Page 63 of Embracing the Consequences

Johnny’s hand squeezed her ankle, and she smiled when she saw his sleepy gaze on hers. “I dunno, most of the day?” he guessed, looking around at the clock. “We brought you in around midnight last night.”

Kara didn’t know what time it was, but it was dark outside the window behind Marcos, so she assumed she’d slept the day away.

“What happened, baby?” Kevin asked, his fingers squeezing hers.

She squeezed back. “I don’t know…four guys came into the office. I tried to fight them off, but they stuck me with a needle, I think. I woke up in that room.”

“Did they hurt you?” Derrick asked, his voice gravelly.

She squeezed his hand and shrugged. “Not really?” She took a steadying breath. “I was mostly left alone. That man…the one you killed,” Kara turned to face Kevin, “he never left. He never moved, he just sat there and stared at me the whole time. Never blinking, always watching. That was the worst part of it.” Tears choked her throat. She gasped as a sob shuddered out of her and pain pierced her ribs.

“Shhh,” Kevin murmured against her temple. He pressed a kiss there and rubbed his hand gently over her belly.

She turned her head to his chest as sobs racked her body. The beeping in the room got louder, and then the door was opening.

“Kara, how we doing in here?” a female voice asked as she stepped into the room.

Kara ignored her and cried into Kevin’s chest.

“Kara, I understand you’re upset right now, but we need you to calm down if you can,” the woman spoke again. Her voice was strong and steady.

Kara used her breathing technique, and gradually the beeping began to slow down to a more normal rate as her heartbeat settled down.

“That’s better,” the woman said.

Kara pulled away from Kevin and looked over to see a short, curvy woman with black hair and green eyes. She had sharp cheekbones and a cute little nose. She was fricken gorgeous. Her green eyes held compassion as she smiled down at Kara.

“Hi there. I’m your nurse, Jade. On a scale of one to ten, can you tell me where your pain is currently?”

Kara sighed and thought about it. “Six, seven,” she answered honestly. Her ribs were burning.

“Mmm,” Jade hummed. “Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to get out of the bed.” She wasn’t mean about it, just matter-of-fact, as she had a job to do.

Kevin sighed and pressed a kiss to Kara’s temple.

Kara tried to hide the wince as he jostled the bed while climbing out.

Her boys all took a step away and let Jade do her job. The small woman moved around the bed and helped Kara into a sitting position. She took her vitals and entered her numbers into the computer. “Alright Miss Kara, I’m going to message the doctor that you’re awake and put in an order for pain meds. How does food sound?” Jade asked.

Kara’s belly gave a grumble in answer. “Amazing.” She smiled.

Jade grinned and nodded. “I’ll put in an order of chicken broth and crackers. If you’re OK in an hour, we can order dinner.”

Kara nodded slowly. She was exhausted, and she knew once the pain meds hit her, she wouldn’t be eating dinner.

After Jade left, Kara turned to Johnny. “What happened with my father?”

Johnny ran a hand over his face and sighed. “We turned him over to the DA.”

Kara could see the distress on his face. He hadn’t wanted to. She knew that. She knew how it was eating him up inside to have given him up. She gave him a grateful smile. “Thank you.” She nodded to him.

He nodded back at her.

“Thank you, all of you, for coming for me.” She gasped, trying not to cry again.

“Baby girl,” Derrick spoke. “There’s no place on this planet, or in hell, that we wouldn’t venture to get you back. We willalwayscome for you.”

Kara gave him a watery smile and reached out to him. She needed a kiss.

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