Deadly Heat (Deadly #2)(102)

“You…” Her voice was a hoarse rasp. “You killed… innocent people…”

“Guilty… I knew… Peter said…” Seth raised the gun and swiped his forehead. The guy weaved a bit.

What? Christ, they didn’t have time for this. “You’re gonna die here, with… us.” It hurt so badly to speak, but Kenton wouldn’t show weakness to this *. “The fire’s gonna judge you, too.”

“L-let it. I-I’m ready…”

Kenton wasn’t. He’d just found Lora. He didn’t want to die. He wanted her. Wanted a home. Wanted kids. A dog. Hell, maybe even a damn picket fence.

And he wouldn’t let that fire have her. Not her.

Kenton leaped at Seth, ignoring the pain shooting from his ankle.

The gun fired.

“Kenton!”


No!

The explosion echoed over the flames and Lora lurched up—even as Kenton fell. He sagged in front of Seth and slid to his knees.

Then Kenton’s hand shot up, locked around Seth’s, and curled tight around the wrist that still held the gun. Kenton pulled, hard.

A hand shouldn’t go back that far.

Seth screamed. His anguished cry tangled with the fire.

Something cracked. Bones. The gun fell to the floor.

Kenton shoved the killer back against the door. Once. Twice. Seth’s head rammed into the boards that he’d nailed up. His eyes widened, then rolled back into his head.

He slumped, his body sliding down to the floor as Kenton crawled back.

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*cking 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.