Page 110 of Barinov

“She meant to say please,” Haley adds sweetly.

The door swings open. I try to sit up again but a bolt of pain shoots through my shoulder, locking me in place.

“Glad to see you’re awake,” a tall man in a lab coat says, flipping my chart open as he approaches. “How are you feeling?”

“Like someone plugged a fucking car battery into my shoulder,” I mutter. “And then ran over my leg for the hell of it.”

He chuckles under his breath. “Fair enough.”

“How bad is it?” I ask, my teeth clenched.

“We won’t know for sure until the full extent of the swelling comes down, but based on the scans, you’re one lucky man. Vitals look good. No permanent damage or any signs of infection that I can see. You’ll be sore for a while. You had some minor nerve issues, but it was mostly your muscles that took the biggest hit.”

“When can he come home?” Ellie’s voice blurts out from the speaker.

The doctor cocks a glance down at the phone. “The wife?”

“Eww, disgusting!” Ellie immediately fires back. “More like the loving sister-in-law.”

He smiles, amused. “Let’s keep him overnight just to be safe. I want to take another look at that shoulder in the morning. If it all still looks good, he’ll be free to go.”

“Thank you, doctor,” Cade says, his voice thick with relief as he extends a hand. “For everything.”

“Yes, thank you so much!” the girls yell from the phone.

“You’re welcome.” The doc nods, giving me one more glance. “I’ll need you to keep that sling on for a few weeks and I’ve already sent word to a physical therapist in New York. She’ll be expecting you once you get back.”

“Physical therapy,” I groan, slumping further into the pillows. “Are you fuck—”

“He’ll be there,” Cade cuts in, glaring down at me. “Thanks again, doc.”

“Rest up,” the doctor says to me as he nears the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Once the door closes, Cade picks up the phone. “Alright, girls. I’ll call you in the morning.”

“Don’t forget,” Ellie warns.

“We love you guys!” Haley adds.

“Love you too,” Cade says, smiling faintly before ending the call.

“I’m not going to see some fucking physical therapist, Cade.”

“Yes you are,” he bites back.

“No. I’m not. End of story.”

“Lex!” Cade snaps, slamming the phone on the bed. “You almost bled out in front of me in that ring. If the doc says that’s what you need then you’re going. Fuck, I almost watched you—” he stops himself, dragging a hand down his face.

“It’s just,” he breathes, leaning in. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.”

“I’ll try not to,” I whisper.

“I’m serious,” he warns, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “I thought I lost you.”

I reach up, dragging my fingertips along the sharp line of his jaw. “I’m sorry, babe.”

“I know.” He sniffles, pulling back slightly and brushing a thumb across my cheekbone. “You want me to get you something to eat? I need to go update the guys out there.”