Page 124 of Little Bits of Daddy (Montana Daddies)

“Yes, a bit. I think it might be bruised.”

He carefully drew up her top, sucking in a breath at the angry scrape just below her right shoulder.

“There’s some broken skin and looks like you’re going to bruise. Let’s get you into bed and I’ll call Hack.”

“I don’t need Hack or to go to bed.”

“Well, you’re getting both, and I don’t want any arguments.”

A sniffling noise made him tense. He closed his eyes. Fuck. She’d just hurt herself, and he was acting like a complete ogre.

He gently pulled her top down, then moved around to face her, his hand cupping her chin. Fuck. She was crying.

Damn it.

“Baby girl, don’t cry. Shh. It’s all right. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound grouchy.”

“N-no, you should be. I w-wrecked the bike, didn’t I?”

“Who cares about the bike?! It doesn’t matter.”

“But it does,” she wailed.

“Little Rebel, please stop crying,” he said with desperation. “What can I do to help?”

“Turn the bike off and check it.”

“I’ll turn it off. But then I’m getting you inside.” He hated that she was sitting on a hard floor, maybe injured.

Moving to the bike, he quickly turned it off. Going back to her, he carefully picked her up, cradling her against his chest. She sucked in a sharp breath.

Fuck. Maybe he should take her to the hospital, get her checked properly. She could need X-rays.

Yeah, that’s what he’d do. He headed to the car.

“Where are we going?”

“I’m taking you to the hospital.”

“No! No, please, Duke. I’m really okay. I’ll just have to wait there for hours for them to tell me what I know. I’m bruised and I need to take it easy for a day. Please.”

She stared up at him with those big eyes, and he could feel his resolve slipping. She looked so pale, though.

“All right,” he agreed reluctantly.

Relief filled her face.

“But I am going to call Hack, and if he can’t come over, then I’m taking you to the emergency room.”

“All right.”

He carried her inside and sat her on the bed. He took off her bra and top before putting one of his loose T-shirts on her. She lay down on her front while he called Hack who promised to come over as soon as possible.

“I’m going to see if that scrape on your back needs to be cleaned.” He raised up the T-shirt, wincing as he took in her sore looking skin. “There’s no dirt, but I’ll give it a small wipe anyway.”

He moved into the bathroom and took a deep breath to calm herself.

She was all right.

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