“I’m going to check your stitches now.” Doctor Mattias lifted my shirt, bunching it up under my breasts.
I glanced down to find black stitches marring the right side of my stomach. Was that going to leave a scar? Closing my eyes, I let my head fall back against the pillow.
“It’s healing nicely,” she said, pulling my shirt back down. “They should be able to come out in another couple days. In the meantime, try not to scratch them, okay? And keep them covered when you shower.”
I nodded.
Doctor Mattias packed everything back into her medical bag, and then she sat in the chair Trent had pulled up. “Now, tell me how you’re really doing.”
“What?” I jerked my head in her direction and stared at her with confusion.
“What do you remember about what happened?”
“Not much. I remember being in pain. A lot of pain. I tried to go to the bathroom and collapsed. Next thing I know, I hear you and everyone else talking about me,” I said.
Her brows shot up. “You heard us?”
“Yes. I heard everything, but I couldn’t respond. I wanted to, but it was like my body was paralyzed.”
“Fascinating,” she said, smiling. “Do you have a headache? Any throbbing in your temples or the base of your neck?”
“No. Other than being sore and stiff, I feel fine.”
“Good.” She nodded. “You’re lucky to have so many people who love you.” She inclined her head toward the closed door. “If it hadn’t been for them, you probably wouldn’t be here right now.”
“They are pretty great.” I sighed. “But, if you’re human, how do you know about them?”
She laughed. “It’s a long, complicated story, but let’s just say I had an encounter with a vampire once, and my life was turned upside down. I helped him, and then he called me to help others like him. Word spread about the human doctor who helped vampires. From there, I branched out, and now, I help all sorts of supernatural beings.”
“Wow. Well, thank you for saving my life,” I said.
“Of course.” She smiled, then stood. “I’ll be back in a couple of days to check on you and remove your stitches. Until then, I want you to rest. No strenuous physical activity, drink lots of water, and no sex until those stitches come out.” She pointed at me to emphasize her last point.
My face heated with embarrassment. It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her I wasn’t having sex, but in the grand scheme of things, that really didn’t matter.
“If you get a fever, call immediately. Trent knows how to reach me.”
I nodded.
“I’ll see you in a few days.” She headed for the door.
“Thank you,” I said before she opened the door and walked out. Trent and Jax may have acted quickly, but it was Doctor Mattias who saved my life.
Trent entered the room, alone, and closed the door. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, I’m healing nicely according to Doctor Mattias.” I smiled.
Trent climbed into bed and cradled me in his arms. “You scared me, Chloe. I thought I was going to lose you.”
I’d heard him talking to me, too, and the fear I’d heard in his voice then was present now. My heart splintered knowing I was the cause of his pain and fear. When would I stop hurting him like this? When would I stop being a selfish coward and just make a decision that would end all this misery?
“You didn’t lose me, though. I’m right here,” I said.
“Yeah, but it was close. Too close.” He frowned.
“Don’t think about what could have happened. Focus on what did happen. I pulled through, and now I’m fine,” I insisted.
He trailed his fingers down my arm but remained silent.
I shifted as best I could and found his lips. He swept his hand along the side of my neck and drew me closer as he kissed me slowly. But he held back as if he were suddenly afraid to kiss me, and it was then I knew—Trent was pulling away from me emotionally. I knew that clear to my soul, and my heart broke.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE:
R&R
“I REALLY NEED A SHOWER.” I sat up. “And food.” My stomach grumbled, reminding me I hadn’t eaten anything on my own in almost a week.
“Do you need help getting in the shower?” Trent asked.
I grinned seductively. “Maybe.”
He barely cracked a smile.
I frowned. What was up with him? I gently eased out of bed and stood. My knees shook slightly, probably because I’d been bedridden for so long, but I took a tentative step. Then another. My legs didn’t give out, so that was a good sign. And my ankle no longer hurt, either. That was a bonus.
Trent was next to me in a flash, his hands poised to catch me should I fall. “You good?”
“Yes.” I laughed.
His concern was endearing, but if he kept up like this, it was going to quickly become too much.
“What would you like to eat?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Maybe some French toast?” My mouth watered just thinking about it.
“Okay.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I’ll have it ready for you when you get out of the shower. Call for me if you need anything, all right?”
I nodded.
Trent left the room, and I hobbled into the bathroom. Large gauze pads and waterproof medical tape sat atop the sink. I guessed I was supposed to use those to cover my stitches when I showered.
I stripped out of my pajamas and grimaced when I lifted my arms to remove my top. The skin around my stitches stretched, causing pain to ripple across my stomach. Okay, so I couldn’t lift my arms over my head.
After bandaging my wound, I stepped into a hot shower and groaned with
