“Baby, slow down.”

As Markus’s fingers bit into her butt, his cock deep inside of her as her knees dug into the couch of her hotel room, she knew she couldn’t slow down. She was so fucking proud of him, and she wanted to show him by riding him hard and fast. Who knew watching her sexy boyfriend score his first goal would turn her on so damn much?

“I can’t, I want you so fucking bad,” she panted, her ass coming up and down, his cock going farther and farther inside of her. “You’re so hot when you score.”

He laughed, his mouth against her neck as he held her, breathing hard. “But I’m going to come way too fast. Slow down, I want this to last.”

He stopped, his hands pressing her down as he throbbed inside of her, his mouth trailing up her neck. “Markus,” she gasped, squeezing him with her pussy. “I want to come. I’m almost there.”

“Fine,” he said, lifting her up by her waist. “Wrap your legs around my neck.”

“What!” she gasped, laughing as the cold air hit her throbbing hot center.

“Do it,” he demanded, and she did, her legs falling off the back of the couch as he held her ass, his mouth burying deep between her legs. Crying out, she held on to his head as he dove his tongue inside of her, taking her out of this world and into another where there were pretty pink orgasm clouds and glitter. Maybe a unicorn, cheering her on as her body shook against his mouth. He drove her mad, and it didn’t take long until she was screaming his name, her fingers and thighs squeezing his head as she kicked her legs against the couch.

Thank God there was no one in the room next to them or they would have heard a symphony.

“You weren’t kidding,” he said as he lowered her onto his cock, both of them groaning at the connection. She was still throbbing, and so was he. The feeling was indescribable. Squeezing his shoulders, she leaned her head against his as she gasped in breath, her body still shaking with her orgasm.

“I fucking love you,” she panted, moving her mouth to his as he smiled, wrapping his arms around her chest and holding her close.

“Good. I love you,” he said as their mouths met. The taste of her was on his lips, and for some odd reason, that turned her on even more. He was all about pleasing her, and he gave it his all when it came to getting her off. It was mind-blowing and perfect, and she swore if she died right then, she’d die a happy girl for sure. Groaning out, she started to move against him, his cock so deep inside of her again. She felt complete. Her ass slapped against his thighs as he moaned loudly, his fingers biting into her hips, his mouth trailing kisses along her neck and her shoulders before he nibbled softly on her collarbone. “Do you know how fucking hot you are?”

Her head fell back, her lip coming between her teeth as she rode him and his own lips trailed down her breasts. “I can’t take it. I can’t take how hot you are. How crazy you drive me. I wanted nothing more than to kiss you when I scored,” he muttered, his words enhancing her need for him.

“I wanted to ride you so bad,” she gasped back, and when she lifted her head, he was grinning at her. “What?”

She stilled as he asked, “How in the hell did you become such a freak?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“I’m over here, spitting some beautiful love words about how hot you make me, how much I love you, and you go, ‘I wanted to ride you.’”

She fought back her grin as she shrugged. “Well, I love you too, but I wanted to ride you, like, really bad.”

She laughed, her face breaking into smiles as he squeezed her chest to his. “Good, ’cause I fucking love you. And I love when this hot ass,” he said, taking a big chunk of her ass, “rides me. God, you drive me crazy,” he somehow choked out as she started to move against him once more. Looking up, he watched her, a little grin on his face as his cock went in and out of her with speed and need. She loved how silly he was, how they were together. While it was intense and hot as hell, it was also playful and sweet, which she loved. He made her feel beautiful, safe, and whole. She loved everything about them.

When he started to squeeze her hips, his head fell into her breasts. He yelled out as he came, filling her completely as she slowed, gasping for breath. He held on to her, probably so she wouldn’t move, and she could feel his heart pounding. She knew hers matched his. Moving her fingers along the back of his neck and through the coarse hair on his head, she closed her eyes, leaning into him as her heart burst for him.

