Gone - Anna Brooks Page 0,63

mad at me, I understand. But I’m not going to stay here because of her. She’s my friend, and I hope she’ll remain that after I leave, but I refuse to put up with this place any longer.

After she’s gone, I get a banker’s box and shove all my stuff in it. Word has spread because a bunch of the other staff come up to me to ask if it’s true and then wish me luck, telling me they don’t blame me. When Jesse gets back, she gives me a hug. “I’m sorry,” I tell her softly.

“It’s okay. I get it. I’m just going to miss you.” We separate and both of us wipe beneath our eyes with a laugh. “Go. Get out of here. I’ll call you in a couple of days, and if you need anything before that, you’ve got my number.”

I take my stuff and scurry outside to my car without telling Dr. Rickman that I’m leaving. Screw him. I feel so free; nothing in my life is tying me down, and it’s the first time that’s ever happened. It’s also the first time I’ve been madly in love, and I’m so damn excited about the future I can hardly sit still.

I turn the music up and roll my window down, letting the warm California air blow my hair around. I see the light at the bottom of the small hill turn red and take my foot off the gas. As I press the brake to slow down, my car doesn’t get the message. No, it doesn’t slow at all. It’s almost as if it picks up speed. “Oh, my God.” I cruise down the hill faster and faster, even as I press both feet to the brake as hard as I can. I try to pull up the parking brake, but I’m going so fast, and I can’t get a good grip. “No, no, no.” I finally snag it and yank on my only hope, and my car squeals and shakes as it spins, but doesn’t slow down.

And as I approach the intersection about to fly through a red light, I scream.

Damien

I’m checking out my schedule for the next quarter and only have an issue with the month-long protection detail I’m supposed to go on with a band. I don’t mind being gone a week or so, but I’ve gotta talk to Royce about this shit because I do not want to be gone from Izzy longer than that. I have the receiver to our inter-office phone system in my hand when Gio runs into my office.

The wide eyes and locked jaw tell me something has happened. Something very, very bad. “Bella was in a car accident. She’s at the hospital.”

Sweat trickles down my back and dizziness overtakes me as black spots cloud my vision, but I’m on my feet and already running to the parking garage.

“I’ll drive,” Gio insists.

Not giving the slightest fuck how we get there as long as it’s fast, I jump into the passenger seat of Gio’s Range Rover.

He tears out of the parking lot, and as much as neither of us wants to wait the ten seconds it takes for the gate to shut, we watch until it locks closed—company policy for the safety of everyone in the building. He pulls out onto the street and weaves in and out of traffic as though he’s playing a video game.

“How bad is it?” I’m afraid to ask, but I need to know.

“No clue. My mom got the call right before she called me. She was in hysterics. I could barely make out what she was saying.”

I drop my head in my hands and press my fingertips into my temple, trying to force away the thoughts that Izzy’s dead, and I have to live the rest of my life without her. I wouldn’t survive. Not after having a slice of heaven in my hands. I fucking need her. “She’s gotta be okay.”

“She will be. She’s tough.”

“She has to be okay.” I actually feel my nose burn, and I have to sniffle. “She has to. I can’t live without her.”

“You won’t have to, man.”

I press the palms of my hands into my eyes, and then sit up, shoving the fear down deep and getting control of my emotions. “Hurry.”

“Going as fast as I can, D. We’re close.”

His knuckles are white on the steering wheel, and when he turns a corner, the tires squeal, and I’m almost worried we will tip over. We make it