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Gravel is everywhere as I paw and claw at the fresh mound of dirt opposite Cash. He’s like a madman, sweat clinging in beads at the hair over his temples. His eyes are dark, filled with menacing shadows—demons I know for a fact he’ll never put down—never slay if this doesn’t go right.
I dig harder, frantically, gravel cutting into the flesh beneath my nails until we hit something blue. A tarp. A fucking tarp.
Sick roils in my gut as Candace says something with horror in her voice as she sits back on herhaunches at the sight of the blue, fearing the sight we’ll find inside. “I’m calling an ambulance.”
She does. I can hear her make the call as Cash roars again. I’m not even sure what he’s saying. Everything is blurred. Unfocused. Fuzzy.
If she’s—his wrath will rain torment down on us all.
Tav and Ian keep digging. They’re sweating, too. Am I?
Fuck, I must be, but I can’t feel it.
Why’d I let her walk down alone? I shoulda insisted I wanted to catch the first sight of her friend. Made a deal about accompanying her. If she’s alive, I’ll never let her out of my sight again. Not unless one of the guys is with her.
She’s so small. So sweet.
She’s the flame that lights my best friend’s—my brothers—soul. Without her, it’s lights out.
I can’t watch this.
I can’t look away.
Cash grabs the edge of the tarp and something in my throat closes as I see pale flesh hued blue, the knife and—Cash jumps into the grave. He’s lifting—oh, fuck, he’s lifting a limp Wrenlee into his arms.
The way her head falls back, her lips blue like the skin of the dead woman. I’ll never unsee this.
Tav vomits. Ian demands, “Is she breathing?”
“The ambulance is on the way,” Candace says, voice broken.
“Open your eyes, Kitten,” Cash begs. “Give me those greens, baby, open your eyes.”
Wet hits my eyes but I can’t cry as I watch him drop his head to her chest, listening for a heartbeat I’m terrified he won’t find.
The way her hand dangles, her skin so cold against the grave that had been dug for her—I think we’re too late.
“It’s beating.” Cash bellows, and before I know it, I’m moving. It’s like something has taken over my body and I’m shrugging out of my shirt. I hadn’t put on a jacket, only ran when Cash said go. I wrap it around her, knowing she needs the warmth as Cash puts her back down, his mouth covering hers as he forces air into her lungs.His air in her lungs. The man would breathe for her for the rest of his life if he had to.
He fucking loves her. Like Ian and Candace, Cash and Wrenlee are meant to be, made for each other. Two torn souls somehow having found each other in this messed up place.
“Come on,” I urge Wrenlee to breathe as the sound of sirens echo in the distance.He can’t do this without you. Don’t make him do this without you.
“Is she breathing?” Candace asks in a small voice, and my eyes tear from Cash to look at her. She’s neverfound it easy to make friends, but she clicked right away with Wrenlee.
This is hitting her hard too.
It’s hitting us all hard.
Cash falls back on his haunches when the paramedics arrive. Everything moves so fast, but I see it all. Every detail as though it’s in slow motion. It’s caught in the web of my mind, struggling to break free and failing. The dark fear in Cash’s eyes, the sheet white sheen to his skin as he stumbles to his feet when the paramedics work quickly to move her body onto the stretcher and into the back of the ambulance. There are police too, already asking questions, but Cash ignores them all as he stays close to Wrenlee.
The back of the ambulance doors close behind them, and sound rushes in again. So loud, it’s like a physical blow straight to my throat. I hadn’t realized the thunderous fog that had overshadowed the screams, the sounds, until this moment when it all comes rushing in again.
I fall to my knees, chest still bare, as my eyes lower to the dead woman in the grave we’d pulled Wrenlee from moments ago.
I hate that I feel relieved, even as I look at this lifeless woman.
I’m relieved because our girl is still breathing. I’m relieved that if someone had to go today, it wasn’t her.
