Cruz
The first thing I felt was the burn.
White-hot. Like fire beneath my skin, blooming in my chest, spreading down my ribs with every jagged breath I managed to take.
Then sound.
The engine. Tires chewing asphalt. Someone yelling indistinctly. The clatter of metal, the sharp slam of a door, the guttural curse of someone losing their mind behind the wheel.
And her voice.
Avery.
Mi reina.
“No, no, no—Cruz! Baby, come on! Stay awake!”
Her voice sliced through the chaos like a blade.
God, she was right there. Close. I could feel her hands on me. Warm. Shaking. Wet with my blood.
“I need you to stay with me, do you hear me?” Her voice cracked, raw and desperate. “I love you. I love you so much. Just hold on—just hold on, please!”
I tried to open my eyes. They felt sealed shut. Hea
