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I should have known better. And yet…I don't. I've spent my whole life so overprotected that I've never had to consider what could go wrong in a place like this. Everything has always worked out the way it was supposed to work out. My brothers always made sure it would work out. I naively assumed that's how this would work too.
That naivety is dangerous. It could cost me more than I can afford to lose. That's not Jordan's fault. It's not Roman's fault. It's mine. Because I let it continue. I stayed in my little bubble, just going along for all this time. I don't know what risks are acceptable to take because I've never taken them.
That has to stop now.
No matter what happens, I won't go back to the overprotected little girl I've always been. I can't be her anymore, not when being her might have cost me everything. Atlas has to be okay because there is no other option. But if I'm wrong, and he isn't, my life has to change regardless. It's the only way I'll ever learn when I can spread my wings and when I can't.
It's beyond time for me to learn.
"We need MedFlight out to the south end of the 4C trail," someone says over the radio attached to Deputy Hendrickson's hip. "We've got a situation out here."
My heart leaps into my throat. I stop breathing.
"What kind of situation?"
"Trauma patient," the voice calls back over the radio. "He fell down a ravine. It's not looking good."
No. God, no.
"Fuck," Deputy Hendrickson says, switching off the radio as I collapse to my knees. He jumps to his feet, rushing toward me as my world caves in around me, threatening to destroy me entirely.
"Atlas," I sob, choking on his name. Choking for air, and on shame, guilt, and regret. They swarm me from all sides, freezing the blood in my veins. Threatening to freeze me from the inside out.
This is all my fault. All of it.
"Gabbi!"
I curl in on myself, grasping for memories of Atlas, anything to sustain me. Anything to keep me from having to face reality.
"Temptation!"
I hear his voice echoing in my mind. See his little boy smirk dancing behind my eyes.
"Temptation!"
"What the fuck?" Deputy Hendrickson says from beside me, threatening to pull me back into reality.
I squeeze my eyes closed, reaching deeper for memories of Atlas.
"Temptation, where are you?"
His voice grows stronger in my mind as I sink deeper into some place only he can reach.
"Who the fuck is Temptation?" Hendrickson asks.
I snap my eyes open to tell him to stop talking and leave me alone. My mouth is open to spit the venomous words at him when what he said sinks in. He heard the same thing I did.
"Atlas?" I scramble to my feet, afraid to hope. Afraid to breathe. "Atlas?"
"Temptation!"
The shards of ice freezing in my veins crack and fall away.
"Atlas!" I yell, already racing toward the sound of his voice. "Atlas, I'm here!"
"Gabbi!"
I fly out onto the road, praying I'm not imagining things. That he really is out there, shouting for me.
