Page 71 of Torched

“We’re here,” Jeremy announces.

I sit up, wiping away my tears, waiting to see where “here” is, as I patiently stay still until we’ve come to a full stop.

The doors fly open and Jeremy orders his men to get out at the same time Callie comes running down the small porch steps.

“Genny!” There is the same fear on her face that I feel on mine, and I jump out of the back of the car and into her arms. “Are you okay? Are you hurt? Where is Liam?’

I feel her stiffen as she looks into the empty vehicle.

“He’s still out there, Callie.” My waterworks resurface, taking comfort in finally feeling her arms around me.

“Oh, Genny.” She refrains from saying any comforting words, simply being there for me by holding me tight against her chest. We stand there for I don’t know how long until I have no tears left. Finally, I lift my head, my eyes colliding with Kane’s arctic gaze. I expect him to be furious, but he just gives me a reassuring smile.

“Jeremy is right,” he says, clearly already briefed by him. “Liam is going to be fine.”

I nod, wanting to believe them all, but my chest still feels like I got the weight of the world sitting on top of it. Kane pulls me from Callie’s grasp, yanking me against his chest.

The move catches me by surprise, because this man is not the affectionate type with anyone but Callie, but he wraps his huge arms around me, resting his head on mine. I’m standing there for a few seconds, awkward as fuck, until I feel him sigh against my cheek.

“We’ll get him back, Gen.” There is no room for argument in his voice, and unlike Jeremy and Callie, Kane manages to put pull a smile from my lips. It’s not like I don’t trust the others, but getting the confirmation that everything will be all right from the biggest grump I know calms me down at least a little bit.

I accept his hug by circling his back with my arms, his heart pounding against my ear. It’s booming with steady beats, never faltering, and I tell myself that wouldn’t be the case if he was worried about his brother.

The moment stops when his phone rings, and he answers it with a grunt.

“Liam?” I let go of him when I hear his name, looking up at Kane with hope swelling in my chest. “Where are you?” Pause. “Right.” Pause. “Send us your location. We’ll pick you up.” Without saying goodbye, he hangs up the phone. “He’s okay.”

Sighs of relief sound all around, and I feel Callie wrap her arm around my neck.

“See! He’ll be here before you know it.” I nod, the words not completely settling in just yet. That will probably not happen until I can see it for myself. She turns me around, and I glance up at the home. It’s Caribbean yellow, with white window frames, and a big wraparound porch. It looks like the perfect getaway, the leaves of the palm trees softly bobbing in the island breeze. I’d love it if the entire thing wasn’t engraved with the dreadful feeling inside of me. “Come on, let’s go inside and get you a cup of tea.”

It’s the longest twenty minutes of my life, but finally, I hear a car driving up the road. Everyone around me grabs their guns, peering suspiciously out of the window until someone outside gives Kane a signal.

“It’s Liam.”

Without waiting any longer, I run out of the house. My feet are going as quick as I can, the heaviness in my chest finally lifting when I connect my gaze with Liam’s fatigued expression.

He can’t move more than two steps out of the car before I launch myself at him, wrapping my legs around his waist. Like a junky, I sniff up his scent, wallowing in the comfort and familiarity I was so scared to have to live without.

“I thought I lost you!”

“I know, baby. But I’m okay.” His warm lips land on my neck with a soft touch, and I do the same with him, wanting to feel that he’s really here with every sense I have. His hand slips into my hair and he guides me to his mouth. “I’m not that easy to get rid of, you know that.” His smirk is contagious, only because my heart is put at ease, and I press my lips against his. I moan when I feel his tongue collide with mine, his taste erasing every inch of dread I just felt.

“Don’t ever do that again!” I scowl when I break loose.

He chuckles while I glide down his body. “I won’t. I promise.”

From the corner of my eye, I notice the she-devil watching us with hawk eyes.

“Cristina.” I smile. “So sad to see you made it.”

“Genny.”

Liam rolls his eyes at Cristina’s glare, placing his hand on my back as he walks beside me to greet everyone else.

“Happy to see you, brother.” Kane hugs him, slapping him on the back while I point my attention to Cristina, who comes around the back of the car.

“Glad to see you’re safe, Gen.” Sweet Cristina seems to be making an appearance, but I’m not stupid. I don’t reply, instead, just feel a frown cutting deep above my eyebrows as I cross my arms across my chest. “I’m so happy Liam was there. I wouldn’t know what to do without him.” I don’t miss the instantiation before I squint my eyes at her.

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