Page 81 of Memories with Fire

It deflates the spring in my knees that I was going to use to launch myself, and I grab onto the counter, swallowing down my disappointment. Not here. Hailey’s not even to the hospital yet.

For fuck sakes. Why the hell is Bear Creek so fucking far?

What if she’s got smoke inhalation?

What if she was stuck in the fire? Burned all over?

What if Priscylla stabbed her? What if she’s bleeding out?

Or had a gun. Oh fuck, what if she had a gun?

I’m out of my mind with terror like nothing I’ve ever felt, not even when Hailey was stuck in the car over the side of the mountain. It seized me the moment Priscylla said Hailey’s name and has only grown since. Nate’s phone call was from a deputy in Bear Creek who informed him that there was a fire, Hailey was hurt, and all she’d said was Priscylla was involved and to get a hold of Nate and me. There weren’t more details than that.

It's been a madhouse of trying to get information since.

“Luke?”

Whirling at the sound of my name from a female voice, the world stops as I take inthe shoulder length black hair streaked red, and biglips. Priscylla stands twenty feet away from me, one hand on her belly, the other clasped at her chest.

“You came for me,” she breathes, a sparkle in her eye.

The terror instantly boils in me, and red is the only thing I see as I lunge towards the woman, bellowing, “If you hurt one fucking hair on her head, I will rip you to fucking pieces.”

Arms wrap around my middle before I make it to her, twisting me around and slamming me into something hard and solid. I fight against whatever has hold of me, rage coloring every part of my mind, but I’m held firm.

“Stop. Stop fighting. Take a fucking breath, man,” Nate commands near my ear, a shoulder pressed just below mine to keep me in place. “Think about what you’re doing. Don’t be stupid.”

I don’t care. Fuck it. If Hailey isn’t okay, I don’t care what happens to me. Let me sit in jail and rot for the rest of my life. Getting rid of this woman would be worth it.

“Get the fuck off me,” I growl at him, prepared to do what I have to in order to get to Priscylla.

Nate gets right in front of me then, grabbing my shirt to yank me forward before slamming me against the wall. “Knock it off, Reyes. That’s a fucking order.”

My hands are clenched into fists at my sides, ready to throw in whatever direction needed, but with Priscylla out of my line of sight and something else to focus on, I stretch my fingers out. Chest heaving with unspent energy, my nostrils flare as I take a second. But only one.

“She hurt Hailey,” I grit out.

“Yeah, and I get it. I understand the murderous rage going on,” Nate says, his voice low and quiet, only for us to hear. “But you need to reel it in. Get your head on straight.”

A voice to our left says, “Nate.”

Jordan. Trepidation leaking from the way she says his name. Worried about what might unfold in her emergency department. Because of me.

“He’s good,” Nate says, nodding his head with confidence. He releases me and pats me on the chest before turning his attention in his sister’s direction. “But get security in here.”

When I glance over Nate’s shoulder, however, I realize it’s too late. Security is already here and the guard isn’t going after Priscylla, who is still standing there, staring at me with wide, hopeful eyes. He’s coming towards us.

“No, no,” I say as Nate turns to look at the man. “It’s her! She’s the one that needs to be arrested.”

“Sir, turn around,” the guard says, looking at me like he’s ready for a fight. “Let’s just make this nice and easy.”

“Hey, man, look, it isn’t him—” Nate interjects.

But a flurry of motion has us all turning to see the doors to the ambulance bay opening, a stretcher coming through it.

“Hailey,” I exhale, spotting the mess of red hair first. My breath catches in my throat, my knees feeling weak, but I push off the wall to go to her. “Hailey.”

She spots me then, her eyes widening then drooping as her face scrunches. “Luke?”

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