The metal sliced my fingers. Blood mixed with sweat.
Finally, we heard a click.
The door gave way.
I held my breath and leaned in to take a look.
But my entire body froze in place.
Tucker was slumped in the driver’s seat, barely conscious, his forehead covered in blood.
But his body was twisted protectively to one side.
In his arms, he was shielding someone…
It was Kelsey.
He’d pulled her into the safer position. Her head rested against his shoulder. She looked pale, but there were no obvious injuries.
Tucker’s back, meanwhile, had taken the full force of the impact.
At that moment, it felt like someone had ripped my chest open.
The sound of the ambulance came closer and closer, piercing and irritating.
The medics moved quickly, efficiently, loading them onto stretchers.
I stood there, as if nailed to the spot.
I was unsure whether to follow—or turn around and leave.
In the end, I took a shaky breath, turned around clumsily, got into my car, and followed the ambulance to the hospital.
The doctor gave the update soon after.
“The accident wasn’t severe. Mr. Afton has a mild concussion and some external injuries. It was close, but he was lucky.”