Page 52 of Dark Obsession

Conner squeezed Daniel’s shoulder.“You aren’t going to lose her, man.She’s tougher than anyone I know.She’ll come out of this, and you’ll get your chance with her.”

Daniel bent forward.His ass pressed against the wall and his hands on his knees.“How the hell am I going to tell her sister?”

“I don’t know, but you’ll find a way,” Conner said and laid a hand on his back, ignoring the tears on Daniel’s cheeks.

Several minutes later, a doctor came out of the room.“Which one of you is here for Miss Walker?”

Conner slapped Daniel on the back.“He is, Doctor.”

Daniel straightened abruptly and set his gaze almost desperately on the doctor.“How is she?”

“She’s stabilized, but she’s lost a lot of blood.We had to stitch several deep cuts, mostly on her hands and legs.She has a concussion and contusions all over her body.”The doctor looked down at the binder in his hands before looking back up.“Can you tell me what happened to her?”

Daniel inhaled.“She was brutally attacked in her home.”

“She’s very lucky.It’s going to take a while before she feels normal, but with time and care, she’ll get there.”

“Can I see her?”

“Yes.She’s being moved up to ICU for the night, just as a precaution.But you have to be quiet.She needs her rest more than anything, and there are others in that room.I’ll give them instructions to allow you in for as long as you want.”

Daniel’s eyes locked on the slim break in the curtain where he was able to see Keira’s leg.“Oh, I’m not leaving until she does.It doesn’t matter how long she’s here.I’m staying.”

“All right, young man.Head up to the ICU now and wait.She’ll be up there shortly.They’ll be taking her out the back way toward the larger elevators, and families aren’t allowed.When she’s moved to a private room, I’ll have them bring in a cot for you.For now, just let her rest.”

“And she’ll get it, I promise.”Daniel held out his hand to have the doctor grasp it firmly.“Thanks, Doc.”

The doctor nodded, turned, and walked off.

Conner squeezed Daniel’s shoulder.“Come on, man.I’ll walk you up to the ICU.I’d like to get a quick look at her before I go back to her house.”

A rasping gasp left Daniel’s mouth at his first look at her.“Jesus.”Keira lay pale and still under a thin blanket, her arms on top of the blanket at her sides, with so many bandages.Her hair was still splattered with dirt and blood.A few smudges of dirt mixed with blood were left on her forehead, chin, and upper chest.Tubes and wires went from different machines.Some of them beeped or hissed while others were silent, but he knew they were pushing life-sustaining fluids into her veins.

He walked unsteadily to her bed as his gaze stayed glued to her delicate features.A relieved breath rattled from his lungs when he laid his hand down on the wrist closest to him, and he felt the warmth of life that still pulsed through her.He used his other hand to swipe some of her hair away from her forehead before running down the length of hair that lay wild around her head.

“Sir, only one person can be in here at a time.”

Daniel’s gaze jerked toward the nurse who walked to the other side of Keira, checking the monitors and tubes.Daniel’s head swung behind him and focused on Conner.He’d forgotten he was behind him.

“The doctor was supposed to leave instructions for him to stay with her, and I’m the detective in charge of her case.I won’t be here long.”

The nurse’s eyes pierced Conner’s.“You have five minutes.”Her eyes swung toward Daniel.“You can stay.I received Dr.Paulson’s orders, but if you get in the way or you go above a whisper, your ass will be out before you can take a breath.Got it?”

Daniel nodded but didn’t speak a word.He only turned his attention back to Keira’s still form.He vaguely heard Conner say goodbye and saw the nurse leave out of the corner of his eye, but his full focus stayed locked on Keira.A few minutes later, a chair was pushed up against the back of his legs, inviting him silently to sit.

“Thank you,” Daniel whispered.

He felt frozen in time.An hour had passed, and the only sounds he heard were coming from the machines and the squeak of the nurse’s shoes as she moved around.The only movements happened when the nurse checked on Keira’s vitals.

Daniel couldn’t hold back his grief a moment longer.“I’m so incredibly sorry, Baby.I’m praying you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me.I should have been there for you,” Daniel mouthed when the ball of fear and grief left his throat.He lay down his head on the side of the bed and quietly wept.

He didn’t speak again for the rest of the night and finally gave in to his exhaustion and lay his head beside her hip on the bed without releasing her arm.

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