Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 37970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 190(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 190(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
The bucket whirs into motion as Banks lowers us back to ground level. Nina startles in my arms, pressing closer.
"It's okay," I soothe her. "You're safe. They're just lowering us to the ground. We're in the bucket on the fire engine."
She nods slowly, her eyes still locked on my face, and then they drift behind me to the house. I don't know how the fuck it's possible for her to get any paler than she already is, but her face literally drains of color. I'm guessing she's probably never seen a house fully involved before. It's not pretty.
"You're safe, Red," I murmur. "We're going to get you to the paramedics so they can check you out. Don't worry about the house right now, okay?"
Her eyes flutter closed, but she doesn't respond.
The bucket shudders to a stop. Dacen Abrams comes running over to help, but there's no fucking way I'm passing her down to him. He'll fuck anything that moves, and I don't want his hands anywhere near her. The thought alone makes me murderous. Why? Well, I'll figure that shit out later.
"Help me out," I mutter to Alessandro. At least I know I can trust him with her. Even before he fell in love with Heidi Marsh, he didn't fuck around. Like me, he didn't go into this job with a plan to get laid as often as possible. For some of these guys, you'd think fucking around was part of their job description. That shit hasn't ever interested me. I knew when I was a kid that I wanted to be an arson investigator. I wanted to fight fires and help solve crimes involving them. Guess that happens when your own home is burned to the ground.
Alessandro hops out of the bucket. Devon shifts out of the way, still aiming the hose at the house, doing what he can to beat back the flames.
"Pass her to me," Dacen says.
"I've got her," Alessandro says, stepping in front of him. "You help Devon."
Dacen shrugs like it doesn't matter to him, and then hops in the bucket, sliding past me to help Devon with the hose.
"I'm handing you down to Alessandro," I murmur to the gorgeous siren in my arms, warning her what's happening. She tenses for a moment before her body relaxes.
I quickly pass her down to Alessandro before hopping out behind her. Before he even has a chance to adjust her in his arms, I'm pulling her back into mine.
"I'm taking her to the ambulance," I mutter to Alessandro.
"You're taking her?" he asks, one brow arched as amusement slides across his face.
Out of the two of us, he's the one with the most medical training under his belt. If anyone should be taking her, it's him. But I ignore that fact and discreetly flip him off, making him chuckle.
"Keep everyone away from the house," I tell him. "The fire was intentionally set."
"Fucking hell." The laughter dies on his lips. "What kind of accelerant?"
"Not sure yet. Haven't had a chance to investigate. But it's burning hot and fast."
He jerks his chin in a nod, already reaching for his radio.
I leave him to spread the news to the rest of the crew, jogging toward the waiting ambulance with Nina in my arms.
"What do you have, Madden?" Felix Tipton asks, hopping out of the back to meet me.
"She was inside the house. Inhaled a fuckton of smoke. I've had her on oxygen since I found her but she's coughing, pale, and tachycardic."
"Shit. Lay her down."
I hesitate for a split second, wanting to keep her in my arms. She feels a little too much like she belongs there. Which is exactly why I deposit her on the stretcher and step back. I need to get ahold of myself. Whatever the fuck this is…it's madness. For all I know, she set the fire.
Wanting to fuck someone I may very well need to help arrest is a bad idea all around. And yet…when she looks up at me with those wide, frightened eyes, seeking reassurance, my goddamn heart clenches.
I reach for her hand, squeezing gently. "They're going to take you to the hospital, baby. I'll swing by to check on you as soon as I'm done here," I promise, liking the way she squeezes my hand like she doesn't want to let go.
Jesus Christ. Chief is going to kick my ass for this shit.
"W-why?" she asks.
"I have questions for you."
Her brows furrow. "About what?"
"The fire."
A split second of panic flares in her eyes before she quickly schools it. "I don't k-know anyth…" she trails off into another painful coughing fit. But I don't need her to finish the sentence to know she's lying to me. She knows something. She just doesn't want me to know what she knows.
Fuck my life.
"I'll be by the hospital when I'm done here, Nina," I say firmly.