“Max, stop the car!” I shriek. Even with the snow falling, I can see the passenger side of the Range Rover crumbled like an accordion.

The car slows and before it’s even come to a full stop, my seat belt is off and I’m out the door. My Hunter boots pound into the deep snow drifts as I run toward Nico’s car. Smoke is coming from the side pressed against the pole, and my throat constricts when I round the car toward the driver’s side.

Oh, fuck, please don’t be dead, please don’t be dead…

Tears spring to my eyes as I grab the door handle and pull, not knowing what I’m going to find inside. I yank once, twice, but nothing happens. The lock must have gotten damaged in the crash. Max appears next to me with a tire iron in his hand. “Watch out, let me try.”

With one swift tug, he has the door open. My hand flies to my mouth once I see Nico. His face is twisted in agony, but he’s alive. And even though I still want to kill the bastard, I’m so thankful he’s safe.

“Fuck,” he groans, holding his right side. “Thank God you guys were behind me.”

“Dude, what the fuck?” Max peers into the car. “You were so goddamned lucky. You can’t imagine what the other side of the car looks like. Thank God there wasn’t anyone in the passenger’s seat.”

“If I hadn’t made the turn, the driver’s side would look the same way.”

“A-are you hurt?” I mumble, swiping at my eyes, cursing myself for showing any modicum of emotion. Even though he crushed me, I’m still in love with him. Not that he deserves it.

“Yeah,” he growls. “My back is all sorts of fucked up, and I banged my head against the window when that asshole plowed into me. I need to get to a hospital.”

Blaring sirens appeared from out of nowhere, and I flash a questioning look at Max, who grins. “While you were mourning Nico’s car, I made the call. I’m shocked to hell they showed up this fast, especially with this weather.”

I try to calm my breathing, but I can’t. So many conflicting emotions rumble inside of me, and I’m torn between gratitude and rage. He could have been killed, and here I am, wanting to unleash a toxic tirade against him, the man I’ve obsessed about for the better part of my life.

An ambulance slows and pulls in front of the car. EMTs jump out, clad in all-weather gear to battle the frigid air and ground. A cop car with obnoxious flashing lights stops next to us. An officer approaches us, a suspicious look on his face. “Anyone been drinking?”

“No, sir,” Nico replies, flinching as he shifts in the seat. The EMTs work fast to load him onto a gurney, and he lets out a few choice words when they ease him out. “I was making a turn and some asshole plowed into me, then drove away.”

“Did you get the license plate number?”

“No, I tried, but…” He lets out another groan. “…the car was going too fast.”

“What was the make and model?”

“Don’t know. It was too dark. All black, I think. Big SUV, tinted windows, front and sides.”

“Ok.” The officer rubs the back of his neck and looks at me and Max. “Were you in the car behind him? Did you see anything?”

We both shake our heads. “So, what happens next?” I ask. “Are they just going to get away with it? I mean, he could have been killed!” My voice rises, and Max gives me a look. I press my lips together to keep any other tells from escaping my big, fat mouth. My eyes follow Nico to the back of the ambulance, where he’s being loaded in. I swallow hard. He shouldn’t be alone…

“Do you want to go with him?” Max mumbles after the police officer goes back to his car to write up the report. “I’ll wrap things up here and meet you guys at the hospital.”

I nod, nibbling at my chipped thumbnail. “I’ll see you there.”

He gives me another long look and nods toward the ambulance. “Go.”

I turn and trudge through the snowdrifts just as one of the EMTs is about to close the doors. “You coming with us?”

“Yes.” I take his hand and climb into the back, collapsing on the bench next to Nico. He’s got a neck brace on, but he’s no longer complaining about the pain. He flashes me a crooked smile and points to his wrist and the IV. “This is the good stuff,” he murmurs.

Tears pool in my eyes, and I look toward the ceiling of the ambulance to prevent them from falling and dripping all over the guy who has a tighter hold on me than anyone on this planet.

“Hey,” he whispers. “It’s okay. I’m gonna live.”

“I know.” I sniff, refusing to look at him.

