Page 134 of Brutal Game

In the distance, I heard sirens.

And then there were first responders there, wrapping us in blankets and asking us urgent questions like was there anyone else in the building? Jack and I shook our heads, saying we didn’t know, but a few of the firemen went in anyway.

They came back out, carrying something. A body.

My stomach roiled.

One of them seemed to be saying something to another. There were more sirens—cop car ones, this time.

“Aviva Gold?”

“Yes?” I croaked.

“Jack Feldman?”

Jack glared at them, moving closer to me. “Yes?”

“We’re taking you both to the hospital. The police are waiting for you there—they have questions.”

Before I could say anything, they were ripping us apart, dragging me into one ambulance and Jack into the other, and as they shut the doors on mine, I heard Jack roar.

47

Jack

Ilay in my hospital bed, seething.

They weren’t letting me see Aviva.

After we were taken away—in separate goddamn ambulances—we were rushed to Gehenom Hospital. I was hooked up to an IV and given fluids and food, all my vitals were taken, and they’d seen to my hand. I should’ve been worried, since I needed my hand healed to play hockey—but all I cared about was seeing Aviva.

“Let me go see my girlfriend,” I demanded to my nurse.

He tsked at me. “You can’t leave your room in your state. And neither can she. You’re both being treated for sustained smoke inhalation and burns. Honestly, you’re lucky you survived. Don’t push it.”

“Do not tell me what to do when it comes to her,” I said through gritted teeth, even though it made my jaw ache.

But the nurse couldn’t be intimidated. “Jack Feldman, I’ve seen a lot worse than you over the years. You don’t scare me.”

It hurt to smile. Everyone caved when it came to me.

Except Aviva.

At that moment, as if I’d summoned her, the door opened.

She was standing, fragile and pale, wheeling a mobile IV next to her.

“Aviva Gold, I don’t care how scaryyourrelatives are. You shouldn’t be out of bed,” my nurse scolded.

Aviva glared at him. “Do not tell me what to do when it comes to him.”

The nurse sighed. “Peas in a pod, the two of you. Fine, I’ll pretend I didn’t see you. But let himrest.”

With that, he walked past Aviva and out of the room, softly shutting the door behind him.

Aviva stared at me, trembling.

“Little fury, come here,” I said, as gently as I could.

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