A helicopter. That would be new. She’d never been in a helicopter before, but it was getting harder to stay focused, to even feel Mitya’s hand in hers. His fingers sometimes gripped hers and other times went slack. That scared her, but Timur always seemed to rally him.

Sevastyan and Timur spoke to him in Russian, and twice Alonzo got down so his face was next to Mitya’s, and he too spoke in Russian to his cousin. It sounded like affection and command mixed together. In spite of the fear and pain ripping through her, that moment would be forever etched on her mind. He looked so caring. It was beautiful to see him lying beside his cousin, whispering softly to him in their native language. Mitya tried to nod several times but then writhed in pain. Instantly Alonzo put a calming hand on him and the man shuddered and went still.

“Stay with us,” she whispered, wishing she knew Russian. But things were fading to black and she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to hold on to anything, let alone a dying man.

“Evangeline. Open your eyes, malyutka. I need you to look at me,” Alonzo insisted.

His voice shook her. Deep. Low. Commanding. He wasn’t about to let her go. Either of them. Mitya or her. She counted on him. Counted on the fact that when he made up his mind on something, he meant it. She’d hated that trait in him. The one that had him arbitrarily claiming her. The one that had him putting bulletproof glass and cameras in her bakery. Now, she needed that stubborn, entitled, everyone-does-what-I-say trait desperately. She felt sick with pain. With fear. She couldn’t imagine what Mitya felt like.

She knew she didn’t make a sound because of her childhood. No matter how hurt she was, she knew not to give her position away. A wounded animal never allowed a predator to know it was wounded. That would be certain death.

“Evangeline. Devochka moya. Open your eyes. Look at me.”

She’d gone still. Almost paralyzed with fear for Mitya. For herself. In spite of her leopard’s reassurances, the worry in the animal and the pain she felt, along with the fact that she felt she couldn’t move, were terrifying.

His voice gave her reassurance. She didn’t like that he was anxious and she did her best to obey him. Her eyelids felt heavy, but she forced them up to look into his eyes. It was difficult and she wanted to sleep. That might take her away from the pain.

His hand went to her throat, wrapped around it so he could feel her heart beating into his palm. He leaned down until his lips were pressed against her ear. “Ya tebya lyublyu. I love you. Ti nuzhna mne. I need you, woman. Don’t you leave me, Evangeline. I mean it. You stay with me.”