Page 152 of Roaring Flames

Is that love?

Am I inlovewith Izzy?

I’m pulled out of my thoughts when something smacks across my face. My head jerks to the side, pain exploding in my cheek.

“Don’t hurt him!” Lacey screams in anguish, and I mentally scold her for being so damn transparent.

My wolf wiggles beneath my skin, desperate to come to the surface and sink his teeth into this man’s neck. It takes years of ironclad control and willpower to keep him contained. Heaven only knows what these assholes will do to the children if they thought I was a threat.

At the reminder, another wave of anger crashes over me, threatening to bury me alive.

I’m going to kill them.

And I’m going to make it hurt.

Unwittingly, I drop my gaze to the body directly beside me.

Sam.

I didn’t know him too well, but he’s my age. We went to school together. Played football together. Partied together.

And now he’s nothing but a corpse with a bullet wound in his forehead.

I never considered anger to have a taste before, but just now, as it settles on my tongue, it reminds me of flaky ash combined with copper. Or maybe that’s just because I’m biting my tongue so hard that I’ve ripped a hole in it.

“Who’s ready to play my favorite game?” The crazy man laughs jovially. “Now, here are the rules.”

Once again, I find myself staring down the barrel of a gun.

The fucker turns towards Lacey. “I’ll ask you a question, darling, and if you answer how I want you to, I won’t kill your little boyfriend. But if you answer incorrectly…”

The gun goes off, someone screams, and for a moment, I think I’m going to die. I just wish I got to see Izzy one last time. Hold her. Kiss her. Tell her how I feel.

But then I realize that the bullet didn’t hit me but the tree directly behind me.

Holy fuck.

I try to ignore the residual panic coursing beneath my skin as I suck in a deep breath.

Lacey begins to cry harder.

“It’ll be okay, Lace,” I whisper to her out of the corner of my mouth.

She doesn’t respond audibly, just continues to sniffle and sob.

“Now, I’m looking for someone, and I thought that she might be here.” He laughs, the noise high-pitched and manic. “Where is Isabella Martin?”

Ice trickles into my veins, and I suddenly can’t breathe.

Izzy?

Why are they looking for Izzy?

Unaware of the gymnastics routine my heart is putting my head through, the man keeps his attention on Lacey.

“She was here,” she whispers in a shaky voice.

“I know that. Where is she now?” The gun remains steady on my head.

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