AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I gotta go.” I was out my office door and racing out the back of the building to my car before I thought to say anything else. Luckily, Van must have seen me, because he was climbing in the passenger door as I was reaching for the gear shift.
As he was pulling on his seatbelt, he asked, “Where we going, boss?”
Instead of answering, I shifted into reverse, then tossed my phone at him before speeding out of the lot. He glanced at the phone then pulled out his own, and through the blood pulsing through my ears I heard remnants of his conversation with Joss.
It was “Kelly” and “in trouble” and “will let you know”, though I didn’t hear any words in between. I ran stop lights and took hard turns at corners before double parking in front of my building and tossing the keys at Van.
Then I was racing upstairs, pounding on the button to my floor and wanting to tear my hair out of my head as I waited for the fuckin’ elevator to ascend. Even though my hands shook and my knees felt like they would give out, I bolted out of the elevator and ran for my door.
Didn’t bother closing it behind me. Only ran in, yelling Kelly’s name as I went. The faucet in the kitchen was running, water pouring over the counter and onto the floor. Though it took everything in me to put one foot in front of the other, I forced myself forward and nearly collapsed at the sight.
Kelly was on the floor. Body slumped against the cupboards, hair and skin and clothes drenched in the sloosh of water pouring down on her.
A shard of glass was shoved into the base of her palm, blood seeping out.
“Kelly!” I stumbled forward, falling to my knees only to pull her limp body over my lap to my chest. “No, baby. Don’t go. Don’t fuckin’ leave me.”
Tears rained down my cheeks, mixing with the wetness covering her face.
Her fuckin’ beautiful face.
Pale and lifeless and so damn beautiful it hurt.
I held her to me, praying words I was sure no one would answer. Begging for another chance. Anything to keep her.
To help her.
To make her whole.
Van’s voice sounded behind me. A flurry of activity pulsed through my apartment.
But I was gone.
Lost in a world without the only woman I’ve ever loved.
* * *
Doctors. Nurses. Paramedics. Ambulance drivers. Hospital administrative personnel.
They swirled around me, hovering on the peripheral as my mind spun.
What could I have done differently, other than never leaving Kelly’s side? What could I have done? I had a company to run. Things that needed to be taken care of. I couldn’t stay wrapped up in her arms every day no matter how badly I wanted it. I couldn’t protect her from herself each and every minute.
Maybe this morning should have been a clue that she wasn’t ready. Her breakdown over finding a job, over not being enough, should have told me not to leave her alone.
Yet I did.
I left her, and once again, she tried to take her own life.
Something tapped my shoulder, and I pulled my face out of my palms, expecting yet another nurse giving me no answers. Instead, it was Van.
And behind him, Donovan and Erin O’Connor.
I hadn’t stood to my full height before Kelly’s mother bowled into me. I was nearly tossed back into my seat, saved only when Donovan, too, threw his arms around me, giving me the support I so desperately needed.
“Thank you,” Erin cried into my gut. “Thank you for saving our baby girl.”
Blinking down at the two of them, I shook my head. “I didn’t—”
