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“Why not?” I lift a shoulder, gesturing between us. “It’s what we did. Besides, it could be.” I dance my fingers over his chest. The light changes, and I step off the curb. “It would be so much better when you can touch all of …”
“Lily, watch out!”
Before I can comprehend what’s happening, my body is flung back to the sidewalk. Screams and the screeching of tires fill the air all around us as I crash to the pavement, my head thudding against the concrete.
Lights dance before my eyes, my vision blurring a bit. Then I turn to my knees, pushing myself until I’m sitting back on my heels, and scan the crowd for Liam. My heart thunders in my chest when I don’t find him. Tears begin to fall as people crowd around me, asking if I’m okay. I bat away the hands reaching out for me as I try to push to my feet.
I need to find Liam.
I call out his name. Then scream it. I wobble on unsteady legs as I force my way through the crowd. Finally, in the center, I see him.
His leg extends awkwardly. Blood pools around his head. His face has several cuts.
And he’s not waking up.
Screams get louder and louder until it’s all I hear. I wish everyone would shut up.
I get to his side, falling next to him as I pull his head into my lap, stroking his face. “Please wake up.” Tears drip from my chin to his face, mixing with the blood running into his hair. I press my forehead to his, begging again, “Please, please wake up.”
My tears won’t stop as my entire body shakes. Trembling fingers brush his crimson-stained strands away. Silent prayers spill from my heart, begging, pleading, bargaining for him to open his eyes.
My head pounds from the screaming.
Why won’t they quit screaming? Just get help.
My head snaps up, ready to tell them to shut up. When my mouth opens, I realize those screams…
They’re mine.
***
The harsh smell of antiseptic assaults my nostrils, telling me where I am before my eyes open. I bolt upright, realizing it wasn’t a nightmare.
The blood. The sirens. The screams.
It all replays in my mind, but only one thing matters right now.
Liam.
“Oh, no, you don’t.” My brother rushes to my side as he walks in the door. He grabs my arms, stopping me from climbing out of the bed.
I slap his hands away, tears scalding my face as I fight against him. “Let me go,” I jerk and push. It doesn’t do me much good. My brother is stronger. But it doesn’t stop me. “I’ve got to find him. Let me go.”
“Aliana, calm the fuck down.” He pins me back against the bed, his silver eyes full of worry.
“Calm down?” Panic swells with every breath, stealing my air. I wheeze, clutching at my chest. Fuck, it hurts to breathe. “I-I can’t calm down. I need to know if he’s okay.”
His shoulders and chest lift as his pale eyes close. When he exhales, he meets my eyes. “Do you remember anything?”
I nod slowly. “We were crossing the street back to the studio. I didn’t look where I was going because the light changed.” The tears fall harder. “Angel, please tell me he’s okay.”
“We don’t know anything yet. They’re still looking him over, but they told us he wasn’t in any immediate danger.”
A heavy breath rushes out of me in a loud sob as I drop my head in my hands. “This is my fault. I wasn’t looking, and he pulled me out of the way. He could’ve died because of me.”
He slides onto the bed and wraps his arm around my shoulder. “Liam will be okay. And I…” His voice breaks as he takes another deep breath. “We can never repay him.”
The door slides open, and a doctor—I assume because of the white coat—walks in, holding a tablet. “Miss Martin?” he asks, looking up. I nod, and he offers a warm smile. “I’m Doctor Flannery. I’m the one who examined you when they brought you in. You were unconscious upon arrival, but that’s to be expected. They gave you a sedative because you were quite hysterical. Also to be expected, given the circumstances.” He looks back at his tablet, swiping a bit before looking back up. “All your tests came back clear. You don’t show signs of a concussion. You’ll be sore for a few days from the impact of the fall, but I feel comfortable releasing you. If you experience dizziness, nausea, confusion, blurred vision, or a headache that won’t go away, I want you to come back.”
