Page 32

NYLAH

It’s impossible not to cry as I limp down the street.

My leg is killing me. My entire body hurts, all the way inside me.

This rain.

That flash of lightning, the terrifying roll of thunder.

My breath catches as I fight off a wave of panic.

I probably should have let Carson help me, but I was so mad I wasn’t thinking straight. He hurt me. He might not have meant to, but he shouldn’t have been fighting! He wouldn’t listen when I tried to get him to stop.

And that feral look on his face.

I shudder, then whimper as another flash of lightning illuminates the distant sky. The storm is nowhere near me yet, but I still brace myself for that thunder, sucking in a shaky breath and letting out a soft sob when it rumbles through the air.

Fresh tears cascade down my cheeks, blending with the rain. My teeth start to chatter and I stumble on the path, having to slow down to accommodate this stupid leg.

I hate you! I scream at my knee, my thigh, picturing the ugly scars that have killed my chances of ever wearing miniskirts and shorts again.

I live in long pants and skirts because I don’t want the world to see.

But I can’t hide this damn limp.

Fuck, I’d been doing so well too.

And now…

My stomach shakes with more tears as I force myself to keep going in spite of the pain. I’ve spent hours doing that right. Forcing my body to do what I want it to. Battling the curse of a broken body.

And now my spirit feels broken, too, bruised by the thunder and wounded by the guy I can’t stop obsessing over. The guy I couldn’t wait to see. The one who thought beating up his teammate was more important than the precious minutes we get together.

“Nylah!”

I jolt to a stop, looking over my shoulder and spotting Carson racing down the street after me.

Damn, he looks good when he runs. He’s the perfect athlete, beautiful stride, speed, body. Add in the wet shirt and he’s sex on a stick.

It’s almost distracting enough to kill my anger, but I manage to hold on to the last of it, turning away from him and yelling over my shoulder, “I told you to leave me alone!”

“I can’t do that.” He stops behind me, his breathing ragged as he scoops me into his arms.

“Hey!” I try to fight him, but he’s too strong, hitching me easily into a princess hold and walking along like I’m not yelling in his face. “Put me down!”

“Not gonna happen.”

“You are such an ass!”

“Yeah, well, you can kick me in the balls later. For now, let me get you someplace warm and dry.”

Veering right, he heads across the street, and I reluctantly put my arm over his shoulder, tensing when another boom of thunder echoes in the distance. The storm is moving away, but the rain is still pelting down on us.

I like that he’s moving faster than I was.

I need to get out of this rain. I need a roof over my head. I need the safety of a house.

Flashes of memories torture me, and I fight them off, trying not to cry as I relive that moment in Nick’s crumpled car.

Don’t do this to me now!

Closing my eyes, I battle my trembling chin and hold my breath.

Carson squeezes my waist, walking a little faster until he’s practically running down the next street. I have no idea where he’s taking me until he slows down outside Football Frat.

I spot Carson’s motorcycle in the driveway as he climbs the steps and tries the handle. It’s locked, so he pounds on the door with his elbow. “Open up!”

“You can put me down.”

“Not a chance,” he murmurs, hitting the door again.

It opens after only a second, and Zander’s standing there, looking mystified. But then he takes a look at Carson’s beat-up face, then me in his arms, and that confusion turns to deep worry. “What happened?”

Carson pushes past him, walking into the living room just as Sienna’s rising from the couch.

“Oh no. What happened?”

“She hurt her leg,” Carson explains, laying me down like I’m a delicate rose petal.

I can sense him trying to catch my eye, but I’m not quite ready to look. I don’t want him to see my tears and quickly slash them off my face, hoping the others will think they’re just raindrops.

“How?” Sienna kneels on the floor beside me, lightly resting her hand on my ankle.

“I got caught up in a stupid fight,” I grumble.

“It was an accident!” Carson runs a hand through his wet hair, looking kind of destroyed. “I didn’t realize you were standing so close.” He points at me, then winces at Zander, his voice a shaking mess. “Where the hell are the fucking ice packs? Shit!”

I can’t help flinching, and he notices, his expression crumpling as he shakes his head and shuffles out of the room, following Zander I don’t know where.

Another shudder rips through me, and Sienna jumps to her feet. “You poor thing. You’re freezing. Let me get you some dry clothes.”

Dashing out of the room, she runs up the stairs, and I rest my head back against the cushions, straining for the sound of Carson’s voice.

I don’t know why.

I wanted him to leave me alone, right?

But then he chased me down the street, picked me up, and carried me through the rain.

And now I wish he was still standing beside me, because this living room feels too big and hollow without him.