Game(41)

The front left part of the truck hit the fallen tree and the truck quickly spun the other way. I saw Shayna’s head smack the passenger window. It broke. The windshield crunched with a sickening sound as we started to roll. The truck went up and over the fallen tree.

It all happened so fast yet somehow played out in slow motion in my mind.

I saw Shayna try to brace herself on the dashboard but the airbag deployed. A giant white cloud consumed her at the exact same moment it happened to me.

When it all stopped, the silence was terrifying.

We were upside down, my neck bent, the truck rocking back and forth.

I clawed at the airbag and grabbed for the door. I don’t know how in the f*ck it worked, but the door opened like it normally would have. I climbed out and got to my feet. A throbbing pain went through my left leg as I hurried to the other side of the truck. It was a very weird sight to see your own vehicle upside down. My entire body shook with a rush of fear, pain, and adrenaline.

I hobbled to the other side and wished so damn hard to find Shayna crawling out from her side of the truck.

She wasn’t there.

She was still inside the truck.

I dropped to my knees and grabbed at her through the broken window. She was unconscious, blood on her head, her hair a mess all around. I stuck my fingers to her neck and felt a strong pulse. A strong goddamn pulse! I gently cradled her neck to my forearms as I grabbed under her armpits and guided her from the truck. I kept her on her back, careful not to move her too suddenly in case something serious was wrong. I touched her chest, feeling her heart still going strong. I touched her cheek and looked around. We were close to the cabin. I could carry her.

I started to slip my hands under her when I heard a zing! sound.

To my left, the f*cking driver of the other truck was on the ground, a gun in his hand, shooting at me. His face was covered in blood, and he barely had his hand lifted. I stood and left Shayna on the ground, protected by the truck where she almost died.

I walked toward the guy, watching the gun go limp in his hand.

He was dying.

His back was twisted and his legs looked like they were jelly.

I kicked the gun out of his hand and grabbed his hair, pulling at him. He screamed and groaned.

“Zander?” I asked.

His eyes met mine. “Fuck you…”

Even mostly dead I picked up on the accent.

Yeah, he was one of Zander’s guys. The son of a bitch had made a move after me and Shayna.

I let the guy go, stepped back, and brought my foot back. I turned my head and kicked forward. It was like kicking a loose log or something.

I didn't look at him again. I knew he was dead.

My sights were set back to Shayna.

I hurried to her and dropped to my knees again. I touched her chest. Still breathing. Still beating. Still alive.

I wiped my hand over her face and leaned down, kissing her lips. “It’s okay, sweetie. We’re okay. I’m going to carry you home.”

I lifted Shayna up. Her arms and legs moved a little, giving me hope that she was going to be okay. I held her tight - my girl, my woman - and I started to walk away from the scene of destruction toward what was supposed to be my place of hope.

I held her tight and thought about it… what we’d done in the bathroom at the fight… I made a decision right then.

First, Shayna was all mine. Second, if there was a life inside her, I was going to take care of that life… even if it cost me mine.





30.


(Shayna)



I remember a loud pop sound. Then there was crunching metal. So cliche for an accident, right? But that’s what it was. The world spun for a few seconds and then it was all darkness. Not a dream like kind of darkness. Just plain darkness.

Then I felt bouncing.

No, stepping.

I was being carried.

My brain demanded I move my arms, my legs. I wiggled my toes. I curled my fingers. I bit my lip. I wiggled my ears. My brain was in some kind of survival mode, taking inventory of what was damaged and what needed to be fixed in order of importance. Everything my brain wanted me to do I was able to do. Except wiggle my ears. I had never been able to do that.

Thoughts returned and that meant thoughts about Zander.

He’d come for me.

He was going to kill me and Finn. Or maybe just kill Finn and kidnap me. Then torture the life out of me until I gave up everything I knew about Finn, Fiore, or why I had left with Finn after the fight that night. Maybe if that happened I would have just exploded on Zander about my sister.

Where the f*ck is Sasha? What did you do to her?

I moved my arms again, almost swinging them. My head started to move. I groaned.

“No, sweetie, wait,” a voice said.

Finn’s voice.

My body warmed right up. All the right places warmed up so I knew I couldn’t have been that hurt.

When I opened my eyes, it was in time to see Finn opening the door to the cabin. He’d walked all the way to the cabin carrying me. Protecting me. Saving me.

He placed me on the couch and dropped down, touching my face and cheeks.

“Shayna? Say something.”

My eyes fluttered again and I briefly saw Finn. “Hey.”

“Do you feel any pain?”

“I don’t know,” I whispered. “What…”

“It’s okay,” he said. “They’re… gone now.”