Page 57 of Calling a Cease-Fire

“Fuck,” Zack yelled, and bolted toward the bar engulfed in flames.

“Zack,” I screamed out, and my heart sank as I helplessly watched him disappear into the burning building.

My gut churned and fear gripped my throat. The thought of losing my best friend and Zack was almost too much to bear. With my heart beating wildly in my chest, my vision tunneled as I stared at the back entrance, waiting for them to emerge. I pulled Zack’s jacket tighter around me, his scent providing me some comfort, as well as a reminder that while he was funny and attractive, he was also stubborn and determined. He would find them. They were all going to be okay.

Chapter Twenty-One

MIA

The smell of hospitals always made my stomach churn. You would think hospitals would smell fresh and clean, but something about tragedy, illness, and death made it foul. At least it did to me.

Every time someone shifted or moved, I looked up, expectantly hoping we had an update. We’d been sitting for what felt like hours, and still nothing.

In the chair next to me, Zack’s large six-foot-plus frame was bent in half, elbows on his knees with his head in his hands. He was hurting. That was abundantly clear. He’d been quiet and tense during the short ride over to the hospital after he and the guys carried Adam and Lyla out.

Part of me had been relieved when the rest of the guys ran in to help Zack find Adam and Lyla. But that relief quickly turned to heartache for the women who loved them. Fear had held me hostage, watching Zach disappear inside, and I barely liked him sometimes. I could only imagine how the wives and girlfriends of his teammates felt. They were a family, forged of hard calls together and common worry and concerns. I was just…

I reached over and laid my hand on his thigh, squeezing gently. I wasn’t good at this. I never knew the right thing to say or do to comfort someone. But at least I could let him know I was there.

What I really wanted to do was climb onto his lap and let him hold me. But in a room full of all our friends, especially with the current circumstances, I wasn’t sure that was the best idea.

We still had very few answers about anything. No one knew how they got trapped inside or who was responsible. Apparently, while we were dancing, Dylan had tried calling Violet and the other guys who were upstairs, but they didn’t answer. Something about layers of building material and distance from the nearest cell tower. He tried Zack, and that call barely made it through. I’d never been so grateful to be on that stupid dance floor.

“Dylan’s only a few minutes away,” Violet announced, moving back into the waiting room from the hallway.

“Who’s responsible for this?” Zack bit out, his words laced with pain and anger.

Violet hesitated for a moment. “It’s the Taylor kid.”

“I fucking knew it.” Logan pushed up from his chair. “Something about that kid never sat right with me.”

“There’s a lot more to it, and he’s still out there.” Violet leaned into Seth, letting him tuck her into his side. “Dylan wants us to stay put until he gets here. He doesn’t want anyone leaving alone. At least no one with ties to the Half Moon Lake firefighters. Nicole, Mia, you guys are probably safe⁠—”

“No.” Zack’s tone held no room for argument. “Mia isn’t going anywhere.”

Violet raised an eyebrow in our direction, subtly tracking my hand on his leg. I cleared my throat and slowly removed it.

“I don’t think anyone in our orbit is safe right now,” Zack went on without missing a beat. “If he can’t get to us, there’s no telling if he’ll go after someone even slightly connected to us.”

Dylan stepped up behind Violet. “I agree. No one in this town is safe right now. He’s reckless and desperate. He feels like he has to finish what he set out to do. Making the firefighters who couldn’t save his dad pay.”

“He’s delusional,” Logan scoffed. “His dad died because of his smoking habit, not the fucking fire.”

“And the fact that he isn’t thinking clearly makes him even more dangerous.” Dylan crossed his arms over his chest. “I have patrol cars outside to follow everyone home.”

Multiple voices filled the air as everyone announced their unwillingness to leave until we had more information on Adam and Lyla.

“How’d you know?” Zack asked, quietly at first, then repeating his question louder, pulling everyone’s attention his way.

“The godfather.” Dylan’s jaw locked tight before he spoke again. “He’s been harboring him out of state since he figured out it was him back in December. When we showed him the fire department button.”

“How?” Logan interjected, sounding both confused and frustrated.

“I suspect he already thought it might be the kid. Then we offered evidence he couldn’t really ignore. He’d been giving the kid buttons like that one over the years. Seeing it and knowing it came from a crime scene just confirmed his suspicions.”

“So, what, the godfather suddenly decided to give him up?” Izzy spoke up from her seat.

“Yes.” Dylan’s expression turned harder. “Walked into the station asking for me and told me he couldn’t stop him. And that he was going after you all tonight.”