Page 114 of Always Right

“Call the cops, Hannah! Now!” His eyes traveled from me to Blake and it took me a few moments to react but I finally did, rattling off our address to the operator before dropping the phone to the floor.

I crawled to Blake with every bone in my body trembling in fear and ripped his shirt open.

No. No. No.

Two dark bullet holes pierced his skin...blood seeped past uncontrollably. He must have seen the fear on my face because he offered me a half smile, reaching up to touch my face.

“Hannah, put your hands on his wounds!” Derek yelled from behind me. “Now, baby! You have to do it now!”

My body reacted to Derek’s words and I did as he said, Blake’s blood quickly covering my hands.

“I’m...” Blake coughed, once, twice...wincing in pain. “I’m s-sorry...”

I shook my head as the tears spilled down my face. “No, no...Blake...”

“Is…Derek…okay?”

I nodded, glancing back at Derek. Eugene’s gaze had glazed over as he slumped back. Derek shoved his—what seemed like lifeless body—off him.

He stared at him, eyes wide, as if he couldn’t believe he had done it, before wincing and approaching me. I knew it was the adrenaline because blood still poured from his wound.

“I’m fine, Blake,” Derek said as he knelt next to me. He placed his hands over mine, applying more force than I thought he could when I looked at his pale face. “The paramedics will be here soon.”

The two men I loved—my husband and my best friend—were injured. I couldn’t lose them both. Oh, God...I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.

Fear creeped in. The idea made me sick to my stomach, but I forced the bile back down, knowing they both needed me.

“I’m going to pass out,” he groaned when Derek applied more pressure.

Derek nodded, as if he already knew.

I shook my head, “No, no, no, no...please.”

“He’s lost too much blood, Hannah...” Blake winced, cursing once more as he sucked in a breath. A painful, wheezing, breath. “You need to tell him whatever you need to say now.”

I looked at Derek, searching for what he was actually trying to say. His pained eyes told me everything he couldn’t say out loud and a sob broke through my lips. I wasn’t losing Derek...but I was losing Blake.

“I forgive you,” I whispered, my tears falling to his shirt. “I forgive you Blake but you have to hold on so we can create more memories together.” His eyes fluttered closed and the pain in my chest intensified. “You’re my best friend...please...”

The door burst open and police officers walked in with weapons drawn. They rambled off orders and approached us.

I didn’t even notice when Derek pulled me into his arms or when they were talking to me.

I didn’t notice when they began taking Eugene’s body.

I didn’t notice much of anything until they tended to Blake and said they couldn’t find a pulse.

It was when the ear-splitting scream that tore from my throat forced me to double over in pain, that Derek fought off the paramedics still trying to assess him. He took me into his arms as they began CPR and placed Blake on the stretcher, holding me together as the world around me fell apart.

It was too late.

It was always too late.

Chapter 41

Hannah

I had the hardest time learning how to ride a bike. I wasn’t coordinated, couldn’t balance and when I fell and scraped my knee, my mother wasn’t exactly the most encouraging person. I could clearly remember her saying to get up and keep going, that I wouldn’t learn without falling.

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