She was so proud of him. He had worked so hard, played his ass off, and finally got his goal. It was such a beaut too, but the best part was that he hadn’t even realized it went in. It was shot so fast, with such force, that it whipped into the goal without anyone really seeing it. But Mekena saw it, which meant she didn’t actually get a shot of it. She did get the shot of him pulling back, ready to shoot, but not the goal itself. She figured she wouldn’t mention that part to him, though it was okay because neither of them would ever forget the moment when Markus Reeves scored his first NHL goal.

She sure as hell wouldn’t.

Kissing his temple, she slid her fingers down the back of his head and smiled. “Have I said I’m proud of you?”

“Nope,” he said, and she laughed since she knew she had, multiple times.

“I’m so proud of you, Markus Reeves.”

He looked deep into her eyes and kissed her lips softly. “Thank you.”

“It was a great shot.”

“That I shot for you,” he added and she laughed.

“You didn’t even know it went in!”

He smiled. “Sure, I did.”

“No, you didn’t!” she laughed.

“Okay, but let’s just say all goals are for you,” he said, wrapping her in his arms and letting them fall onto the couch, cuddling tightly together.

“For me?” she said like a little Southern belle. “How dreamy.”

He scoffed. “Don’t make fun of me.”

“Never,” she teased as his lips met hers, her leg hooking over his hip. Pulling back, she smiled as she glided her finger along his cheekbone, an overwhelming feeling of love coming over her as she stared deep into his intoxicating eyes. “I love you.”

He smiled, his nose pressing into hers. “I love you.”

Something glimmered in his eyes, and she wasn’t sure what it was or what it meant, but before he could say anything, his phone sounded. Annoyance took over his face as he rolled her to the other side of him, looking for his phone frantically.

“It can’t wait?”

“Nope, it’s my agent’s ring tone. Sorry.”

“Oh,” she said as he found his phone, answering.

“Hey, Ralph. Yeah, thanks, it was a great win. Thanks. Yeah, I got the puck on the counter right now, but it’s going on the mantel at home.”

Mekena scoffed. They didn’t have a mantel, but damn it, she might make him one. Or have him make it. Or better yet, hire someone to make it. She wasn’t sure she trusted Markus with tools. As she smiled, laughter bubbling inside of her, she drank in his profile as he listened. Boy, did she enjoy staring at him. Reaching out, she cupped his chin, moving her thumb along his jaw. Winking at her, he held up a finger, and she nodded as a huge grin came over his lips.

“No shit, really? Holy crap. Yeah, that sounds great. Wow, thanks, Ralph. No, I’m excited, I am. I’m just speechless.” She wasn’t sure what Ralph was saying, but Markus was beaming, his eyes bright as he nodded. “Yeah, I’ll see you in a couple days. Thanks. Thanks so damn much.”

Hanging up the phone, he looked over at Mekena and grinned. “Well, my beautiful girlfriend, you are about to be one lucky lady.”

She beamed. “Ryan Reynolds wants to make a baby with me?”

He paused and then shook his head. “What the fuck? You dig Deadpool?”

She nodded. “Hell yeah, I do, he’s sexy.”

“I’m naked here, you just took advantage of me, and you’re calling some other dude sexy?”

She smiled. “Yes, because I love you and find you sexy. But that doesn’t matter, carry on,” she said simply and he glared.

“We will revisit this later,” he decided, and she laughed as he rolled his eyes. “You are a lucky lady because your boyfriend will sign a multimillion-dollar contract on Monday with the Assassins.”

Mekena’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Really!” he gushed, and she wrapped her arms around him, kissing him hard on the lips.

Pulling back, she smacked his chest as she screeched, “Markus! I’m so proud!”

He looked like he might cry as he looked up at her. “I can’t believe it. I’m signing with my dream team and I get to live with you permanently and we get to be happy, together,” he gushed, and Mekena was on the verge of tears as they fell onto the couch, their mouths meeting in a hot, intense kiss. As his fingers tangled in her hair, she was sure she would burst with excitement and love for this man. She was so unbelievably proud of him. He was doing everything he had set out to do, and she couldn’t be more delighted for him.

For them.

Pulling back, he grinned as he asked, “Did you hear the multi part?”

She grinned. “I did, but how multi? Ryan Reynolds’s Deadpool multi?”

He gave her a dry look. “Really?”

