Page 90 of Montana Silence

The gun no longer tapped against his leg. He held it steady. And it rose in my direction.

I didn’t think. For the second time in a vehicle today, I lunged. Tucking myself into a ball, I pulled on the door handle andlaunchedmyself from the car.

Pain ripped into me, the impact throwing me and rolling me. Never in my life had I felt this kind of pain. Not even when Malcolm was beating me. But if I was in pain, I was alive.

I was alive.

Through the darkness and pulsing agony, I heard tires ripping open and the sound of gunshots. Squealing and sliding. Pressure.

“Mara.”

Were those sirens?

“Thank god,” I heard in a low whisper. “Hang on, sweetheart. Help is coming.”

That was Liam’s voice. Liam.

I loved him.

That comfort took me down into the dark.

* * *

Slow,methodical beeping echoed in my brain. Too soft to be an alarm, too slow to be a siren. Was the smoke alarm going off? What the hell was it?

I opened my eyes and found a white drop ceiling above me. Where the hell was I?

And—

Ohfuck.

Everything hurt.

“Ow.”

The one syllable was wholly inadequate.

“Mara?”

I couldn’t move my head, but it didn’t matter. Liam’s face appeared over mine. Everything came back in a painful, colorful flurry. But I wasalive.

He leaned down and kissed me. Gently. I wanted so much more—I wanted to consume him, because where Liam was, there was no pain.

“Where are we?”

“The hospital,” Liam said. “Making sure you’re okay.”

I blinked. “How long has it been?”

He sighed. “A day. You jumped out of the car yesterday.”

“A day…”

Liam’s forehead pressed against mine. “Yes, sweetheart. God, I want to pull you into my arms right now, but I don’t want to hurt you. I love you. I love you so much.”

He kissed me again, and I relaxed. We were here together, and we were safe. “You got my text?”

“I did.” Pain filled his eyes. “I’m so sorry you thought you had to say goodbye. I never should have let you walk away from me.”