He lets out a low chuckle. “I get it now. You’re upset ‘cause you’ve been wishing me dead, and it almost happened?”

My mouth drops open. “You asshole!” I hiss.

“I know I was.” His tone is sober now, although a little thick, almost like the drugs are taking effect. “I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve it.”

My eyes shift toward the EMT, who is in the back with us, and I silently thank him for pretending not to listen and for focusing on Nico’s chart.

“We don’t need to talk about this now.” I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “Just worry about yourself.”

“But it’s important, Shaye.” His hand creeps over to mine and squeezes. “I was messed up that night. Really messed up. I never meant to hurt you.”

“Look, it’s fine. I’m a big girl, Nico.” I peel his hand off mine, feeling piercing stabs to my heart at the loss of his touch.

“I need you to forgive me,” he mumbles, his eyes drooping closed. “I want you to know…mthat ah loobe woo.”

My ears perk up and my eyebrows shoot upward. What the fuck did he just say? Did he…no, it’s impossible. It has to be the drugs. Maybe his tongue is numb. I want to reach out and shake him, but he’s drifting off. And he may very well be in traction. The EMT flicks his gaze at me and then back at his clipboard. I must look like some sorry twit right now, but I have to hear him say those words again.

“Nico?” I whisper-talk.

“Sss?” His eyes are closed now, but he’s still responsive. Kind of. My heart thumps, drowning out any ability to hear intelligible words, much less those tinged with drugs.

“What did you just say? I didn’t catch it.”

“Mmahlubwho.”

The EMT looks up one more time. “If he says it one more time, does Beetlejuice show up?”

Heat singes my cheeks and creeps down my neck. I manage a tiny smile, forgetting about the fact that whatever he said was courtesy of a shitload of drugs. “I hope so. I’ve always loved that movie.”

* * *

I open my eyes a crack, shifting on what feels like a bed of some sort. It’s definitely not my Sleep Number, that’s for shit sure. I twist my head to the right and let out a loud yelp. Pain assaults my neck and shoulders, a harsh, burning sensation that feels like I’ve been stabbed repeatedly with a bunch of hot pokers. Not fucking pleasant.

I squint, my eyes adjusting to the light of what appears to be a hospital room. Everything rushes back – the dinner, the crash, that SUV, Shaye…

The curtain next to my bed opens and a nurse steps inside my little sectioned off space in the emergency room. “Nico, you’re finally awake. We were afraid the EMTs doped you up a little too much.” She was on the shorter side and very perky – almost a little too perky. But she had a kind smile, so I grinned back. “I’m thinking it wasn’t enough since turning my head almost made me cry like a bitch.” I cough-groan. “Um, shoot, sorry. I meant like a baby.”

The nurse…I squint my eyes to read her nametag…Stacy…laughed. “I know, that’s why I rushed in here, sweetie. We have your neck protected, but Doctor Rabi wants to send you in for an X-ray. He’s concerned your spine is out of alignment from the impact.”

“Good thing I got hit in the back.”

Her expression sobers. “If it had been an inch closer to the driver’s side, you’d very likely have been paralyzed from the waist down.”

“Shiiiiit,” I grumble. I wiggle my toes, almost instinctively. Thank God I can feel them beneath the blanket. “You know, it was a hit and run. Bastard got away.”

“I believe in karma,” she replied with a wink. “Everybody gets what they’re due.”

“Yeah…” After what I’d done to Shaye, I’m surprised I’m still breathing on my own.

“And your sweet girlfriend has been pretty anxious, waiting for you to wake up.” Stacy grins as she takes my blood pressure. “Really pretty, too. I hope you’re good to her.”

“She’s not my girlfriend. We’re just…friends. I think.”

Stacy raises an eyebrow. “Is that so? Well, it’s certainly nice to have a friend who hasn’t left your side for all of these hours.” She peels off the armband and places it back on the machine. “You’re a very lucky young man, in more ways than one. Now, can I get you anything?”

I slowly lay my head back onto the pillow. “Drugs. More drugs, please.”

