Page 136 of Haunted
Chapter 32
Robert rested his head against the back of the chair, his eyes closed.
Watching the clock didn’t help. Neither did staring at the door to Diana’s room.
She’ll be fine. I know she will.
She had to be.
He opened his eyes at the sound of approaching footsteps. Toby looked like he felt, so Robert was awfully glad there were no mirrors in the room.
He straightened. “Hey. What are they all doing?”
“Sitting on the patio, not touching a bite of food, and waiting for news,” Toby told him. He glanced at the vacant chair next to Robert. “Where’s Newt?”
“Gone to get coffee.” Robert was grateful for the respite. He’d thoughthewas taking the news kinda hard—Newt was a mess, and then some. Then again, Newt didn’t have someone to lean on.
Toby was a rock, and Robert leaned on him because he knew Toby could take whatever Robert threw at him.
Right then he was throwing atonof emotional debris.
“How are you doing?” Toby sat beside him, his hand on Robert’s neck.
God, he loved it when Toby did that. Sex was always goddamn amazing, but this touch, the feel of his hand on Robert’s neck, away from all the sex, the role-plays… As much as Robert loved all of that, those quiet moments between Dom and Sub?
He loved them more.
He focused on that touch, Toby’s reminder that he was not alone in this.
“I’ve been better,” he admitted. “The hardest part is the waiting.” He stilled as a nurse passed them and went into the room, closing the door behind them. When a doctor passed them a minute later, heading in the same direction, Robert knew something was going on.
“Was that the doctor I saw a second ago?” Newt walked briskly toward them, holding a tray with three cups sat in it.
“Yeah. He’s in there now.” Robert sent up another silent prayer.
The door opened again, and the nurse emerged.
“Mr. Webster? Your wife is awake.”
Newt deposited the tray on the chair, and hurried into the room.
The nurse gave Robert a warm smile. “You can come in too, Mr. Thorston. And your… partner.”
Robert was off his chair in a heartbeat, Toby following.
The room was dark but for the lights that illuminated the bed. Diana was pale, and there were bandages on her face. Her arm was in a cast. Then he realized something.
There were no bandages around her head.
Newt bent down to kiss her. “She looks so small,” he murmured.
Robert came around to the other side of the bed. “I thought you said she was awake.”
“She came round, but now she’s sleeping,” the nurse told him. “Right now her condition is guarded but stable.”
Newt sat in the chair next to her bed, holding her hand. “When will she be allowed home, doc?”
“What’s the verdict, doctor?” Robert kept up a silent litany, hoping for good news.
