Page 37 of Call Out
When she looks up at me, her brows snap together. “Make what work?” she says with a confused scowl.
“Us.” I press my lips to the soft line on her forehead and inhale the wonderful scent of Vivian Swann. I worship this woman. She’s a treasure, a rare gem for keeps. My heart skips a beat at the realization of the genuine feelings escalating out of control. She’s my heroine. She’s mine.
I love her.
I really love her.
Viv shoves me away. It’s a brutal, quick move that knocks me back. “I don't belong to you. I’m Jeff’s girlfriend.”
My temper flares. This isn’t right. “Jeff? You’ve never met him.”
Zoe’s face replaces Viv’s. Her blackened eyes and withdrawn complexion are too close. “Are you going to kill me too?” she whimpers. “Because you’re breaking my heart.”
“No!” I snarl. “I told you before. We were a mistake. I tried to help you, as a friend.”
“I love you, Danny.” She sobs. Tears gather momentum, each one falling to my bare feet. I glance down to the watery shimmer, my lower half obscured in the darkness swirling around me, thick and unforgiving.
“Danny!” I swivel around when Viv cries out my name. She’s in the distance, her throat wedged in the crook of Jeff’s arm.
“Don’t hurt her!” The more I run, the more the distance grows between us. She’s out of reach. Was she ever really mine?
“She belongs to me, buddy,” Jeff announces with his usual charming grin. “How about one for the road?” He raises a bottle of beer to his lips. “We’ve got all night.”
“Don’t take her away from me. I’m sorry, Jeff. I’m sorry!” I rush forward to snatch her away, but with every swipe, her body retreats out of reach. “It’s not her fault. I killed you. I’m guilty as charged.” As my screams rattle in my throat, the haze of shadows only grows thicker.
My best friend jerks my woman backward. Each step removes them from sight until all I can see is myself in a watery reflection. Fear licks over me, tightening around my lungs so every breath is shallow and sharp.
“Viv!” I yell louder and louder, but she’s gone. I tug at my hair, slamming to my knees and landing in a pool of glistening, never-ending tears.
“Turn the car around, Danny!” Jeff’s stentorian demand booms around me. It’s all I hear; all I’ve ever heard. “TURN THE CAR AROUND, DANNY!”
“No!” I howl. “No!”
A shadowy silhouette caresses my slick brow.
“Come back to me, Danny.” Zoe’s face emerges before my eyes. “She’ll never love you. Not when she finds out you killed Jeff.”
“Danny. Wake up.”
“Danny?” I stroke my fingers over his thumping heart.
Writhing limbs jerk, free-falling out of a hellish dream. His legs kick off the sheet. A sheen of sweat gathers on his forehead and nostrils flare. Eyes ping open and blankness stares back at me as though he’s searching for sight.
“Where am I?” he rasps with heaving lungs. Instantly, Danny pulls away and then just as quickly, curls a hand around my waist and jerks me onto him. “Wait—Viv, I’m sorry. I was dreaming. Are you okay?”
“Yes.” I sigh into him. My head bobs when his arm tightens around me, keeping me so close that I swear he’s holding me prisoner. He buries his face into my tangled hair and inhales deeply.
“What were you dreaming about?” I quiz. “You scared the hell out of me when you yelled my name.”
Danny stays quiet. His pulse thrums against my ear with a thunderous tempo. “Nothing.” He slings an arm over his eyes and blows out slowly. “It’s a side effect of being a paramedic. Happens all the time.”
That’s odd. I’ve slept beside him a ton of times and never heard monstrous howling before now.
“I’m sure you’ve seen more than enough horrific accidents.” His body goes rigid. “I’d be a mess if I found people in pain.” I slot my leg between his. “Thankfully, both Nonna and Wini went peacefully.”
“That’s the reason I do what I do. To help people survive.”
My ovaries do a jig, and my heart quivers like he’s layered it in silky chocolate and promised to lick it off.
