Page 36 of Second Chances

“No, I was so far in my own head and pleasure that as far as I was concerned I could’ve been open wide on live TV, and I wouldn’t have cared.”

“Bingo.” Sonia raises her hand in the air, taking it off the wheel momentarily.

“I think you get my point.” Amy laughs. “We all worry about our bits and pieces being on display when we get up there, especially at first. But if you have the right Dom for you, he’ll take away that worry and give you only pleasure. It’s what they’re good at.”

“I guess. Ryan was pretty good at it.”

“You hit subspace.”

I nod and the whole car erupts into laughter.

The next thing I know, we’re being shunted sideways, and everyone is screaming. I glance to my left and see the car door crumpling next to me, and when I look out the window, I see another vehicle ramming into the side of the car we’re in and shunting us sideways. Then pain smacks into my body and shoots up through my legs. It’s the last thing I register…

* * *

“Is she awake yet?” Amy’s voice fills my head. It’s laced with worry and fear.

“I think she’s stirring. Her fingers have been moving for the last few minutes.” Ryan’s voice is next.

What’s he doing here? Wasn’t I in a car? What’s happened?

My eyes fly open, and my heartbeat quickens.

“Elena. It’s ok.” Ryan’s in front of me, trying to push me down. “You’re in the hospital. Just rest—there was an accident.”

“Accident?” I question, remembering the face of the driver as he crashed into our car. I allow Ryan to settle me back down. Machines beep frantically around me, and I finally register I’m in a hospital bed.

“What happened?”

Amy appears at the other side of me. She looks all right apart from a few cuts to her face where she must have been hit with shards of glass from the car window. She takes hold of my hand.

“The driver of the other vehicle was drunk. He passed out at the wheel and slammed straight into us. There was nothing Sonia could do to avoid him even with her advanced driving skills. It’s just lucky he wasn’t going any faster, and Sonia was able to avoid hitting anyone on the sidewalk beside us.”

“Sonia, Marie?”

“Marie’s fine just a few scratches like me. Sonia has a mild concussion and whiplash after hitting the wheel. She’s asleep in the room next door.”

“What about me? How long have I been unconscious?”

“You were unconscious following the crash.” Ryan leans forward and strokes my forehead. “Where you were sitting took the full impact of the collision. A piece of metal broke off and pushed through your leg, breaking the bone.”

I gasp and look down to where my leg is suspended in the air.

“No. How bad is it?”

“They’ve fixed the damage caused and have pinned your leg back together. You’ll be in a cast for a bit and need some physical therapy, but it’ll be fine,” Ryan reassures me but his words become muffled in my head. I can’t digest them…not again. My leg is broken.

“Will I dance again?” Tears fill my eyes, tumbling down my cheeks.

“Of course you will.” Amy squeezes my hand. “Elena, it’s fine, I promise. It’s pretty much a simple break. Don’t worry, ok?”

Ryan interrupts, “It’ll be ok, Elena, I promise. The doctors have told me everything, and I had a medical friend from MI5 read their notes, and he confirms it’ll take time, but you’ll be back dancing soon. You don’t have to worry. You’ve got this…we’ve got this.” He leans into me and presses a kiss to my lips and then moves his mouth to my ear. “It’s not like last time,” he whispers, obviously unsure if Amy is aware of the secrets I’ve shared with him. She isn’t. Ryan is the only person I’ve told.

My leg starts throbbing as if to remind me that it’s broken. I don’t need any memories of the last time in my head now. I shift a little on the bed and moan.

“Are you in pain?” Ryan checks me over.

“A little.”

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