Chapter 88

“I know it hurts, ssh,” Eli whispered gently, as a nurse appeared. “He’s in pain, I think,” he told her.

She started fussing with the drip.

“D’n’t…D’nny, where’s D’nny…”

“Danny’s gone home to get some sleep and a shower,” Eli said. “He’s alright.”

“‘N’ you?”

“I’m alright, too—everyone’s fine. Everyone’s fine, babe, you’re the only one who got hurt. I’m fine, Danny’s fine, Jen’s fine…”

The more he talked, the calmer Rob seemed to get—or maybe that was the nurse dialling up his drugs. Either way, awake and making sense was more than Eli had hoped for, so he petted and murmured until the anxious twist to Rob’s expression began to fade. When Eli took his hand, those thick fingers closed like a trap, strong in spite of the weakness in the rest of him.

“I’m here,” Eli crooned. “I’m here, savage.”