Page 121 of Sweet Harmony

Gideon sighed.“Connor and Daniel got into a fight. Connor punched Daniel in theface.”

Kira stared atConnor. “Why did you punch him?”

“He pissed meoff,” Connor said.

She closed hereyes and took a deep breath. “Okay. We’ll circle back to thislater.” She glanced at Jack. “When will he have surgery?”

“Lucky for him,the orthopedic surgeon had a cancellation tomorrow morning.” Jackstuck Connor’s chart into the holder at the end of the bed. “We’llkeep you here overnight, fast you and prep you for surgery.”

“I’d rather gohome and come back in the morning,” Connor said.

“Yeah, well,I’d rather be sitting on some beach with a drink in my hand, buthere we are,” Jack said. “We’ll move you to a room in about half anhour. Until then, sit tight.”

Jack left andKira smoothed her hand over Connor’s forehead. “Can I get youanything?”

He shook hishead. “No, you should go home.”

She frowned.“I’m not going home. I’ll stay with you until -”

“I’d rather youjust go,” he said. “I need to call Grant and somehow explain to himthat I won’t be able to do my fucking job for the next sixweeks.”

“Connor, it’sokay. Grant will understand.”

“Please, Idon’t want a pep talk right now,” Connor said. “Can you just go?I’m tired and in pain and don’t feel like being around anyone.”

Kira glanced atGideon before nodding. “Yeah, okay. I’ll text you later.”

She pressed akiss against his mouth. “Are you sure you want me to go?”

“Yes.” Hecouldn’t look at her. If he saw the hurt in her eyes, he’d ask herto stay and what good would that do? She didn’t need to watch himstress and panic over fucking up yet again. If she stayed, he mightsay or do something that would drive her away for good.

“All right. Ilove you.”

“Love you too.”He closed his eyes, only opening them when he was sure she wasgone.

He stared downat his swollen hand, panic swooping through him and stealing theair from his lungs.

He really wasfucked.

ChapterTwenty-Two

Panic.

Panic, thickand heavy in his belly like a stone.

He sat on thecouch in his living room, staring blankly at the wall as Kiraflickered in and out of his peripheral vision like a nervousbutterfly.

Her soft handlifting his cast up and sliding a pillow under it. Warm breath asshe kissed his forehead before disappearing again. The muted soundof her voice as she spoke to him.

He couldn’thear it. Not past the panic.

He dropped hisgaze to his hand, the thick heavy cast concealing the sutures underit. Three pins and a metal plate in his hand. Six weeks in a cast,physical therapy afterward.

May losedexterity.

May experiencenumbness.

The surgeon’svoice in his head egged the panic on. Made it bigger. Brighter.

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