Page 91 of Living with Fire

I give him as much of a smile as I can muster. “I’m sure Nate will be out before that happens.”

He shoots me a knowing grin then turns and heads towards the side door. After one last look over his shoulder he disappears inside.

“What the fuck was that shit with the jacket?” Vincent hisses at me, hauling me towards the back door where the cab of the truck provides more coverage from view.

I wince at how tight he’s holding my wrist but manage to hold back any sound of pain.

“I was buying us more time,” I tell him, though the opposite is true. “If Brody hadn’t taken that inside, Nate would come out looking for it. Is that what you want?”

Vincent growls but doesn’t argue with me. “Come on. Let’s go. Too many eyes around here.”

Every instinct is screaming not to go with him. If I go, I’m a goner. The problem is my heart. My heart is telling me if I stay, someone else is going to get hurt, and it’ll be my fault. It’s telling me it won’t be able to handle that, and I know it’s right.

I force my feet to move as Vincent jerks me away from the truck and shoves me towards the front of it.

“Where are we going?” I ask as he keeps me moving along the front of the cars in the parking lot, probably using them as protection from the building on the other side in case anyone comes out.

“So many questions, bear. You know I love to surprise you. You’ll see when we get there.”

When we reach the street, he directs me down a few cars to a blue car. I curse under my breath. It’s not Vincent’s so it must be a rental, which means tracking me down is going to be harder. Fresh tears well in my eyes as we reach the vehicle.

This could be the end for me.

Kissing Nate before he went to get changed might have been the last time I got to kiss him. It wasn’t even a good kiss. It was just a simple peck on the lips along with a “see you after your meeting”. I might never see his gorgeous smile, or those brilliant blue eyes staring at me with love, ever again.

Oh god.

I haven’t even told him I love him. I might never see him again, and he won’t know how I feel. I should have told him. I should have kissed him like I meant it. I should have done so many things I didn’t, and now I might never be able to.

The sound of a motorcycle engine coming down the road in the opposite direction catches my attention before Vincent shoves me through the driver’s door. My heart leaps into my throat.

Liam.

As I climb to the passenger side, with Vincent getting in as soon as I vacate the driver’s side, my eyes are glued to Liam pulling into the firehouse parking lot. Vincent starts the car and I glance at the clock while putting my seatbelt on.

Liam’s running late. All he has is five minutes to get changed and get to roll call or he’ll be suffering the wrath of Nate. I need him to take his time. I need him to be slow enough that I can get his attention so he knows I’m in this car and he can get the description to the police. Vincent needs to be the one to hurry the hell up and pull out.

In the next second, he does.

My eyes dart to where the gun is lying in his lap, to the button for the window, and then back to Liam in the parking lot. My heart is beating ferociously, my pulse thundering in my ears. This is the second time I’m throwing a Hail Mary with Liam. It worked the first time; I pray it works a second. All I need is a fraction of space where the window is low enough he can hear me shriek.

Things move in slow motion as I watch Liam’s helmet come off just before we’re driving by the mouth of the parking lot. Hitting the down button on the window, I draw in a deep breath, and scream his name at the top of my lungs.

“Liam!”

For one brief moment, our eyes meet. I see the confusion, the surprise, then the horror. I know he understands. I know he knows.

Relief surges through me knowing someone has seen me, has seen the car, and knows for certain I’m in danger. The relief is short-lived, however, as my world speeds back up to normal again.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Vincent bellows.

I turn to look at him. The last thing I see before my world goes black is the butt of the gun coming straight for me.

CHAPTER 31

NATE

Placing my street shoes in my locker, I grab my phone and shut the door, throwing the lock onto it. It’s been almost two weeks since Savanna saw Vincent at the bar, and there’s been no sign of him since.