Page 84 of Just My Luck

This isn’t possible. This isn’t how it went.

My attention swept past the overturned car and onto the outline of a small shoe poking up from the tall grass.

I raced toward the figure and fell to my knees when I realized Ben and Tillie were together, holding hands in the grass, eyes closed.

I was too late.

Again.

I did this.

Again.

An anguished cry tore through my chest. I sobbed uncontrollably as the sharp bite of metal handcuffs closed around my wrists.

“Abel!” Sloane’s panicked voice slammed me into reality. I jolted—disoriented, sweaty, and confused.

Her voice softened as I scrambled to my feet. “Abel, shhh. It’s okay.”

I watched in confusion as Sloane crawled to her knees in the middle of the bed. I looked around, assessing my surroundings.

My house.

My bed.

My woman.

Clarity broke through my confusion as I realized the horrific scene I’d experienced was a nightmare—a reliving of the accident, only this time with Sloane and the kids. My stomach curled, and I had to breathe through the wave of nausea that tore through me.

Sloane’s hazel eyes were wide, and she had her hands up. “It’s okay. It’s okay. I think you had a bad dream.”

I surged forward with tears in my eyes and clasped her face. I took a fraction of a second to study her concerned features before my mouth crashed to hers.

My heart thundered as breaths sawed in and out of me. I pressed my forehead to hers. “You’re okay. The twins are okay.”

Her hand rubbed up and down the outside of my arms. “We’re okay. They’re asleep in their rooms. I’m here with you. You’re safe.”

My eyes searched hers. I held her at arm’s length, looking over her body to assure myself she wasn’t broken—that I hadn’t harmed her.

Satisfied that it really had been a dream, I exhaled a shaky breath. “I’m so sorry.”

“You’re okay,” Sloane reassured. “You were tossing and turning and then... you made this sound.” She swallowed hard and shook her head. “I’ve never heard anything so heartbreaking.”

“I’m okay.” I breathed through a fresh wave of panic. “If you’re okay, I’m okay.”

Sloane moved out of the center of the bed and pulled back the covers. “Come on. Lay with me.”

Without a word, I did as she said and slid into bed beside her.

Her fingers made gentle strokes down my arm as I stared at her precious face. “Do you want to talk about it?”

I didn’t.

My throat was lined with hot coals as I swallowed. “It was the accident. Sometimes I dream about it, only... only this time it was different. Instead of the mother and her son, it was you and the kids.”

Her face pinched. “Oh, Abel. I’m so sorry.” Her fingers stroked the sides of my face, and I closed my eyes. “I promise we’re okay. We’re safe with you.”

I wanted to believe it. I needed to believe that I could keep Sloane and Ben and Tillie safe from harm. I couldn’t lose control—that was when everything went to shit, but my past was haunting us in more ways than one. First the nightmare, but also with Jared.

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