True Perfection [Aspire 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) by Allyson Young Read Free Book Online

tore away from Gordon and threw herself down to kneel at Warren’s feet. His hand somehow lifted and came to rest on her head, before slipping off to hang by his side.
    “Don’t you die, Warren, don’t you dare die.” Haley knew it was her whispering those words to him, but it was like she was in a different place, like she had become someone else. She wanted to wake up and find that this was just a nightmare. She wanted to reach out on either side of her and feel her men sleeping there, keeping her warm, knowing that they were safe.
    All around them people were in motion. In a tiny part of her mind, she heard nine-one-one calls being placed and someone came forward to offer their service as a doctor. Haley concentrated on pouring her energy into Warren. The doctor’s voice impressed that the knife was to remain in the wound and that Warren must be laid down in a certain position. Haley shifted to accommodate everything but never left her knees or her place. Gordon crouched behind her to stroke her hair and rub her shoulders, but Haley could accept no comfort. The ambulance arrived after what seemed to be an eternity, and she vaguely registered Jeffrey shouting as the police wrestled him away from the diners who were restraining him.
    “It’s her fault! That bitch took my job and then turned her back on me when I tried to tell her off. That guy shouldn’t have tried to protect her. It was none of his business. It’s her fault.”
    Haley didn’t need Jeffrey to tell her that. She had already shouldered the blame. She had killed Warren. She was absolutely his business, and her stubbornness and selfishness had killed him. Killed one of her loves.
    “Sweetheart,” Gordon spoke in her ear. “Haley, they’re moving him now. We’ll follow the ambulance.”
    Haley shook her head. She wasn’t leaving Warren.
    “There isn’t room for you, little one,” Gordon kept explaining, “I’ll take you to him, I promise.”
    In the end, Gordon simply picked her up and carried her thrashing form to the car. Her strength drained abruptly, and he was able to fasten her into her seatbelt and get away safely, right after the ambulance.
    “Haley, he’ll be fine.” Gordon’s deep voice barely registered.
    Haley stared straight ahead and willed her spirit into the rescue vehicle pulling away from them into the traffic. So much blood, and Warren had been so pale, his eyes half closed, his mouth set with terrible pain. It should have been her. Gordon would never forgive her when Warren died. He would see her for the selfish person she was and turn her away so that he could grieve alone. It would serve her right. She began to shake.
    Gordon cursed, and the heavy car flew forward. The big engine roared in concert with the blood pounding in her head, and Haley began to count silently. At four hundred and twenty-seven seconds, the hospital came into view, and Haley tried to fumble open her seatbelt. Gordon grabbed her wrist and yanked her arm away.
    “Wait until we stop, Haley. You can’t help Warren if you are hurt.”
    Haley wanted to scream at him. Didn’t he understand? It was her fault. How could she help Warren? She had caused this tragedy. It didn’t matter what happened to her. Still, she obeyed Gordon. She owed him that. Truth to be told, she didn’t know if her legs would hold her. When he came around to help her out of the car, Haley needed his strength, although she couldn’t look at him or say anything. She didn’t dare see the accusation in his eyes. She could barely function as it was.
     
    * * * *
     
    Gordon dealt efficiently with the red tape while Haley stood mute and huddled beside him. He sensed that she would soon fall to the floor and hurried her off to a couch in the waiting room, where he pulled her onto his lap and rocked her. She tensed and shook, and he wished she would say something, anything. A nurse approached and he motioned her over.
    “Mr. Sinclair?”
    “Yes. What’s going on?”
    “Mr.