Page 56 of War Games

The pain is like nothing I’ve ever known, but even over the roar of flames, a soft grunting sound coming from the back of the property catches my attention.

I get to my feet and run, racing around the corner of the burning building to the back where I find Shadow dragging Siren’s body from the building, both of them covered in soot, their skin angry from burns. Shadow is barely keeping on her feet while Siren is . . . fuck. I don’t even want to think about it.

Hearing me coming, Shadow looks back at me, tears in her blue eyes. “I don’t,” she starts, violently coughing as she sways on her feet. “I don’t know what to . . . do.”

Her eyes flutter, and just before she has a chance to collapse, I crash into her, scooping Siren’s lifeless body into my armsand gripping Shadow’s wrist. I pull them away from the raging flames, but Shadow can barely manage to stay on her feet. I’ll drag her if I have to. I’m determined that neither of them are going to die on me tonight.

We get just a few feet away, far enough that the flames don’t threaten to sear my skin while still behind the property and out of view of the nosey onlookers with their video phones. I crumble to the ground, laying Siren in the grass before slamming my hands over her chest and performing CPR, breathing much-needed oxygen into her lungs. There’s no telling how long she’s been out, and as I frantically try to save her life, Shadow succumbs to exhaustion and collapses behind me.

“FUCK!”

I don’t dare stop the compressions on Siren’s chest, but I have no choice but to release just one of my hands so I can reach behind me and make sure Shadow still has a pulse. Relief floods me, finding that she’s just passed out, and I go back to giving Siren my full attention as I pump her heart for her and breathe into her lungs.

“COME ON,” I roar, clenching my jaw as the desperation to save her eats me alive. “I’m not losing you like this, Siren. FUCKING BREATHE!”

I keep working on her, not daring to give up, and as I duck down to breathe for her again, she begins to sputter, violently coughing as she tries to take a much-needed breath. “Holy fucking shit,” I say, sitting back on my heels as I stop the compressions.

Siren’s eyes open, and I’ve never seen anyone look so fucking exhausted. Her skin is clammy and burnt, and every breath she takes is shaky, wheezy, and shallow. She must be in so much pain, but for now, she’s alive, and that’s all that matters.

“I . . . I—”

“Shhhh,” I say, taking her hand as she struggles to get the words out. “You’re okay. Rest now, beautiful Siren. I’ve got you.”

Her eyes flutter, and not a moment later, she passes out, only this time her heart is beating, and I take a moment to collect myself, running my hands down my face and trying to catch my breath.

I’ve never been so fucking scared in my life. The thought of losing her before we’ve even had a chance to begin? Fuck. Reality is, I might still lose her in the coming weeks, but it won’t be by my hand. War Games is unpredictable, and no matter how hard I can try to save someone, there’ll be another asshole right around the corner, ready to take her out. All I know is that I’m not ready to let her go. Not even close. When that time does come—in a few weeks or years down the track—it’s going to destroy me, and the only hope I have is that Shadow’s capable of ending my life before the agony of losing Siren truly hits me.

I hear the sirens in the distance, and just as I go to get up and lift Siren into my arms, Shadow comes to, blinking awake, and I pause, glancing down at her as she tries to figure out where she is and what the fuck just happened. She looks up at me, pushing up onto her palm as I crouch down and hold her bright blue stare.

“Take it slow,” I tell her before indicating toward Siren. “You saved her.”

Her eyes widen, seeing Siren motionless beside us, and I pick up Siren’s hand again, gently squeezing it. “She’s just passed out,” I tell Shadow. “You got her out just in the nick of time. You saved her life, but now’s not the time to try and process everything that just went down. The fire department is on its way, and I don’t doubt the cops are right on their tail. We’ve gotta get out of here before it’s too late.”

Shadow visibly swallows and nods before slowly getting to her feet, and I do the same, lifting Siren into my arms before makingmy way back around to the front of the little suite. Shadow walks with me, but as I go to open the car door, Shadow keeps walking, intent on getting out of here.

“Don’t even think about it,” I say. “Get your ass in the car.”

I don’t know what it is, but something pulls her up short. She stops and turns back, holding my stare for just a moment. I expect a fight. I expect her to try and make a break for it, but for whatever reason, she simply nods and moves around to the passenger side of my car and climbs in.

Satisfied that she’s not about to make a break for it or take off with my car, I lay Siren across the backseat, and as the sirens get louder, I climb into the driver’s seat and hit the gas, determined to get these girls out of here.

Pulling up to the property I’ve called home for the past two weeks, I lift Siren out of the car, and Shadow hurries around to open the front door for me. I carry the passed-out killer in my arms, holding her tighter than I’ve ever held anyone in my life, and as I lay her down in my bed, I can’t look away from her face, needing to double-check her pulse and make sure she’s still breathing.

Then, being content that Siren is going to be alright, I make my way back to the living room where Shadow stands awkwardly, not knowing where to go or what to do. “Okay, here’s the deal,” I tell her, holding her bright stare. “I’m not doing this shit where you get to run around and have all the fucking freedom in the world. I worry about you, and I know for a fact that Siren does too. I know we’re not your parents, probably the furthest people from it, and I’m sure learning to trust us is going to take time, but I am a man of my word. So when I tell you that neither myself nor Siren wish to cause you any harm, you can have faith that I mean that to my core.”

Shadow goes to open her mouth and interrupt, but I hold up a finger and continue. “This is what’s going to happen. I’m notletting Siren out of my sight. She’ll stay here with me, and just as she was doing before, I’ll make sure there’s a home-cooked meal on the table for you every night. Only, you won’t be leaving. You come home every night, you eat your dinner, and then you go to sleep. There are three other bedrooms in this house, take your pick.”

“But what about the competition?”

“I don’t give a shit what you do during the day. Go and track every asshole and their best friend for all I care, but at night, you come home so that Siren and I can sleep easy knowing that you’re safe and being fed properly. There is no competition between us. Is that understood?”

Her gaze shifts around the room, unsure of what to do or say, but for whatever reason, she nods. “Okay,” she finally says, lifting her chin. “I’ll stay here with you.”

“Thank you,” I say, having expected that to go a million other ways, except for like that. “I know Siren would appreciate that.”

She nods again, which is when it gets awkward, and I realize that I actually have no idea how to talk to a thirteen-year-old girl, let alone one who’s a trained killer and probably boasts more kills than Siren and I combined. “Well, make yourself at home. There’s food and water in the fridge, and all the bedrooms are made up. Pick which one you like best and make it your own,” I tell her. “I’m going to go and sit with Siren if you need me.”

I give her a tight smile, and as I turn to walk away, Shadow calls after me. “She’s going to be upset.”

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