Chapter 9

Her head was pounding. This thought registered through Leanna's aching head as she slowly surfaced back to consciousness. Opening her eyes she blearily looked around what obviously was a hospital room. A sound coming from her left had her turning her head.

"Shit."

The expletive escaped her lips as she stared at the sleeping form of the man she had escaped. Damn the luck. The thought never occurred to her that he would be able to find her. Though she should have realized it would be easy for him, he'd had her passport. Her eyes devoured him, he was magnificent. She hated herself for still loving him, but there was nothing she could do to tell her heart otherwise. Sighing she turned her head and looked out the window.

"Leanna."

Startled she turned back and looked deep into her husband's eyes.

He lifted a hand and smoothed it down her hair.

"How are you feeling baby?" He queried.

"Don't you baby me!"

Thoroughly pissed off she straightened in the hospital bed and jerked back from his soothing hand.

"You're the reason I fell off, you're the reason I'm sitting here right now!"

She grimaced as her tirade turned her head to severe pounding. She fell back against the pillows and closed her eyes, trying to ward off the headache she knew was coming. Her voice dropped to a pain-filled whisper.

"Please, just leave me alone. Haven't you done enough yet?"

She heard him sigh but when she opened her eyes again he was still there.

"I'm here and I'm staying" he told her.

With that he settled back down into the chair next to her bed and took her hand in his. He ignored it when she jerked her hand back.

"Look, I know I did you an injustice buying you then virtually making you marry me, but I wasn't thinking clearly, I didn't know of any other way to make you mine."

She didn't respond just kept glancing at him with wary eyes. He couldn't blame her; he hadn't exactly done the best thing here. But what was done was done. He would just have to win her trust, it would take a long time but he was willing to wait.

While these thoughts went through her husbands head Leanna did her best to ignore him, though she couldn't help but steal a few glances. He tried a few times to get her talking but when she refused he took her hand and massaged it even though she dragged it back many times he didn't give up, he just took her hand back and continued massaging. She'd die before admitting it but the hand massage did wonders for her pounding head.

Eventually he got up and left the room in search of some food for her. Moments after he left her whole family poured into the room and surrounded her bed.

Her mother sat next to her on the bed and took her hand.

"How are you feeling honey?" she asked.

"I'm-" before she could even finish the thought she burst into tears.

She turned away from her family and curled into the fetal position. She didn't hear the doctor come in.

"Mrs. Aadiir?"

Reluctantly she sat up and faced the doctor. He checked her vitals, scribbling notes onto his chart. When he was finished with that he quietly asked her family to leave for a few minutes so he could discuss things with her. Her mother gave her a gentle hug then followed the rest of her family out the door. Closing the door behind her mother the doctor leaned on it.

"You did sustain a mild concussion from the fall, and you've got some mild trauma in your lower back. We've got you on painkillers right now so you won't be feeling anything. You'll have to do some physical therapy to help heal up your back but first you're going to have to stay on bed rest for two weeks to give your back a chance to heal without the added strain of holding up your whole body."

Leanna nodded, she had expected something like this.

"Will I be able to ride again?"

"Yes, you will. I don't see any reason why you're back won't make a full recovery. But on the riding note, you won't be able to ride again probably for at least another year, but for a totally different reason."

Leanna looked at the doctor in confusion.

"You're six-weeks pregnant."

Leanna froze. Pregnant. She stared into space, so long that the doctor left her and minutes later Khadeem and her family poured into the room. She didn't acknowledge their presence, just kept staring off while one word kept repeating itself like a mantra in her head.