Page 98 of Broken

“Emma, call 911,” Jet instructed before going back to whispering in his girlfriend’s ear, still trying to calm her down. Movement to my right drew my attention as Emma sat on the bench a few feet down from Izzy, her hands shaking as she pulled out her phone.

It was somehow the comment I needed to jerk me back into action. Izzy needed help, and she wasn’t getting it with me pinned down.

“Let me go, Mateo. I’m calm now. I won’t move her. But Ineedto go to her. She can’t just lie there alone.” My voice cracked at the end, and I felt my friend’s grip ease.

“I’m holding you to that, man. I’ll tackle you and take your shit all over again if you try.”

“Deal.” Whatever he needed to threaten as long as I could get to my girl.

He released me, and I quickly crawled down to Izzy’s side, my breath catching in my chest when I was finally able to see her up close. She looked horrible. Pale and broken. Her face seemed to be twisted in pain even though she wasn’t anywhere close to consciousness.

And the blood on the stairs? Where was it all coming from?

Renewed panic filled my lungs, and I reached out and immediately felt Mateo’s hand pull against my shoulder. I yanked it away. “I won’t move her!”

I wanted so badly to comfort her. To pull her into my arms and hold her. Soothe the pain I knew she had to be feeling. But I couldn’t. I wasn’t allowed. Not if I didn’t want to hurt her worse. Instead, I placed my hand on top of hers and reached up to stroke the hair back from her face.

“I’m right here, princess. You’ll be alright.” I wanted to believe the words so badly, even as my voice cracked through my whispers. I ran my fingers through her hair, feeling something warm and wet. I pulled them back, my mind dulling in a new panic with the red that now covered my hand.

Mateo cursed from behind me, and Emma gasped from my side, their presence barely registering. All I could do was stare at my bloody hand in shock. I’d watched her head smack into the bench. Was it just cut and bleeding or worse?

“You need to put pressure on it.” There was an urgent voice from above.

My head jerked up to find Zane, and anger pulsed with hatred through my body. “Why the hell are you still here?! Get the hell away from her!” Even yelling, my fear threatened to break my voice at any moment.

“You have to stop the bleeding!” Zane yelled back, desperation leaking through his tone.

“Don’t you–”

“Bro, stop it! He’s right!” Jet yelled. “You’ve got to stop the bleeding.”

“I’ll take care of him, man.” Mateo clapped my shoulder, already heading up the stairs.

My focus immediately went back to Izzy, dread pulling at my middle as I saw the blood now pooling around her. They were right. I had to forget about Zane. Izzy needed me.

Nearly ripping off my jacket, I laid it across her and yanked my top shirt over my head, leaving only my light cotton T-shirt to block the cool night air from my own body. I wadded up the shirt in my hands and pressed it against the spot on Izzy’s head where the red seemed most concentrated.

I kept my eyes on her beautiful, pained face, taking in how ashen she looked. Her skin was always pale, but the lack of color in her complexion now was unnatural. She was losing so much blood. Fear clenched me again, and I increased the pressure of my shirt against her head.

It was killing me that I couldn’t do more.

That it was my fault.

I shouldn’t have fought Zane.

Lowering my head to her ear, I started whispering again, wanting her to know that I was with her. That I was here for her.

Like I should have been before.

My stomach rolled, hating myself for not getting to her sooner. For not taking a fuckingsecondto consider the possible consequences of handling it the way I had. Izzy had already told me she didn’t want me to fight. And I let her down.

She was clinging to life right now, and it was all my fault.

My tears started to fall then, and I whispered in desperate passion for her to hear, “I’m so sorry, princess. I love you. I’m so sorry.”

JET

Annie sobbed in my arms, and I knew it pained her to her very core to see her sister lying there like that. Just like it pained me to have to keep her away. But Annie would never forgive herself if she hurt her.

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