Page 28 of Day of the Storm

9

The most beautifulsight Mike had ever seen was his baby sister being dragged out of the rubble half an hour after Darrell had told him it was possible they had found her. There was mud and crud all over her beautiful face.

Blood. A.J. had a filth-covered lab coat wrapped around her shoulders. But there she was. She was beautiful. Alive. Mike scooped her close. Kissed her on her forehead. “I love you, kid. Let’s get you to the hospital.”

“No.” She dug in her heels. But she was shaking. “I’m not leaving Sean.”

Mike argued for a few moments. But she was resolute. And the most stubborn of the Evers siblings. By far.

His best friend was still trapped. Mike wasn’t going anywhere, either. But this was his only sister, the baby of the family. And his parents had to be beyond worried about the both of them. One of them needed to get to their parents. Check onthem,too. And the rest of the Evers clan.

“I’m not leaving him, Mike. Forget it.”

Mike pulled her closer, needing to hug her again. And he waited. Then people were cheering. As Sean Callum, that damned asshole, climbed to his feet. Alive.

As the rubble where he and A.J. had been finally collapsed. A few more minutes and Sean would have been crushed completely. Mike had to look away. Before he cried like a big wimp. He’d known, justknown, that the odds of finding both A.J. and Sean alive as the hours dragged on lessened every minute. They’d gotten damned lucky.

Sean looked far worse than A.J. Battered and beat up and filthy. A.J. took off. Right toward Sean.

Mike just watched. Sean’s arms went around A.J. and he just held Mike’s sister close. It didn’t look just platonic, even to Mike. There was something in the way Sean and A.J. looked at each other now that had him staying back, giving them some space.

Daryn’s friend came to her to check in. Shelby had new scratches and abrasions on her cheeks. Blood coated her arm. She’d injured herself pulling Sean and A.J. free. He’d always owe this woman for what she’d done today. But Mike kept his mouth shut for now.

“They… they… they were wrapped around each other when I found them. They got so lucky,” she said, quietly, to Daryn, after Daryn hugged her. “They made it under that table just in time. It was close.”

“How many more are we still looking for?” Daryn asked. Mike looked at the two of them.

He would never forget this moment. His sister and best friend were embracing in the background. Shelby was wiping blood from her face. Daryn was checking her over quickly. Fussing.

There were reporters out now. A news van from his brother Houston’s own station. His brother was nowhere to be seen,probably manning the radio, keeping the people of their city informed as best he could.

And Daryn… the woman was made of steel. He would never look at her the same again. It wasn’t just casual flirting now. It never would be again. This woman… there wasn’t another like her anywhere. He’d had a moment or two to think tonight. To think about what he wanted from his own life now. He wanted her. No denying that now.

“There are still at least four people missing in the rubble,” Darrell said, coming up behind them. The guy looked like utter hell, but he just kept going. “We’re going to keep looking.”

There was still work to be done. “Let’s get to it.”

10

It took another four hours.They’d found three more people alive. They’d found a member of the custodial crew already gone. Daryn had told Mike quietly that it had most likely been instantaneous. The middle-aged man hadn’t felt a thing.

It wasn’t much comfort. Crews from the governor’s orders had arrived. They were going to take over now. Give the first round of rescuers a break. They were going to go through what they could in the entire town.

Estimates were saying it had hit a quarter of the city and surrounding areas. The devastation was horrific. And the work had just begun.

Daryn’s brother hugged her again, finally taking off the helmet and vest he’d worn. The search teams from the national guard had given him fresh gear to wear several hours ago. They’d also asked him and Shelby if they wanted to continue searching.

They’d been concerned with Shelby’s inexperience and lack of formal training. One guy had pushed her to back down and get out of his way. To let him come in and take charge. Darrell had ripped into the guy over that.

He’d trained Shelby himself. Far more than he had Daryn. Shelby had needed it more—the need to feel in control of her own life. Darrell had understood. And had been so patient with her. Darrell had helped save Shelby after what had happened to her before. Now, in a terrible twist of irony, Shelby was using the skills he’d taught her to save the very monsters in her own closet.

That was going to hurt Shelby. It was inevitable. Darrell turned toward Daryn. “We’re done. The governor’s teams are taking over fresh. The search dogs they brought in aren’t alerting. We have no heat signatures. And we don’t have any reports from anyone on the clock of anyone else missing. Go home, Daryn. Shelby… the two of you have earned it. And… take Evers to get that leg checked on the way. Go home. We’ve all done enough tonight.”

It was over. For now.

But Daryn knew the truth. It was just beginning. And there was no way she was making it back home to her place in Value tonight. She’d found her car already. And it wasn’t going anywhere ever again. Neither was Shelby’s. Darrell’s truck was operational, though. But there wasn’t a path out.

They were going to have to hoof it. She and Shelby would walk together. Stick close, and have each other’s backs like they always had before. She looked at Mike. “You?”