Chapter Thirty-Five
K eira awoke to silvery threads of afternoon sunlight coming through the blinds. At first, she was a little disoriented until she realized she was being held against Daniel’s chest. She relaxed back against him, lifted her head, let her gaze drink in his features, and listened to his deep breathing. She could tell he had slept very little. It showed in the color of his complexion and the dark circles under his eyes. He looked more tired than she felt.
Keira felt sick. She didn’t know what she was going to do. So many thoughts and feelings were racing through her that she couldn’t concentrate on just one. She had started to remember, and her stomach tightened painfully. She remembered being attacked in her home and didn’t know if she could ever set foot in the house again. Where would she live? Not with her sister. She was a newlywed and didn’t need another person in the house.
She hadn’t remembered all of it, but she’d caught bits and pieces of the fear she’d gone through the last several weeks as the man tormented her. She felt abandoned. The very people she should have been able to depend on deserted her and left her on her own once again.
Daniel opened his eyes and knew Keira was awake within seconds. Her body was so stiff, he guessed she was starting to remember. “What do you remember, Honey?”
Would the sound of his voice always send delicious shivers down her spine? “Could you put me back on the bed, please?”
His arms flexed and then loosened before he stood, placed her gently on the bed, and pulled the blanket up around her. The whole time, she kept her eyes downcast. He sat on the mattress and tried to hold her hand, only to have her pull away.
“Keira, look at me.”
Keira raised her eyes.
Daniel flinched at the hurt, suspicious, and regretful look in her eyes.
“Can we talk about this?” he asked.
They both turned when the door opened and Dr. Paulson strolled in, turning on lights as he went. “Well, young lady, let’s get those stitches out.”
Daniel stood and took a few steps back. The nurse lowered the bed slightly and began to pull back the blanket.
Keira clutched at the blanket. “I don’t want anyone in the room.”
Everyone froze for a moment.
Dr. Paulson’s eyes went between the two. “Are you sure?”
Keira lowered her eyes as she nodded, biting her lip to keep from crying out. She was so conflicted. She never wanted him to let her go, but her anger placed an enormous distance between them, and she didn’t know if they could conquer it. “Yes.”
****
T he doctor turned to Daniel. “Please step out for a few minutes. It won’t take long.”
Daniel took a slow step back before he turned, and without a word, walked out of the room. When the door closed behind him, the breath in his lungs whooshed out, and he struggled to get air back in. He leaned against the nearest wall, bending and supporting himself as he gripped his knees, trying hard not to pass out. It was painful to breathe. He knew this was going to happen, he just didn’t realize how excruciating it was going to be. The thought of losing her was unthinkable.
“Oh, my God. What’s wrong, Daniel?” Layla asked frantically.
He looked up into Logan’s and Layla’s worried faces. “She started to remem...” His voice broke. He took a deep breath, swallowed several times, and straightened. “She’s remembering and didn’t want me in the room with her while the doctor’s in there.”
Logan clasped Daniel’s shoulder. “Damn. I’m sorry, man. Give her time. She’s probably only getting parts of her memory back. She’ll remember that you were there for her.”
Layla gripped his arm. “Don’t give up, Daniel.”
“I’m not. I just hate that she’ll have to go through the fear, anger, and sadness of betrayal again.”
Layla laid her head against his shoulder. “The difference this time is that she has many people who will help her through this.”
Daniel just nodded and then fell silent. They stood outside Keira’s hospital door, each mired in their own thoughts.
****
K eira bit back a moan when the thread from the stitches tugged against one of the tender wounds on her stomach.
“I’m sorry, young lady. We’re just about done.”
“I’m okay,” she said, her voice rough with pain. She took a deep breath and tried to relax, hoping that would speed up the process and make it less uncomfortable.
Dr. Paulson worked another stitch out, then took a step back and pulled off his gloves. “Okay, we’re done here. The nurse will help you with a shower if you’d like, or you could have someone else help you, if you wish. Or you can wait until you get home. I’ll discharge you, and you should be ready to go in an hour or so.”
Keira’s eyes flew to his, excited to be out of here, but afraid of where she would go.
He patted her arm. “I think everything is going to be okay for you, young lady. Trust your heart.”
Keira just nodded and then bit her lip. She knew what he was talking about.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen. There’s still a lot I can’t remember.”
