Page 116 of Carter

“Who?”

“The civilian.”

“What about Bennett—”

I don’t hear the rest of what’s said. I blink and I’m on the floor.

My hands and face are numb. My body is vibrating. Everything is foggy, but there are hands on me, helping me to sit on something cold. Voices sound like they’re underwater. Then I’m moving. Helped onto a bed. The lights are bright. There are people around me, touching me, talking to me. All I want to do is cry, but I don’t feel anything. It’s all numb. I’m completely numb.

Until finally, through all the fog and the water, I hear, “Sir, I think you’re having a panic attack. I need you to breathe.”

Something about that helps me back… not fully, but enough that I can look around andsee. I’m in a small room with a doctor and three nurses.

“I... what?”

“A panic attack. Have you had them before?”

“Yeah…” I say, my body still vibrating.

“I’m going to give you something to help calm you down. Do you have any allergies?”

I focus on breathing and shake my head. I’ve never had to take medication for panic attacks before, but this is bad. It’s so bad. I… think I almost passed out.

This is fucking terrible.

Chapter thirty-nine

Nash

I’m wheeled into a room after surgery after being given so much pain medication that I don’t feel a thing. I am groggy as fuck. Tired as hell. All I want to do is sleep.

Two nurses are with me, helping me get settled.

“You have your own private room, so no one will bother you, though you do have a few officers who would like to come in and check on you, if you’re okay with it,” one says. The older one.

“Visiting hours are over, though, so we’ll tell them to come back in the morning if you want us to,” the young one says.

I huff a laugh.

“Police officers are tough, but they’re no challenge for nurses,” she adds.

“S’fine,” I say as I rest my head back against the pillow and close my eyes. “They… can come.”

“All right then. We just have a few things to do.” I don’t know who speaks that time because my eyes are closed now and they don’t want to open.

I’ve never been shot before, but I know I’m in for a hell of a recovery. Hopefully this doesn’t ruin my fucking career. I just got here; just started doing good.

“You have caused quite the ruckus, Detective Bennett,” the nurse says.

“That’s right,” the other says. “There’s a young man downstairs who thought you died. He’s in a panic.”

My eyes pop open and I jerk upward, which causes me some pain. I hiss, clenching my jaw to breathe through the pain.

“You have to take it—”

“Who panicked? Is it Carter?”

The nurses share a look. I throw the blankets off me and try to move my legs… even though I can’t feel them.