Page 5 of Payoff Pitch

I hear a crunch, and she’s thrown forward, not having her seatbelt on. I hold her as best I can, but there’s only so much I can do.

I think I must black out for a few seconds because I blink my eyes open to the sounds of sirens. I turn to Bailey who’s unconscious and slumped over.

I immediately remove my seatbelt and reach for her. “Bailey, baby, are you okay? Wake up.”

Nothing.

I lift her face and hold it in my hands. I’m frantic. “Wake up. Oh god. Please wake up.”

Pulling her lifeless body onto my lap, I continue to gently shake her. Eventually, her eyes blink a few times. She breathes, “What happened?”

I quickly scan her body with my hands and eyes. I don’t see any blood. “We crashed. Are you okay?”

Still lifeless, she croaks out, “My head hurts, but I think I’m okay.” As if realizing why we crashed, she sucks in a breath and tears find her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Tanner. This is my fault.”

I hold her close to me. “No, it’s not.”

“Oh god, your new car.”

“I don’t care about the car. Just you. Are you sure you’re okay?”

Before she can answer, a police officer knocks on the window. “Sir, is anyone hurt?”

I lower the window. “I’m not sure. I think she hit her head. She needs to go to the hospital to get checked out.”

“Okay. Stay where you are. An ambulance will be here in a few minutes.”

I nod.

“How did this happen?”

I can’t help the small smirk as I look at Bailey and whisper, “Do you want to show him?”

She narrows her eyes at me.

I chuckle as I look back at the officer. “I swerved to avoid a car, but I couldn’t manage to avoid this pole.” I motion toward the pole now sitting in the engine of my car.

He nods in understanding. “Can you turn off the ignition, sir? The car is still running and it’s likely unsafe.”

“Let me try.”

Despite my efforts, I can’t reach it because of the damage to the car and Bailey cradled in my lap.

I look at her. “Can you reach it?”

She nods as she attempts to shift her body, but her eyes quickly widen in horror.

I look at her with concern. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

“Tanner, I…I can’t feel my legs.”

CHAPTER ONE

SIXTEEN MONTHS AGO

BAILEY

“Ma’am, for the last time, please sit down. We can’t take off unless you’re in your seat and buckled up.”