Page 78 of Sweet Heat

Warm hands gently clasp my face. “No. Absolutely not. It’s pouring, and he was driving a car that’s not made for this kind of weather. Are you okay enough to talk to the emergency operator?” Miller checks in with me, even though my brain is screaming for him to help my brother. Swallowing hard, I nod and bring the phone to my ear.

“911. What’s your emergency?” a voice chirps in my ear while I follow Miller’s long strides around the car. This side doesn’t look as twisted. The airbags are visible, and I wonder if we could try to open the door.

“Hi. There’s been a car accident on Highway 10. My brother’s car is in a ditch.”

“Are you in the car, Ma’am?”

Miller must have the same idea because he rushes to the car and tugs with all his might. The metal hinges creak and groan, but they don’t give way.

“No.”

“Ma’am, are you injured?” the voice asks, but my brain feels fuzzy, torn between answering her questions and watching Miller huff and pant as he tries to get it clear. I walk forward, nearly falling when my toe catches on a big rock.

A big rock.

“I’m fine. We’re only a mile or so back from Exit 56. Please get here,” I say, dropping the phone into my pocket to reach down. The rock is slippery under my fingers and so heavy that my arm muscles pull taut, straining under the weight. But a surge of adrenaline makes it possible.

“We can use this to break the window,” I gasp, returning to Miller’s side. His eyes widen in surprise, but he pushes back his soaked hair and hauls it into his arms. We can’t see inside the vehicle; the rain and airbags obscure the windows. Odds are we should wait for help, but what if Owen needs us now? What if his survival is resting on us?

Working as a team, we bring the rock down hard on the window, hoping my brother doesn’t get cut by the glass shards.

“Owen,” I scream into the void, then stop to listen. The loud patter of the rain makes it hard to hear, but I swear he whimpers, “Help. Help me,” and I become resolute.

“He’s in there. He needs us,” I shout to Miller.

“I know. Let me see if I can get to him.” Miller yanks on the airbag and then uses it to clear the glass shards before reaching inside to unlock the door. It pops open with a loud squeak thatechoes around us amid the raging storm. A loud clap of thunder answers back, making me jump. “He’s right here. But I can’t get the damn belt off.”

Immediately, the problem is clear; the front of the car is crumpled around the steering wheel, and Miller’s Alpha bulk can’t squeeze between. Even his long arms are too short to reach.

“I can.” My feet slide as I try to clamor into the car, but Miller is right there, supporting me the whole time, never letting me fall. The scents from the car make me lightheaded, burned rubber, and the coppery stench of fresh blood cause my vision to swim. Clenching my fists, I get ahold of myself, focusing on my task. It’s a tight fit, and I do my best not to hurt Owen further as I slot myself into the vehicle. Blood drips from his head, but the gentle rise and fall of his chest brings me hope.

“Hey there, big brother,” I whisper, too scared to speak louder. “We’re going to get you out of here.”

The sound of my voice has him cracking an eye open and muttering something unintelligible, but just the fact that he’s able to do that makes me lighter. He’s not dead. This isn’t the end of his story. I won’t let it be.

“Okay, I know it’s awkward, but I’m going to reach for the buckle. Okay?” He doesn’t answer me, but it’s all right. The pain marring his face has me moving as quickly as possible as I stretch and twist until my fingers touch the metal of the buckle. Pressing hard, I grunt in frustration when my thumb slips and doesn’t free him. Sweat dots my brow, or perhaps it’s just my hair dripping from the rain, and I curl forward to try again. Jamming my thumb on the button, it finally gives way with a loud click.

Hell yes.

The strap pulls taut, then launches itself off him, slapping angrily against the doorframe.

“I did it,” I cry, letting Miller help me out of the destroyed vehicle before whirling around and helping to tug my nearly unconscious brother free. He’s heavy as hell, but between the two of us, we finally pull Owen from the wreckage.

“Owen. Owen. Can you hear me?” Miller asks, gently dragging his body toward higher ground. The rain is finally tapering off, but the water in the ditch is ankle-deep, so we can’t lay him down. My brother grunts but doesn’t speak. His leg bends at an odd angle, and I wish Mari were here to do an assessment. Nearly at the end of her nursing degree, she would know what to do, but me? I’m completely useless.

Thankfully, just as despair closes in, sirens and red flashing lights appear in the distance, rushing this way. The second the fire truck and ambulance arrive, EMTs swarm the scene, relieving us of our duties. They quickly assess Owen, deciding he’s stable but needs to be transported immediately.

“Are you two all right?” an older paramedic asks, looking us up and down. We both nod, knowing that the minor scrapes and bruises we’ve gotten throughout the ordeal will heal. “All right. We’re going to take him up to the hospital. You can follow us there, but I would suggest getting out of those wet clothes as soon as possible.”

The man turns on his heel, striding quickly to the ambulance, where Owen’s on a gurney being loaded into the back.

It could have been so much worse…

Chapter Forty- Four

Bleach. Sterile. Medicine.Death.

Hospitals have a distinct smell, and I remember this one vividly. The scent of this place is burned into my brain; one I hoped to never encounter again. It’s the same hospital where I found out my parents had died after that fateful night so many years ago.

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