It feels so right being in his arms—it’s as though this is exactly where I’m meant to be.
Seventeen
Kayden
After placing Dani in the passenger seat, I round the truck to find Dani pinning me with a suspicious glare when I climb back in. Her eyebrows pull down as though she’s trying to figure out a really hard riddle. I start the truck, wary of the glances she throws my way as I drive, eventually forcing me to break the silence.
“What’s wrong, spitfire?”
“I don’t know, yet. I’ll let you know once I figure it out.”
I suspect she’s starting to put the pieces together about how I knew to come to her apartment, but maybe doesn’t want to know the answers or talk about it. Some people would rather act blind to the truth than face what is right in front of them.
“You just let me know when you want to talk about it.”
I look over at her, notice her side-eyeing me, and chuckle to myself as I shake my head. She’s a smart one, that’s for sure.
Twenty minutes later we pull up to Eden. The warehouse itself looks like shit from the outside, but inside is a state of the art facility. I employ one doctor, Dr. Crawford, to treat all our patients alongside his nurses, Evelyn and Maria.
Dr. Crawford was instrumental in the rescue of Emilia, Dani, and the rest of the women in the Romani house three yearsago, and he was determined to do something meaningful with his retirement. Our therapist, Jackie, works with Dr. Crawford to treat the survivors when they arrive. She’s a hardass, but at the same time one of the sweetest people I know. How that combination works, I have no idea, but she pulls it off.
Parking near the entrance, I go around the truck and open Dani’s door. Just as she takes off her seatbelt, the door to Eden swings open, revealing Dr. Crawford. He comes to my side, taking in Dani’s injuries as she climbs down from the truck. She stumbles as she lands on her feet, the jarring motion triggering the pain in her back. I catch her before she falls on her face, her quiet thanks left in the space between us.
“Hello, Kayden,” he greets warmly. “Let’s see here… I never forget a face. Hello, Jess.”
“That’s not my name anymore,” she protests quietly.
“Apologies, my dear. What should I call you?”
“Dani is fine.”
“Alright, Dani. Come inside and let’s get you looked at.”
I turn toward Dr. Crawford. “She has significant bruising starting over her right kidney. I suspect a kidney contusion but not sure if it’s something worse.”
“Well, I can say if it’s something worse she must have a very high pain tolerance. Most patients that have a lacerated kidney can’t walk at all. Her chances that it’s just bruising seem to be in her favor. But nonetheless, let’s get her inside for a CT and see what we find.”
“Sure thing, Doc.”
Turning to Dani, I scoop her up into my arms again. She can probably walk, but I’m a selfish bastard—I’ll take any excuse to hold her in my arms.
Once inside, Dani looks around, taking everything in. Our facility has definitely made some improvements since she was last here. Eden has a large, open, central area that is for theintake of new patients, with rows of beds covered in white sheets and pillows. The warehouse houses a cafeteria, an imaging room with the latest technology, a large wash room with private shower stalls and toilets, numerous rooms for storage, a library, an indoor playground for the kids, and an entertainment room. There are also private patient rooms available once victims are medically cleared. The warehouse has everything a person could possibly need in those first few months that they spend here.
We leave the intake area and head to imaging. Dr. Crawford instructs me to help Dani undress—with her permission of course. Both our nurses are off for the evening, so I get to be the assistant for the time being. Not that I’d want it any other way, regardless.
I bring Dani to the changing room, helping her get out of her shorts and her tank top. Handing her the gown, I help her tie the back before turning her around to face me.
“Kayden…” Tears build in her eyes.
“What’s wrong, spitfire?”
“I don’t know. It’s just a lot being back here. Remembering those first few weeks, being at my lowest. It’s just hard.”
“Hey, it’s OK,” I say as I pull her in gently to wrap my arms around her and tuck her head under my chin. “You’re safe now, and that’s all that matters. That fucker is going to get what’s coming to him, though.”
“Thanks, Kayden.”
“Anytime. Let’s say we get this CT out of the way, and then we can get you some food. You need it after everything that happened. And I distinctly remember hearing your stomach growl on the way here.”
