Montana SEAL (Brotherhood Protectors #1)(33)

“I could lay like this forever, but I think you might like to breathe.” Sadie lifted herself off him and rolled to the side.

Hank’s stomach rumbled, and he laughed. “I think I might have worked up an appetite.”

Sadie’s tummy gave an answering growl, and she laid a hand across it. “I can cook a mean omelet.”

“I’ll take you up on that omelet.” Hank rolled out of bed and pulled her into his arms. “Ready to face the day?”

She leaned against him and chuckled. “As soon as my legs quit wobbling. Guess I’m out of shape.”

He slid his hands from her waist downward to cup her ass. “From where I’m standing, you’re in perfect shape.” Then he kissed her neck and sniffed. “Something smells funny.”

“Hey!” She leaned back and swatted his arm. “That wasn’t nice.”

Hank set her aside, instinct telling him something wasn’t right. “No, really. I smell gas. As in propane or natural gas.”

“We use propane to heat the house.” She sniffed the air and frowned. “Now that you mention it, I smell it too.” She walked toward the door. “Maybe Fin didn’t turn the burner off on the stove.” As she reached for the doorknob, Hank made a grab for her hand.

“Don’t.”

“I need to turn off the stove, before the house catches on fire.”

“We need to get out of the house.” He pulled her toward the window. “Now.”

“But—” She struggled to free her wrist.

Hank wouldn’t let go. “If there’s enough of a gas smell to reach this bedroom through the door, we’re in trouble.”

“How much trouble.” Sadie grabbed her clothes from the night before, slipped her arms into her shirt and dragged her jeans up over her hips.

“Deep trouble.” Hank unlatched the window and shoved it upward. “Step out on the roof and scoot on your bottom to the trellis. If it’s as sturdy as it was when I climbed it as a teen, it’ll hold you. Get down quickly and run as far from the house as possible.”

She held onto his hand, her brows puckering. “But you’re coming, too.”

“I’ll be right behind you,” he said, shoving his feet into his jeans, and pulled on his cowboy boots.

Sadie turned back toward the bedroom door. “But what about our photo albums and the family bible?”

Hank caught her arms and stared down at her, capturing her gaze. “If you don’t get out now, you won’t be alive to care.”

“I need shoes!” she cried.

“I’ll throw them down. Please, for the love of Mike. Go!”

Sadie sat on the windowsill, ducked her head under and swung her legs out onto the sloping roof. A moment later she’d scooted to the edge, lay on her stomach and found her footing on the trellis. With a thumbs-up, she started down.

Hank darted for Sadie’s boots. A moment later, he shouted, “Watch out!” He sent the boots sailing toward the ground. Then he exited through the window and scooted across the roof. He turned and placed his foot on the first slat of the trellis, when Sadie appeared below him, staring upward. “Get away from the house!” he yelled, waving an arm. “Run!”

She shook her head. “Not without you.”

“Go!”

Sadie turned and ran toward the barn. She tripped, fell, scrambled to her feet and kept running. The farther away she went, the better Hank could breathe.

He’d just placed his foot in the next slat, when the world exploded around him, thrusting him into the air. He flew through the sky and landed on the ground, the air knocked from his lungs, his head bouncing on the hard earth, hard enough he saw stars, then nothing.





10





Sadie had almost reached the barn when the house exploded behind her. The force of the blast knocked her off her feet. She slammed onto her belly and slid across the dirt. As debris fell to the ground, she covered the back of her head to protect herself. When the air grew still, she pushed to her feet, and turned back toward the house.

Where was Hank? Oh, God, he wasn’t behind her like he’d said he’d be. She started toward the burning house and stopped when a figure stepped in front of her.

He wore dark, baggy clothes and a black ski mask, and he held a handgun in his gloved hand. “Damn you.”

Sadie recognized the gravelly voice from the night before. This was the same person who’d attacked her outside of the bar, and probably the same person who’d shot at her and hit Lloyd instead.

“You did this.” Rage roiled in Sadie’s belly and erupted upward in her chest. “You shot Lloyd, destroyed my home and…and…Hank.” Sadie took another step forward, desperate to find the man she loved more than her career, her house in LA and more than breathing. He could be injured, possibly dying. She had to get to him.

“He’s dead, and soon you will be, too.” The person in black pointed the gun at Sadie and pulled the trigger.

Sadie’s breath caught. She didn’t have time to move, nor could she dodge fast enough to avoid a bullet. Thankfully, the gun jerked in the attacker’s hand and the bullet went wide, missing Sadie completely.

Sadie dove, rolled and came to her feet, rushing toward the person in black.