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He shrugged one shoulder. “That’s what family is for.”
ChapterForty
KENNEDY
Liamand I spent the rest of the afternoon in bed, kissing, snuggling, and talking about the future. When dusk fell, we shared another shower and dressed.
“Would you like to stay for dinner?” I asked.
Liam glanced at his phone. “I’d better go home. I think I left a few windows open, and I don’t want the place to fill up with insects.”
“Oh.” I deflated.
“Why don’t you come with me? I can cook for you.”
A warm glow began in my heart and radiated throughout my chest. “I’d like that.”
“Great.” He tangled his fingers with mine. “Should we head over now?”
“I’ll grab a sweater.” And perhaps I’d pack a small overnight bag, just in case.
I sorted my things and made sure the security camera and motion sensors were in place, then Liam and I set the alarm and locked the cottage. We got into the Ute, where we’d left the bags we’d discarded earlier, and Liam started the engine. We cruised around a slight bend in the road toward a T-intersection. But as we approached, the vehicle didn’t slow.
“You planning to brake?” I asked, getting fidgety as we drew closer. There were cars going the other way. Not many, because this was Destiny Falls, but some.
“I am braking.” His jaw tightened. “It’s not doing anything.”
My stomach clenched. “Pull over.”
“I can’t,” he growled. “I’ll hit one of the cars on the side of the road.”
“Better than a moving car.”
“Fuck.”
We were nearly level with the intersection. He slammed his hand on the horn so it blared, and he tried to turn, but we had too much momentum. I gripped the edge of the seat, my heart in my throat as we slid across two lanes of traffic—miraculously not crashing into any vehicles—and toward the concrete wall of the Destiny Falls Motors building on the far side.
Liam spun the steering wheel as fast as he could, and the car angled to the left. We smashed into the concrete wall driver’s side first.
Glass shattered. Metal crumpled. I screamed.
We jolted to a stop, and my head whipped back. Pain flashed up the back of my neck.
“Are you okay?” Liam asked, reaching across the space between us to run his hands over my body.
“I’m fine,” I assured him, though my neck hurt. “I’m more worried about you.”
His last-minute maneuver meant the impact had centered on his side of the vehicle. I could already see that the door was damaged, the frame no longer fitting properly. I looked down at his legs to see if they’d been crushed or injured. There was a cut on his thigh, blood soaking his shorts. I grabbed a discarded towel from the back seat and pressed it to the wound.
“Fuck,” he muttered. “It’s just a scratch, but it hurts like a bitch.”
The door on my side was yanked open, and a bear of a man with wild brown hair and worried eyes loomed over us. It took a moment, but I eventually recognized him as Warren, the auto mechanic who’d fixed the paint on my car after it had been keyed.
“Anyone injured?” he asked in a low, rumbly voice.
“Not badly,” Liam replied. “But we’ll need to be checked over by a paramedic.”
“I’ve already called,” Warren said. “An ambulance is on its way. Police and fire too.” He unbuckled my seatbelt. “Let’s get you out of here.” He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and helped me out of the seat. He set me against the side of the Ute. “Wait here while I help Liam. He’s going to have to climb over. His door won’t open.”
