“Shh!” She covered his mouth with her fingers so she could hear Yuri. “What did you say? I did not hear you, Yuri.”
“Thank you,” he said, clearly speaking to Vasily. “There is nothing lodged in her throat. A good thing. Hand me that package.”
Sacha had never concentrated so hard on a sound. Plastic rattled. A small pop. Rubber squeaked.
“Hold her arm straight.”
The sound of Yuri’s calm tone startled her into blinking her blurry eyes. That’s when they focused. She was looking into the face of a man capable of unapologetic cruelty, and Sacha wasn’t sure she’d ever seen anything so beautiful in her life. Right then, she fell in love with her Russian’s darkness. Appreciation was born for this side of him she’d always secretly feared. But would no longer because it existed to protect her and their child.
She felt herself being moved. It was only steps away, but it seemed as if it were miles. She whimpered, and the moisture in her eyes overflowed to join the tears already trailing down her cheeks.
“We’re staying right here,” Alekzander promised. “She’s two feet away. I swear we won’t go any further. We’ll be right here.”
Feeling as if she were about to shatter, Sacha held his stare, unable to let the connection go. If she did, she knew she’d lose her mind. She knew it. “Our baby, Alekzander,” she whispered. “What’s wrong with our baby?”
She was yanked into the tightest of hugs and spun around so that he could see what was happening to their daughter. She couldn’t, but it was okay. She could feel every twitch and tremor in Alekzander’s muscles. Yuri whispered something to Vasily that made Alekzander turn to stone. Her fear grew exponentially. Yuri murmured something else. The sigh Alekzander released got caught on something in his throat, but Sacha recognized it as relief. A fraction of her tension eased.
“Very good, Lekzi,” Yuri whispered.
The rigidity in Alekzander’s back lessened slightly. So did Sacha’s. Until she heard Vasily’s voice in the corner. His tone had the hair on her nape springing straight, his instructions making her soaked eyes widen.
“I need to touch her,” she whispered.
Alekzander immediately walked her backward, took her hand, and placed it on their daughter’s tummy.
Sacha’s composure smashed to pieces.
♦ ♦ ♦
“Poisoned? I do not understand. Poisoned from what?”
Sacha’s voice was hoarse from the display of a mother’s love and terror they’d all witnessed an hour ago. Alek had known before, but now knew without a shred of doubt, he could never, under any circumstances, take his child from this woman. It didn’t matter what she’d done, or what she ever did. Her love for the baby resting comfortably in her arms right now was the most incredible thing he’d ever witnessed, and he would do nothing in his lifetime but honor and revere it.
They’d just come out to the waiting lounge outside the room where Yuri had recently finished pumping Lekzi’s stomach. Sacha’s hair was once more a wet mass hanging down her back, and she was wearing a hospital gown.
Alek tightened his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. His hand was still resting across his daughter’s legs where she lay, sleeping peacefully. Breathing. Pink.
“I am assuming you fed her last?” Yuri said.
“Yes,” Sacha answered. “Was it something I did that made her sick?”
Yuri shook his head. “Not directly.”
Alek had heard Vasily’s instructions earlier. He questioned them now. “What was it you were talking about earlier? You told someone to get the stuff out of our bathroom? Why?”
Yuri got to his feet. “The only thing a baby this age puts in her mouth is her hands, her few toys, and the things her mother feeds her. I also had her toys brought downstairs and had Lucas swab those while I did the same all over Lekzi’s skin; no residue of any type was found.”
“You swabbed my skin, too,” Sacha said with a deepening frown.
“Yes. And I’ll compare what I find on those swabs with what I suspect I’ll find in what you put on her body. This could very well have been you we just treated.” He patted a confused Alek on the shoulder and went to the door across the room. There were two sets of stairs leading to the sprawling basement. One here, and another off the hallway behind the kitchen. “I’ll be up as soon as I have confirmation.”
“Fuck that,” Alek scoffed. “How about you share your suspicion, and then let us know later if you were right.”
Yuri paused and gave Sacha an apologetic look. “Forgive me. This might make you uncomfortable.” She nodded and shrugged. “Obviously, I am thinking something was put into her hygiene products. Plant extracts keep coming to mind. Maybe something in the same family as Hemlock or Oleander, but neither of those because Lekzi’s reaction would have been different. Since I have seen no baby bottles, I am assuming she is primarily breastfed, and I noticed Sacha’s hair was wet when she brought the baby to us. I assumed you showered?” he said to Sacha.