Page 64 of Clean Out of Luck

I place a hand on her shoulder to cut off the tirade. “You’re sure you haven’t seen her leave?”

“No, I haven’t!” Gloria looks panicked.

I see Jack coming up the stairs. I pass Gloria off to him. “Make sure she gets all the way outside,” I tell him.

Then I turn around and sprint down the hallway.

There’s still no word over the radio on anyone finding anything. I’m running, making sure each apartment is cleared and that all residents have been evacuated. Then we’ll figure out what caused the fire alarm to go off. Right now, I’m checking each apartment to locate the fire.

I reach the bottom of the basement steps to see if anyone is down there. No one answers. I run over to Scarlett’s door and bang on it.

No response.

I don’t wait. I slam my whole body into it, bursting the door open. Part of the doorjamb breaks.

“What the heck?” Scarlett yells.

Scarlett sits up from the couch, holding a book in her hand. She’s wearing a swimsuit under one of those little swim dresses women wear to the pool. I never understood the point of those since they’re transparent. I wish I had time to appreciate the view, but we have places to be.

“What are you doing here?” I demand.

“I live here!” Scarlett snaps back, those dark brown eyes flashing dangerously. I probably shouldn’t have yelled at her. But I think this moment falls into the category of acceptable times to yell.

I’m trying to save her life.

“Your building is on fire!”

Chapter Twenty

Scarlett

HavingThe Serendipity catch on fire was not on my bingo card today, that’s for sure.

Seeing Wade standing in my doorway in all of his firefighting gear? Now, that’s an image imprinted in my mind forever. The way he burst through my door—is there anything more manly than someone able to break down a door, willing to save you?

I don’t think so.

But then I notice a chunk of door trim lying on the ground from the whole body-slamming thing.

I glance around the apartment. There’s no fire alarm. No fire. Nothing going on. I didn’t even hear any sirens.

“What are you doing? Is this some weird joke?” I ask as I slowly close the book, saving my spot with the book jacket.

Wade strides across the living room toward me. He’s even wearing a helmet. Like, he’s actually prepared for a fire. I wait for him to tell me this is a joke, but there’s a grim set to his face as he scoops me up off the couch—literally lifts me in his arms, book and all.

“Wade! What are you doing?” I ask, wiggling in his grasp but those arms are bands of steel.

He tucks me tighter against his chest and carries me bridal-style out of my apartment and toward the staircase.

“You left my door open! We didn’t lock it! My shoes are back there!”

I always knew Wade was strong, but I didn’t realize he was thecarry me at a jog while wearing full firefighting geartype of strong. Good grief, he’s even carrying a five-hundred-page romantasy book.

“I don’t know why you can’t hear the fire alarm down here, but it is ridiculously loud upstairs.”

“The building is on fire?” I gasp.Not my precious building. I would be crushed if anything happened to The Serendipity.

His radio crackles as other firefighters communicate, confirming that each apartment is clear. Wade listens to the words as he heads straight for the staircase and runs upstairs. At the top, another firefighter—someone I don’t know—meets him.

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