Dr. Paulson patted her foot that lay under the blanket. “You’ll know when you’re ready. I was going to keep you another night, but I think you’ll sleep better at home. I don’t want you by yourself for a week or so, not until you gain some strength back.”
“When can I go back to work?”
Dr. Paulson squinted at her over his eyeglasses. “You young people always need to go here and there, always busy. Take a few days and then only go back half days, let your sister do the heavy things. Do you have somewhere in that little store of yours to rest if you need to?”
“We have a sofa in the office.”
“Good, I want you to lie down for a bit every hour. Don’t push it or you’ll end up back in here with me.”
“I understand.”
“Yes.” He narrowed his eyes at her over his glasses. “Well, I’m going to tell your family my instructions. Just in case you forget.”
He chuckled when she scowled. “You can’t put one over on me, young lady. I’ve heard it all.”
“And then some,” the nurse added with an exaggerated whisper.
Keira laughed and watched the doctor walk toward the door. “Dr. Paulson?”
He turned toward her. “Yes.”
“Thank you for everything. I also wanted to tell you that you remind me a lot of my grandpa, and he was one of my all-time favorite people in this world.”
A red flush crept up his face. “Yes, well. You’re very welcome. Take care now.”
Both Keira and the nurse watched the door close before looking at each other and bursting out laughing.
“I’ve never seen that man blush or smile that much, especially since his wife died last year.”
Keira blinked back tears. “Oh, that poor man. He must get very lonely without her.”
The nurse pulled Keira up to sit on the side of the bed and kept a hand on her arm in case she got dizzy. “Absolutely. The nurses take care of him the best they can, and he has a son and daughter close. So, he’s not alone.”
“I can tell you all care for him very much.”
“He reminds me of my father,” the nurse said as she smiled fondly.
“Tell me when you’re rea—” The door opened, interrupting her.
The nurse and Keira stopped when her sister, Logan, Daniel, and Conner walked through.
“Wow, this is quite the family you have,” the nurse said.
Keira’s eye stayed locked on Daniel’s. She opened her mouth to deny they were all family, then shut it. It was up to her if they were a family or not.
“The doctor told us you’re going to be discharged today.” Layla walked over to Keira and sat on the bed next to her. “I bet you’re excited?”
Keira tore her eyes away from Daniel’s gaze and bowed her head to hide her fear. She should be excited about leaving the hospital, but she didn’t know where she would go or if she’d be safe.
Daniel walked over, stood in front of her, and crossed his muscular arms over his hard chest. “We want you to know we have everything figured out, so you don’t have to worry about anything. You’ll be staying with me.”
Keira’s eyes flew around the room to each person, a feeling of panic trying to take hold. “I get a say,” she forced out weakly.
Daniel’s jaw hardened.
Keira looked at her sister.
Layla pushed her sister’s mass of hair over her shoulder and whispered in her ear, “Keira, if you’re really against going to stay with Daniel, you are always welcome at our house. Those are your only options.”
Keira looked up at Daniel. The tired, hopeful, and somewhat desperate look on his face eased something inside her. She knew deep down they would ultimately get past this. She didn’t know if they would continue to be lovers or end up just friends, but they would be in each other’s lives forever because of her sister and Logan.
That thought made her teeth snap together. It would be extremely painful to see him with another woman. And she knew she would eventually, as they socialized in the same group of people. But it would kill something in her if she found out he was only with her because of guilt.
“You’re coming home with me,” he said, his voice heavy with authority.
Keira knew this was her only choice. She didn’t want to get in the way of her sister’s marriage or put her in the path of the maniac that stalked her, and she couldn’t stay in a hotel with that man still out there. There was no way she was going back into her house today, maybe never, so going home with Daniel was her only option. After a long pause, Keira nodded without saying anything or meeting his eyes.
The door opened and admitted another nurse. “Here are your discharge papers.”
The other nurse standing by her side squeezed her elbow. “Do you just want to go home or shower here?”
“I can come over to Daniel’s and help you,” Layla offered.
Keira shook her head at her sister. There was no way she was taking any more of her sister’s time. She could do it on her own. “Home, please.”
The nurse nodded. “I can understand that. There you have your own shampoos and conditioners.” The nurse failed to notice the varying degrees of sadness on everyone’s face. She didn’t know Keira didn’t have a home at the moment.
Layla lifted the bag she’d set down when she sat on the bed. “I have a loose-fitting t-shirt, sweats, and socks.”
