My seatbelt digs painfully into my neck, trying to keep me locked down as the car continues to spin.
As quickly as it happened, it’s over, and the world becomes still once more.
Blood coats my mouth, and my ears ring as smoke tickles my throat.
I force my eyes open.
The entire front end of the car is crushed, and I try to move, but pain shoots through my side, and I cry out.
Stephen is silent beside me, but I don’t want to risk turning my head in case I cause more damage. I hope he’s not dead for the sake of his wife and kids, but I had no other choice. Their lives weren’t the only ones at stake.
I try to fumble for my seatbelt, but my hands are shaking so badly I can’t undo it.
I’m completely trapped here.
The engine is billowing out smoke.
What if the engine explodes?
“Oh God, oh God,” I try to undo my seatbelt again.
“Ciara!”
Ronan.
A strangled sob escapes me at the sound of his voice.
I glance out of the corner of my eye and see him ripping open the door, his dark eyes wide with a combination of fury and panic.
“Ciara…”
The sound of his voice is enough to send me into a fit of sobs. I can barely breathe as every emotion possible hits me all at once.
Ronan’s arms are around me, pulling me out of the car with such care that I only sob harder.
He holds me against his chest as he carries me away from the wreckage. “I’ve got you, baby. I’ve got you.”
I cling to him, shaking uncontrollably as I catch sight of the wrecked car.
There’s no sign that Stephen is even still alive, and that realization has me completely coming apart.
“Stephen…h-he was going to?—”
“I know. I heard everything.”
“Y-you did?” I look up at him.
“You did good, baby. You did fucking perfect.”
I nod as my throat tightens.
“Brennan, open the car door. I need to get Ciara inside.”
Brennan appears like a shadow, opening the back door of the SUV so Ronan can help me inside.
He sets me down so gently, as if I might shatter at any moment.
I hold him tighter. “I didn’t think I would see you again.”
