Page 80 of Kiss Away Your Pain (Wounded Hearts 2)

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Destiny

I wobble to our car as quickly as I can, knowing I need to manage my tornado of emotions for her. I beeline for her condo and pound on the door. Nothing. I call her. Nothing. I text her that I’m at the door. Nothing. I know she’s hurting, but she would answer the door for me.

Me:She’s not at her house.

Enzo:She didn’t come back here.

Nicco:I’m not home yet. Let you know.

I pace outside her door, stopping every few seconds to knock again, in case she didn’t hear me.

Nicco:She’s not here.

“Where are you?” I whisper to myself as my heart aches knowing she’s alone right now. Then it hits me. “Of course.”

Me:I know where she is.

I get back in the car and head to the cemetery. As I drive, the bright blue sky abruptly shifts to an ominous charcoal gray, rolling thunder and throwing rain-darts. The traffic makes me impatient. I need to get to her.

Finally, I pull through the iron gates, rain-water running off of them creating a gully. Winding down the path to Dom’s grave, I see her in the distance. I know you’re supposed to be respectful and drive slow through a cemetery. Right now, no one is here. No one but my shattered friend who needs me. I accelerate to get to her.

Stopping the car, I get out and slowly approach her up on the hill, keeping a little distance. I know she’s safe. And I know she needs to be here.

Rain pelts harder and faster. Slumped over Dom’s grave, her rain-soaked body convulses mercilessly. Pink hair drenched and tangled down her back. A thunderous wail stops me in my tracks and goose bumps prickle across my body. I suck in a breath as tears sting my eyes. Her arms are wrapped around his tombstone, like she’s wrapping them around his body. Her legs curl in as the rain beats down on her battered body, magnifying her torment.

Another torturous shriek that sets me back on my feet, piercing me. I can’t take any more. I waddle to her as quickly as I can, managing to maneuver myself onto the soggy ground, close to her.

She gasps, startled, and whips her head toward me. Mascara streams down her pained face. Eyes pinched together, agony screams on her skin as her mouth gapes open. Unwrapping from the gravestone, she rests her head in my lap. The rain continues assaulting us. Thunder roars angrily. Holding one of her hands in mine, I carefully move her matted, soaking hair from her face with the other.

Tucking her into my body, I rock back and forth as she howls and sobs and mourns. Squeezing me so tightly, her body tremors in my arms as her frail heart relives Dom’s death. My heart cries for her.

What feels like an hour passes. Her trembling subsides and her sobs temper.

I stroke her hair. “Come on, let’s get you home and dried off,” I shout above the roar of the storm whirling around us.

She looks up at me from my lap and squeezes her eyes shut, ignoring the water that’s ricocheting off her face. Opening her eyes, lethargy in her movements, she rises from the ground and tucks her arms under me.

“You shouldn’t be out here in this,” she shouts with a loving scold, helping me to my feet as thunder claps and crackles above us.

“You’re my best friend. I couldn’t let you be alone right now.”

Rain pouring down in buckets, she wraps her arms around me, squeezing.

A boom of thunder shakes the earth beneath us as white-hot lightning streaks across the dark sky.

“Come on!” she shouts, grabbing my hand and running to the car, rain teeming down on us.

I pop the hatch and throw the two blankets toward the front seats. We both hop into the car, shivering. Wrapping a blanket around myself, trying to dry off and warm up, I grab my phone to text the guys.

Me:I found her. She’s okay. Taking her home.

Nicco:Are you okay? This storm is nasty.

Enzo:Thank God. Thank you.

Me:Yes, I’m fine.

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