She giggled uncontrollably. “No! Gosh, you should have seen your face.”

“You’re a punk,” he announced, and she laughed as he kissed her neck.

“But you love me, you love me so much,” she sang as she wrapped her whole body around him, so fucking happy she couldn’t contain herself if she tried.

“I do, so fucking much,” he muttered against her neck. “Enough to ignore this new love for Deadpool.”

“Oh, baby, my love for Deadpool is old and strong,” she teased, and he groaned loudly.

“I hate you,” he said and she laughed.

“You do not, and I know that for a fact,” she said, laughing, and he nibbled on her breast before leaning his chin to her chest, looking up at her.

“I don’t,” he said, his eyes dark and full of love. “I couldn’t if I tried.”

“I know,” she said, a grin pulling at her lips as she cupped his face. “Same here.”

He smiled, his hand coming over hers as they stared into each other’s eyes. Everything was working out. Everything was coming together, and holy crap, they were going to be together. It could change, he could get sent down, but right now, things were perfect and they were happy.

So damn happy.

“Hey, when we get back to Nashville, do you wanna go shopping?”

Her face broke into a grin as she laughed. “The multimillion is already burning a hole in your pocket? You haven’t even put ink to paper yet!” When he didn’t laugh, just smiled, she stopped laughing. “What? That was funny.”

“It was,” he said, his eyes burning into hers. “But I want to take you ring shopping.”

Her brows pulled together, unsure what he was saying. “Ring shop—” She paused, her eyes going wide. “Are you asking me to marry you?”

“No, I said shopping.”

Her heart kicked into overdrive as she looked deep into his eyes. “Is this ring for you to ask me to marry you?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“But you aren’t asking?”

“No,” he said simply, his eyes playful as he held her gaze. “I don’t know what ring to get you, and I don’t want to get you something and you hate it. So I’d rather go shopping, check shit out, get a sense of what you like, and then wait.”

“Wait?” she asked, drawing out the word. “Wait, how long?”

“I don’t know. I gotta talk to your dad, buy the ring, and stuff.”

“But this could be next week?” she asked, her heart trying to escape her chest.

“I mean…” He paused, shrugging. “Maybe. Would that be a problem?”

She shook her head before she even really thought about it. “No, no problem here.”

“So you will probably say yes?” he asked, and she couldn’t help but smile at the uncertainty in his eyes.

“Maybe, I don’t know. You haven’t asked.”

He held her gaze as his lips twitched. “Okay.”

“Okay,” she answered back.

“So we’ll go when we get back?”

“Yeah,” she said, her heart in her throat.

“Cool.”

“Cool,” she breathed as he laid his head on her chest. She felt like she was on cloud nine; her heart was going wild, and she couldn’t believe it. He was going to ask her to marry him, something she had wanted since the moment she met him. Yeah, they were young, and she was younger, but she’d known from the moment she met him that he was the man she wanted for the rest of her life. How could she not want him? He made her laugh constantly. He gave her the best sex in the world, and he made her feel so special. No matter what, she knew he had her back and he loved her. Unconditionally. That alone made her heart soar for him. Everything was going exactly how she wanted it to. She was happy, he was happy, and they were moving forward, together.

Everything was perfect, and she felt like nothing could touch them.

Kissing her breast, he said, “I love you.”

Smiling, she kissed the top of his head. But before she could answer him, her phone sounded. It was her mother, but she ignored it. “I love you too, Markus. So much.”

“Good,” he said as her phone stopping ringing. “Don’t want to talk to you mom right now?”

“Nope, I love what I’m doing right now. I’ll call her back,” she said, moving her hand down the middle on his back and then back up. But when her phone sounded again, and it was her mother again, she glanced over to where her phone was as her brows came together.

“Maybe you should answer. She usually doesn’t call twice in a row like that,” he suggested, and she nodded as he rolled off her just as the phone stopped ringing.

“Well, then,” she said, and she went to cuddle back with him, but her phone sounded once more. “Huh,” she said as a dreadful feeling washed over her. She wasn’t sure what was going on, but her mother never called her like that. Reaching for her phone off the table, she answered it. “Hello? Mom?”

