Page 60 of His Dark Purpose

“Are you okay?” The nurse on duty turned, her brows furrowing as she examined Amy’s drip.

“It’s just the pain.” Signaling to the dressing the nurse had applied, Amy flinched.

“Is it still no better?” The crease in her brow deepened.

“Not much,” Amy admitted. She considered being stoic, but she couldn’t see the point. If there were more drugs the hospital could offer, then she’d take them. Anything to get past the initial ordeal and allow her to start to heal.

“Let me speak with the doctor.” The nurse smiled. “Maybe we can tweak a few things and aid the discomfort.”

“Thank you,” she whispered, hopeful the medics could do something to quell the excruciating pain.

The real irony was that both of the men butting heads in her life were more like each other than they’d probably care to admit—headstrong and with a tendency toward arrogance. She reckoned they would learn to respect each other once they’d managed to put their egos aside.

“Little girl!” Kyle burst through the door like a maniac, dashing around the bed to her side.

“Sir!” The nurse waved her finger in his direction. “The patient needs calm, please.”

Kyle glanced back at her admonishing tone, reading her name on the small badge pinned to her uniform. “Understood, Nurse Reilly. My apologies. I promise to remember.”

“Well…” The nurse blushed, tucking the loose strands of her fair hair behind her ear. Evidently, the old ‘Kyle-charm’ was alive and kicking. “No problem, but please try.” Glancing back at Amy, she continued. “I’ll speak to the doctor now.”

“Thank you.” Amy forced the words out, watching Nurse Reilly wander away before she rolled her head on the pillow to Kyle’s anxious eyes.

“Sir.” She wanted to smile at his apprehensive expression. Amy couldn’t recall ever seeing Kyle so stressed before. It had taken her own son stabbing her in an attempt to hurt him for the man who loved her to show concern at her bedside. Until that moment, he’d been happy to tether her there and leave her to fester. “How are you?”

“Never mind about me.” He dismissed her inquiry with a shake of his head. “How are you, beautiful?” Pulling in a breath, he gulped. “For one appalling moment, I thought I’d lost you, thought he’d killed you…” His voice broke, thick tears chasing each other along the bridge of his nose.

She watched his show of emotion with interest. She had never seen him truly emotional before.

“I’ll be okay,” she reassured him, regretting her attempt to rest her hand over his on the side of the bed as the pain temporarily robbed her of breath. “The doctors have said so. I just need to rest and heal.”

Although goodness only knew how that would work with the perverted routines Kyle seemed to have established for her. One thing was for certain—there’d be no spanking for some time. As the thought flitted through her head, she couldn’t decide if she was gleeful to deny him or disappointed by the loss.

“How’s Seth?” She frowned, recollecting how frantic he’d been when the paramedics had arrived. “Is he okay?”

“He’s the one who did this to you.” Kyle grimaced.

“He’s my son,” she corrected, “and I’d like to know how he is.”

“Fine,” he answered, although she had the distinct impression Kyle hadn’t even spoken to Seth since she’d departed Brock Hall.

So much for reconciliation.

“He’s at home.” Kyle frowned. “Although, honestly, I don’t want him there.”

“Please.” She blew out a long and agonizing breath. “If I mean anything to you, be decent to him. He’s young and often mistaken, but he’s my son, sir, and I’d do anything for him.”

“Even this.” He nodded toward the side Seth had slashed.

“Yes.” She swallowed. “Even this, because that’s my job. I take the blade, so he doesn’t have to.”

“Actually, I think the blade was destined for me, little girl.” Kyle’s tone had shifted to that wry timbre that always affected her. “Seth was the one brandishing the knife.”

“You know what I mean.” She managed a small smile. “I’ll send him some money so he can stay at a hotel until I’m released. Then, we’ll talk.”

It was only thanks to Kyle that she had that money, but nonetheless, it was hers, and she’d give it to Seth if she chose to.

“Got it all figured out, have you?” Kyle’s eyebrow arched as his chuckle enveloped her.

---