Page 76 of Corrupted Heir (Mafia Kings: Corrupted 1)

The animals! my mind screamed.

The moment the car stopped, I threw open the door and dashed out. I almost dropped to my knees.

The front window and door were blown out. Flames licked up the brick.

An arm wrapped around me from behind, but I pulled against it.

“Fallon, you can’t—”

“I can’t just let them burn,” I cried, spinning around to face him.

He looked at the front of the building that was engulfed in flames, then his gaze traveled around the side of the building.

He nodded. “There’s no way they’re letting you in the front door. Follow me, and don’t breathe a word of this to Dom.”

He led me around the side of the building. I couldn’t believe none of the emergency personnel tried to stop us. Looking up at Leo, though, I wouldn’t want to be the one getting in his way either.

The service door at the side of the building seemed unaffected. It hadn’t been blown off its hinges, at least. He tested the handle then threw open the door.

We both coughed as thick smoke billowed toward us, but I covered my mouth and nose with my scarf and followed Leo inside.

The narrow passageway that led to the treatment rooms was relatively clear, but flames licked out from the doors of each room. My stomach turned. My knees threatened to buckle, but I forced one foot in front of the other.

At the end of the passageway, we turned right. Flames had begun to lick along the walls, but the kennel was unscathed at the moment. Not for much longer though.

Animals yelped and barked and cried.Oh god, there wasn’t enough time.

“Work fast,” Leo barked, moving to open the first cage. “Unlock the cages and move on. The animals will find their way out.”

I nodded, unlatching one cage after another. Dogs and cats and my very first ferret patient leaped from their cages and followed the narrow passageway back the way we’d come.

My eyes stung. I had to squeeze them shut over and over again, making a steady stream of tears cascade down my cheeks. My whole body was covered in sweat from the heat, but I didn’t stop, not for a second.

When all the cages were open, Leo reached in and started gathering up the animals that were too young. I followed suit, filling my arms with as many kittens and puppies as I could.

“That’s it, let’s go,” Leo said when his arms were full. He moved behind me and prodded me forward.

I cast one last glance over the open cages. We’d done it. All of them were empty.

We staggered down the narrow passageway, now having to lean this way and that way to avoid the flames that had crept out further. There was so much smoke, I couldn’t see until we stepped outside.

I tried to sit down right there on the walk, but Leo grabbed my arm and tugged me back the way we’d come. My legs felt like jelly, and the moment he stopped, I collapsed on the ground and released my armful of animals. They scurried in all directions. My heart ached thinking that some of them would disappear forever, but at least they would still be alive.

The tears came without any sobbing. They flowed without effort.

I looked up at my flaming building. All my hard work, down the drain. The Novas were behind this, no doubt, but in the pit of me, I blamedhim.This was all Dom’s fault. He forced me into this life. He made me marry him. If I never went on a date with him, this never would have happened. Tony would have never even spared me a single glance.

I sat across the street, empty, defeated. It felt like a part of me had died.

“I came as soon as I could,” Dom said from behind me. “I’m so sorry, Fallon.” He sat next to me and tried to put his arm around me, but I recoiled from him.

“Don’t touch me,” I spat. “Don’t you dare.”

“I’m sorry, Fallon,” he said, surprising me, but it wasn’t enough. He worked with the man who murdered my mother. No amount of words would ever be enough.

“Go away, Dominic. I never want you to touch me again,” I bellowed.

He was silent as I stared at the smoke and flames. The animals I’d tended with my own two hands. The fire. Everything I’d worked for up in flames. It was too much. Too goddamn much.

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