Stacy laughs. “All in due time. The doctor is going to examine you first, to see if we need to move you to a private room and keep you overnight.”

“Okay.” I sigh. “Hey, um, Stacy?”

“Hm?”

“Can you ask my, um, girlfriend to come in here?” A half-smile pulls my lips upward. It’s not true, but it feels good to say it.

“You’ve got it, handsome.” She closes the curtain, leaving me in my cubby of isolation.

I haven’t given Shaye any reason to be nice to me, to stick around here, or to be any bit concerned about whether I live or die. But somehow, she’s here. And according to the nurse, she cares, too. Maybe more than she should.

The thick curtain jostles as Shaye pulls it back, her face pale, her eyes filled with worry. All for me; the dipshit who did something really stupid, and then did something even more fucking stupid.

“Hey.” She smiles, but I can see her eyes are watery and hear the quiver in her voice.

“Thanks for being here.” I pat the side of the bed. “Come here.”

“I’d rather stand.” She peers into the hallway behind her. “Besides, your dad will be here soon.”

“Thanks for making the call. I appreciate it.”

“I didn’t think they’d want to get a call like that from the cops. Coming from me was a little better, I guess.” She twisted a lock of hair around a finger, her eyes still wandering, focusing on everything in the space except my face. And I am desperate to see those eyes, to see what Stacy saw, even though I know in my heart what’s there.

My dad. I need to warn him. Dammit. This whole thing can go sideways so fast; he has to hear everything. I pick at a loose threat on the blanket. “Shaye.”

“Yeah?” She still won’t look at me, and it’s making me crazy. I want to feel her next to me, her breath against my face. But she won’t come near me. Self-preservation, I suppose.

“Please look at me.”

Her eyes want to, I can tell. But she’s fighting against the urge. She knows the impossibility of it all, knows there’s no future. Rather, she thinks she does.

“Shaye, you have to believe that I never wanted to hurt you.”

That gets her attention. Her eyes flash with anger. Good, now we’re getting somewhere. I want to see her feel, yell, and scream. It at least proves she cares. If she was completely ambivalent…well, I probably wouldn’t be in love with her in the first place.

“You know what, Nico? Fuck you. You treated me like shit the other night, and you hurt me so badly. After all this time…” She pauses, her eyes narrowed. “You know what? I was right about you, about all of it. You’re a self-centered asshole who only cares about getting off. You don’t care about anyone or anything else.”

Ouch. That fucking stings. “Did you ever think there might be a reason why I did what I did?”

“Um, yeah, because you’re a complete dickhead!”

“No.” I let out a sigh. “Look, I admit, sleeping together was the wrong thing to do.” Her face falls, despite the venom in her voice. “Don’t give me that look, Shaye. You’re killing me right now. Just let me finish. It’s not because it wasn’t good. It was fucking amazing. You giving yourself to me like that…I’ve never felt anything like it before.” Now I’ve got her attention, but this next part is gonna be hard to swallow, for both of us. “But there’s a big problem.”

“Max,” she whispers.

“And your dad. And my dad. Our lives, Shaye. When we kissed that night before you left for school, it was torture for me. I knew what I wanted, and that I couldn’t have it. And after the other night?” I can’t help the grin from spreading across my face. “Mind-blowing.”

A deep pink flush inches up her neck, spreading into her cheeks. “It was,” she whispers.

“Come here.” I watch, seeing the conflict of emotions within her. But she steps closer to the bed, leaning toward me. And my heart lurches as her face lowers to mine. “Kiss me,” I whisper, pressing my luck. I know at any second someone might walk in here, see her in this position, and shoot me in the fucking head.

But, despite the pain in my neck, I’m finally clear on what I want. I just don’t know how to keep it once I’ve claimed it.

Fuck it, I’ll worry about that later. Right now, I want to taste those plump, delicious lips. They graze mine, soft and demanding at the same time. Just like Shaye. It’s a perfect combination, one I need in my life.

She pulls away, panic settling over her delicate features. “Oh my God,” she murmurs, jumping backward. With a quick glance over her shoulder, she relaxes her shoulders and lets out a deep breath. “Nico, we could have been so screwed right then.”