She was met with hysterical sobbing before her father said calmly, “Skylar was in a car crash, Mekena. It’s not good. You need to come home.”

 

 

As they walked through the hospital to the ICU of Vanderbilt, Mekena couldn’t feel her hands or feet. Her heart hadn’t slowed since she dropped the phone and Markus picked it up back in Florida. He was the one who had made the calls, the one who got them on the first plane back to Nashville, and the one who packed. Mekena just sat there, not able to feel anything but pure fear.

She didn’t understand what was going on. Only that Skylar was in an accident and that it was bad. She also didn’t understand her feelings. She was supposed to hate Skylar, she did hate her, so why was she on the verge of tears and unable to hold it together as they headed through the cold hospital full of people either dying or fighting for life.

The place where Skylar was fighting for hers.

With a lump in her throat, Mekena stopped, and Markus looked back to her, confused.

“Baby?”

“I was supposed to drive back with Avery and my stuff so we can fully move in to the apartment. Shit, I didn’t call her.”

Coming to her, he took her hand, and to her surprise, she felt the warmth of his palm as he laced his fingers with hers. “I called her. Don’t worry, she’s flying up later tonight with Ashlyn and then taking her to Autumn before meeting us here.”

“Oh, okay,” she said, looking up at him as tears flooded her eyes. She felt like she didn’t even know who she was. What she was doing. What she was walking into. The fear was so great, it rattled her, and she wasn’t sure how to feel. She’d wanted Skylar to get a wake-up call, but getting into a head-on collision with a semi wasn’t the wake-up call she’d wanted. She wanted her sister to live, but there was a chance that wasn’t going to happen.

And she hadn’t even spoken to her except words of hate.

Her stomach dropped as she gazed up into his eyes, and he nodded grimly.

“It’s okay. Just keep walking, we’re good,” he said, reminding her for the nine hundredth time. Kissing the back of her hand, he pulled her along with him as he looked around, trying to find either Skylar’s room or her parents. His face was so set, his eyes wild, and she knew he was worried. He didn’t hide his feelings well, and she could tell he was shaking in his boots, but he was being strong for her.

When they rounded the corner, they started down another hall but then heard, “Mekena, Markus.”

It was her father, and when they turned toward a door, her parents were waiting inside what looked like a family room. Her mom was in a ball in a chair, crying, and Mekena just broke down, a sob leaving her as she rushed to her mother, wrapping her arms around her. Linda took her in her arms, holding her tightly as they both cried, her body shaking against her mom’s.

“It’s so bad, Mekena. They don’t know if she’ll make it. We might lose her. We might lose her before we could save her,” her mother cried, and Mekena squeezed her eyes shut, the pain rocking her core. “Why couldn’t we save her?”

“I don’t know, Mom. I’m sorry, I don’t know,” she cried, holding her tightly as her mother’s sobs filled the room. Guilt washed over Mekena as she buried her face in her mother’s shoulder. She should have tried. She should have talked to Skylar, tried to fix her, help her figure out whatever was wrong. She didn’t know because her sister had cut her out. Skylar had hurt her, broken her, and instead of getting over that, Mekena threw her out of her life. She had to; she didn’t know what else to do. But now, now she felt horrible.

What if this was her fault?

“Preston?”

Mekena looked up as a younger man in a white coat came into the waiting room, her father meeting him halfway. “Yes, that’s us. We’re Skylar Preston’s parents.”

Letting Mekena go, Linda got up, rushing to Stan’s side as the doctor tucked his hands in his pockets. Mekena was unable to move as he said, “I’m sorry, but we’ve done everything we can. Your daughter wasn’t wearing her seat belt, and her head hit the window so hard that it not only cracked the glass, but her skull, exposing her brain and, of course, causing some irreversible damage. She sustained injuries to her lungs, liver, and pelvis. Along with breaking all her limbs and shattering her feet. We are keeping her comfortable, but I’m very sorry to say the tests are indicating no brain activity. We don’t see her making it through the night.”

