Page 79 of Scrooge

“Penn Station,” I say quickly, knowing if she needed to run, that she would go home. Without hesitation, I sprint up the street. I don’t bother with Dan, my strides long, my fitness on point as I pound the sidewalk, running through the people, a media group now also following me. Turning the corner, I sprint up past the shops and bars, my need to find her to make sure she is okay pushing my body to the limits. I have no idea what Logan said to her, or did to her, but if she didn’t feel safe to find me, then it must be bad. I can’t believe he thought she was a fucking hooker. What a scumbag.

Then I spot her. She is jogging up ahead.

“Haylee!” I yell her name. People nearby look at me, and my pace quickens as does hers.

“Haylee!” I yell for her again, heart thundering in my chest as she stops at the side of the road.

“You just need to leave, Alex,” she says as I come to a stop next to her. She pulls the jacket around her like she needs comfort, before her hand hits her ear and she grabs it. I swallow, catching my breath. She hasn’t done that with me in weeks. She is panting, obviously running the entire time from leaving the bar.

“What did he say? He is a fucking asshole, Sunflower. He doesn’t know anything about us,” I tell her, moving closer so she’ll look at me.

“Do I?” she asks, and I frown.

“What do you mean?” I question.

“Was any of it real?” she asks quietly. The media have now caught up, and I despise having this discussion out in the open for the world to hear, but I am beyond caring about what other people think. If my stocks plummet, if I never get invited to another business conference for the rest of my life, I don’t give a shit.

“We can’t be together. Not anymore.” Her hand works overtime on her ear before she steps forward to move quickly to cross the road. My heart stutters at her statement, stomach sinking as if she actually means what she’s saying.

“Haylee, please, I—” I say, just as she starts to run across the road, and then I see it. A taxi speeding down the road, hidden behind a truck, coming our way.

“Haylee, stop!” I scream, desperate to stop her, and she stills, thankfully, but stills looks like she could run from me at any moment.

“I love you,” I say on a heavy breath, legs shaking with nerves I’ve never experienced before. The camera clicks, the crowd gathers, but I stare straight at her. She’s my everything. It can’t end, not like this.

“What?” she whispers, turning to look at me, her eyes glassy, her cheeks flushed. I swallow the feeling of vulnerability and push through.

“I am in love with you,” I tell her, a bit stronger this time. I want her to really hear me, know how real my feelings are, so we can fix this. She hasn’t bolted, remains rooted to the ground, just out of reach.

“I love you too, Alex,” she says, her chest rising and falling quickly, as she speaks the sweetest admission I’ve heard from her lips. I smile, wide and bright, relieved and invigorated. It feels amazing. Amazing to tell her how I feel and even better to hear her say those words back to me. I’ve never had this. It’s almost like she is the other part of my soul. The part that was missing. She fills up the space that sat inside, bleak and empty, for so long, and now I feel like I see in pure technicolor.

But I hear it before I see it. The taxi heading our way honks its horn, and we both look up at the same time to see it swerving on the wet roads, Haylee just in its path.

“Haylee!” I shout, running to her, reaching out to grab her to pull her back, but I am too late. I see the impact before my very eyes, hear the crowd that has gathered all gasp, and the taxi slam on the brakes, but he doesn’t stop in time, the melted snow and ice making him skid farther than he usually would before he hits her.

“Haylee!!” Not caring what vehicles are coming at me, I run straight into the road. My security team quickly surrounds me as I fall to my knees, my clothes getting wet from the sludge as I hold her face in my hands.

“Haylee? Come on, I got you. Wake up for me.” I look over her body, but she is out cold, not moving, and my heart drops to my feet. I hear Dan calling the paramedics behind me, the media having another fucking field day if the flash photography is anything to go by. I touch her gently, my hands cupping her face, not wanting to move her too much but unable to simply sit here and do nothing.

“Sunflower, please,” I whisper into the night air as I spot a small trickle of blood trailing from her hairline down her forehead, and I promise right there and then, two things.

One, I am going to marry this woman and love her for the rest of my life. And two, I am going to end Logan Matthews.

38

HAYLEE

Why does my head hurt?I think, slowly trying to open my eyes.

“Take it easy.” I hear my mother’s voice as I slowly come to. The light is bright. Too bright. The room stark white and somewhat familiar. Feelings of panic rise. Did Jaryd hit me again? I wriggle my jaw, it feels sore, but not like before. Images flash through my mind rapidly of Jaryd hitting me, fear consuming me, but then there is something else.Someone else.

“Mom?” I croak. Why is my voice breaking? Why is my mom here?

“Oh, thank God,” she says, grabbing my hand. It is then I realize my other hand is held tight by a strong, warm, powerful palm. Fear dances around my skin, my nerves starting to escalate once more. Is it Jaryd… Is he here?

“Sunflower?” Alex’s voice is soothing, and I take in a deep breath and try to move before memories start to swirl.

“Oh, here we go…” Jillian says, and I open my eyes in time to see her pushing Alex out of the way, but he doesn’t budge, not leaving my side.

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