Prologue
Two Hearts Stopping
My imagination will be plagued.
Forever, I will be tainted.
My heart is forever gone.
As soon as I saw the familiar dusty red station wagon wrapped around that fucking tree, I knew I would never be the same. The memory of wiping down the bar top at Mountain Breath after the afternoon lunch rush that day was never going to leave my brain. It was branded into my heart, a section burned away, about to be buried in my loves’ chests.
My childhood had already ended. I was already about to truly become a man, but that was not the way things were supposed to go. It was supposed to be a miracle, not a damn tragedy.
I stood on the sticky bar mats with my mouth wide open, tears running down my face, gasping for my next breath as I watched my worst nightmare flash on the local news station.
Breaking! Fatal car accident on Buckhead Road happened just moments ago. At least one casualty. Roads are closed. Take alternate routes. Highway has been shut down—expect major delays.
I dropped the beer glass that was gripped in my left hand and it shattered around me. I had no idea.
“Mav?” My dad was shaking my shoulder, digging his fingertips into my flesh, but I was numb. “Maverick! Get a grip!”
“It’s Leilani!” My throat was raw; I was screaming her name over and over. I dropped to my knees, pieces of glass digging in through my jeans, but I couldn’t have cared less. Nothing could hurt more than the breaking of my heart when I watched in horror as my family was ripped from this earth.
My father’s strong hands lifted me back to my feet as I collapsed into his arms. “Do you think Dane knows?”
His words broke into my soul and ripped it apart even more. My best friend might not know yet. I needed to get to him.
“I have to go. I can’t let him find out like this.” I could barely breathe, let alone stand or put one foot in front of the other. The trembling was uncontrollable. The sobs were overwhelming. The pounding in my chest was enough to knock me on my ass.
I started to bolt for the door, but my father’s hand gripped my wrist. “Let me drive you.”