Page 157 of Before I Loved You

I bring my wrists up to my mouth and start tearing at the tape with my teeth like a ravenous animal, acting off of a pure adrenaline rush. The sting of my raw, bruised flesh is nothing in comparison to the pain circulating in my chest right now.

But I can’t get the tape fucking off.

I try to stand on my shaky legs but immediately fall, tremors wracking throughout my body.

“Help!” I scream through a sob. “Somebody help us!” I place my head on his shoulder. “Please. Anybody,” I beg again, feeling his chest slow with each last breath he takes.

“Please don’t leave me.” I kiss him softly. His beautiful brown eyes, appearing distant and withdrawn, close right after I whisper, “I love you.”

thirty-four

PAUL

An obnoxiously loud beep wakes me from my nightmare.

My eyes flutter open against a bright light, and I immediately notice pristine white walls and an overpowering antiseptic smell that fills my lungs.

Where the fuck am I?

Panicked, I try to sit up but am immediately met with pain radiating throughout my chest, eliciting a bear-like groan.

“Paul?”

Turning my head to my side, I see her.

The love of my life.

The mother of my child.

The woman I would jump in front of a bullet for.

And did.

Holding my hand, sitting beside me, Sarah instantly stands, gently resting her shaking hand on my cheek. Her exquisite green eyes lock with mine as tears threaten to spill over and pour down her purple bruised cheeks. She inhales a deep, resigned breath, closing her eyes. “I knew you’d never let me go.”

And with a single blink, everything flashes before me.

Sarah kneeled before Greyson with duct tape on her hands and mouth. Tears fell from her eyes over a fresh purple bruise forming on her cheek.

Greyson pressed a gun into Sarah’s head.

I lunged in front of Sarah, knocking her to the ground.

Greyson pulled the trigger.

A pain spread in my chest that I fought against with everything I had as Greyson attempted to pull the trigger again, but I twisted his wrist, watching as he mistakenly pulled it on himself.

Greyson fell to the floor, lifeless. Blood was pouring out of his neck.

I fell on top of Sarah, trying to keep her safe.

And that’s where my memory stops.

“Sarah,” I croak, my throat dry and tender.

She sucks in her bottom lip, trembling from head to toe. “I thought I lost you.”

“I’m here, baby girl.” I squeeze her hand reassuringly. All I want to do is kiss her. Kiss her with everything in me. But seeing that I can barely sit up, I can’t do that. “I’m going to need you to do something for me.”

---