Page 38 of The Hunt

“What about that guy?” Chad asked as one of Genny’s little nurse friends Chloe came in—seconds in front of that damned Mandy Kirby. “Kirby, you’re not needed.”

He never had liked that woman, and she wasn’t taking responsibility for one minute of Genny’s care. He’d tell her that to her face, if needed, too.

“Guys, I’m okay. He just kicked me. I grew up with seven siblings—I’ve been kicked before.”

“None of them kicked you in the chest,” Chad had to point out.

“I’ve fought with my sisters, you know. Well, before Greer got bigger than me.”

“Like when she was six?”

“Ha-ha.” But she winced.

“You’re heading up to radiology,” Caine said, firmly. “I saw what happened, kid. You went airborne for a minute there.”

“I’ve always wanted to fly.” But she was holding her side, and gasping.

“Genny, humor us. You know the hospital attorney will insist on it, anyway,” Chad said. If she tried to get off that table one more time, he was going to strap her down himself.

She looked down where the bastard had connected. “He ripped my favorite top. Jerk.”

She would be okay, Chad knew that. They were in the damned hospital where she’d get immediate treatment. Still, he wanted to make sure.

Within fifteen minutes they had her on her way up to radiology. Another fifteen minutes after that—being injured on hospital premises got you moved up the list—and it was as they’d suspected.

Small fractures in two different ribs, and she’d have some nasty bruises in the morning. Tissue damage around her lung. She’d be hurting tonight, but it could have been a whole lot worse.

She was going to be just fine eventually.

Chad swung by the small hospital pharmacy, while she was with a few of the nurses. They were helping her change into some clean scrubs and just fussing over her a little. Giving her an update on Aubrey. Aubrey would have some bruises and be a bit sore, too, but she hadn’t taken the worst of it. Genny had. And her friends wanted to take care of her now.

Genny was extremely well-liked at BCGH.

He filled her prescription for a few days’ worth of pain pills and muscle relaxers. And was waiting by the door when Caine wheeled her out. Caine was fussing, too. The man liked to fuss over his people—even though Chad suspected Caine would never admit it.

Caine was a damned good chief of medicine—even if his father-in-law did own the hospital.

“My truck is parked by the side door, Caine,” Chad said. He shot her a look when she would have protested. “I’m going to take care of you tonight. From what I heard, your mother’s at the house right now watching Calvin. Gene was taking Chantal todinner in Finley Creek tonight. Do you really want your mother to know you were hurt?”

He’d play whatever cards he had to. Genny’s mother was seriously obnoxious when one of her daughters was hurt.

“You are an evil, evil man, Chadwick Leopold.”

“When it comes to you, my thoughts are definitely not angelic. You’re just going to have to get used to that, sweetheart.”

Caine made a small choking sound behind them. Genny shot their boss a glare. “You behave. I suspect you’re just as much a leopard as he is.”

“I’ve been told I’m more of a dragon, actually. Here you go,” Caine said, wheeling her to the truck.

Chad just lifted her in and closed the door. He had her where he wanted her. But this had not been part of his plans.

“Take care of her, Fields. She’s one in a million.”

“I’ll do that.”

“I don’t think you’ll ever regret it,” Caine said, just as his wife called his name from the parking lot, all five of their kids right there with her.

That.That look in Caine’s eyes was exactly what Chad wanted for himself.