Free Bringing Him Home by Penny Brandon Page B

to allow the two vehicles to pass without having to cross into the oncoming lane. There was nothing coming, but Jared had been driving these roads long enough to know it was better to be prudent than sorry.
    Ahead the two emergency vehicles traveled around a bend in the road, and as Jared geared down to negotiate the same bend, he saw that both the police car and ambulance had stopped, lights still flashing, headlights blazing. Jared braked, thankful he wasn't going too fast. He keyed his hazard lights on and stopped behind the police car, noticing the officer had already placed a flare on the edge of the highway, which gave cars coming in the opposite direction a chance to slow down and stop.
    Dawn had already begun along the horizon, the pink and gold threads of light tinting the sky and illuminating the tall deciduous trees that lined the road, forcing shadows to flicker across the blacktop, adding to the confusion of the scene ahead.
    Jared could see a body in the road, the ambulance crew kneeling beside it. There was a man standing beside a car parked on the verge, another police officer questioning him. Without any real reason, Jared opened the door of his truck and slowly climbed down. He was never one of those men who slowed at the scene of an accident to get a look at the carnage. Throughout the years of driving, he'd seen enough and knew he could go the rest of his life without seeing any more, but something compelled him to get closer, to view the leather-jacketed, blond-headed, broken and bloodied body that lay as still as death upon the cold and hard ground.
    "Fuck, no!"
    Racing toward the kneeling ambulance crew, Jared tried to stop the terror that entered his heart, knowing he'd failed miserably as he felt his chest turn an icy cold and his limbs turn to lead. He fell at Kyle's side, ignoring the restrictive hand that locked around his arm.
    "Hey, keep back; we need to get him stable." The hand gripping his arm pulled, but Jared resisted. He stared down at Kyle's deathly pale face, fearing what he'd see, terrified he would find no life, no warmth. Hands shaking, he reached out and stroked along Kyle's blood-streaked cheek, the skin so cold and clammy it caused Jared's heart to squeeze painfully. A half-strangled moan was ripped from his throat, a sound so anguished Jared instantly recognized it for what it was--a sound of grief. Closing his eyes, he bowed his head and was startled as he felt a cold hand steal over his.
    "Jared?"
    Unbelieving, he opened his eyes and drew in a sharp, shocked breath as startling blue eyes stared up at him.
    "Kyle, oh fuck, Kyle!" Overwhelming relief flooded through Jared, making him feel lightheaded and sick at the same time. He couldn't help it. He gathered Kyle into his arms and pulled him close, forgetting the possibility that he could injure Kyle further and once again ignoring the protests of the medic who was trying to get Jared to move away.
    It was Kyle's groan that had Jared releasing him and laying him back down on the road. "Where are you hurt?" he asked as he quickly checked up and down Kyle's prone body, noticing the smears of dirt and blood on his clothes and shuddering in response.
    "Come on, mate. We're still checking him out." The gruff voice behind him and the pull on his arm forced Jared to turn around and face the man who had spoken.
    "How bad is he?" Jared asked, flicking him a quick glance before returning his gaze to Kyle, who looked paler than before.
    "We don't know yet. That's what we're trying to find out. So do you mind?"
    "It's just my ankle and my chest." Kyle's optimistic enlightenment did nothing to ease Jared's mind.
    "What happened?" Kyle closed his eyes for a moment, and fear dug agonizing fingers into Jared's heart. "Kyle?"
    "Hit by a car," Kyle said, opening his eyes again, the blue in them dull and filled with something more than just pain.
    Jared lifted his head to look at the man who was standing by the parked car, talking to the police.