Page 91 of Under My Skin

“Family of Daniela Ramos?” a woman called.

My head popped up as I sprang from my chair, whirling around to find a copper-skinned woman who looked to be in hermid-thirties wearing a doctor’s coat standing there with a tired smile on her face.

A smile.

That was good, right?

That had to be good.

I cleared the distance in three long strides. “I’m her partner. Please say she’s okay. Please.”

“She did great,” she assured me. “She lost a lot of blood, and we did have to give her a transfusion. Due to the compound fractures in her clavicle and scapula, we were unable to remove the bullet, but wewereable to repair the fractures with pins. She also has significant soft tissue and tendon damage, and it will take three to four months and alotof physical and occupational therapy, but she’ll make a full recovery.”

My legs started to give out from under me, and I gripped the back of a chair in an effort to stay on my feet as blissful relief washed over me like a tidal wave.

Dani was okay. The rest was just details. I didn’t care how long the recovery was or how much help I had to hire to make sure Isaac was still being cared for adequately when I left for training camp in a few weeks. I’d drain every last cent in my bank account if I had to.

She was okay, and the danger was finally behind us.

“Do you know when she can come home?” I asked.

“We’re going to be keeping her here for about a week to keep an eye on her and administer antibiotics to fight any possible infections she may have picked up, but after that, she should be able to continue her recovery at home.”

Suddenly, something occurred to me. Something heartbreaking.

“We have a three-month-old son,” I sniffed. “How long until she can hold him again?”

She gave me a sad smile. “Her left arm is in a shoulder stabilizer, and she won’t be able to lift or hold anything at all – including a baby – with that arm for a while. But if someone places him in her right arm, she can hold him with just that arm as soon as she feels strong enough.”

Thank fuck. It was going to kill Dani enough not to be able to do much of anything to care for Isaac while she was recovering. Not even being able to hold him would havedestroyedher.

“Okay,” I sighed in relief. “Can I see her?”

The doctor nodded. “She’s awake, but she’s still coming out of the anesthesia, so she might not be very coherent. She’s in room 242.”

“Thank you,” I breathed.

Turning around, I headed back toward Ian, Kyler, Melissa, Morgan, and Malachi, who were all sitting there with anxious expressions.

“Doc said her shoulder’s a mess. Compound fractures and muscle and tendon damage. She’s gotta stay here for about a week, and it’s going to take a few months and a lot of PT, but she’ll be okay,” I announced.

“Oh, thank God,” Morgan murmured, sniffling quietly as she leaned into Malachi’s arms.

“She’s awake, so I’m going to go see her,” I told them. “Morgan, can you do me a favor and update Lina? Tell her I’ll be back at the hotel in a little while to get Isaac?”

She nodded and grabbed her purse, retrieving her phone and starting to tap on the screen.

Kyler got up and came to hug me. “We’ve got a few days before we have to leave. Let us know when Dani’s up for visitors?”

I smiled and gave her a squeeze. “I will. I’m gonna go see my girl now, though.”

“Get out of here, man,” Ian chuckled weakly, putting a hand on my shoulder. “Go be with Dani. We’ll see you later.”

He didn’t need to tell me that twice. Spinning on my heel, I made a beeline for the elevator and rode up to the second floor, then walked as fast as my feet would carry me toward room 242.

When I walked in, I found Dani lying there with her left arm in ahugestabilizing contraption, an IV port in her right arm with a tube attached to it, and all kinds of wires and leads adhered to her. Her eyes were closed, and I focused on the gentle rise and fall of her chest, a reminder that she was still breathing, as I went to grab a chair and pulled it over to sit on her right side.

Taking her hand in mine, I raised it and brushed my lips over her knuckles. And immediately, those gorgeous brown eyes I loved so much popped open and an exhausted smile spread across her face.

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