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It was nothing but a damn miracle that we were sitting here together alive and breathing.
If I had acted even one second later, there was no way we would’ve made it.
I gently squeezed Fletcher’s waist before looking back at him. “I need you to remain strong, you hear me? Focus on your breathing techniques until I can find your anxiety meds. Understand?”
He swallowed thickly and nodded, his fingers tightening on my neck. He looked lost and scared. I knew his mind was running a mile a minute. But I also knew Fletcher was strong as fuck, and he’d make it through this.
We would. Together.
“Good boy.” I pressed a kiss to his forehead. Then, we stood to our feet to see what we could do to help.
5
Fletcher
Iwas a fucking mess. I’d just survived something it seemed like no one else here had. The gas station had been ripped through, and the couple of workers who’d been working overnight were dead. The few truckers that had been in the lot were MIA, and their trucks were destroyed.
So was ours. The entire truck was on its side. The windows were shattered, and fluid was leaking from the engine.
I could hear sirens whirring in the distance, drawing closer and closer by the second. Conan grabbed my hand in his and linked our fingers together before leading me over to our truck, carefully stepping over debris as we went since our feet were bare. “Try not to look,” he told me. The rain was pelting against our faces, which helped me keep my gaze focused on the debris-covered ground. “This shit is enough to give anyone nightmares.”
No shit. The look of those two gas station employees were forever going to haunt my dreams. I wouldn’t sleep comfortably for a while. Even if I hadn’t seen what I had in just my little glimpse, the experience of living through a tornado was enough to fuck me up inside.
I would never forget the sounds. The screaming of the wind. The hail as it smacked the ground around me. I’d never forget Conan twisting us together so he could protect me.
Without him thinking fast, I’d be dead right now. No doubt about it. A lump formed in my throat at the thought.
“Stay here,” Conan gently ordered. He pressed a kiss to the corner of my lips before releasing my hand and climbing the bottom of the truck to get inside through the shattered window.
That was another thing. Our kiss. Us confessing we loved each other. Our emotions were high, but I knew I meant every single word. But what about Conan? Had it been a spur-of-the-moment thing, or did he really mean what he said? Had that kiss just been a celebratory, “Holy fuck, we almost died but we’re alive” kiss? Or had he kissed me because he wanted me as much as I wanted him?
My mind was running a hundred miles a minute, and I didn’t know how to slow it down. I needed my meds. I was shaking again, my teeth chattering. I fucking hated this.
Sinking to the wet concrete, I drew my knees to my chest and bent forward, tucking my head between my legs, trying to calm my breathing. Today had already been way too much to deal with, and the day had only just begun. Hell, it was still dark outside. For all I knew, it wasn’t even the next day yet. But it didn’t matter. Even if it wasn’t tomorrow yet, I already knew tomorrow was going to be too much, too.
Blue and red lights lit up the parking lot as emergency responders flooded the area. I shielded my eyes, the rain still lashing against my skin. Conan climbed out of the truck with my suitcase. Then, he crouched in front of me and cupped my face in his hands. “Breathe,” he gently commanded. I drew in a shuddering breath as an officer made his way over to us with two paramedics. Conan didn’t pay them any mind. “Can you dry swallow your meds?”
I nodded. He reached into his pocket and grabbed my medication bottle. He tapped a tablet into his hand before handing it to me. I quickly popped it into my mouth and swallowed it dry, grimacing after. Just because I could do it didn’t mean I particularly liked it. It left a horrible taste in my mouth.
“Are you two okay?” the officer asked, aiming his flashlight at us. I winced and turned my head away, shielding my eyes again.
“We’re fine. You mind the flashlight?” Conan asked him.
The officer quickly apologized and aimed it away from us, grimacing at the sight of our truck. God, what if we’d been inside the truck when it flipped? Would we have been okay?
I began trembling again. Conan looked at the paramedics. “I think he’s going into shock. He needs warmth. Probably some water. I just gave him his anxiety med, so he should be calming down soon.” He carded his fingers through my hair and helped me to my feet.
“Please don’t leave me,” I pathetically begged. But I couldn’t bring myself to care how much of a loser I was being right then. The thought of being around all these strangers while everyone poked and prodded at me and asked me questions without Conan by my side made me want to run. Or curl into a ball and never show my face again in hopes that it would protect me from the nightmare I was currently trapped in.
“I won’t go anywhere,” he promised me. He cupped my cheeks, our eyes locking. “Never, you hear me?”
I relaxed a little and nodded my head. “Okay,” I whispered.
“Come on. Let’s get you two wrapped up with some blankets and under a shelter,” one of the paramedics said. “And I’d like to take a look at your hand, sir.”
I blinked, staring down at Conan’s hand. I hadn’t even realized he was bleeding. Reaching up, I touched my cheek, staring in horror when my fingers came away red. “Conan…” I breathed.
“I’m okay, baby,” he promised. He linked our fingers together with his good hand. “I promise. It’s just from the rebar. I probably was gripping it too tight, and my hand slipped a couple of times. That’s all.”