“In another time and place, we definitely will be.” I wink and twist onto my side. I have to bite the inside of my mouth to keep from screaming, it hurts that fucking bad. Christ, I need some more of whatever they fed me in the back of that ambulance.

She puts her hands on her hips. “So, I’m just supposed to fall under your spell now? Let you call all the shots? Wait around until you get tired of the forbidden?”

I lace my fingers with hers. “No way. You’ve got it all wrong, Shaye. I’m the one caught in your net. And trust me, there’s nothing tiring about it.”

With a roll of her eyes, she squeezes my hand. “I’m going back to school in a couple of weeks. Max is your best friend. My father will kill me, and then you—“

“Hey, I’m not saying it’ll be easy. And I wouldn’t advise saying anything to anyone about it. But Shaye…I’ve waited too long to taste you, and now I’m fucking addicted. You’re just gonna kick me to the curb and fly back to Miami?”

“I have to go back.”

“I know, but it doesn’t mean this has to end. Give us a shot.” I snicker. “No pun intended.”

A giggle escapes her lips. “It’s not funny.”

“Agreed. So let’s keep it quiet. I’d really like to be able to fuck you again, but I can’t do that if they chop off my dick.”

Her expression sobers. “Do you really think this can work? Are we kidding ourselves? There’s nothing normal about the way we live, Nico. Why should this be an exception?”

“Because it’s us. It can be whatever we want it to be.”

She looks at me, her light eyes filled with hope, her face shadowed with doubt.

“Trust me, Shaye. You just have to want it.”

She lets out an unsteady breath and nods, her blonde curls bouncing over her shoulders. “I do. I always have.”

“It’s us, Shaye. Just you and me. We’ll figure it out.”

A knock at the side of the wall startles her and she releases my hand, jumping back against a chair. The curtain opens and my dad appears, his faced lined with worry. He manages a smile for Shaye. “Thank you so much for calling. My wife and I are so grateful.”

She nods. “Of course, Mr. Salesi. I’m just going to wait outside.” Her eyes float back to mine. “We’ll come and say goodbye before we leave.”

“Okay.” I watch as she pulls the curtain aside and tosses a quick glance over her shoulder. “Thanks.”

Dad watches her leave, and when he turns back to me, his eyes are heavy, laden with worry and fear. “Nico, the police said it was a hit-and-run. Did you see anything suspicious about the car that hit you?”

“No, nothing. The snow was coming down really hard. I could barely see. The car, it was a big, black SUV, and then slowed as it passed. But nobody made themselves known.” I pause. “Dad, there was a—“

“I know all about it, son. The dinner in Atlantic City.”

“What the hell is going on? Does this have to do with what you told me the other day?”

He nods, pressing his fingertips to his temples. “Nobody is safe, Nico. This was a warning, and it could have been a lot worse.”

“What are you going to do? What if somebody tries to come after Mom or Lily?” The blood boils in my veins at the thought that one of those asshole thugs would even consider laying a finger on either of them. If it happened, I would bury the motherfucker that dared touch them.

“I don’t know. But what I do know is that you need to keep a low profile. I want you to stay away from them. Focus on the business, and let me try to figure this out. I’m not the only one who is putting up a fight. They can’t ice us all out.”

Can’t they? “Okay, Dad. I’ll keep an eye out.”

My dad’s eyes narrow. “I’m trusting you on this, Nico. I’ve already told you too much, enough to put you in severe danger. Keep away from them. Any situation you wander into is an opportunity for them to send another message.”

“Dad, I think they’ve made it pretty clear that they’ll find me, one way or another.”

“Just please listen to me, Nico.” His expression implores me to agree, but he’s hiding something. I can always tell when he is trying to withhold information. He has one tell – he always cracks his thumb and forefinger. I never see him do it any other time except when he’s trying to avoid giving an explanation about something. This is one of those times. He knows something, but he’s not saying. That means it’s big. And bad.

“I promise, Dad. I’ll stay away. Whatever you need me to do.”

Except I won’t…because I can’t.

* * *

* * *