Mekena closed her eyes as tears rushed down her cheeks. A ringing noise filled her head, and all she felt was emptiness. She felt lost, unable to process what the doctor was saying, but then Markus was there, pulling her into his lap, kissing her temple as he hugged her tightly. “Breathe, baby, breathe.”

She couldn’t. She felt like she was going to pass out as her mother’s sobs filled the room and her father’s guttural cry followed.

She heard Markus’s voice. “There is nothing you can do? Could she make it?”

Clearing his throat, the doctor said, “The damage is just too great and, unfortunately, irreparable. The swelling in her brain is so severe that we’ve had to cut open her skull in spots in the hopes of stopping it, but we aren’t seeing improvement. Her blood pressure keeps dropping, and we are doing our best. But I’m very sorry, it is unlikely she’ll survive the night.”

Clinging to Markus, Mekena cried as he held her, kissing her and reminding her to breathe.

“Can we see her?” her mother asked, her voice breaking between the sobs.

“Of course. She’s heavily medicated. We’re unsure if she has control of her eyes. They keep flickering and are very swollen from the damage to her skull, so just a warning, it’s not easy to see.”

“I don’t care, I want to see my baby!” Linda cried, falling into Stan’s arms as he cried too.

“Please, we want to see her.”

“Of course, follow me,” he said, leading the way, and Mekena watched as her parents walked with him. They were almost out the door when they stopped, looking back to Mekena and Markus.

“Mekena, come on,” her mother urged, but she couldn’t move. Her heart was in her throat, her stomach was twisted in fear, and she couldn’t control her legs. She didn’t want to go. She didn’t want to see her sister like that. She couldn’t.

But how was she going to tell her parents that?

“We’re right behind you,” Markus said, and Mekena looked up at him in complete bewilderment. She didn’t expect him to want to go. That was his rapist, and he wanted to go in there? He wanted to be near her? How was that fair? How dare the world do this to him! It was bad enough he was dating Mekena, or hell, wanting to marry her with the possibility of seeing Skylar at the ceremony, but now he was supposed to stand beside Mekena as she watched her sister die?

That wasn’t right, and he probably felt guilt, bone-deep. He’d probably wished Skylar dead and now this. How was that fair? Everything was going so well for them, and then, bam! Skylar was fucking things up once more. Anger rushed through Mekena as the tears continued down her cheeks. Why couldn’t Skylar have just kept it together? Why did she have to be an addict? Why couldn’t she go back to the girl she was? When she loved Mekena and gave good advice and was there? Why did she do this? Why was she hurting everyone?

“You don’t have to go in there,” Mekena cried, but he looked down at her as she shook her head. “I don’t want to go in there.”

“Mekena, you have to. She’s dying.”

“No, I don’t want to,” she cried, her tears rushing down her cheeks as the lump in her throat nearly choked her.

“Yes, you do,” he said simply, bringing his hand up to cup her face. “You’ll hate yourself if you don’t, Mekena, and you know it. You need to go in there and say good-bye.”

“I can’t,” she cried, her sobs burning her chest. “I can’t see her like that.”

“I know, that’s why I’m going with you. I’ll be right there. Beside you, holding you, being the rock you need. We’ll do it together.”

“That’s not fair,” she cried, clinging to him. “You shouldn’t have to deal with this.”

“Life isn’t fair,” he whispered, kissing her jaw. “But I’m going because I want to be there for you. Not because I feel I have to, because I want to. For you.”

Pulling back, she looked at him through her tears and didn’t understand how in the world she was blessed with this man. “I don’t want it to hurt you.”

“It won’t. It will hurt if I know you have to do this alone. I’m good. I’ve got this because I’ve got you.” A sob escaped her lips as she wrapped her arms around him, crying against his neck as he held her, slowly standing and lifting her up. “Come on, let’s go.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, stopping him, her eyes pleading with his.

“Will you be beside me?”

She nodded jerkily, her heart pounding so hard it hurt. “Yes.”

“And I’ll be right beside you. So we got this. Don’t we? Together. Remember, we can do anything together,” he said, his voice breaking a bit as he held her gaze. She let out a sob as she nodded, her head feeling as if it was going to fall off her shoulders.

