Seeing the desired look on her face—cold-blooded fear—I get up. Before walking away, I part one final piece of advice. “Come near her. Look for her. Breathe in the same space as her. Your body will never be found.”
So maybe it was over the top, but it got my point across. I hear her cursing me out as I leave. Putting my shades and helmet on, I climb atop my bike and speed off, hoping to get to the center to pick Ash up before she leaves. I know she’s pulling a double today, and these kids tend to wear her out.
The short ride across town to meet her is filled with more traffic than usual which is nice. Gives me time to think about how to handle this possible threat against her because there’s no way the wannabe gangster will listen to my warning. I’m also wondering how to get Ash the help she needs with her cutting. I’m not fool enough to think that when she starts feeling too much, she will always call me. And if I’m not able to get to her right away? I understand her struggle. To experience emotions so deeply that you feel like there’s no other option but to release the bombardment; it can’t be easy.
“Fuck!” Slamming my palm against the handle of my bike, frustration eats at my nerves. I know I’ve got little in the way of options in getting her the help she needs.
Finally, about a block away from the center, I slow my speed as I begin to round the corner. Lights, squealing tires, horns blaring, a high-pitched scream, all assault my body as I’m t-boned. Flying across the asphalt, I feel my skin ripping from parts of my body. Torrential pain courses through my being as I finally skid to a stop against the curb. Bone-crushing agony overtakes my entire body, and I wonder—What the fuck just happened? As my sight dims, I hear Ashley screaming. I barely feel hands graze my body before pulling away. Unsure fingers graze my temple as she enters my sight, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her beautiful eyes fill with fear and worry. Closing my eyes, I can’t open them again.
Ashley
My heart lights up as I hear the seductive throttle of his motorcycle. I had such a wonderful day, and I can’t wait to tell him about it. I finally broke my silence and spoke to one of the counselors at the center about what I’ve been doing to myself and how I want to get better.
We spent the last thirty minutes talking about triggers, about mundane things, and about what the best course of treatment for me would be. I felt relief. I felt free. I was on my way to finally being the me I’m meant to be. Just like I told Sage about herself.
Seeing the single light from Declan’s bike j
ust as he rounds the corner, I gape in horror as a car coming from the other direction swerves and hits the back of his motorcycle.
“Declan!” I scream as a trail of blood is left in his wake as he skids to a halt against the curb. Frozen in horror, unable to move, my heart stops, and my feet won’t move. I can’t…
A man stumbles from the car with barely a scratch on him. Rage consumes me, and I head in his direction. Only a few feet from strangling his ass, I hear Declan groan and quickly change directions.
“Declan?” I cry, afraid to touch him. There’s so much blood. A bone in his leg is literally popping through his pants, and I want to vomit, except I know I must be strong. “Call an ambulance!” Hysterical screams can be heard, and it takes me only a second to realize it’s coming from me.
Lightly touching his face, I need to see his eyes. When he looks to me, I see so much emotion swirling in his dark orbs. “Stay with me, Declan,” I whisper, but I don’t think he can hear me.
Sirens ring in the distance, and I fear they’ll be too late. “Becky!” I yell for the counselor who I had been talking with. “Call Landon, tell him Declan’s hurt,” I tell her as she runs over to me. Landon will know what to do. He’ll tell me what to do. Most of all, his name has weight in the city; he’ll make sure Declan gets the very best of care possible.
“Please don’t leave me,” I beg at his ear just as the ambulance and police vehicles come to a screeching halt a few feet away.
“Ma’am, you need to back up.” I can hear the paramedic instructing me.
“I can’t,” I mutter. If I leave his side and something happens, I’ll never survive it.
“It’s her fiancée. She saw it happen,” I hear Becky inform them. When hands grip my biceps, I struggle. “I can’t leave him!”
A cop gets in my face then, blocking my view of Declan as I’m dragged away. “Ma’am, I need you to tell me what happened while they work on him. Can you do that?”
My heart cracks in two as I watch the only person who has cared to know me slip away. “Ma’am?” the police officer asks more forcefully, and I understand I need to do this for him. I have to be strong; I can’t crack yet.
“Yes.” My gaze is riveted to where Declan lays broken and bloody in the middle of the street as I explain how I watched in horror as the other driver was swerving erratically before hitting him.
More screeching tires have me shuddering in fear, seeing it all over again in my mind. “Ash!” I hear Landon yell from half a block away.
Running to my big brother, I launch myself into his arms. “It’s bad, Lan.” My sobbing makes my words almost unrecognizable.
“Calm down, Ash. They’re loading him up now. Let’s go talk to them.” I hate how relaxed he sounds, but I need that at this point.
As soon as we walk over, the paramedic informs us, “He is lucky he was wearing his helmet. He’s going to need to surgery. You’re the fiancée?” I nod. “You coming with us?” I climb in without answering.
“I’ll meet you there, Ash. I’ll call Mom and Dad, too.” I nod my thanks because my emotions have my throat constricting so tight I can barely swallow.
I quietly watch as the medic does his job, making sure his bandages are tight and vitals are strong. I listen as he calls in Declan’s condition to the hospital, and I want to cry at all the injuries he has.
“Can I hold his hand?” I mumble.
Thankfully, the man hears me. “Go ahead. Try not to move him, though.”