“Rem,” Danny says, “we’re gonna figure this out, and until we know who it was, I am going to place an officer outside of Lainey’s room 24/7, rotating shifts, okay?”
Dread sinks deep in my gut, reminding me of just how serious this situation is. “Yeah, okay. Thank you, Danny.” I stand, stiffly, and shake his hand.
Chief hugs me long and tight, making my eyes sting, followed by Eli. They file out of the room, and I am once again left alone with my worry and the woman I love.
49
Lainey
My lungs are on fire.
FIRE.
Panic races along every nerve ending in my body.
The smoke.
I am choking on the smoke.
I can’t breathe.
There are lights, so bright that I can’t really open my eyes. I hear shouts, feel cool hands on my skin. One voice calls out to me, calming me, pulling me from my panic.
Remington.
I cough, gag. Pain lances my throat as someone removes the tube that was helping me breathe. I gag and gasp as it clears my lips quickly. Tears sting my eyes, and I blink them away. The brightness of the hospital room lights shimmer into focus, but there is only one thing I want to see, one person. Turning my aching neck to the left I see him.
“Hi.” My voice is a hollow rasp. Sandpaper and pain.
“Thank fuck,” Remington cries out. His arms are around me as soon as the doctor gives him a nod, his face buried in my neck, and he weeps. His hot tears run down my neck, andwe hold on to each other. My own tears burn my sore eyes, but I welcome it knowing that it means I am here, alive, whole. Complete in the arms of the man that not only loves me but saved my life—because I know without a doubt, without even knowing the story, that he was the one to pull me from the flames.
Leaning back, Remington ever so gently kisses my lips, like he’s afraid of breaking me. I press my forehead to his, letting a shiver ripple down my spine, feeling calm for the first time since before this tragedy tried to take everything from us.
“You smell smokey,” I whisper, my voice too tired and damaged to be any louder.
“I’m so sorry. I know I am gross, but I couldn’t leave you, baby, not even for a minute.” He lifts my hand, kissing the back of it.
I look at his eyes, the gorgeous honeyed-amber that I love so much is soaked in worry, red irritation, exhaustion, and pain. “How long have I been here?” I whisper.
“You are in the county ICU. You’ve been out for more than twenty-four hours.” Remington swallows hard, lines of worry creasing his brow.
“Are you okay?”
“Baby, you don’t need to worry about me. I’m fine.” He leans in, kissing my temple.
“I will always worry about you, comes with the job. Signed a secret contract when I became your girlfriend.” He smirks at me, happy to see that I’m still here, still me.
“Ash!” I shout in a panic and then grip my neck at the ripping pain that caused my lungs and throat.
Remington gets a cup of water with a straw from the bedside table, encouraging me to take small sips. “He’s okay. Eli saved him. Took him to the vet, who said he needs rest, but he’s gonna be just fine. The Ryders are looking after him for now.”
I sink into my pillow, so relieved that our precious puppy was spared. “I wish I could see him. He must have been so scared,” I whisper as more tears spill down my face.
“I promise we will see him soon. Jess can send us some pictures while we are here, okay? Puppies are resilient little things. He is going to get lots of love and attention. We will make sure he’s fine.”
Remington runs his strong fingers through my hair, but it’s not the comfort I want. That’s when I realize I have a bandage on my face—remember the flames licking my skin. The burning, the pain, the smell. I reach up, wincing when I feel the cloth-covered area.
“I know, beautiful, I know,” Remington says, his voice full of sadness, like not touching me the way we are used to is killing him as much as it is me. “You have a second-degree burn, borderline third, there and on your neck. The doctor said there will be some scarring, but he is hopeful you won’t need surgery.”
