Free Saving Katya by Sandra Edwards Page B

Debra’s coat sleeve. “You can keep her safe.”
    “I’ll go,” Debra’s said. “But you’ve got to promise to stay calm and do what they say.” She waved a hand toward the medics.
    “I will.” Kate closed her eyes. “Hurry...” she added as her head slumped to the side. Kate was asleep now. Good. Hopefully she was resting peacefully and not worrying inside her slumber about what Alexei and Katya were finding out about each other.
    Debra climbed out of the ambulance and went to look for them. She’d better do her part while Kate was incapacitated to keep the shit from hitting the fan.
     
     

 
    CHAPTER 7
    ALEXEI DIDN’T UNDERSTAND why Debra—who’d been so adamant to get to the ambulance before him—had climbed out at the last minute and opted to ride to the hospital in his limo, leaving Kate to make the trip alone.
    He’d get to the bottom of that mystery, but only after he made sure Kate was all right. Right now he had to do what was best for her. And that was finding her husband. Alexei would like to be the one she needed, but he no longer looked at the world through rose-colored glasses.
    Dennis rolled the car to a stop at the hospital’s emergency entrance. The ambulance was already there, and Alexei barely caught sight of Kate being wheeled inside on a gurney. He wanted to hop out of the car and rush after her, but instead he folded his arms over his chest and hid his fisted hands beneath them. His need to run to her side was so strong he hoped the containment would deliver him from his desire to act foolishly.
    Debra didn’t seem so worried about her outward appearance. She threw the door open and barreled out of the car, beckoning Katya and Angeline to do the same. Alexei was ready to follow suit by the time Dennis opened his door.
    “I do apologize, Mr. Petrova. I intended to open their door.”
    “It’s all right, Dennis.” Alexei was the last person to condemn someone for other people’s blunders—unless he thought they were directly responsible.
    He straightened his grey cashmere overcoat and headed inside with a relaxed gait meant to display all ease and casualness. Glancing from side to side, he made a quick decision to go toward the right and found a waiting area just around a corner. Debra and Katya were there. Alexei took a seat next to the woman, wondering briefly where Angeline was.
    Debra shot up as soon as he began sitting. “I want to find out what’s going on,” she said, and gestured toward Katya. “Will you stay with her?”
    “Of course.” He nodded and smiled what he hoped was an expression of reassurance. “Take as much time as you need. We’ll wait here for you.”
    Alexei avoided Katya, instead watching Debra disappear. Katya scooted into Debra’s vacated chair, moving into his peripheral vision. “Mr. Petrova...?” Her meek, mild voice surprised him. Or maybe it was her conventionalism. Either way, who would expect a six year old to remember his name, much less use it when speaking to him?
    “Yes.” He cut his eyes in her direction.
    “Do you think my mommy’s going to be okay?”
    “I’m sure she is.”
    “And this is just a precautionary measure. Right?”
    Alexei looked at Katya. Her blue eyes engaged him with candid interest. “You’re very astute for a six year old.”
    “I’m seven,” she announced with pride.
    Seven ? Alexei’s heart dropped into the pit of his stomach. He counted off the months inside his head. Her birthday needed to be sometime between December and February, maybe March for her to be his. Alexei needed to know her birth date.
    Commanding his composure to return, he smiled. “Pardon me.” He laid a hand over his chest. “I should’ve known that a young lady as grown-up as you must surely be seven.”
    She grinned and there was something oddly familiar about her face, but he couldn’t recall what. “You talk funny,” she said. “Where are you from?”
    “I’m from Russia. St. Petersburg.” Alexei draped his