Page 69 of I Should Hate You-but I Don't

Even firefighters came in to fill water bottles, eat, and use the bathroom. Nobody stopped for long, showing the urgency of fighting to contain the fire.

Smoker grabbed a sandwich. "Thanks, River."

"Hey." She leaned forward. "Have you seen Zane?"

"Nah. Sorry. Haven't seen him."

She nodded, biting her lip. She'd asked several of the bikers, and everyone had the same answer.

Magnum came in with a wet towel wrapped around his arm. "Anyone got some ice or butter?"

Lori stopped beside the table. "How much do you need?"

"Enough to put on my arm." He pulled back the towel. "I got a little too close to the fire."

"Don't you dare put any of that on your skin." Lori motioned him over. "Follow me. I'll get you fixed."

River met Kenna's gaze and widened her eyes. People were getting burnt. Her worry for Zane escalated.

Kenna's eyes pleaded with her. "If they haven't seen Zane, maybe they've seen Kingsley. Can you ask?"

She hurried to Banger, then Echo, then Trent. None of them had seen Kingsley.

Phil walked into the bar and shouted. "Anyone heard anything from Prez?"

"Last I saw him, he talked to Big John, and then all hell broke loose. That was a couple of hours ago or more." Smoker tipped back his drink and stood. "I need to get back out there."

"Phil?" River went to his side. "Have you seen Kingsley?"

"About five minutes ago. He was opening the garage and getting the dirt bikes and side-by-sides out for the others to use so they could get around faster." Phil patted her back. "If you see Zane, tell him I'll be up on the north ridge right off the campground, watching. I've got the water hoses running constantly, hoping it'll stop any sparks from catching."

"I wish I could help you."

"It's best you stay here." Phil patted her shoulder.

She handed him a sandwich. "Take this with you."

"Thanks." Phil mustered a nod and turned to leave.

The men's moods as they came in were solemn, but their resolve to help wherever they could was high. Everyone was doing their best to save Gem Haven. She went to her sister. While Kenna arguably denied having any sort of feelings for Kingsley, she felt the combative attitude between the two suggested something more had happened between them.

Kenna was the most passionate person she knew. She always had been, even when she was young. Once she cared about you, she never stopped. Even if you no longer deserved her unwavering support, she would believe in you until the end. Much like she always believed their dad was alive. She always fought to keep them together.

Whatever Kingsley had done must've broken Kenna's heart.

"Phil has seen Kingsley. He's okay." She lowered her voice. "He's letting the others use all the outdoor toys in the garage to navigate the forest easier."

Kenna's face paled, and she nodded. Now was not the time to ask her sister what was going on between the two of them. That could wait.

Zane was still out there somewhere, and it scared her more that nobody had seen him. He protected his club and would be at the forefront, shielding each member from the fire if he could. His heroism scared her to death.

She walked over to the window, peering out at the sky. The smoke no longer billowed in a column, making its way up into the sky. The world looked as if it was covered in thick gray fog.

The sky was hidden from her. The smoke made it impossible to judge the weather, though temps hovered in the upper eighties. She shook her head in disbelief. It was a world she no longer recognized.

Tears filled her eyes. She was frustrated that she had no one to share her worries with because her relationship with Zane was secret.

He'd never told her she couldn't share how close they were, but his actions screamed secrecy. She assumed that she had to stay quiet if she had any chance of being with him.

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