Isn't It Bromantic (Bromance Book Club #4) - Lyssa Kay Adams Page 0,108
and ran to the police cruiser parked in the driveway. As soon as the doors were shut and belts buckled, Vlad turned his best defenseman face to the police officer and said, “Tell me everything you know.”
The details made his stomach clench again, and he was afraid he’d have to lean out the window and puke on the way to the hospital. A man had taken her from the parking lot of a hotel where she’d just checked in. She’d managed to secretly call 911 after texting him, and dispatchers heard everything. Including when she saved herself. And when the car crashed.
“Your wife is incredibly brave,” Lt. Hammadi said.
“I know,” he groaned. And he’d tried to make her feel guilty for it. He’d told her she was chasing a ghost, a lost cause. He’d pushed her away and straight into their trap.
“Put your head between your legs, man,” Lt. Hammadi said. Vlad must’ve had gonna boot soon written all over his face. He obeyed, and a calming hand squeezed his shoulder.
“She’s okay. She’s okay.”
“She has to be. She’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“Make sure she knows it.”
As they ate up the road, he vowed that he would. From this point forward, he would spend every minute of the rest of their lives making it up to her.
“The driver of the car has been arrested. That’s all I know.”
“He didn’t do this alone. She was working on a story. There were other people.”
“And investigators will find them. You just focus on your wife.”
They sped into the ER bay, and Vlad was out the door before the car had barely stopped. Behind them, Colton’s car screeched to a stop. He ran to catch up. “Everyone is behind me.”
The officer joined him in a brisk jog. Which was good, because no one stopped them when they ran in. Vlad slammed his hands against the swinging automatic doors that stood between the waiting room and the ER beds. They eked open, and he swore at every millisecond it took before he could run through.
“Elena!” He shouted her name, and he ran. He ran because it was grand gesture, and he was going to drop dead if he didn’t get to her.
He shouted again. “Elena!”
Ahead, a woman in a gown stepped out from behind a curtain. She had blood on her face and ice on her wrist.
Elena.
“Vlad.”
He ran toward her.
He tripped.
And fell at her feet.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
It’s all fun and games until you’re flat on your back in an emergency room and your wife starts yelling at you in Russian.
Elena towered over him, hands on her hips, and a fierce look on her face. He’d never been so in love in his entire life.
“I cannot believe you,” she shouted. “What are you doing? Were you running? Where are your crutches?”
“I— We always run for grand gesture,” Vlad panted.
Colton winced as he offered a hand to help him up. “Dude, I may not speak Russian, but pissed-off wife is a universal language. I don’t think she appreciated the grand gesture.”
Vlad ignored the sharp pain in his leg as he stood. He didn’t care. If he’d hurt it again, his leg would heal, and even if it didn’t, he’d survive. But he wouldn’t survive another day without Elena. Nearly losing her had put things in perspective rather quickly.
He hobbled toward his wife. His beautiful, smart, generous, brave wife. Elena’s features softened, and her arms shot out just in case he fell again. He limped straight into her embrace, wrapped his arms around her, buried his face in her neck, and sobbed. He clung to her. Breathed her in. Kissed her neck and tasted the life-affirming salt of her sweat and tears.
“I was so scared,” he choked. “I thought I lost you.”
“I thought I lost you too. I’m so sorry, Vlad. I’m so sorry.”
He pulled back and smoothed the hair from her face, rage pushing at his temples at the sight of blood on her skin. “I wasn’t there, Elena.” His voice was a snotty hiccup. “If I hadn’t left, if I’d been there—”
“I’m glad you weren’t, because they might have killed you on the spot.”
He went cold at the factual, impassive tone of her voice. As if she were willing to risk her life to protect him. Vlad wiped his face and glowered. “You say that like any of this is normal.”
“In my life, it kind of has been.”
He shook his head. “I can’t believe your father made you think that.”