Page 32 of Deadly Little Hearts

The line goes dead, and I rest my head back against the car, releasing a heavy sigh.He’s right; I’ve already got my answer.I’ll fight for Lucas until he’s mine again.

More cars come down the road.A familiar red Range Rover drives past, and I kick off the Ford, following Gage’s SUV.

He parks just outside the town hall, and Lucas exits the vehicle first, his blond hair catching in the streetlight.He turns around.Our gazes clash like a lightning bolt breaking between us.Anger emanates from every muscle in my body.I storm closer to them, ready to tell him he can’t treat me this way before a deafening boom rips through the air.

Red-hot flames kiss my skin.Smoke dances all around me.I fall forward, landing hard against the ground, and everything goes black.

Chapter 17

Hazen

Myearsring.

Someone is screaming.

It sounds like Freya.

I have to get to her.

She has to be okay.

My hand runs over the rocky ground before I push myself up.Smoke fills the air.People are yelling, but I can’t hear what they’re saying through the ringing.Pain rips through my muscles as I move to stand.

Gage groans from the ground, and I reach out.He grabs my hand and joins me on his feet.He pinches the bridge of his nose, his brows pulling together.

“What the ever-loving fuck was that?”he asks.

“No idea, but whoever did this might still be around.Load up,” I say, pulling out my gun from its holster on my leg.

The smoke begins to clear, and I look around for Lucas but don’t see him.Fuck, he was so drunk he’s probably gone up in flames.

Fuck, no.I can’t think like that.

“Can you see Freya and Lucas?”I ask, and Gage disappears into the swirling gray smoke.

“Freya!”I scream.

We move closer to the town hall, which is on fucking fire.Flames build higher and higher into the night sky.Shit!People run around frantically, trying to get away from the burning building, but all I care about is our woman.She needs to be okay.I can’t think of the alternative, because a life without her in it isn’t much of a life at all.

“She’s here!”Gage’s voice sounds through the acrid haze.

I push forward, shoving past panicked bodies, my pulse hammering in my skull.The smoke is suffocating, thick as a damn wall, blinding me with every step.I squint, scanning the chaos, but am met with shadowed figures—running, screaming, burning.My lungs ache, each breath searing hot, but I don’t stop.I can’t.I yank my collar over my mouth, rub the fabric against my stinging eyes, and keep moving.She’s here.Somewhere.And I’ll tear this place apart to find her if I have to.

There, a short distance away, Gage is standing, and Lucas is bent over someone.Her.My knees give way as I fall beside them.Lucas has her head in his lap, brushing his fingers through her hair.Her eyes are closed, her face covered in ash.Nasty burns line her arms, and I want to kill whoever did this, but right now, she needs me.My hands begin to shake, my breathing deepens, and I open my mouth, but no words come out.She has to be okay—she will be.

I take Freya’s hand in mine.Gage sits opposite me, staring at Freya with a pained look in his eyes.My fingers run over her pulse and push down hard, trying to pick up on the faintest beat.I refuse to believe there’ll be anything less.

One small thump, then another and another.My lips part, and I let out a heavy breath.Fuck, I thought for a second we’d lost her.I squeeze her hand, but she doesn’t squeeze back.

“Call an ambulance!”I yell at both Lucas and Gage, finally finding my voice.

“They’re on their way,” Lucas says, brushing his fingers over Freya’s cheek, removing some of the ash.“Seeing her disappear into the smoke and then finding her unmoving ...”He sighs, and a tear falls down his cheek.I’ve never seen him cry—not even when his mother died.“I thought she was gone forever.”

My chest tightens.I know exactly how he feels because I felt it too.I’ve always been taught that women are nothing but distractions—they only serve one purpose, and that’s looking good by our side—but Freya is more than that.

Yes, she’s a distraction, not only to me but to my brothers as well, but she’s also one of us now.If anything ever happened to one of my brothers, then the doors to hell would open and there’d be no going back.

Smoke clogs my throat, thick and bitter, burning its way into my lungs.The town hall is gone, nothing but a skeletal ruin swallowed by flames.A woman stumbles past us, her dress in shreds, her skin blistered and peeling.She doesn’t scream—maybe she can’t.But others do.Their cries tear through the polluted air, raw, desperate.The scent of burning flesh turns my stomach, but I don’t look away.I can’t.My fists clench.This isn’t over.Not even close.

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