Chapter 4
Everyone just froze, eyes locked on the explosion. Harvey’s binoculars hit the floor with a dull thud.
Without thinking, he launched himself off the second–floor balcony, crashing to the ground and rolling to his feet. Banged up but unfazed, he bolted toward the burning car..
One of his friends tried to grab him, but Harvey decked him and broke free. By the time he reached the crash site, a crowd had already formed.
A doctor’s voice cut through the murmurs. “She didn’t make it. Collision and gas tank explosion–either one would’ve killed her.
“Even if we’d gotten here faster, it wouldn’t have mattered. Her body’s completely burned. Even if she’d survived, she wouldn’t have made it without pain.
“We’ll need the family to ID the remains.”
Harvey tore through the crowd, eyes wild. “I’m her family! Doctor, please–don’t give up! I’ll pay anything, just save her!”
Then he saw it–my body.
The crash had ripped me in half, burnt chunks of flesh scattered like trash on the ground.
Harvey just froze. It finally hit him—the girl who’d stuck to him like a shadow, taking his crap without a word, was really gone.
His eyes locked on my burned hand, still wearing that cheap, worn–out couple ring he’d grabbed from a street stall when we first got together. Scratched, stained, practically worthless. He’d tossed his matching ring ages ago, buried under flashy gifts and shiny things. But I never took mine off–not once.
He used to say it symbolized our love, and I was dumb enough to promise I’d wear it all the way to the altar. Now that girl who believed in love was dead–her life eaten up by his twisted need for revenge.
Memories crashed through Harvey’s mind like a tidal wave.
“Ahhhhh!”
Harvey’s scream ripped through the air as he dropped to his knees, clawing at the ashy ground, scooping up charred debris like he
could piece me back together.
He didn’t care that his suit was trashed or that his hands were bloody, nails ripped to shreds. He slammed his forehead against
the dirt, voice cracking.
“Leah! Don’t lie to me! You wouldn’t just die like this! Please come back!”
People started whispering, pointing at the mess he’d become.
Vivi showed up with the others, rushing to his side. She tried yanking him to his feet. “Harvey, stop! People don’t come back from the dead! You’re hurting yourself!”
