Page 41 of Beautiful Trauma (The Irish Rogues #5)

A s I started coming into consciousness, I relished the feeling of being without searing pain.

Wait, if I wasn’t in pain, I had to be dead.

The last thing I remembered was Mila trying to save me from the torture chamber.

But then there was an enormous man coming towards me while Mila begged for my life.

No, no, no!

I couldn’t be dead. I didn’t want to leave Mila. She needed me, and I needed her.

“Kellan?” a voice called.

I snapped my eyes open and then immediately closed them back as the fluorescent light burned my retinas. Fluttering my eyelids, I finally opened them again. “Oh my God! Are you awake?”

I tilted my head to the side to see Mila staring wide-eyed at me. “You’re safe,” I pronounced.

She grinned. “I am. And so are you.”

My gaze flickered around the room. “Where am I?”

“The Caruso’s hospital bay.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes, Callum arranged it all.”

I grunted. “I’m sure he’s standing by to say he told me so.”

Mila laughed. “He is in the hallway, but I think he’s just so glad you’re all right.”

“He’s outside?”

She nodded. “All your brothers are. They’ve been waiting for you to wake up.”

“How long have I been out?”

“About twelve hours.”

“Jaysus.”

With a sad look, Mila said, “Your body had been through so much trauma, so the doctors sedated you for a while to help you heal.”

“What’s the damage?”

“Thankfully, no broken bones. But your back is a mess from the…” Mila couldn’t bring herself to say the word whip. “You’ll be bandaged for the next ten days. I think Caterina is going to take care of changing them, so you don’t have to worry about getting a nurse.”

“Anything else?”

Oh, you also have some bruised ribs and whether you needed one of your kidneys removed was an issue at first.”

I groaned. “Can’t say I’m surprised about that since the bastards used a pipe on my lower back.”

Mila winced in pain. “I can’t believe Dima oversaw your torture,” she whispered.

“I can, and it’s not about him believing I crippled him.”

“What do you mean?”

“He thinks I brainwashed you into turning against him and your family.”

“What?”

I nodded. “He doesn’t believe I could truly care for you or that you could care for me.”

“How could he possibly think that?”

With a shrug, I replied, “Maybe he’s never experienced falling for someone.”

“I don’t think that he has,” she lamented.

“If he had, he would understand caring for someone enough that you would die for them.”

“I know,” she murmured. With a sigh, she said, “Let’s not talk about him anymore.”

My heart ached at the turmoil in her eyes. “What about you? Are you okay?”

“You don’t need to worry about me when you’re in the shape that you are.”

“Yes, I fucking do.” I shook my head at her. “I’ll always worry about you, Mila. In the good and the bad.”

Staring down at her hands, she said, “They had the doctor give me a sedative, so I slept about nine hours. Your brothers stayed with you while I was out.”

“Good. I’m glad you got some rest.””

“Want me to get your brothers?”

Rubbing my hands over my face, I replied, “Yeah, I better get this over with.”

Mila laughed as she rose out of her chair. When she went over to the door, it flew open. “You’re awake,” Callum said almost accusingly.

“It just happened,” Mila said. When Callum shot her a look, she held up her hand. “I swear.”

“Seriously? The two of you have been yapping in here for a while,” Dare countered as he swept inside the door.

“Five minutes max,” she argued.

He winked at her. “We know you needed a moment with your love machine.”

Mila snorted. “Love machine?”

“Don’t you have a term of endearment for him?”

“Yeah, but it sure as hell isn’t love machine,” she challenged, wrinkling her nose.

Dare turned his attention to me. “You look like a slapped arse.”

I chuckled. “Thanks. I imagined as much.”

As he came over to one side of the bed, Quinn went to the other. “You do look better than when we first saw you.”

“They’re giving me the good stuff because I don’t feel a thing.”

He winked. “We’ll be sure to get you a suitcase full of it when you head home.”

“Thanks.”

I glanced at Callum standing at the foot of the bed. He crossed his arms over his chest. You’re a tough fucker, boyo.”

“That’s not what you really want to say, is it?”

“Aye, it is.”

“Come on, Cal. You know you’re dying to say you told me so. You washed your hands of me being an idiot by staying in Philly.”

“Don’t need to voice it when you know it.”

A laugh burst from my lips, which caused me to wince.