Page 94 of Keep Me Safe

Paramedics stride toward us, and I know I must have a concussion because I think I see Kira right before my vision goes black.

chapter twenty-nine

kira

“Noah,” I scream as his body goes limp. I duck under the caution tape, needing to run to him, but arms wrap around me before I can go anywhere.

“Kira, you can’t go over there,” Jeff says, his grip tightening as I squirm against him. A sob escapes my chest as I call his name again.

“Hey, it’s okay. Let them do their job,” Maddie says, looking toward the EMTs. My hand covers my mouth as tears stream down my cheeks. I watch as they hoist him up onto a stretcher, his body moving like a rag doll. He’s going to be okay. He has to be. He’s still unconscious when they wheel him over to the ambulance.

“I’m going with him,” I grunt as I pull out of Jeff’s grasp.

“Kira,” he scolds, but I’m already halfway to Noah, leaving Maddie with Jeff.

My heart plummets as they load him in the back of the truck.

“I’m coming,” I demand, my voice cracking.

One of the paramedics, a man about my height, opens his mouth like he’s going to protest, but something on my face changes his mind.

“Get in,”he orders.

I listen, not wanting to give him any reason to kick me out.

“All set?” His colleague, a woman who looks to be in her forties, calls over to him.

“Yup, let’s go,” he says, stepping up into the ambulance with me.

The sterile scent invades my senses as I try to calm my breathing. He’s right there, his face bruised and bloody. I want to touch him, but I don’t want to get in the way of the man currently working on treating him across from me. The siren blares as we start to move.

Please wake up.

From what I can tell, his heart rate seems normal; the little monitor beeps steadily. He puts a mask over Noah’s face, probably for oxygen. No longer able to stop myself, I reach for Noah’s hand, giving it a squeeze. I relax for a second, remembering that day downtown at the bookstore, his rough hand as it brushed mine. I almost break down again, but I steel myself. I can’t be a sobbing mess when he wakes upbecause he will.

It doesn’t take long before we’re pulling into the hospital, and my heart rate spikes again. What if they don’t let me stay with him? I can’t leave him like this.

“Dave,” Noah mutters, his voice hoarse.

I bite back a sob, relief flooding my veins.

“Oh my god, Noah,” I cry.

“Kira? What’s going on? Where’s Dave?”

“Sir, you were injured in a fire. We need to get you inside, okay?”

“Where’s Dave, the man that came out with me? Where is he?”

The fear in his voice crushes me.

“I’ll find out, okay?” I tell him.

He nods, wincing in pain.

The staff instructs me to sit in the waiting room as they bring Noah back to work on him. I tried to fight them, but they explained that I could see him after treatment and I would only get in the way.

My phone vibrates in my pocket as I sit on the cold plastic chair. Shit, Jared. My hand still shaking from the adrenaline, I swipe to answer, bringing the phone to my ear.

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