EPILOGUE
Riley— 22 years old
I cradle Grayson’s injured and bleeding body in my arms. Letting out a choked sob, I press my hand against the wound in his abdomen. Oh, God. No, no, no. The cut is so big, the palm of my hand is not even enough to cover the whole surface of it.
“Grayson, please.” My voice cracks with terror. Blood drips down my eyebrow, from the nasty gash in my forehead. It hurts, but I can’t focus on my own pain when Grayson is like this— in agony and maybe… dying. No, no… He can’t.
“Don’t you dare die on me,” I beg, a mean fist gripping my heart.
He blinks up at me, his gaze hazy and pained. He raises his arm weakly, cupping my cheek with his bloody hand. His lips part, as if he wants to speak but he only ends up coughing more blood.
The ache in my chest is excruciating.
I can’t breathe. I can’t fucking breathe.
It took us over twelve hours to escape our captor. My gaze slides over to his limp body, a few feet away from us. I shot a man.
I think… I killed him.
My throat closes with a choked sound.
His thirst for vengeance had absolutely paralyzed and terrified me. I hadn’t shot him when I did, he would have killed us.
“Grayson, stay with me,” I whimper heartbreakingly. “Please, don’t go. Stay with me. I’ll get help.” I look around frantically, but we’re on the road, in the middle of nowhere.
Grayson wheezes, the sound of my name soft on his lips. I hold him tighter, the endless stream of tears running down my cheeks. He coughs up more blood, and then his body stiffens with a violent spasm.
His eyes roll back in his head.
I let out an incoherent cry, clutching him to me as his body goes limp in my arms.
Time slows down.
The world sways under me.
Lost in a sea of despair and confusion, I surrender to the numbness nibbling at my flesh. All I can seem to focus on is how much he’s bleeding, and how limp his body is. Grayson tried to protect me. Everything he has ever done was for me— to keep me safe. From people who could hurt me.
And now he’s hurt while protecting me.
Grayson is dying because of me.
Raw sound of anguish tears through me. His breathing is so shallow, almost like he’s taking his last breath. “Don’t…please, don’t die. Don’t leave me. It’s not fair, it’s not fair, it’s not fair, Grayson.”
His chest rattles.
He wheezes.
He’s dying…
No…
Please.
He can’t die now. Grayson deserves his own happy ending.
He can’t be a tragedy, I can’t let him be one.
I can’t let him die.
Somehow I force my brain to chase the numbness away. Somehow I find the strength to move. My whole body aches, every particle of me hurting as I get to my feet. I have cuts and bruises everywhere, but I force myself to take a step, once and twice.
And then another.
I slowly approach the listless body of our captor. I don’t linger too long near him. Shoving my hand in the pocket of his jeans, I take my phone out. I had seen him put it there earlier.
And then I limp back to Grayson.
Kneeling down next to his wounded body, I grasp his cold hand in mine. In my state of complete terror and utter panic, I press the dial.
The call rings twice, before he picks up. His familiar, deep baritone voice comes through.
“What?” he growls, fury dripping in that single word.
My heart ricochets against my ribs. I can’t speak…
“What do you want?” He sounds agitated and that makes me want to cry more.
Does he hate me…? Please, don’t hate me.
“If you’re not going to talk—” he spits out. “I’m going to hang up.”
I need you.
A whimper spills from my lips. I hear him pause. My breathing is shallow as I practically choke on the oxygen filling my lungs.
“Riley,” he speaks slower this time, concerned. I let out a wounded cry at the sound of my name on his lips.
I hear rustling in the background and then the clinking of keys. “Where are you?” he asks, his voice softening. “I’m coming to you. Riley? Do you hear me? Talk to me, Sunshine.”
Sunshine…
He calls me Sunshine.
I swallow the acidic bile in my mouth.
“Colton,” I whisper brokenly.
I need you.