Trey Turner was by my side, always waiting and remaining with me, even in my last moments.
A pressure pushed into my side. I looked down to see the purse I still had strapped to my body, but a shape from inside was peeking out the top. The corner of a black leather cover poked my stomach. I didn’t know how it got in there, but I held to the strap of the bag tighter as I blinked my eyes back up to Trey’s.
“It’s yours,” I shoved out over my heart-wrenching sobs because if I had the chance to tell him one last thing, it would be this. “The journal. It’s yours. It’s always been yours.”
His smile was kind. It was beautiful as his green eyes watched me. “I know.”
Then my head cracked into the window.
“You ruined everything!” Richard screamed as he pulled my face from the glass, then shoved me back. “I lost everything because of you!”
I tensed, ready for the next blow, but soft hands caught my face instead. “Shh, Lovebug. I’m here. I’ve got you.”
I squinted to see my conjured-up imagination of Trey was gone. Sitting in his place was—my mom, holding me to her. She felt so real, warm. The same as she had the night I lost her.
My head hit the glass again.
When Mom pulled away, her big, sea foam eyes watched me before she kissed my throbbing head.
“I’m so proud,” she whispered. “Weare so, so proud of you.”
I didn’t have to ask what she meant bywe.I had a feeling I knew, and my heart caved in on itself. What a reunion that must’ve been. My mom finally running home to the love of her life.
I too would have that reunion soon.
She kissed my head again before she made me look her in the eyes. “Live, Maybelle. Take the leap and live.”
“What?” I asked, hiccupping.
“Take the leap,” she repeated before pulling me to her chest one last time. “You are Maybelle Mason, and you can do hard things.”
I blinked. Hot liquid melted down my face. My vision was hazy, but despite that, when I blinked again, I saw my brother sitting in the seat next to me, clear as day.
“Fight, May.”
My head and heart seemed to fissure as I made myself look at my twin brother.
“Fight. You have to fight,” he repeated, and I felt shattered, hopelessly broken.
“I don’t know how,” I sobbed.
Liam’s firm hands grabbed my shoulders and his misty blue eyes bored into me. “Yes, you do.”
Hold still, keep quiet, obey.
It was the anthem my body sang to, now, and for all my life. For as long as Richard had a part in my fate, my body held still, it kept quiet, and it obeyed.
“I know,” Liam said, reading my thoughts.
And he did. My brother understood this part of me. He shared in this heartache with me.
Except once.
My muddled brain was tired. It was lost, but the images, the feelings and the memories of that one night came crawling back.
That night he fought. That night my brother fought for me… because he saw me as something worth fighting for.
The world froze around me as I found myself back in the car with Richard. His hand was still in my hair, his breathing heavy on my face and my vision blurred him out of focus.
