Page 36 of Bella's Dom (The Doms of Madison County)

“How bad is it?”

“She had to have twenty staples put in.”

Caden wiped a hand down his face. “How much pain is she in?”

Link smiled. “None. The doctor put her out. She fought it at first, but Jake shut her up.”

Caden nodded. “Good. Take me to her.”

“It’s this way. They are about ready to head up to a room.”

“Why does she have to stay?” Caden’s fear came back.

“Because she lost a lot of blood, she has to get some kind of IV for the night to help build it back up.”

“Has she asked for me?”

Link snorted. “If you mean yelling that she needs her master, then I’d say yes.”

If she could yell for him, she would be okay. His first look at her made something in his heart feel heavy, and his stomach cramped.

She looked so tiny and very pale in the bed with the white sheet pulled over her. He saw Jake in the chair with his eyes on Bella, talking quietly on the phone.

Jake caught sight of him. “Hey, Baby. I have to go. Caden is here.”

Jake stood and came to him and gave him a hard hug. “She’s good, Caden. Her side looks a little gross, but that’s because I hate the staples. I’d rather have glue or thread.”

“That’s because you’re a pussy,” Link said.

Caden rolled his eyes and walked to her. He smoothed the hair from her face. “Hey, Little Sub. Your master is here for you.”

The monitor bleeped, and she moved her hands. “That’s a girl.”

“Fuck. The doctor said she would probably stay asleep until morning,” Jake said and snorted when she started to rouse.

Her eyes fluttered open, and it took her a moment to focus on him. When she did, she started crying.

“Master. I got cut.”

He pressed his face against the side of her head. “Shhh, I know. We’ll figure out what happened. I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“You won’t leave?” she asked and wiped her eyes.

“No, Baby. You’re stuck with me.”

She smiled, nodded, and closed her eyes.

“That’s it. Just relax. Your master will take care of you.”

He made sure she was asleep before he walked to his friends. “Tell me what happened?”

Link shrugged. “No one knows. Macy said Hannah was walking her to the bar. She screamed to get his attention. He could tell right away that something happened because she was pale.”

Caden never took his eyes off her.

“He called for me,” Jake said. “I was only a few feet away. When I got to her, Cat was helping her onto a stool. I could see the blood, so I pressed a rag to it. As you can imagine, it hurt her, but I just kept explaining until we got here.”

“Sir,” a man said behind him. “I’m here to take the woman up to her room.”

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