“Together,” she whispered, and his lips curved a bit before he laced his fingers with hers. He started walking first, his shoulders back and his chin high as he pulled her along with him. All she could do was watch him.

Watch the man who would walk through fire, ice, and anything else to be by her side.

The man who would forever be the first and only love of her life.

 

 

To say that fear was rattling Markus’s core was an understatement.

Markus wasn’t scared of much. He met everything head on with a fucking plan and executed it. That was who he was. But at that moment, only pure fear and anguish for the woman he loved built up inside of him. And for himself too. This was the first time he would see Skylar since they’d fought outside her parents’ home. The first time he would look at her, knowing he would never see her again. There was a chance she could make it, that the doctors could be wrong. More than likely, they weren’t, and that didn’t sit well with him.

As much as he could not care less what happened to her or where she ended up, he sure as hell never wished death on her. He wouldn’t want that for her or her family. For Mekena. He wanted Skylar to clean up, he wanted her to get better and maybe one day have a relationship with her sister. Mekena did love her, even though she didn’t see it at that moment. He wasn’t sure what she was thinking, but he was sure it was nothing good. He could see it on her face; the guilt was eating her alive, and he could feel her anxiety and grief pour off her in waves.

Like she said, it wasn’t fair.

But nothing prepared him for what he saw when he stepped into the ICU room that held Mekena’s sister. His attempted rapist.

In the bed was who he assumed was Skylar since her parents sat beside her, crying with their hands on her. Her face was completely swollen, red and bandaged up. There was a sheet starting at the middle of her forehead that draped back, which he assumed was being used to cover her exposed brain. The rest of her was swathed in bandages, and when they fully entered the room, Mekena stumbled beside him, her sobs filling the room as he fought to catch her, not allowing her to hit the floor.

“I can’t.”

“You can,” he reminded her, holding her up and against him as she dug her face into his chest, crying, her whole body shaking.

“Mekena, please come here,” her mother said, but he wouldn’t let her go. She wouldn’t make it. He knew that, so he held her, his eyes closed as he calmly tried to breathe, his own eyes filling with tears.

“Mom, no, give me a second,” she cried, shaking her head against Markus as he looked past her to Skylar. She wasn’t even who he remembered. The strong girl who could kick his ass. She was broken. Completely broken, and he cried for the girl that was lost. Not the one who hurt him and Mekena, but the one before that. The good one. The one who loved her sister, who loved life, and who loved to make people laugh.

The room was nearly silent, the only noises coming from the ventilator down Skylar’s throat and the very slow beeping of the heart monitor. As Mekena cried, holding him so tight, his own tears fell down his cheeks. These people didn’t deserve this. No one deserved this, but most of all, he hated that Skylar had never apologized. Never looked him in the eye and said she was sorry for what she had done. Never apologized to the girl he loved for trying to break her heart.

“Mr. and Mrs. Preston, I’m sorry to bother you, but we need some paperwork signed by one of you.”

All four of them looked behind them, and Markus hadn’t even realized a nurse had come in. A lump formed in his throat when he saw the acronym DNR on the top of the forms. He knew what that meant and assumed that once her parents saw it, it wouldn’t go well. No one wanted to accept that the person they loved was leaving. As Markus watched, Stan stood, kissing Linda’s head before heading to the nurse. His eyes were bloodshot, his face grim, and Markus couldn’t imagine the pain he was going through. That all of them were going through.

As Stan passed, he nodded to Markus, cupping his shoulder before whispering, “Thank you.”

Markus could only nod as Mekena clung to him, needing the support that only he could provide her. That he would always provide her. For the rest of his existence. Swallowing hard, he asked, “Do you want to go closer?”

She shook her head. “I can’t.”

He nodded slowly, but he needed to go closer. “Okay, well, I have to.”

“Huh?” she asked as she pulled back, looking at him in disbelief. “What for?”

“For me,” he said simply as he lowered her into the chair beside him. She watched him with wide eyes as he cupped her face, kissing the tip of her nose. “I’ll be over there.”

He started to turn, but then her words stopped him. “Do you want me to come?”

