Page 80 of Attraction & Repulsion

“Jax!”

He lay flat on his back, one of his arms stretched out above him as if reaching for her. A second metal beam was crushing his legs. His gloved fingers were limp.

Diving forward, Carson slid next to him. His helmet and face mask were on, and the glare from the fire made it difficult to see his features, but she knew it was Jax. He looked like he was sleeping, so peaceful amongst all the chaos.

Grabbing his arm, she squeezed his hand to her chest then pulled his sleeve down to expose the skin on his wrist. As she checked for a pulse her black fingers left marks on his clean skin. It was there, slow and steady, unlike her own erratic heartbeat.

Two minutes gone.

“Hey, wake up. We gotta get out of here,” she croaked, shaking his shoulders. As soon as she disturbed his resting body, the shrieking from the device stopped. A TV show popped into her mind,Chicago Fire. In it, firefighters used gadgets that set off an ear-splitting alarm when still for too long. They were used as tracking devices.

Carson shook him again. Still, he didn’t wake.

Okay, now what? Carson turned her attention back to the massive beam trapping his lower half. Were Jax’s legs broken?

Her watch warned her that three minutes had passed. Time was running out.

Carson placed a hand on the side of Jax’s mask. “I’m going to get you out of here. I promise.”

Getting to her feet she used the sleeve of her coat like an oven mitt and grasped the metal. With all her strength, which wasn’t much, she heaved. And yanked. And lifted. And pushed. It didn’t budge. Kicking off her heels, she tried again. Nothing.

Four minutes.

Plan B, she thought, plopping back down and taking his hand.

Maybe she could make a mad dash back outside and tell the other firefighters she had found him. That may have been the easiest, most efficient thing to do. Then she remembered the battalion chief’s angry command. A shudder ran down her spine, imagining them restraining her, like they did Hunter, once she was back outside, unable to go back in.

Back to Plan A then. It was up to Carson to get the beam off of him and drag him out.

Then there was a startling screech followed by a crackle coming from Jax’s other shoulder. Was that a radio? Why hadn’t she noticed it before?The lack of oxygen was beginning to take its toll. Carson ripped it off his gear and pressed the communicator button, praying it would work.

“Hello?” Her voice was so hoarse! “I’ve found Jax. I’m inside the building.” It took her a second to recall where she was. “I’m on the second floor on the back side.”

The radio squawked at her when she released the button. Did that mean it wasn’t working? She tried again. “We need help!” she screamed, her throat on fire. “There are two of us on the second floor on the north side, near the collapse.”

No response. The radio gave a final chirp, then went completely silent. Worthless.

Five minutes.

A coughing fit climbed out of her lungs, practically choking her. Every time she tried to suck in a breath, she only made it worse. Her lungs were beginning to fight back, seeking the needed relief of oxygen. Remembering that some search-and-rescue squads carried spare masks for survivors, she turned back to Jax, hands fumbling around him. To her despair, she couldn’t find one.

A cry escaped Carson’s lips. The energy had finally drained from her body. There was nothing left inside of her. The place was spinning. In her vision Jax pulsed close to her, then far away, and her brain vibrated in her skull. By now, she didn’t know if she could even make it back out. Would she even have the energy?

Running out of ideas, Carson laid herself next to Jax’s still body, resting an arm over his chest. The air was a bit clearer so close to the ground. She followed the tempo of the rise and fall of his chest. Her lungs hurt with every breath, a scorched field inside her chest.

Eyeballing the swirls and bellows of the smoke and the dances andjerks of the flames above, Carson realized that she may have just sentenced herself to death. If not by suffocation, then by the fire itself. If the building collapsed, she would perish underneath its weight.

Time was up.

Closing her burning eyes, Carson considered the lectures she would receive if, by some miracle, they survived. From the fire department, Hunter, Jax, and Raegan. Raegan would be furious! Her friend would give her a good scolding. What would Dave think about her running into a burning building? He’d probably schedule even more sessions. And there went her dream of opening her own firm.

I guess I still have a lot to learn.

By now, it felt like Carson’s body was floating. At any moment, the smoke or the fire would consume her whole. She was sorry she couldn’t save Jax. That she hadn’t been able to spend her last remaining weeks with him. She regretted wasting so much time unable to process the death of her family. Why had she waited so long to get help? If she could do it all over again, she would grieve their loss but cherish the time she did have with them. She’d use their love to build her life back up and be happy.

Shapes appeared above her. Luke and her son were there, ready to take her home. Then the smooth darkness swallowed Carson up.

Chapter twenty-nine

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