Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
“She’s just getting over strep throat. Could she have some ice chips?” Zale asked.
“Daniel, go grab her some ice,” the doctor instructed. “I don’t want you to stress your throat. Whisper to us.”
“Okay. I’m sorry, Daddy.” She needed him to know that.
“Pippa, you are not to blame here. Going for a walk shouldn’t endanger you. Tell us how he hurt you,” Zale urged.
She could hear the anguish in his voice. The nurse returned with some ice and spooned a few nuggets into her mouth. Pippa celebrated the coolness on her parched throat before whispering, “He dragged me to his car. I tried everything to stop from getting in there. Finally, I clung to a mailbox at the curb. He—he kicked me. I don’t remember anything after that.”
“You were so smart to fight, kitten. You gave the police time to get to you. The neighbor called for help when she heard the ruckus,” Zale told her.
“Where did he kick you, Pippa?” the doctor asked.
“In my ribs, back, and head. I must have passed out. I don’t know anything else.”
“We’re going to check everything out. Just relax, Pippa. You’re here and safe. If I’m not mistaken, this buff soldier is going with you everywhere. I’m not going to try to take you out of his sight,” Dr. Abbott told her.
“Thank you.” The adrenaline evaporated from her, leaving her exhausted.
“I need to check you over. I’ll try not to hurt you,” the doctor told her.
Pippa gritted her teeth as he pushed back her eyelids to flash a light in her eyes and performed his exam. She knew he was trying to be careful, but every inch of her body seemed to hurt.
“Sorry, Pippa. That wasn’t comfortable. A quick trip to the imaging center and I’ll have some answers for you. So far, things are looking much better than they could be. I’m going to order a mild pain reliever to help as your bed rolls upstairs.”
Zale moved back by her bed as they waited for transport. The nurse returned with a syringe and injected it in Pippa’s IV. Pippa exhaled strongly as the medicine flowed through her veins a bit later. “Better.”
“Just relax, little girl. They’re taking good care of you.”
“I’m so glad you’re here. Do you know what happened after I passed out?”
“Do you want to talk about that later?”
“No, now. Please tell me he can’t come get me,” she begged.
“He can’t come get you, kitten. He was shot in the skirmish with the police,” Zale told her.
“It wasn’t Scroggins. Or at least not the same one I met earlier.” How many guys were after her?
“We’re going to figure this out, kitten. For now, getting you checked out is the most important thing.”
“I’m here to take Pippa up to imaging,” a voice from the doorway announced.
“You’re coming, too?” Pippa pleaded.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Zale assured her.
As they reached the hallway, Pippa stopped trying to force her swollen eyelids open to see their path. The motion made her ill, and the bright glare of the overhead lights made her head throb. She knew she could rely on Zale to keep her safe.
CHAPTER 17
They’d kept her overnight for observation, but between the testing and the police interview, Pippa hadn’t gotten much sleep. Zale either. A lack of Zs wouldn’t slow him down for a while. For Pippa, however, pain, trauma, and the need for rest combined to make her feel even worse. It took all he had inside not to snap at the tech who’d come in to draw her blood just as Pippa had gotten to sleep.
Thank goodness all the tests had come back without fractures, brain swelling, or internal damages. The bruising was horrendous. She was already turning black and blue. Pippa had flinched at each bump in the road on the way home. Zale hated causing her pain—even unintentionally.
He had her home now, where he could take care of her. While she slept in her crib with Toothie, he’d spent time on the phone lining up current and former soldier buddies to be his backup during the day when he had to go back to work.
Zale ran a hand through his buzzed hair in relief. He’d even set up someone to call to organize around the clock coverage for her if his team was activated. People who served in the military were bonded in a way civilians couldn’t understand. When a call for assistance went out, his brothers and sisters at arms responded just like he would for them.
He called the director of the daycare last. She’d expressed concern for Pippa and wanted to work with her as much as possible. Concerned about how battered she would appear, the coordinator wanted to avoid scaring the children. Zale hated that this was a consideration, but understood.
To the boss’s credit, she offered to work with Pippa to reintroduce her when Pippa was physically capable of the duties in caring for toddlers. Pippa’s boss had also suggested that they had office work that needed handling and perhaps she could be on light duty while she recovered. Zale knew his Little would jump at the opportunity to do this. She was worried about the hospital bills, even with her insurance. Together, they’d tackle the finances. Pippa would understand at some point that she was not alone. It just hadn’t registered fully that he considered her his.