“Why don’t we get her up and both help dress her? She looks like she’s getting tired, and she still needs to travel home,” the nurse said.
Keira looked up at Conner with a nervous look on her face. “Conner, why are you here? Have you found the guy?”
Conner heard the shaky tone of her voice. “I’m moving in with you.”
Keira’s mouth fell. “What do you mean? You can’t move in with me.”
Daniel rolled his eyes at Conner.
“It means, until we find the guy who hurt you, you’re going to have two bodyguards at home, and our security business will send out guys to help us when needed.”
Keira stood and took a careful step around Daniel, shaking her head. “No.”
Daniel caught her eye when she was even with him. “Yes.”
Keira shook her head and took the few steps to the bathroom. “I’m too tired to fight about this right now. We’ll talk later.”
Daniel cleared his throat. “Honey, did you forget there is no back to that gown?”
Keira froze but immediately turned away from everybody and grabbed the back of the gown to hold it together. She narrowed her eyes first at Daniel and then Conner, who stood with his back to them. Thankfully, Logan had turned his back, too. She turned to glare at her sister. “You could have warned me.”
Layla pressed her lips tightly together to prevent a chuckle from escaping. “You were talking. Besides, you’re not naked, all I can see is your underwear.”
Keira shook her head and rolled her eyes before she sidestepped her way into the bathroom, ignoring the laughter. Her sister and nurse followed her and shut the door behind them.
Keira was exhausted when they finished helping her get dressed and sat back on the bed.
The nurse handed Layla the aftercare instructions. “I’ll be right back with a wheelchair.”
The room stayed silent for a long minute. Keira sat on the bed and let her sister put on a pair of slip-on sneakers. Logan leaned against the wall next to the window, trying to stay out of everyone’s way. Conner stood just off to the side of the room’s door with his arms crossed over his chest.
Keira looked at Conner under her lashes. If she thought Daniel was muscular, Conner was larger. Taller, thicker, and intimidating. His brown hair was cut close to his head. His dark eyes were piercing.
Her gaze slid to Daniel. He hadn’t taken his eyes off her. He stood a few feet in front of her, ready to grab her if she fell forward. He was also a large man, easily over a foot taller than her. He was so masculine, so handsome, she would never get tired of looking at him. His eyes were hazel, but the colors were so light with very little brown, and they saw way too much. His dark hair was longer than she’d seen it and was untidy in a sexy way. Usually, he was very self-confident and masculine. Right now, although he acted confident, she could see an underlying vulnerability. She guessed it was because their relationship was in limbo right now and neither of them knew how things were going to end up.
The nurse pushed through the door backward, pulling the wheelchair in. “Here we go.”
Daniel stepped forward, drew Keira off the bed, and helped her sit in the chair. He was always so careful with her. Keira wasn’t taking anything with her. Daniel had a gym bag filled with clothes that had been brought up for him, reminding her that he’d been here as long as she had.
The group stopped just inside the double doors and waited for Conner to pull the car up for them.
“We’re going to follow y—”
Keira reached up and grasped her sister’s hand. “No. You need to go home with your husband.”
“But you’ll need help with a shower.”
Keira’s eyes flew to Daniel’s. He didn’t say anything, just stood at her side as his eyes swept the area. “I’ve got help if I need it, Layla. Go home and get some rest. I’ll call you tomorrow at the shop after I wake up.”
Layla was undecided until she looked at Daniel first, and then at her husband. She nodded. “All right, but promise me if you need anything, you’ll call or have Daniel do it?”
Keira squeezed her hand. “I promise. Now go home.”
Logan walked up and slid an arm around Layla. “I’m glad you’re doing better. Get a lot of rest, and if you need us, you know where to find us.”
Keira smiled. “I do. I love you guys.”
Logan ran a hand over the top of her head. “We love you, too.”
Layla blew a kiss at her sister as Logan guided her out of the hospital.
A minute later, Conner pulled up in a dark blue unmarked police car.
“I’ll take the chair when you’re done,” a young woman said as she stood off to the side, waiting to take the wheelchair when they had her in the car.
Daniel steadied Keira as she walked to the car, where Conner held the door open for them. Within a minute, they were all in the car and headed out of the hospital parking lot.
On the ride to Daniel’s, Keira kept her attention on the people and cars she saw out her window. She needed to let her mind rest for a bit before she started asking questions.