Chapter 1
Killian
Dreams keep blurring through my mind like stolen images from someone else’s picture book. None of them familiar, yet all of them the pieces that somehow make me whole.
Fast cars. Even faster girls. Rainbows. Flashing lights. The prettiest eyes I’ve ever seen. A musical laugh that makes my heart swell. Loud music buzzes in my ears. I can’t make it go away. Those eyes that haunt me are back but they’re sad. Something tells me that it’s my fault. I hurt her.
The images and memories come at me over and over again on an endless loop. Fast cars. Loud engines. Rainbows. Now unicorns. Flashing lights. The prettiest eyes I’ve ever seen. A musical laugh that makes my heart swell. A brown-haired girl regarding me with so much love I can’t handle it. Powder blue eyes. My favorite color. Her laughter my favorite sound. Round and round I go on this carousel wishing all the noise would stop.
Shattered glass. My head pounds, and I blink my eyes, but nothing happens. I’m trapped in this dreamlike trance. “I love you, Killian.” The most precious words I’ve ever heard.
“One race. You and me. You win you keep your girl. I win I make us even when I fuck her.”
I try to clench my fists, but I can’t even tell if I’m doing it or not.
“You riding with me? It is your ass on the line?”
Those sad eyes pierce my heart.
I gasp, struggling to breathe while wishing I could take it all back.
“I never lose.”
Her lips meet mine desperate to change my mind.
Desperate to be enough.
Desperate to love me enough for us both.
That damn song blares in my ears again.
Powder blue eyes that make my heart skip a beat.
Anger courses through me.
Someone had their hands on her. It all leads back to her.
My chest squeezes tight. I step on the gas. I have to make this right. I need to go back to her. I left her in that clearing, but it’s too late. Metal crunches and everything fades to black.
Pulse hammering in my throat the cycle starts all over again.
I can’t keep reliving this hell of my own making. I just want it to stop. Everything hurts.
I push back against the images until they begin to blur.
Those eyes flash before me one more time, and I hang onto them, focusing on nothing but the pain behind them.
“Killian. Can you hear me? Squeeze my hand.”
I can hear you.
I can feel you.
My breath bubbles in my throat, and I blink.
An angry gasp rips through my lungs feeling like my first breath after coming back from death.
Those powder blue eyes come into focus full of tears then disappear replaced by green ones
“Hi,” she breathes the word out. “Do you know where you are? Can you squeeze my hand again?”
My head spins, and I fall back into a deep sleep.
Chapter 2
Liri
“Hi. I wanted to let you know he’s out of surgery and everything looks great. He’s still a little groggy, but you can see him now.”
“Thank you.” I run my fingers through my messy tangles and do my best not to appear like the hot crying mess that I am. Tapping lightly on the door, I enter the room. His eyes are closed but he appears comfortable and peaceful. I lurk at the foot of the bed unsure of what to do or say. I feel absolutely wretched about everything. If it weren’t for me, he wouldn’t be in this position. Defending me got him into this hospital bed, and I feel completely wretched.
“Hey, you,” he croaks.
“Hi.” I offer a sincere but weak smile. “How are you?” I immediately feel dumb for asking. He just got out of surgery.
He chuckles. “I’m okay. Swimming days are behind me, but it was bound to happen sooner than later.” His blond hair is sticking up. I’m not used to seeing him appear so unkept. Hunter is always put together.