Page 35 of Burning for the Truth

I’m finally able to get the latch open, and as soon as I do, Gypsy bursts through the door knocking me backward and speeds toward the exit to freedom and safety. But I’m so stunned by the fall, I hit my head and I can feel darkness tugging at my consciousness. I try to get up but only manage to move a few inches before coughing again.

I feel tears spill out of the corners of my eyes since I’m lying on my back. I guess I wasn’t meant to be with Dean after all. I try again to move, but it’s useless. My limbs feel heavy. My vision starts to cloud, although I’m not sure if it’s from the tears or the darkness threatening to take over.

“Briella!” I hear a voice in the distance.Dean?No, it can’t be. He had some things to do today and then he was going to the gym. But I hear it again and this time it’s louder. “Briella!”

I try to shout but my voice comes out barely above a whisper, “I’m…here!” I cough again.

I close my eyes and say a silent prayer.Dear Lord, if Dean is in this fire with me, please keep him safe. And please let me see him at least one more time, so I can tell him what I should’ve told him all those years ago…I love him. No matter the time or distance or what’s happened in between, I’ve always loved him, and I always will.

I feel myself being lifted but I’m unable to help. I’m being moved quickly, and then suddenly, I’m on the ground. I can hear Aria crying in the distance and Sterling barking out orders. I hear something being ripped off and I try to open my eyes, but it hurts. “Get me some oxygen over here now!”Dean. It was Dean’s voice. I send up a quick prayer of thanks.

“Briella, sweetheart, can you hear me?” I nod the best I can. “Oh, thank goodness.” He brushes a quick kiss over my lips. “Listen, baby, the paramedics are here and they’re going to get you on some oxygen and then you’re headed to Greendale Med.”

I squeeze his hand, which I’ve just realized was holding mine. “The…horses?” I ask on a whisper.

He brushes my hair back and kisses my forehead. “They’re fine, baby. You did good,” he says, his voice cracking on the last word. He sniffles and clears his throat. “Here’s the oxygen, baby. Aaron’s taking care of you. I know he’s your favorite,” he says lightheartedly as if trying to soothe me with something familiar.

Something inside makes me panic. I haven’t told him yet. I whisper before they can put a mask on me, “Please stay with me.”

He brings my hand to his lips and places a gentle kiss to my knuckles. “I’m not going anywhere. Hold on, Briella. Don’t let go.” A mask is placed on my face, and I feel Dean’s lips press another kiss to the back of my hand as something wet and warm trickles down my wrist. Is he crying? Or am I bleeding?

Aaron’s voice is in my ear now. “Bree, we’re going to load you in the ambulance now. We’re going to take good care of you, I promise.” As I’m being carried on a stretcher to the waiting rig, Dean never lets go of my hand.

Ican’t keep myself from pacing as I wait on the nurses to bring Bree into the hospital room she’ll be staying in tonight and maybe tomorrow. Dr. Boyd came out and told us she has a mild concussion and smoke inhalation. He recommends she stay overnight to be monitored, but ultimately, he thinks she’ll be fine with plenty of rest and fluids as well as the oxygen they have her hooked up to. Although, how much rest can you get when someone is waking you up every hour?

Sterling and Tate are waiting with me too; both men watch me wear a slick spot on the floor. I pulled up in time to see Briella run into the burning stable to save her horses, and I jumped out of my truck intent on stopping her. My heart sank as I watched her disappear into the smoke that billowed out of the entrance. She either didn’t hear me shouting her name or she didn’t care. With Bree, it could be either.

I did the only thing I could—I turned back to my truck and grabbed my spare set of turnout gear I keep in there for unexpected moments like these, along with a spare SCBA. I got dressed in two minutes and headed into the flames even as my heart pounded like a hammer in my chest with fear. I haven’t admitted it to anyone but the memory of the flames licking my skin haunts me, as does the memory of being helpless as my best friend barely clung to life beside me. Those flames took everything, but I’ll be damned if they take Briella. My fear of losing her trumps anything else.

When I found her after dodging the horses as they flew past me one by one, instead of my heart pounding, it seized in my chest at the sight of her lying on the floor struggling to pull herself out of the inferno ready to swallow her. I scooped her up before running toward the exit and laid her on the ground so I could check her for injury while waiting for the ambulance. She made me promise not to leave her…to stay. So here I am…waiting in the room she’ll come back to, and I’m not going anywhere. I don’t care what anyone says. My girl wants me, and she’ll have me.

Tate breaks the silence first. “Dude, are you going to calm down?”

I stop moving and stare. “How would you feel if it was Lucy? Would you be ready to calm down?” I say hastily.

He winces as if I physically struck him. He walks to where I stand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be insensitive to your feelings for her. Of course, you’re going out of your mind.”

I nod tersely before facing Sterling. “What do you know?”

He shakes his head, his eyes dull with defeat and his expression remains pained as his shoulders drop. He appears as though all the color drained from him aside from dark circles under his eyes. “We don’t know anything yet. Ivie, Aria, and Lucy are in the waiting room along with Mom. Dad and Hawk stayed behind to make sure the horses and the rest of the cattle are okay. Bomb and Arson are sweeping the property. As soon as I see Bree with my own eyes, I need to get back to Valley B,” he says dropping his arms by his side.

“We’re going to get him, Sterling. Why do you look like we lost the fight?” I ask cautiously, wondering if he’s telling me everything. I rode in the ambulance with Briella while everyone else stayed behind to sift through the chaos.

“Because we’ve already lost so much. He tried to kill my sister twice now. He succeeded with Drew. He went after my horses. My home. My family. I can’t be everywhere at once. I know my sister needs me, but I can’t leave Ivie and Aria defenseless. And yes, patrol will be stationed at Valley B now, but it’s not the same as me being with them. But I feel like I’m choosing them over my baby sister in a time where she needs me.” He shakes his head and his shoulders slump even further as if weighted down.

“I’m here, Sterling. I know you still haven’t wrapped your head around me having feelings for Bree, but I’d die before I let anything happen to her. I’m here. She’s got me and I won’t leave her side, I promise.”

He steps forward and squeezes my shoulder. “I know, brother. I know you’ll keep her safe. Thank you.”

I bring him in for a hug. Someone clears their throat, and we turn in the direction of the noise. “Hey, sorry to bother you, I’ll be one of the nurses taking care of Briella tonight and I wanted to tell you she’ll be down in a few minutes to get settled. But if you don’t mind stepping out until then, I promise the moment she’s here and set up, I’ll let you back in to see her.”

We all nod simultaneously and step out. It isn’t but a few minutes later as promised, and she’s in the room. Her mom, Delilah, goes in followed by the rest of the girls. We give them a little time so she’s not overwhelmed by too many people at once. I glance around and catch sight of Chelsea. Dread settles in my gut. It’s all Bree needs tonight is to see Chelsea. She glances at me with hope before I tightly smile and turn at the sound of the ladies coming out of Bree’s room.

Sterling and Tate go on in, but I hesitate as I see Jake and none other than Michael rushing down the hall. Anger floods through me as I see them. But my anger fades slightly as Brittney comes running around them with tears in her eyes. She collides with me and squeezes me in a frantic hug. I look up and find Chelsea watching flatly. “Is she okay? Please tell me she’s okay!”

I move her away from me, keeping my hands on her shoulders at arm’s length. “She’ll be fine.”

“What happened? Why haven’t y’all caught the guy yet?” she asks clearly panicked.

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