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“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Sorry for what?”
“For not being able to tell you how much you’ve come to mean to me.”
Jesusfuck.My heart squeezed at the sound of her voice.
Plaintive.
Defeated.
So unlike the woman I first met. Even gripped by that panic attack, I saw the fire that burned inside her. She may have been beaten down by life, but every time she got knocked back, she returned more determined than before.
When the garage came into view, though, terror flooded my mind. The building was well alight, angry orange flames licking out from between the roof and the walls of her office. More flames were escaping out the space where the office door should’ve been, the sound of popping wood and twisting metal meeting the muffled stillness of the night.
“Alex, where are you?” I demanded into the phone, my fears making my shoulders tight. “I’m outside. Tell me where you are!”
There was nothing but silence on the other end, but I refused to believe the worst had happened. I had to get inside and find her. Bring her out. When I scanned the brick façade, I saw the thick chain and padlock on the small door inside the larger garage door. I had no idea how I was going to be able to break through a solid inch of steel, but Alex was in there, and I had to try.
“Baby, if you can hear me, move away from the door.”
I hung up, shoving the phone back into my pocket before pulling the gun from my lower back. I took aim at the padlock and squeezed the trigger. The shot ricocheted, and I was forced to make another two attempts to shoot the damned thing off.Finally, the lock gave way, the links of chain chattering through the handle in the door. Yanking it open, I instinctively threw an arm up against the intense heat of the flames that met me. Black smoke filled the space, ballooning out the open door behind me. Covering my mouth with my forearm, I stepped inside.
Sweat instantly beaded and rolled off my brow. My eyes stung from the smoke, and my lungs and throat felt like they were being splashed with acid. There were at least two different fires burning—one to my right inside the office, and another to the left where Alex stored motor oil and gasoline. The two cars parked in the bays were ticking fucking timebombs, too.
My heart leapt into my throat when I saw her slumped against a car, covered in soot and ash. Her head was lolled to one side, her hand slack and loosely clutching her phone in her lap.
Above my head, the beams groaned like a dying beast, splintering and buckling under the intense heat. I swiftly pocketed Alex’s phone and scooped her into my arms, then backed out of the garage, keeping my eyes on the wood above our heads. With an ominouscrack!the timber splintered—ash, sparks, and debris falling with it—and it landed with a thunderous boom where Alex had been passed out only a few seconds before, crushing the car beneath it. Embers were sent flying into the air, landing on my bare arms. But I didn’t feel them. All my focus was on Alex’s soft breaths against my neck.
Out on the street, sirens whined through the air. Holding Alex close, I watched her workshop and home burn, unable to stop it. But also unable to bring myself to care that it was all going to be gone, because there was only one place I wanted her, and that was with me. Wherever that would be.
Alex shifted in my arms, and I glanced down to find her eyes fluttering open. She blinked at me a few times before croaking out, “You’re here.”
Tucking some hair behind her ear, I let my fingers linger on her sooty cheeks, stroking along her cheekbone. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else, baby.”
Her brows suddenly dipped, and she began to cough, her face twisting in pain. Lowering her feet to the ground, I rubbed her back as she doubled over, wheezing. When she could finally breathe again, she straightened and touched the side of my face, like she wasn’t able to believe I was really standing here.
A fire engine pulled around the corner, red lights flashing and bouncing off the buildings it passed. The roar of another engine joined it, barreling down the road and pulling up beside the first. Doors opened. Men jumped out, uncoiling hoses and tapping hydrants.
An explosion sent more flames spewing into the night, and I did my best to shield Alex from the intense heat that was still reaching us across the road. The firefighters recovered quickly from the blast, shouting orders to be cautious of more explosions.
Alex watched them try in vain to save her business and her home, clutching at my forearm, digging her fingernails into my skin. As they worked to extinguish the flames, a firefighter approached, shrewd eyes scanning Alex carefully. “Were you inside when the fire broke out, miss?”
She nodded, another coughing fit gripping her.
“Take deep breaths,” I told her, rubbing her shoulder.
“I’ll get one of the EMS guys to come and check you out. Was there anyone else inside?”
Alex paused for a beat, glanced at me, then nodded. “There was a man in my apartment. He didn’t make it out.”
The guy’s mouth pinched. “Stay here. EMS should be here shortly.” Chin dipping toward the radio attached to his shoulder, he said, “One confirmed 10-45. Code green. Unconfirmed 10-45. Possible code one.”
Alex wrapped her arms around her middle like she was suddenly cold. I brought her into the line of my body, holding her close, offering what comfort I could. I dipped my nose into her hair, but instead of the scent of vanilla, all I could smell was smoke, gasoline, and blood.
“Talk to me, Alex. What happened?”
Her chest expanded with a breath, deflating with her exhale—which turned into a rasping cough. Covering her mouth with her hand, she said, “Maddox called me. He had Bliss. Told me the only way to get her back was to come down to the garage myself.”
