Every muscle tense and straining, I reach one arm for her. The other clings to the gutter.
“Don’t jump! Stay with me, my love!”
That fucker… What did he just call her?
What did he just call my wife?
Scout lunges for me. Hands clinging to my neck. Face buried in my chest. Our ribs rise and fall in rapid waves.
“Don’t let go. I don’t know if this is going to hold?—”
Cutting off my warning, the wood beneath my shoes snaps with an ominous groan, and we fall.
So far.
Wind slices across my skin.
And I’ve got her tucked into the safety of my arms.
Two truths settle in my bones.
I’m going to die.
And she was worth it.
My back hits the roof of the patio with such force, I lose all the air in my lungs.
Scout crushes my ribs as she lands on top of me. Every bone in my body feels the weight of the impact. My head bounces off the shale and gravel laying on the surface, a final insult to my shattered body.
Scout sniffs and rolls off me. “Oh my god! Stay like that. Don’t move…”
“Baby…” I croak. “Are you okay?” It hurts to talk. My throat closes up with the taste of iron and rust.
“Apollo. Please,don’tmove.”
I almost laugh. But it hurts too bad. It’s not like Icanmove. Everything’s heavy.
Everything hurts.
Everything goes black.
“Scout!”I scream, the sound feeling as if it’s not even coming from my mouth. So I try harder. “Tulip!” It’s murmured. My lips won’t part. I’m falling forever. And she’s in that window… I can’t reach her.
Still tumbling through theblackness.
It swallows me as I scream.
No one hears. No one.
“I’m here. Right here.” She sounds sad. As if she’s been crying. Nose stuffy and voice cracked.
My heart aches for her. Wants to soothe her every pain.
Blinking awake, I relax. A smile creeps across my face when the first thing I see is my beautiful wife looking back at me.
I’m in Heaven.
“I’m right here, stallion.”
