinched with worry. She dropped to her knees and put an arm around each of their shoulders. “Can we see her?”

“For a few minutes.” Doctor Roman took over, leading the way up the stairs to one of the spare rooms we sometimes used. “Put her on the bed, Viktor. I assume these are her girls? You mentioned them earlier.”

“Yes. Hannah and Hailey.” I filled in their names since I’d not had time before when I warned Doctor Roman that the girls would probably be there waiting for Annie.

Viktor lowered Annie to the bed and stepped back. Seeing her on the soft blue blanket, a pillow beneath her head, and her chest rising and falling with even breaths reassured me as nothing else had.

“Hannah, Hailey, you may speak to her and touch her. I’m going to give her a quick examination.” Doctor Roman started with his stethoscope, setting the bell on Annie’s chest and closing his eyes.

I counted her breaths as the girls leaned over her and patted her face, her arms, and her legs as though to reassure themselves she was really there.

“What about Miles Kent?” Tina asked when Doctor Roman removed the earpieces from his ears.

Ilya approached the bed and sank into the nearest armchair—a hideous horsehide piece I couldn’t believe Viktor owned. “Taken care of.”

Tina blanched and placed a hand at her throat. “We can go home now?”

“I’d like you to stay here.” Viktor stood as stiff as a steel beam, his gaze locked onto Annie. “For a little while longer. Annie will want to see you when she wakes up.”

I took note of thewhenand gave him a grateful nod that he returned.

“Girls, say goodnight to your mother.” Tina squeezed Annie’s ankle before backing away. “Let’s give the doctor some room to work.” She moved to stand between the three of us. “I’ll put them to bed. They probably won’t sleep well, so will you let us know as soon as Annie’s awake? They’ll need reassurance. I’d like to stay here until she’s better.”

“Of course.” I answered for all of us. I knew all about needing reassurance, to see the one you loved wake up and bring light back to a dark life. We had survived many things. I did not think I could survive Annie’s death. I was not strong enough for that. Even the thought gutted me with enough power to send all the air from my lungs and cause my body to crumple into itself.

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