Page 11 of Snowed In with Four Firemen
“Raffle was the one who found you,” Axel adds, a hint of pride in his voice as he looks down at the big German Shepherd, who’s still hovering near Emily like he’s her personal guardian.
Emily smiles weakly and reaches out to pat Raffle’s head. “Good boy, Raffle. You saved me.”
Axel’s expression softens as he watches the interaction, and I can tell he’s pleased by her praise. It’s the same expression he wears when he’s proud of something, and the realization makes my stomach twist uncomfortably. I’m used to seeing Axel in action, leading our team, making split-second decisions that save lives. But seeing him like this, focused on Emily, makes me feel like I’m on the outside looking in.
“I didn’t do it alone,” Axel says, his eyes meeting mine for a split second before flicking back to Emily. “We all had a part in getting you out of there.”
“Thank you,” Emily says, looking around at all of us, her eyes lingering on Axel a bit longer than I’d like. “I don’t know what would’ve happened if you hadn’t shown up.”
“Probably nothing good,” Ben says bluntly, though there’s a note of warmth in his voice. “But you’re safe now, and that’s what matters.”
I clench my jaw, trying to swallow down the frustration building inside me. I should be relieved that Emily’s safe and that she’s here with us, but all I can think about is how much I hate the way Axel and even Ben look at her. I guess it’s like looking into a mirror.
Collie returns, her face flushed from the warmth of the fire as she claps her hands together. “Alright, your rooms are ready,” she announces, a smile spreading across her face. “You all look like you could use a good night’s sleep.”
“I’ll help her get settled,” I say, stepping forward before anyone else can volunteer.
Tanner looks at me, a teasing grin spreading across his face. “Why you, Jace? What makes you so special?”
I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. “She’s Hailey’s best friend and…” I stop before saying the truth out loud. “Let’s just say we know each other pretty well.”
Emily groans, her exasperation clear. “Not now, Jace.”
Axel raises a brow, clearly catching the undercurrent of tension, but he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he just nods, a slight smirk on his lips as he watches me lead Emily out of the lounge.
Once we’re out of earshot, Emily shoots me a look. “You didn’t have to do that, you know.”
“Do what?” I ask, playing dumb as we walk down the dimly lit hallway.
She rolls her eyes. “You know, tell them about us. Why did you have to bring it up?”
“Why? Does that bother you?” I ask, trying to keep my tone light but I can hear the edge in my voice.
“No. It’s just that it’s silly,” she says. “We haven’t seen each other in so long. And you made it sound like we’re still friends.”
“We were never friends,” I say.
She stops walking to look up at me, something unreadable flashing on her face. She shakes her head and resumes walking again. Collie told us that Emily’s room is on the sixth floor. This place is bigger than it appears at first.
As we walk down the hallway, the silence between us is thick, and I feel the words bubbling up before I can stop them. I know I shouldn’t say anything, but the thought of Axel or Tanner—or hell, even Ben—getting close to Emily makes my chest tighten. I can’t just stand by and let that happen, even if I don’t have the right to feel this way anymore.
“Listen,” I start, my voice a little too loud in the quiet hallway, “I just…I want you to be careful.”
She glances over at me, one brow raised. “Careful? What are you talking about?”
I stumble over my words, suddenly flustered. “I mean, you know how these guys can be. They’re…they’re good guys, don’t get me wrong, but, uh…sometimes they might, you know, get the wrong idea.”
“The wrong idea?” she echoes, sounding more confused than anything.
I nod, feeling heat rise to my face. “Yeah, like, they might think you’re, uh…interested. Or something. Not that you can’t handle yourself, I know you can, but I just thought I should, you know, give you a heads-up.”
Emily stops walking and turns to face me, arms crossed over her chest. “Are you seriously trying to warn me off your friends? Is that why you volunteered to take me to my room?”
I run a hand through my hair, feeling more flustered by the second. “I’m just saying, they might…I don’t know, try something. Not that they’re bad guys, they’re great, but?—”
“You’re unbelievable, Jace,” she interrupts, her tone a mix of exasperation and amusement. “I’m not some damsel in distress who needs you to protect her.”
“I know that!” I protest, though the words come out more defensive than I intended. “I just…I don’t want you to get hurt. Besides, when did I say I was interested?”
