Page 1 of Scorching Lies

RYKER

TWO YEARS EARLIER

Smoke fills my lungs with each inhale. The open warehouse floods with the rancid smell of flesh burning, blending with the stench of death. Heat creeps up my spine, making my way through the open doorway, eyes stinging from the smoke, I struggle to see in front of me.

“Kenna!”

Coughing, my hand shoots up to my face in an attempt to block out the thick cloud of smoke. Fuck, I’m glad my boy G has been keeping an eye on the warehouse for me. Dad and Mr. Kingston have been meeting up here more often than normal, so I decided to keep my eyes on the lookout for intel. Being blindsided is the last thing we can afford right now.

The Kingston family has been in business with us for years, hell, ever since I could walk, and Kenna Kingston has been our little toy for longer. My brothers took the time to build a friendship where I decided to watch just in case. After all, she's set to be the princess of her daddy’s empire.

“Dad!”

Shouting through the roaring flames my gaze finally falls on a shadow slumped against the corner wall. The size is too small for my father or Mr. Kingston, but Kenna has a thinner frame so I’m instantly on alert. Pulling in air through my nose under my lifted shirt, in an attempt to block out the soot, my knees drop to the ground.

Each move forward heats my skin under the orange glow. The concrete flooring scorches my skin as I crawl to the figure.

Long black hair covers a rounded face behind the raven dark curtain. Paige. What the hell is Kenna’s best friend doing here?

“Paige?”

Brushing the wisps of hair from her sweat soaked face my body jolts back at the sight in front of me. Wide pale blue eyes stare blankly ahead focusing on the darkness behind me. Stumbling to the side my ass slams down on the floor, squeezing my eyes closed, I try to shake off the urge to vomit. What the hell happened? Rolling my shoulders my eyes pop back open scanning over Paige’s body to see if there’s any sign of foul play but come across nothing.

Bringing my hand up to her face, my fingertips gently brush her eyes closed. Swallowing down rage at the sight of my brother's first love dead in front of me I keep moving the need to find my dad and Kenna urging me forward. Pressing my body lower to the ground praying the ceiling holds long enough for me to find them. My gaze shifts to the left where a small room is. I hope that they made it there.

“Dad! Kenna!”

Clearing my throat, I try to shout their names again but the sound of creaking wood clashing with the roar of flames lickingup the walls drowns me out. My palms blister against the sweltering floor, the pain biting into my skin until it sinks deeper, digging into my bones.

I mentally kick my own ass for not calling anyone, but my gut tells me this wasn’t a planned meet up. None of this shit screams accident.

A small whimper pulls me closer to the room.

“Kenna?” My words scratch at the back of my throat.

“Rye?” A soft voice croaks.

My pulse kicks up when that name falls from her lips.

Speeding up, my shoulder presses into the wood opening the door more, causing blazing heat to rush from the room. Flames spread up the walls to cover the ceiling scathing everything in its path. I need to get to Kenna. My need to protect her spurs me forward through the biting heat that burns up my arms.

“Kenna?”

Two dark figures huddle together on the floor in the center of the room, with each step closer my stomach churns, knowing that one figure is far too fucking still. Kenna’s usual blonde hair normally bright with a shine is now matted a dirty brown stuck to her sweat soaked body. Charring flesh fills my nose flooding my mouth with acid, but I keep my eyes on Kenna hoping she’s still breathing.

Kneeling beside her, my eyes fall to the tall, lean, form next to her clutching her hand in his. My father.

“Dad?”

Gripping his shirt, I force him on his back bringing his eyes to mine, the slow blink making my heart pinch in my chest.

“Come on, I need to get you both out of here.”

My words are gritted through clenched teeth. Hauling him closer my body screams under the new pressure of his weight. There’s no way in hell I’m going to drag them both out at the same time. Slapping my dad’s cheek, I force him to look at me begging him to see how hard this is for me.

“Dad, we have to go. Come on, please get up!”

Dragging him by his shirt my hands avoid the blisters covering his arms not wanting to cause him more pain. The smell of burnt hair fills my nose gagging me from the overwhelming aroma surrounding me. A hand grabs my wrist halting my forward movement with one touch.

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