I Do the Boss (Managing the Bosses Series, #5)(28)

"Please don't let anything happen to him. Please." She walked into the ER and stopped at the front, waiting for the attendant to look her way. Impatience should have swelled within her, but she couldn't seem to force anything around the numbness of her current situation.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"My fiancé just came in from a gunshot wound. Do I need to do anything?" she mumbled as tears continued to streak her cheeks.

"Alex Reid?”

Jamie nodded.

“Just have a seat, and we'll have you do paperwork in a little bit when things calm down for you." The woman's face softened just a little bit, and the kindness in her expression caused Jamie's fa?ade to slip a little more.

"Okay, thanks." She turned and walked back out into the mid-morning weather, pressing her hands to her face and letting out a long sob.

Strong arms wrapped around her, and Mark's voice filled her ears. "Is he okay? What's going on, Jamie?"

She nodded. "I th-think so. Just gimme a minute."

"Take as long as you need." He held her as she let herself go, crying hard and long at the thought of not having Alex with her forever. The chance of him pulling through was good, but it didn't matter. The idea of losing him, especially for something that was all her fault was damning to her spirit. "Let's go inside and sit down. They'll take good care of him."

Mark was trying hard to remain calm from what Jamie could tell, but the worry showed on his face, in the tight lines of his smile and narrowing of his eyes. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they walked back into the waiting room. The place was buzzing with activity, which couldn't be a good thing. "Did they say anything at all? Where was he hit?" Mark sat down beside her, not letting go of her shoulders until she pulled away from him.

"In his chest on the right side. I'm so glad it wasn't on the left." She shuddered at the thought. "It's a waiting game now.” She shuddered and the image of Stephen full of hate flashed in her head. The horrible look on Alex’s face as he fell. She teared up again. “I just wish I’d stopped Alex. Or it was me."

“Jamie! Don’t say that!” Mark pulled her tight. “We wish it was no one.”

She burst into another bout of tears.

He pulled her tight and held her until the sobs subsided into a trickle. "Just lean back and relax as best you can,” he said quietly, “The best surgeons in the city work here, and Alex is well-known. Even though that shouldn't matter, believe me, it does."

She leaned back and closed her eyes, trying to slow her racing heart. He would be okay.

He had to be.

*

"Miss Connors?" A young nurse stopped in front of her and Mark.

Jamie jumped up. "That's me."

"Mr. Reid is asking for you." The girl smiled. "He's doing much better."

"Thank goodness." Jamie glanced back at Mark. "Come on."

"Right this way. He's in recovery." She pressed a button on the side of the wall that opened two large double doors.

"Is he going to be okay?" Mark moved up beside her as they walked down the hall.

"Yes, sir. He'll make a full recovery. I'll let Dr. Bennett explain everything to you." She stopped in front of the door. "Here we are."

"Thank you." Jamie walked in to find Alex half sitting up in the bed. He had an oxygen mask on his face, but he was able to lock gazes with her. "Oh, Alex!" She let out a soft sob and ran toward him, moving to his right side and pressing her face to the side of his neck as she started to cry.

"It's okay, baby. I'm okay." He patted the side of her face softly as he turned and pressed his cheek to the top of her head.

Jamie couldn't seem to get a hold of her emotions, but no one seemed to care. Mark and Alex talked a little about all of it as Jamie pressed soft kisses to the side of his neck. Mark filled him in on Stephen’s arrest and that everyone in the office was doing alright. Mark kept the information minimal—just enough to ease Alex’s anxiety.

Alex turned and pulled the mask off, forcing her to look up. "Look at me."

She looked up and bit her lip as another sob left her.

"Look at me, baby. I'm okay. Okay?" He pulled her down for a quick kiss. "Go sit by Mark and let Dr. Bennett tell me when you get to pack me up and take me home."

The handsome doctor chuckled. "Try again, Alex. You're here for the next two to three days at a minimum."

"Two to three days?" Alex's voice was a little raspy, but other than that he looked okay. Much better than Jamie expected him to look. He was alive and going to be alright.

She kissed his cheek before moving around the bed and sitting on the long plastic couch next to Mark. She grabbed a box of Kleenex, trying to dab away the tears. At least these were ones of thankfulness, happiness.

Dr. Bennet tapped the one monitor and his chart. "Yes. You’re not leaving here to get back to work. I know you, Alex. We’ve played in enough fundraiser golf tournaments that I know you’re going to try to get back into the office. It’s time to slow down. You’re damn lucky. However, you’re not out of the woods that easily. Something’s wrong with your blood pressure. I'm having blood work run. The gunshot wound looks like it’s going to be minimal, but there’s still recovery to that as well." The doctor turned his attention toward Jamie. "Couple of things here, and then I'll let you guys reconnect."