“Her dad would’ve said somethin’ if it was bad, bro,” Cody moved away from the window he’d stared out of and squeezed Reece’s shoulder.
It wasn’t the answer he wanted to hear right now. He needed a distraction, or go bat shit crazy and probably annoy his family. “I need air.”
“Go take a walk and cool off,” Cody said. “We’ll get Prisha ready.”
He glanced up at his brother.Yep.The cold air outside would help.
Chapter Twenty Nine
Reece raced up thestairs and slammed through the entrance doors of the Umhlanga Hospital. His heart remained a steady harsh beat since he stepped on the plane to South Africa. But now, so loud and fast, it left him unsettled. The clinical smell of antiseptic and bleach seized his nostrils with a sickening contrast to the salty freshness of the coastline air outside. His stomach turned. The room spun. He blinked hard then forced his frazzled mind to focus as Samantha came up behind him.
She’d left Cody to park the rental. Samantha’s mother had offered to keep an excited Prisha with her at home. Reece struggled to calm his chaotic mind, what good would he be to the little girl. Miraculously, the child agreed to stay when she’d discovered a new friend: Snowball, Samantha’s cat.
Now, he stood in the foyer, unsure of his next move. For all the fuss he’d created on the trip here, he remained seriously lost with no handle on the reality he’d soon face.Get a grip, man. He sucked in a deep breath—this wasn’t the time to lose it.
“Aria’s okay, Reece,” his sister-in-law whispered as though she sensed his inner turmoil. “There’s Papa. C’ mon.” Samantha rubbed his shoulder lightly.
Reece shoved aside the clawing darkness of not knowing and fixed his gaze on the tall man walking in their direction.
Samantha greeted her father with a kiss to his cheek, then turned. “Papa, you remember Reece.”
The older man nodded. Reece accepted his hand in a quick shake. “Mr. Harman.”
“How is she, Papa?”
At his daughter’s question, the old man offered a gentle smile. “The wound was deep, and she lost a lot of blood. Twenty four double stitches. Fortunately, no major organs were damaged.”
A shudder ripped through Reece.Twenty-four stitches. Goddamit.“Where is she?” His patience wore thin. “I have to see her.”
“Two floors up,” said Mr. Harman. “You can’t see her, though. The hospital has strict rules about visiting hours.”
“I don’t care. I’ve got to see her now,” Reece barely managed to keep from shouting.
“Deven.” His brother arrived and shook his father-in-law’s hand then turned toward Reece. “You’ll see her soon, bro.”
“The doctor sedated her, son,” Samantha’s father consoled. “After surgery, she had nightmares and became a little unsettled.”
