Page 85 of Surrender (Angels Halo MC Next Gen)

“Sister?” Samara repeated, her voice turning icy. “Who said I was hissister?”

“Umm…” Dr. Hollis glanced from me, to Dad, to Samara, then back to me.

“I told them you were my daughter, Sammy,” Dad explained. He rolled his eyes at the doctor. “She’s my daughter-in-law, actually.”

Tears filled Samara’s eyes. “Really?”

Dad patted her arm, but he looked a little panicked at the sight of her tears. “Really, Sammy. Don’t cry, girl. Elias will kick my ass. Worse, Jos will help him. You just close your eyes and rest now. That headache must be agony.”

“I won’t let them hurt you,” she promised with a sniffle. “I always wanted to be your daughter-in-law. I love your family so much. I’d take a bullet for any of you. Please, can I be your daughter-in-law for real?”

Dad’s eyes misted, and he leaned closer to her. “Of course you can, Sammy. Always knew it would happen one day.”

Hope lit her face when she looked at me, making it difficult for me to swallow around the lump of emotion trying to choke me. “Really? Can we?”

Carefully picking up her hand that had an IV in the back of it, I bent until I could kiss her knuckles. I was ready to call a minister and say our vows then and there, but I wanted her to be completely clearheaded when I made her my wife. “We’ll talk about it as soon as we get out of here, baby girl.”

“But Daddy, I wanna—”

Dr. Hollis cleared her throat loudly. I straightened to give her my attention, but I kept a gentle hold on Samara’s hand. “As I was saying, I would like to keep Sammy overnight for observation. Concussions are tricky, and one this extreme needs to be monitored.”

“I don’t want to stay here,” Samara complained, glaring at the doctor. “I don’t like hospitals. Or strangers touching me. And she keeps looking at you like she’s thirsty, Daddy. If she licks her lips one more time, I’m going to stab her in the eye with a scalpel.”

With her vision all blurry, I didn’t think Samara saw more than a silhouette of the doctor, so how she could see the other woman licking her lips, I wasn’t sure. I hadn’t noticed her doing it until Samara mentioned it.

Heat filled the doctor’s face, but she powered through her embarrassment. “She should stay a minimum of twenty-four hours. Then we will reassess. She will also need to take things easy for a while. Plenty of rest.”

I nodded my understanding. “I’ll make sure she stays off her feet.”

“But I have projects to finish,” Samara argued. “And I need to check on Abi. Wait, where is my phone? I saw Professor Vaughn on one of the cameras, and I—”

I shot her a look that had her mouth snapping shut. “I will send someone over to check on Abi with a pint of soup tomorrow. Right now, you are my only priority.”

“But Abi—”

Dad shook his head at her. “I wouldn’t try to provoke him right now if I were you, Sammy. He’s got that look in his eyes his momma gets when she goes all feral on me.”

The door flew open, and Mom came in, her face pale, her eyes full of tears and fear and rage. “Why didn’t anyone tell me what was going on?” she demanded, brushing past the doctor to get to Samara on Dad’s side of the bed.

Sitting on the edge of the small mattress, she grabbed Samara’s hand, her damp eyes scanning over Sammy’s face. “How are you feeling?”

“I see two of you, Jos,” she said with a tiny tilt of her lips. “But Tanner called me his daughter-in-law, so I’m having the best day ever.”

Mom tucked a few strands of hair behind Samara’s ear, being careful with the knot on her head and the gash that had butterfly stitches holding it together. “Your pupils are all wonky.” She spared the doctor a glance. “What do we know?”

“Severe concussion,” Dr. Hollis supplied. “I recommend overnight observation and lots of rest.”

“Have you given her anything for the pain?”

“I don’t need anything,” Samara said, leaning into Mom’s hand that was still lingering on her cheek. “Elias is here, so I’m not hurting. Your hands are cold. They feel good.”

“I’ll have the nurse bring her an injection for the pain,” Dr. Hollis offered. “And an ice pack.”

Samara’s lashes lifted, disgust scrunching her face when she looked at the doctor. “Didn’t I just say I don’t need anything for pain? My vision might be a little off, but my memory is just fine. If you or anyone else attempts to give me an injection, I’ll stab you in the—”

“She won’t be needing anything for the discomfort,” Mom interrupted, causing Dad to hide his laugh with a cough.

Dr. Hollis didn’t appear to take Samara’s unfinished threat seriously, and if she did, there was no obvious fear in her demeanor. “We should have a room ready for her soon. Unfortunately, visiting hours are already over. Once she’s moved upstairs, none of you will be able to go with her.”

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