Page 76 of Wyoming Bodyguard
Lily curled against him and buried her face in his neck.
“I’ve got you,” he said, praying it was true.
He leapt over the spreading flames. Stumbling outside, he drew in large gulps of fresh air. He carried her as far away from the barn as he could until his legs gave out and he settled onto the cool grass.
The sound of sirens screamed in the distance. Flames overtook the barn. The structure shuddered and groaned before collapsing into a giant pile of burning rubble.
Watching the destruction, he cradled Lily on his lap. “We made it, Lily. The horses are safe. You’re safe. It’s all over.”
Her eyes slid shut again, but a flicker of a smile shone through her dirty face. “I love you, Madden.”
He kissed her forehead and held her close. “I love you, too. I need you to stay awake, okay? Sounds like help’s on the way.”
She snuggled against him, and a cough shook her body. “Don’t need help. All I need is you.”
Chapter 28
Lily sat in the back of a parked ambulance with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, but nothing could stop her teeth from chattering as she watched the collapsed barn burn.
Not even Madden’s body heat helped as he kept his arms firmly around her.
“You’ve got to keep the oxygen on your mouth and nose.” A young paramedic gently placed the mask back on her face then checked her heartbeat. The woman’s hair was cut short and pushed away from her round, serious face. “How are you feeling? Any dizziness or nausea?”
Lily drew in a deep breath of the clean oxygen, closing her eyes as it slid into her body and helped push out the toxins. Opening her eyes, words escaped her as she watched the horse barn she’d spent so much time in continue to burn to ash. Firefighters circled the damage and doused the persistent flames with streams of water from their giant hoses. Plumes of smoke covered everything it touched like fog. The eerie glow cracked and popped, sending embers shooting across the night sky like stars.
“Lily?”
Madden’s soothing voice brought her back to the question lingering in the confined space. Clearing her dry throat, she slid the mask down despite the EMT’s disapproving look. “Sorry. I already told you. I feel okay. Just tired and thirsty. I still can’t believe this happened. Are the horses okay?”
“Dax called and said they’re all tucked in back at Pop’s place. He’ll keep an eye on them.”
The EMT placed a stethoscope on her back. “Deep breaths in and out. I need to listen to your lungs.”
She did as was asked and winced. The burning in her lungs had subsided, but taking the deep breath still took more effort than it should.
“You sound okay.” The woman looped the stethoscope around her neck then placed clammy fingers on her wrist to check her pulse. “But smoke inhalation is extremely dangerous, and you both have burns that need to be cleaned and examined. Hang tight for a few. I’m going to grab more oxygen and an extra mask for you,” she said, nodding toward Madden. “Excuse me for a second. When I get back, we’ll head to the hospital.”
Madden picked up a bottle of water beside him and unscrewed the cap. “Drink this.”
Lily removed the mask, took the ice-cold bottle with a trembling hand and pressed it to her lips. Cool liquid coated her mouth and glided down her throat. “It’s a miracle Dax saw the fire from your dad’s and called for help. Thank God he did, or this could have spread so fast. I could have lost so much more.”
Madden skimmed his knuckles along her cheekbone. “I could have lost you.”
She folded her hand over his and squeezed. “But you didn’t.”
Tears glittered in his eyes. “It was close. So damn close. I don’t want to diminish any of this,” he said, flicking his wrist toward the chaos around them. “But barns can be rebuilt. Things replaced. If I’d have lost you… Lily, I wouldn’t have survived that.”
“You didn’t lose me, Madden. You saved me. Without you, I don’t want to think about what would have happened tonight.” Memories of the terror she experienced in that barn, her fear and sadness, flooded over her. She’d been ready to accept her fate, but that didn’t mean her heart hadn’t broken at the thought of never seeing Madden again.
“You never have to wonder what would happen without me, Lily. I love you so damn much.” Madden replaced the mask and kissed her forehead. “Now do as you’re told so we don’t get in trouble.”
She smiled as the clean air filtered through her nose. There was more she wanted to say to this man, but she could wait. She told him the most important part, and now they had the rest of their lives ahead of them to say everything else.
The screech of a siren sounded as a second ambulance peeled out of the driveway, taking away Marvin Williamson.
Madden tensed beside her.
Before she could ask him anything, the sound of heavy boots clomping on gravel grew closer. Deputy Sanders approached, his expression twisted in a heavy mask of pain and confusion. “Madden. Lily. Glad you’re both all right.”
