Page 44 of Bleeding Hearts

Not willing to dwell on the terrifying possibilities, I shake my head, dismissing those thoughts. “How’s the baby?”

“By the time I got her out, she was screaming her little head off. Mild smoke inhalation. They rushed her to the children’s hospital just to be safe.” Shari unscrews the lid of bottle number three and hands it to me.

“That was her mother.” Tilting my head back, I let the cool water cascade over my heated skin. “Make sure they tell her.”

“I’m on it.” Turning, she heads to where the paramedics are treating the woman I rescued.

The air grows tense as my captain, James Till, approaches, his presence casting a dark shadow over me. “I should suspend you for disobeying a direct order.”

“But you won’t because you’d have done the same.” Tossing my empty water bottle, I push my tired body to stand. “She wouldn’t have made it out without me.”

As we both turn to see Shari standing next to the woman, he nods curtly, arms still folded across his chest. “Don’t let it happen again. When I tell you to get the fuck out, you get the fuck out. Understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Now get checked out by the paramedics.” With a strong grip, he squeezes my shoulder tightly. “Once you’ve been cleared, you can help spray. This is going to be a total loss. So far, all the residents have been accounted for. Good job.”

Making my way over to where Bentley is getting checked, I find a spot on the back of the bus to sit. “That was too close.”

He grimaces as he rolls his left shoulder. “At least I didn’t have fire chasing my ass like you did. I think I tweaked my shoulder, though. I’m gonna need to up the weights on the bench.”

“You’re good to go,” Jen, the paramedic working on him, says before she turns to me. “Now it’s your turn.”

Bentley slaps my back before he stands and gets back to work.

“How’s your sister doing?” Jen asks as she shines a light in my eyes.

“Better. How’s your kid?”

She gives a nonchalant shrug before motioning for me to stand. With my eyes closed, I am instructed to reach out and touch my nose. I do it with no problem.

“How’s the head? That was a crazy stunt you did there.” With my shirt raised, she presses against my ribs, feeling for any abnormalities.

“All good.”

She hits the third one from the bottom on my left side and I try not to flinch when pain shoots through me.

Her fingers follow up one and she makes a face. “I think you might have cracked a rib or two.”

“I’m fine.”

To prove I’m not fine she presses a little harder and lifts one eyebrow.

The pain that shoots through my body makes me drawback. “Okay. I’m not fine, but I’ll be fine.”

She turns to her partner. “We need to give this one a ride to the ER.”

“No, you don’t.” I stand, my ribs scream at me, but I ignore them, determined to get back to work.

“He can go with us.” The crew next to them hollers as they load the blonde woman into the back. “He can ride up front with me if he wants.”

“I’m good.” Reaching up, I adjust my t-shirt. “I’ll get it checked out later.”

“Do I need to call Cora? Tell her you’re being a stubborn ass?” Crossing her arms, Jen discreetly looks over at the captain, who’s preoccupied with something else at the moment. “Or let Tills know that you’re refusing treatment?”

“Fine.” I narrow my eyes before making my way to the bus. “I’ll remember this.”

Flipping me the bird, Jen gets back to work.

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