“I do.”

Her lip came between her teeth as the tears washed down her cheeks. She looked past him, her face twisting in horror before she looked back up to him and rose slowly. “Okay.”

His lip quivered a bit as she took his hand, and they looked to where Skylar was lying, her mother laid out across her. As they closed the distance between them and Skylar, his heart was pounding, there was a lump in his throat, and his chest hurt, but he kept moving, being strong not only for Mekena, but for himself. When they reached her, Mekena cried out, looking away because Skylar’s eyes were fluttering. It was terrifying, and it freaked him the hell out, but he had to do this because he was pretty damn sure he would never get this moment again.

And he had to do this to her face. Even if it no longer resembled the girl he’d known.

Reaching out, he swallowed hard as he laid his hand on Skylar’s while Mekena clung to him. Clearing his throat, his mouth opened but nothing came out. His throat was tight and so was his chest, but he knew what he needed to do.

For himself.

For Mekena.

Clearing his throat once more past the sob that wanted to escape, he said, “I forgive you, Skylar.” A cry left Mekena’s lips as she clung to him, and he could feel her staring at him. “For everything. Don’t worry, I won’t be a scumbag and hurt your sister ever. I’ll love her. I’ll fight for her. I’ll be her rock and constant supporter for the rest of my life. I promise you, I’ll prove you wrong, and I’ll do right by her.”

Mekena hiccupped a sob beside him as he slowly backed away, feeling like the weight of the world had been lifted off his chest. He had done it; he had forgiven her, and it felt right. He wanted to say the anger, the resentment, everything was gone, but he would be lying. It was there, but he would work through it because she could go and he would know he was at peace with all that had happened. He was going to be fine. He was going to be successful and happy, but above all, he was going to love Mekena more than anyone could even fathom.

She was his second chance.

Looking down at her, he smiled, cupping her face as she whispered, “You amaze me.”

He shrugged. “I think that about you, daily.”

Her lip quivered as she looked back at her sister, her tears flowing in rivers down her cheeks. The doctor from earlier had entered the room, and he walked around them, going to the ventilator and shutting it off. Mekena looked around frantically as her mother cried into her father’s arms before she looked back up at him. “That’s it? You’re giving up?” Mekena accused the doctor, and he held his hands out.

“Your parents have made the decision to discontinue treatment.”

“Mekena, she’s gone,” her mother cried. “She’s brain dead, we have to let go.”

Mekena looked to Markus as his heart sank and then back to the monitor that still recorded Skylar’s heartbeat. It was still beating, and Skylar was still breathing. It could be a good sign, though the doctor didn’t seem to think so.

“She’s still breathing, she’s alive,” Mekena protested.

The doctor nodded. “She may last a couple minutes, to an hour, to a day. There is no guaranteed timetable.”

Mekena’s mouth was open as she looked around, her tears coming as fast as her breath, and he wasn’t sure what she was thinking. As she let him go, she walked to the bed and looked down at her sister, her hands shaking. She couldn’t contain herself anymore, and the words just shot out of her. “I hate that you did this. I hate who you became. God, I’m so mad at you. For this. For hurting us, but damn it, Skylar, I’ll always love you. I’ll always remember the time we made clothes out of boxes, and then Mom made us put on real clothes to go to school. But you brought our box hats because you said we needed them. I’ll remember how you tried to teach me to dance, but we all know I suck at that. Or how I taught you how to do long division so that you would ask Matthew if he liked me. How you taught me to put on eyeliner, though I don’t wear it as much as you did. Or how you knew I stole all your clothes even when I wouldn’t wear them out of the house—” Her voice broke, and Markus reached out, taking her in his arms. She leaned her head on his shoulder as she closed her eyes. “I’ll remember the good, not the bad. I wish I could forgive you like Markus has, but that person wasn’t my sister, and I’ll forever hate her. But I will always love you. I will, I’ll always love my big sister,” she said, breaking down against him as the sobs left her in a soul-shaking way. She trembled against him, and he held her as she turned in his arms, clinging to him.

And there he would stay, holding his second chance, for as long as she wanted…

…as her sister died.