Deadly Heat (Deadly #2)(103)

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.

“She’s hurt, too.” Kim grabbed her shoulder, and Lora barely felt the touch.

“Spade!” Garrison shoved toward her, with Rick and Max right at his heels. “Spade, thank Christ!” He reached for her and hauled her into a bear hug. She pressed back against him for a moment, just a moment, and held tight. “Lora—Lora, what the hell happened—”

She shook her head and tugged free. There was so much to say. So many secrets. But Lora couldn’t stand to be away from Kenton right then. She hurried back to his side. Her eyes squeezed shut. I can still see the fire.

Something brushed against her fingertips. Light. Familiar.

Her eyes opened. Kenton’s fingers pressed against hers.

Her head lifted. His eyes were open. On her.

I love you. Her turn to whisper.

He smiled, showing her a ghost of his dimples.

“Get him to the hospital,” Monica ordered, “now!”

The EMTs lifted him, and their fingers broke apart. “I’m c-coming… with h-him!”

“Damn straight,” Kim muttered. “You look like hell.”

Lora ran beside the men, brushing away their questions. Kenton came first. He had to get stable. They had to make certain the bullet hadn’t nicked his heart. He’d need blood, a transfusion, saline— “We know, Lora!” Carl, one of the EMTs, said, and she realized she’d been shouting the whole time.

They loaded him up. She crawled inside, then turned around and saw—

Her house. Burning. Red and orange flames. So bright.

My home.

Two firefighters ran out, but their arms were empty. No body. The flames were too hot. The fire too strong.

Seth MacIntyre was still in that house.

Burn.





CHAPTER Twenty-one


Monica watched the ambulance lights fade away. Her fast heartbeat shook her chest, and she forced herself to take a deep, slow breath.

“He’s going to make it.”

Luke sounded confident, but then, he always was. She gave a quick nod. Kenton would make it. He was strong, and she knew Lora Spade wasn’t about to let her man die.

“Good job, Donalds,” Hyde said, and her gaze turned back to Kim. “If you hadn’t followed Spade to this house…”

We all might have arrived too late. Monica didn’t need him to finish the sentence.

Kim’s stare held his. “Just doing my job, sir. Kenton told me to stay with her…” Kim’s head inclined toward him. “So I stayed on her tail.”