Page 103 of Loving Lies (Granton University 3)

But Bailey was just as willing to fight dirty. She grabbed a handful of red hair and yanked. “You are not going inside that building.”

“Get…off…me!” She screamed again and managed to fling Bailey off, losing a chunk of hair in the process. But just as she reached for the door handle, it came flying open, smacking her in the arm. She cried out and clutched her elbow as a terrified girl careened into her.

“Oh my God. Oh my God.” Tears tracked through the black soot on the girl’s face. “I thought I was going to die. I thought I was dead.” Clinging to Tess, she hugged the first person she saw. “He saved my life.”

“What? Who?” Tess demanded. “Did you see my boyfriend? Is he okay?”

“I don’t—” Pausing to cough and cry some more, the girl shuddered. “I don’t know. I was lost. It was so smoky. I couldn’t see where I was going. And suddenly there was this big guy with a cane. He pointed me toward this laser beam and told me to follow it to the door. And it did. It did…I think he was an angel.”

When she broke into more sobs, Tess met Bailey’s gaze over her shoulder.

“Oh my God. My laser flashlight is saving lives.” Bailey streaked toward the door where her flashlight had spilled to the ground after the girl had plowed her way into the alley. It was still cracking the door open an inch.

Swiping it up, she began to kiss it in praise. “Oh, you good amazing flashlight, you. I knew you were wonderful. You did good. You did so good.”

“Put it back!” Tess broke free of the terrified girl and yanked the flashlight out of Bailey’s hand. “Jonah needs that to find his way out.” She opened the door further to tuck the leading light safely in the doorjamb, but a plume of smoke spilled out, making her cough.

Oh, dear God. How was Jonah supposed to survive for a single minute in there? She covered her mouth and began to cry in earnest. Bailey slipped the flashlight from her limp fingers and reverently wedged it back into the door for her, but Tess couldn’t see how he’d ever find his way through that.

She doubled over, bawling for all she was worth. “He’s not coming back. Oh, God, Bailey. I can’t lose him again. I just got him back.”

“It’s okay. It’s okay,” Bailey reassured her, hugging her close and stroking her hair. “Abbott’s a survivor. He made it through three bullet wounds and a coma. If anyone could make it out of there, he can.”

If? Why was she saying if? If was totally not acceptable.

Pushing away from Bailey, she went back for the door. “I have to get him out. Now.”

This time when Bailey wrapped her arms around her, Tess wasn’t playing around. She rammed her foot down on her friend’s instep and pounded her elbow backward. Bailey doubled over with a groan.

As soon as she was free, Tess yanked the door open only to hear his voice…calling her name.

“He’s right there,” she cried, surging forward.

“Tess!” Bailey screamed, following her inside. “No!”

But Tess had already tripped over what seemed like a pile of bodies. When she felt at least three arms, she moaned. “Help me, Bailey. Dear Lord. How many of them are there? Help me get them outside.”

Both girls grabbed arms and legs and started dragging. As soon as they reached fresh air, Tess sucked in a breath, only to discover she and Bailey had saved Aubrey and some stranger. Both were unconscious.

She and Bailey exchanged glances. “Jonah had to be right there with them. I heard his voice.”

With a nod, Bailey followed her back inside. The next round and too much coughing later, they found one more guy. But still no Jonah.

“Where is he?” Growing frantic, Tess started back inside, hacking madly, her lungs heavy with smoke. But a shout cut her short.

“Hey, don’t go into that building, miss.”

When she saw a pair of firefighters jogging her way, she pointed into the opened door. “My boyfriend’s right there. I heard him.”

“We’ll get him, then. You just stay put.” After they radioed for paramedics to come help the three people Bailey and Tess had brought outside, they disappeared into the burning building, only to reappear a half-second later, toting a limp Jonah.

Tess launched herself at him. “Is he alive? Oh, please. Tell me he’s alive.”

“He has a pulse,” one of the firefighters assured her. “But we need to get him on some oxygen right away.”

That was all she needed to hear, because Bailey had been right. Jonah was a survivor. If he had half a chance, he’d make it through this.

Jonah came to with something strapped over his mouth. But at least there was fresh air moving through his lungs. He coughed anyway, choked up by stray pockets of smoke still trapped inside him.

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