Page 70 of Fall at Once

Despite my mood, I laughed. “My life is the dumpster fire. Every part of it is out of my control. And after this run, I probably smell like one, too.”

He rolled his eyes as he pulled out his cell to call the fire into the station.

The fire crackled as it ate through the dumpster’s contents. If we didn’t contain it immediately, it would spread and potentially put the entire block at risk. Most of these old buildings were connected.

The alleyway was too narrow just to pull it away from the wall. I had to get it to the street.

Putting my shoulder to the side, I shoved it to get it going.

It was heavy as fuck and hot. I grit my teeth, breathing heavily through the sting of it, trying to ignore the intense throbbing pain in my arm and shoulder as I braced my feet and finally got it to move.

Tate finished the call and found some cardboard to place against the side as we pushed it, but it was too late. I had burned myself, and I felt like an idiot. I knew better. And not only that, I trained people to fucking know better.

I was twisted up in knots, losing my damn mind, and I couldn’t take it anymore. All it would take is one more thing to push me over the edge.

Sirens wailed in the distance as we made it to the street.

“Fuck!”

“Shit, Cole. That’s a bad burn.” His eyes darted up the street where one of our trucks, followed by an ambulance, had just turned the corner.

“I don’t need a fucking ambulance,” I ground out. My upper arm throbbed. “God damn it.”

“You’re welcome, jackass. Don’t make me carry you to it. Do you fucking hear me?”

I gritted my teeth against the pain and looked away. “Yeah. I hear you.”

“I doubt it’s more than second-degree. I know it hurts, but now that we’re under the streetlight and can see it better, I think you’ll be okay.”

“Fucking great. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Looks like you owe me a beer for saving your ass and calling for an ambulance too.”

“I don’t need any of this right now. It’s too much.”

“Hey, listen to me. All this shit, Cole? It’s going to be okay.”

I nodded. I couldn’t answer him; I was hanging on by a rapidly unraveling thread.

I watched as Pace and some other guys put out the fire. They checked the alleyway and the other dumpsters to ensure everything was safe.

I held back on giving orders. Tate was on it, and I was a fucking mess as I sat at the edge of the ambulance, surprised when Amber, Tate’s ex-wife, popped around to assist.

After a cursory glance at my arm, she stared her partner down until he returned to the back of the ambulance.

“We’re taking you to the hospital. Get inside, Cole. The spot at the top of your shoulder looks bad. The rest will be okay. I’m not risking your arm to infection or?—”

I shook my head, jaw tense with pain, interrupting her warnings. “No, I’mfine?—”

“Do not argue with me, Cole. It’s not worth the risk. Think about what you would tell any of the guys on your crew, repeat it to yourself, and let me do my damn job.”

“Fine. Let’s go.” I got up, went inside, and sat at the gurney’s edge.

Tate hopped in with me before she could shut the door. “I’m coming with.”

“Tate. Good to see you.”

“Amber. Yeah, you, too.” Belying her words, she shot him a glare before slamming the doors shut and hustling around to the cab.

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