“I don’t know.” My voice comes out clipped as I grab her arm, pulling her off the stool and onto her feet. “We need to get out. Now.”
“But—”
“Now, Galeana.” I don’t mean to yell at her, but there’s no time to argue. Something just exploded, and I’ll be damned if we stick around to find out what’s next.
I grab her hand, threading my fingers tightly through hers, and tug her toward the back door, my mind running on pure instinct. Was it a gas leak? No. Gas leaks hiss, pop. This was something deeper. Different. A boom that rattled straight through to my bones and left my ears ringing.
Galeana stumbles slightly behind me, bare feet slapping against the tiles, but she doesn’t fight me. I push the back door open hard enough to slam it against the frame, and we spill out into the backyard, cool air rushing over us like a slap to the face.
“Ledger,” Galeana chokes, looking back over her shoulder. Her voice shakes, her words unsteady, and when I follow her gaze, I see it.
The flames.
It starts small—a flicker at the base of the kitchen window, barely noticeable in the dark—but then it grows, flames licking their way up the brick like greedy fingers. The glass panes splinter and fall, embers bursting outward like fireflies escaping a jar.
“Shit,” I mutter, turning to Galeana just as she sways. I catch her instinctively, pulling her into my arms. She’s trembling—fuck, maybe I am too—as we stand here, frozen, watching the building we’d been standing in seconds ago begin to burn.
“Ledger . . .” Her voice is small, almost childlike.
“Hey.” I pull her closer, shrugging out of my suit jacket and draping it over her shoulders. The material engulfs her instantly, and she grips it tightly with both hands. “You’re okay. We’re okay. I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”
Her face is pale in the glow of the fire, the flickering light catching on the glassy sheen of her eyes. She swallows hard, her voice barely above a whisper. “What happened?”
“I . . . I don’t know.” I glance back at the house, jaw locked as smoke starts to curl into the night sky. My gut twists—this isn’t an accident. I feel it deep down, that unshakable certainty I can’t explain. Before I can pull out my phone to call for help, the distant wail of sirens cuts through the night.
Thank God.
The fire trucks crest the hill like a cavalry, their flashing red and blue lights turning the mansion—and us—into something that belongs on a crime scene TV show. Firefighters pour out of the trucks, shouting orders, hauling hoses and equipment, ready to fight the blaze.
A second car pulls up behind them, the unmistakable gleam of a patrol car with sirens still blaring. The vehicle screeches to a halt, and before it even stops, the door flies open.
“Ledge.” Mal strides toward us, his face tight, pale, and looking older than I’ve seen it in years. His sheriff’s badge catches a glint of light as he takes in the scene, his voice sharp when he finally speaks. “What happened?”
“I don’t know,” I say, my voice low but steady—more for Galeana’s sake than anyone else. “We were in the kitchen. Something exploded. It shook the whole house. Once we were out we noticed the flames.”
Malerick’s gaze moves to the fire tearing through the mansion before returning to me. I see it on his face—the same suspicion that’s been gnawing at the back of my mind.
This isn’t normal.
I don’t know who or what did this, but as I glance at Galeana, wrapped up in my suit jacket and shaking like a leaf, one thing becomes very clear.
Whoever started this? They’re going to regret it.
“Was anyone else in there?” Mal asks.
“No,” Galeana responds. “Aiden left earlier with the captain of the team, and Tommy flew back to Denver this afternoon. It was just us.”
Malerick exhales a breath that sounds too shaky for my usually unshakable brother. “Good. Stay here. I’ll have the medics check you and we’ll figure out what happened.” He’s already moving toward the firefighters, barking orders and talking to one of the men from security.
Galeana shifts beside me, her arms still wrapped around herself. “Ledger,” she whispers, her voice trembling. “What if someone did this? What if?—”
I turn to her immediately, placing my hands on her shoulders and forcing her to meet my gaze. “Don’t go there, Gale. We don’t know anything yet.”
“But what if it wasn’t an accident?” Her voice cracks on the last word, and I feel something twist painfully in my chest.
“We’ll figure it out,” I promise, my voice softer now. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
She stares up at me, her hazel eyes searching mine, like she’s looking for something to hold on to. After a moment, she nods faintly, though her shoulders are still shaking.
