Lora grabbed Kenton and held tight. “Kent…” No more than a rasp. Hurts to breathe. “You… s-scared m-me…” His chest was wet.
Her shaking fingers lifted. That wetness wasn’t sweat. Red. Blood. “Kenton?”
His eyes were open, barely. His lips tried to curl. “L-love… y-you…”
“No…” No, you can’t do this! “No!” He was dying right in front of her. So much blood….
The blood soaked his chest. Covered her. His hand lifted and brushed over her cheek. “G-go…”
Her tears fell onto his skin. Didn’t he know her by now? “Not without you.”
She saw the fear in his eyes. Fear and pain and love as he choked out,
“G-go!” Her head bent, and she kissed him with tears on her lips and fire teasing her flesh. “I love you.” She’d say it. She’d make damn sure he heard her. “I love you.” He’d know that, no matter what. “We’re not dying here.” Her promise to him.
I am. It was in his eyes.
“No,” she whispered. “You’re not.”
Lora staggered to her feet. She managed to grab the wood across the door, and she pulled. Give way, come on, just give—
The damn wood wasn’t budging. Seth had nailed the boards across the door, into the frame, and he’d secured them fast while she and Kenton fought the flames upstairs.
Her gaze flew to the windows as she covered her mouth. They were boarded from the outside, but maybe…
The wood covering the window to the right shattered, and the broken shards flew into the house. An ax glinted in the light. Lifted. Drove down again.
More wood flew.
Backup. Help. The good guys.
She grabbed Kenton and pulled him with her. “It’s okay…” His eyes were closed. His face so pale. “We’re g-gettin’ out—”
“Lora!” A woman’s scream.
Then Kim was there as the agent shoved her upper body through the window. “Spade! You f**king answer me!”
“H-help!” Almost there, just a little more…
Kim jumped through the window and skirted the flames. “Oh, shit…” She covered her mouth with one hand and grabbed for Kenton with the other.
They dragged him. Together they pulled and battled the flames with couch cushions and rugs, and they got Kenton to that window.
Kim hopped through first, but she kept a tight grasp on Kenton’s arm and heaved…
Kenton groaned.
You’ll be okay. Hold on… Lora couldn’t speak anymore. Too much smoke.
She started to sway, and her hold on Kenton slipped.
He went through the window. Outside. He’d gotten out of the fire. Safe.
Sirens screamed. More help was coming. EMTs. They’d get Kenton and make him better. They had to.
She braced her hands on the window. Seth was still in there. The fire surrounded him.
Let him burn.
The vengeance that she’d wanted for so long was right there. The man who’d killed Carter, who’d attacked Kenton—it was his turn to burn.
But she glanced back.
And found Seth standing right behind her.
“You’re n-not gettin’ out,” he whispered, and his arms locked around her. “You wanted C-Carter… for so long, let’s go j-join him.” He pulled her right back into the fire.
No!
She spun against him and rammed her knee into his crotch even as she slammed her fist into his jaw. His hold loosened, and she scrambled back, back—
“You’ll burn!”
Lora tripped on the broken boards and fell onto the floor.
He laughed. “So… easy…” Seth lunged for her.
A gun fired. Once. Twice.
Seth froze. His mouth hung open, and his wide, startled eyes stared down at her. The flames gathered behind him.
Lora’s fingers tightened on the gun that she’d just grabbed. Kenton’s gun. It had been thrown down earlier, but not forgotten.
Seth sank to the floor.
Blood pooled on his chest. Her brothers had taught her to shoot, too.
With a roar, her stairs collapsed. The ceiling gave way as the fire rose ever higher.
She crawled to the window, choking, gagging now, hurting. But that fresh air was so close. Kenton—he was out there. She had to get to him.
Lora dropped the gun. Her hands reached up and curled around the window ledge. She pulled up, straining her muscles.
“I’ve got you.” Kim stared down at her. The agent grabbed her arms and hoisted her up. “Told you… having me… your lucky day.”
Lora fell onto the porch and barely felt the pain as her body rammed against the wood. She gasped, struggling to take in a full breath.
A swirl of red and blue lights flashed before her. Brakes squealed. Voices shouted.
Kim’s arms wrapped around Lora, and Kim supported her. “Let’s get out of here.”
Lora didn’t look back again. She looked for Kenton and found him laid out on the grass, not moving.
Please, no.
Kim pulled her. “Come on, Lora, come on.”
Firefighters jumped from the truck.
Lora fell by Kenton’s side. Her fingers, covered with red blisters, touched his face. “Kenton?” She leaned in close. His eyes were still shut. She could see the bullet wound. Deep and close to his heart. “Don’t… leave me.” Her chest wheezed as she fought for breath.
“Where the hell is he?” a man shouted. The voice was familiar—Hyde.
Lora rocked forward, staying close to Kenton.
She’d been here before. Nearly the exact scene. She took his hand again. Another day. Another fire. Another man.
Not again. Please, God, not again.
“The suspect’s still inside,” Kim shouted from right behind her, but Lora didn’t look back.
“Alive?” Monica’s voice. Lora didn’t look at her, either. She didn’t look anywhere but at Kenton. Her hands were on his chest, pressing hard as she tried to stop the blood from pumping out.
“Doubtful,” Kim said, “but—”
“I need h-help with the bleeding!” Lora screamed. He wasn’t dying in front of her. He wasn’t. “Kenton, open… your eyes!”
“Lora…” He breathed her name.
“Don’t l-leave me.” A desperate order. “You… can’t.”
His eyes still didn’t open, but his lips moved, a bare whisper. “Won’t.”
Then the EMTs were there. They pulled her back to check Kenton. They started swearing as they hurriedly loaded him onto the gurney.