“All of these injuries are from the night of the explosion?” she asked.
“Yes.”
She made a soft tsking sound. “You took quite a hit.”
“I was lucky,” I assured her, our gazes locked.
With a slow nod, she said, “You were. I understand the owner of the hotel didn’t—”
“I’m having a bit of trouble with morning sickness,” I interjected, not able to hear the words that were about to come out of her mouth regarding Dane. “I can’t keep anything down and I’m losing weight, not gaining.”
“That’s not a pleasant pallor you have, either.”
“I sleep, but … not really. I wake up constantly and then I just lay there, stressing about everything.” I didn’t tell her about the nightmares, which were no longer of scorpions and rattlesnakes but of the blast at the Lux and all that bomb had destroyed—much more than just a building.
“That’s not good. For you or the baby.” She patted the exam table and said, “Why don’t you have a seat and we’ll see what’s what. Do you have your records from the ER?”
“Yes. And from my stay at the hospital.”
She crooked a brow. “How long were you there?”
“A week. I was pretty out of it at first. And they wanted to monitor the baby.”
“But they cleared you to leave.”
“Dr. Lindsey said everything’s fine. And it was at first. But then I started vomiting. It lasts into the day. Sometimes happens at night, after I’ve eaten. I’m afraid I’m not getting the right nutrients to the baby, but I can’t get in to see someone until next week. I don’t want to wait that long.”
With a delicate smile, she said, “You won’t have to. I have contracts with a number of specialists. One happens to be a fantastic OB-GYN in Scottsdale. I can arrange to have her come up routinely. I can also treat the morning sickness.”
“I’m nonstop nauseous.”
“We’ll do something about that. I have several natural remedies, herbs, teas. I believe in a holistic approach to healing. Including the mind and spirit. Helps to keep the body strong.”
I cringed. She was one of the New Agers. She didn’t want to know how damaged my mind and my spirit were. But I’d come willingly to her, so I’d try to be open to her skill set, the tools and teas in her medical bag.
She recorded my vitals and noted my blood pressure was low. I told her that was a change from when I was in the hospital. She wasn’t happy with my weight but kept the optimistic smile on her face. Then she showed me around the house, telling me there were always at least two chefs in the kitchen from five in the morning until ten at night. There were two TV rooms and a study. Plus physical rehabilitation facilities.
On the west side of the house were the empty accommodations for me. A lovely space with lots of windows that overlooked a secluded courtyard.
“Security is of utmost importance,” Dr. Stevens told me. “There’s one guard inside at all times, and others patrol the grounds and monitor the electronic surveillance of the perimeter.”
I thought of the people who’d decimated the Lux and wondered if they took an interest in my whereabouts. I doubted they could find me here, yet was relieved I’
d be behind monitored gates and walls.
Dr. Stevens further explained that only the security guards answered the front door. I was safer here than at the house, I surmised, even with Dane’s state-of-the-art system. His property wasn’t patrolled or manned. Not without Amano.
Then again, 10,000 Lux had been well protected and someone had been able to fuck things up there, not to mention kidnap me.
I shuddered. It was no wonder I remained tense. I hadn’t exactly been leading a normal life as of late.
Still … I’d give anything to get it back—my life with Dane, that was.
I collected my belongings from Kyle and settled in. There were forms to fill out and, despite my being Kyle’s friend, Security performed a background check. I contacted Mr. Conaway to have Dane’s accountant set up wire transfers to Dr. Stevens’s practice, under my maiden name. I had no intention of spilling the beans now on my marriage to Dane.
Then I drank some tea and slept.
* * *