Page 26 of Heartbreak Hill

“Hey,” she said.

“I’m going to give you guys a few minutes.” Sydney left the room.

“I’ve never been so happy to see those brown eyes of yours.” She brushed her hand through his hair, like she had done many times during his stay.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly.

“Don’t be,” she told him. “Everything’s good now.”

“Yeah,” he said as he started to fall back to sleep.

Reid sat next to him and refused to let go of his hand.

“I should’ve told her that I love her,” he said softly.

“Told who?” Reid asked. She waited for him to respond. When he said nothing, she prodded. “Who do you love, Grayson?”

“Sully.”

EIGHT

NADIA

Nadia woke, startled, heart racing, beads of sweat dripping from her forehead. Her eyes came in and out of focus. Colored shadows danced on the wall and voices spoke softly, their words muddled and unfamiliar. She blinked, and her eyes darted around the room, absorbing the familiarity of her bedroom. Nadia exhaled and rolled onto her back. It was a nightmare. That’s all. The sound of crushing metal, the agonizing and scared screams of the injured—she made it all up. She wasn’t there. Her girls weren’t there. She reached for Rafe.

He’s not here.

Where was he?

She sat up quickly, scrambled out of bed, and rushed to the bathroom.

Empty.

His clothes hung in the closet. He had to be in the house.

She opened her bedroom door. More voices. More unfamiliar sounds.

“Rafe?” she called out as she inched her way down the hall toward the noise. “Rafe?”

Nadia crept down the stairs and into the catchall room. Rafe sat at their shared desk with his head bent. “Rafe?”

He looked up with the blackest eyes possible. She took a step back. “Rafe?”

He stood and came toward her. Arms outstretched, waiting for her.

Her heart thumped wildly in her chest. A voice told her to run, and to run fast. But she couldn’t make her legs move.

“Rafe?” she said, her voice quivering. He stopped and turned. The side of his head was caved in, and she could see into the depths of his skull. His neck contorted in angles it shouldn’t. Bugs, snakes, and worms crawled out.

Nadia screamed.

“Wake up, Nadia.”

She felt pressure on her shoulders and fought whoever tried to hold her down.

“Nadia, wake up!”

Her eyes darted open at the sound of her father’s voice. He hovered over her, fear etched across his face. An instant wave of emotion took over, and realization weighed heavily on her as her senses returned. The dream hadn’t been a nightmare but her reality. She sobbed as her father pulled her to his chest.

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