Page 76 of Under the Radar
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Mac leaned against a marble pillar in his living room, staring at the panoramic night skyline of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Mo had passed out cold in his arms on the water ride back to Baltimore. He’d had no choice but to turn her care over to the military doctor and nurses onboard The Liberty.
She’d been sleeping for almost two days—with the help of a sedative and round the clock nurses. Her injuries included a broken wrist, an orbital fracture, and a mild concussion. Turned out that when she fell on the sundeck of the yacht with Hadley’s weight on top of her, she’d taken a monumental body blow.
Mac had been with her ever since. Pacing, napping in a chair, and holding her hand as she slept. Mooney’s crew still manned security in the building and outside the penthouse door. The doctors would’ve preferred to have her in the hospital, but there was no telling if Hadley’s unsavory connections meant to show up looking for her. Everyone was safer here.
“Don’t give me any more of that stuff! Get away from me. Where’s Mac? No, I will not sit down and relax. Mac?” Something in the master bedroom landed with a thud. “That was my fault, I’m so sorry. Mac?”
He turned and found Mo hobbling up the hallway dragging a pole with fluids and monitors. She was a vision of attitude with wild hair, an arm cast, and his bedroom slippers. Mo Reardon was never more beautiful.
“There you are. Please tell my nurse that I don’t want any more of that ‘happy go-night-night’ medicine. I’m fine. Look at me.” Mo winced as she held out her arms and the hospital gown fell open. A small smile flitted across her face. “Well, I’ve been better dressed, but I’ll remedy that after a shower.” She placed her good hand on a hip and waved at the nurse with her casted hand. “Please, please, disconnect me from this rolling laboratory. I’m begging you.”
Mac caught the nurse’s eye and raised his eyebrows.
“I’ll need to call the doctor and obtain permission,” the nurse said. “I’ll call him right now.” She ducked into the dining room.
Mo called after her. “Please tell him that if you can’t take the needles out of my arm, I’m going to do it myself.” She lifted her chin and nailed Mac with a teasing gray stare. “Or better yet, I won’t let Mac see me naked again unless he takes them out,” she muttered.
Mac grinned. Mo out of bed made his world right again. He strode over and tucked a couple loose hair strands behind her ear before tying the hospital gown shut. All he wanted to do was hold her tight. But all those bruises. “How are you feeling, beautiful?”
“I have no idea how I feel because I’m stoked with medication, but I’m hungry. Really hungry. No more medicines unless I ask for them, please. I need to process, do something normal, take a bath, and get dressed. Will you let the nurse go home so I can take a bath and get dressed?” She ran her good hand through her hair. “Ugh—disgusting.”
“Let’s compromise, honey. You need a full-on shower and climbing in and out of the tub will probably hurt more than it’s worth.” He bent and whispered in her ear. “I’ll get in the shower with you and wash your hair.”
She looked into his eyes and grinned. “Oh, thank you.” She rested her head and good hand on his chest. “I had the strangest dreams about my parents. Do they know I’m okay?”
“Yes. They left a little while ago.” Nicest people ever. Wouldn’t be a hardship to have them as in-laws.
She rubbed her forehead and frowned. “Maybe that’s why I dreamed about them. And Tia, was she here too? I had a real doozy dream about her being pregnant. Everybody’s alright?”
“Yes, and they’ll be thrilled to know you’re up and on the mend.” But this particular scene was for his heart only. He’d treasure it the rest of his life.
Her brow furrowed. “How long have I been out?”
“Almost two days.” Two. Freaking. Excruciating. Days.
Mo nodded before the color drained from her face. “Is Hadley still locked up?”
“Sure is. He’s been moved to a prison hospital.” Mac grabbed a straight-back chair from the kitchen table. “Sit down for a couple minutes, honey.”
“Why? I’m not tired.”
“I know. I want you to sit down because you’re all charged-up, and it’ll be easier for the nurse to remove the needles if you’re sitting still. Plus, you need something to eat before you run out of steam.” He cupped her elbow, made sure she sat, and poured her a glass of orange juice.
“Good news,” the nurse announced as she joined them in the kitchen. “Doc says we can remove the monitors and everything.” She looked directly at Mac. “He’ll stop by in the morning to check her vitals and said he trusts you with her care tonight. I’ll leave the medications and recovery instructions on the kitchen counter. Medical supply place will stop by and pick up all the equipment in a day or two.”
And then she smiled at Mo. “Let’s get you unhooked, Miss Reardon.”
* * *
Mo gasped when she saw herself in the bathroom mirror.
“Don’t worry, cupcake, it’s all going to heal.” Mac slowly undid her hospital gown and started the shower jets. He backed in first to take the force of the water as she held his hand and stepped in after him.
Every part of her body hurt. Some of the bruises were the size of lemons, and her body was an advertisement for multi-colored butterfly bandages. At a loss for anything remotely upbeat to say, she leaned back against Mac’s chest as he wet her hair and added shampoo.
“Mac?” She may as well address the big soap bubble in the room.