Page 66 of My Soul for Sale

"Atlas, I'm in trouble," I blurt out, my voice trembling. "The bar is on fire, and I'm trapped inside."

"I'm on my way!" he yells, his urgency unmistakable even through the phone.

"Listen to me," I continue, the intensity in my voice matching his. "I've loved you since I was fourteen and I'm so damn sorry that Ali made us lose seven years. I wish we had more time, handsome, but I don't think we do."

I strain to hear his response over the sirens blaring in the distance and the roar of the fire.

"Promise me, Atlas, that you won't be miserable and pine after a ghost. Find love, have babies, and take care of your dad. He's already done this once, and he's gonna be strong for you, but he'll need you, too."

The flames creep closer, licking at the top of the bar, and I know I don't have much time left. With a heavy heart, I hang up, not wanting Atlas to hear me die if this is how I'm going to go.

Praying and begging God to spare me, I grab a rag from the shelf under the bar and dip it into the sink filled with glass washing water. The smell of bleach fills my nostrils, but I'd rather risk a little reaction to the diluted bleach water on the rag than die from the smoke.

Coughing and choking, I lie down on the floor and cover my face with the rag, trying to shield myself from the thick smoke. Closing my eyes to protect them from the smoke, I struggle to breathe until, finally, the world goes black, and the sound of the fire ceases to exist.

Chapter Thirty-One

Ripley

I can’t believe this is happening. I can’t do this again, losing the mother of my child and now this? There is no way I’ll survive it again. Well, I’ll live but I won’t be living. This will ruin me.

Sloane’s words keep playing over and over in my head as I pace the street, watching as the firefighters battle the flames.

I love you. Make sure Atlas is okay.

Even as her own life is threatened, she worries about my son. It makes me fall for her even harder.

As a parent, that’s all you want for your child when they’re looking for a partner. Well, if you’re a decent parent, that is.

It doesn’t matter if they’re straight or not, black, white, or purple. I only ever wanted Atlas to be happy and to be loved. For someone to care for him deeply.

Sloane is that person for him and I’m lucky enough to be able to call her mine, too.

Or was lucky enough.

I can’t think like that. She has to be okay. They sent two guys inside and neither has come out yet; that has to be a good sign… right?

The place isn’t that big though, so what’s taking them so long?

They can’t have fallen because that would really light a fire under the department’s ass.

Tires squeal, jolting me from my thoughts. Instinctively, I turn, my heart pounding in my chest, even though deep down, I already know who it is. Atlas.

Sure enough, his truck hurtles down the street and I brace myself as he skids to a stop.

He bursts out of the truck and rushes toward me, his eyes widening as he takes in the sight of the bar. I reach out, grabbing him as he collapses into my arms, his breathing ragged, his eyes wild.

"Did they get her out? Please tell me she's out, Dad," he pleads, desperation in every word.

My own eyes burn with unshed tears as I hold him close. "Nothing yet, son. She's strong and stubborn. Don't count her out, yet," I reassure him, though I was just having my own doubts.

"Chief! We found her!" A voice crackles over the radio, cutting through the tense air like a knife.

Both Atlas and I turn toward the charred remains of the Iced Rose. The fire is almost out, but nothing remains of the building. I don't know what happened, but I intend to find out. We did the inspection ourselves before the sale was finalized and the electrical was up to code.

But there's no time for answers now. A silhouette emerges from the rubble with his colleague behind him. My heart lurches as a firefighter walks out, cradling Sloane like a fragile doll.

Atlas gasps, wrenching himself away from me, his body convulsing as he doubles over, retching onto the ground.

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