As Long As You Love Me ✓

2. Demolition Lovers

His heart lodged in his throat. No chance a car rolled over like that without the occupants being injured or killed. For safety, he'd parked a distance away, so he picked up his pace. Seconds later—the wreck—a VW resting in the ditch turned on its passenger side, came into view. As he drew closer, the stench of gasoline filled his nostrils. A live wire from a downed pole flickered menacingly nearby.

He slid down the ditch and moved to the wreckage. A young woman was slumped in the driver's seat, motionless. Heart pounding, he reached through the shattered window to check her neck for a pulse. Still alive. He tried the door. Stuck. Reached in and tried to unlock it, but the metal was too damaged.

The sound of boots slapping pavement and the bouncing beam from his flashlight announced Cole's arrival.

"I brought the crow bar."

"Good, but first, let's see if we can get the car upright."

"Are you sure about that? What if she's injured? Movement like that could kill her."

"I smell gas. I don't want this thing to catch fire with her inside if that wire gets any closer."

Cole shrugged in agreement, followed him into the shallow gully and placed his hands above the rear window while Gabriel positioned his over the front. "Okay, on three, push."

Heels digging into soil, they put their weight into it. The bug groaned as it angled, rolling forwards, the four tires thumping to the ground

While Cole made short work of the remaining window glass, Gabriel whipped out his pocket knife, and cut her seatbelt.

"Stick the bar right here," Gabriel ordered.

Once in place, Cole leveraged, while Gabriel put one foot against the car, and yanked on the door. Within a few seconds, it popped free. He slipped one arm under her knees and the other around her waist. As tiny she was, he had no trouble pulling her out.

Blood streamed from her head down both cheeks. He turned to his friend. "Come on. Let's get out of here!"

With Cole on his heels, Gabriel sprinted away with the blonde in his arms, settling her down on a patch of grass safely away from the metal carnage.

"Miss, can you hear me?"

Nothing.

"You're okay. I've got you now."

She made a gurgling sound.

"Miss, the ambulance will be here soon. Hold on."

She moaned and clutched his shirt.

In the distance, sirens sounded, and as Gabriel reached the truck, the VW caught fire.

"Holy shit!" Cole shouted, gripping his beanie in both hands.

Gabriel stared down at the woman laid out before him. Her eyelids fluttered, and those big hazel eyes held his gaze for a moment. His chest tightened as she stared up at him, her eyes glazed and glassy as she tightened her fingers into his shirt.

"I didn't kill Bambi, did I?"

He'd not seen a deer, but that must have been the reason for the accident.

"No."

"Good."

She smiled, made the same gurgling sound again, and then closed her eyes.

His stomach twisted. What kind of woman in her condition worried more about an animal than herself?

*