Page 98 of Where There's Smoke
Just how much gasoline had my brother doused the building in before I found him?
This is bad. This is very, very bad.
Despite my makeshift mask, my throat started to burn, and I coughed, trying to clear my airway but failing miserably.
Whipping my head around, I frantically scanned for another exit. It was difficult to see through the smoke. There was a fire exit to my left, but it was through a hallway and two more doors, and flames licked up the walls nearby, making that a less than desirable way to go.
I couldn't afford to wait, however. The longer I did, the bigger the fire would grow and the lower my chances would be of getting out unharmed.
There was no other choice than to just go for it.
Running to the door, I did my best to ignore the fact that I was running past flames as I reached out for the handle, throwing my body weight against the door.
The first door only required a simple push, and opened easily. I reached the second in moments, ignoring the smoke and throwing my whole body against it.
What I’d forgotten was that it was ametalhandle.
The heat of the fire had already made its scolding hot, so as I started to grip it, I hissed in pain, pulling back. My hand stung, throbbing, as I looked down at the bright red burn across my palm. I was wearing a thin sundress and didn't have much covering, so where the length of my forearm had pressed against the metal door, there was another burn making my skin ache with each beat of my heart.
Bad. Very bad. No time, though. I need that door open.
Grabbing a nearby blanket thathadn'tbeen set on fire, I picked it up and used it to wrench open the door, the smell of melting plastic getting thicker in the air. I could still feel the heat through the blanket, but it was bearable.
What was a little pain if the alternative was dying a fiery death, right?
As I staggered out of the building, a strong pair of hands grabbed me. My immediate reaction was to swing, thinking Reed was still there, and I balled up my good hand into a fist, ready to drive it into his face.
“Firecracker!” Fitz’s voice was full of panic. “Holy fuck! What happened?”
I sagged in his grip. It was Fitz. I was with Fitz.Not Reed. I was safe.
Chapter 47
Fitz
“Do you think Melody might want Mexican food tonight?” I asked as we piled into Elliot’s large SUV.
“We can ask her once we get to the rescue,” Samson said as he closed his door.
I grabbed my phone to check for any text messages from our sweet-as-pie omega when an email caught my eye.
“Fuck, yes!” I cried, fist pumping the air as my adrenaline surged from excitement.
Both my pack mates turned to look at me like I was crazy. You would think after so many years being in a pack together, they would be used to my antics.
“New level on your mobile game?” Elliot asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
“No, jerk face!” Though that wasn't a bad guess. “I just received the e-mail confirming the purchase of a certain plot of land next to the firehouse with the relevant building permission.”
Elliot’s brows rose. “Shit. I really didn't think it was going to happen. You've been trying to buy that property for weeks. That’s some good news!”
“It's amazing what you can do when you flash a bit of cash and a family name.” I smirked, nudging the air with my elbow, since I couldn’t reach Elliot or Sam from the back seat. “After weeks of not succeeding on my own, I set the family estate lawyers on it. Since there’s already a structure on the land, my contractor is taking a look. If it’s good, we will just expand and spruce it up. If not, we will tear it down and start from scratch.”
“Honestly, I forget you have shit like family estate lawyers.” Samson chuckled as he shook his head.
“Me too. But when Idoremember, they come in handy.”
“So, do you want to be the one to tell Melody that she has a whole new place, and all the work she's putting into her current one is for nothing?” Elliot said pointedly and teasing.
