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"Then she'll watch it burn, but I won't keep this from her," I argued.
"And if it's a ploy to lure her out? What then?"
I stilled, considering the words. "Then she'll have all of us right there to protect her. That place is everything to her. She deserves to know."
Matteo sighed. "Fine." The line went dead as he hung up, leaving me standing in my office and scrubbing a hand over my face as I prepared myself for what might be one of the hardest conversations of my life. It was just a building, logically I knew that.
But it was a building Sadie had grown up in. It was a building she'd dedicated her life to.
It was so much more than that for her. It was her blood, sweat, and tears.
Easing my phone into my pocket, I hit the lights off and left the office. Making my way through the house, I glanced at Rebel's empty bed. The damn dog insisted on sleeping with Sadie, and after the day before, I was only happy for it. Guarding her while she slept. Protecting her in a way I couldn't.
The bottom stair creaked as my weight touched it, and I slowly ascended the steps one at a time. Sadie's form was curled up on her side, the blankets tangled around her waist like always as I studied her for a moment. She looked so peaceful, and I hated the knowledge that I was about to ruin it.
Stepping into the room, Rebel's head was already raised and alert the moment I'd p
eeked inside. Sadie never woke, not even as I sat on the mattress next to her. It wasn't until my hand touched her face that her eyes opened slowly and she smiled up at me softly. "Is it morning?" she asked, her brow furrowing as she looked around the dark room.
"No, Baby Girl. It's not morning," I murmured, my heart pounding in my chest. "Matteo just called."
She sat up quickly, clutching the blanket to her chest even though she always slept with pajamas on. Given her previous experiences with being attacked in her sleep, I couldn't blame her for the decision. "Ivory? Luna?" she asked.
"They're fine," I reassured her, and she sighed in relief. "Somebody set the gym on fire, Carina. I'm so sorry." The words tumbled out, less graceful than I wanted. No padding, no preparation, and I watched the ground fall out from under her as she blinked up at me.
"What?" she whispered.
"It's still burning. The fire department is there, trying to put it out, but it's not looking good." She jumped up from the bed, grabbing sweatpants out of the dresser where she'd finally moved her clothes. Not even caring that she had shorts on underneath them, she tugged a hoodie over her head while I watched. "There's nothing we can do, Sadie," I said, trying to convince her to stay home even though I knew it would be pointless.
"I have to go, Enzo," she whispered, her voice broken as she stared at me. I moved to draw her into my arms and comfort her the only way I knew how, but she stepped back with a shake of her head. "Rebel, you should stay," Sadie said, and the dog instantly settled herself back down.
"She should come. I want her with you wherever you go," I said. One glance at her, and Rebel jumped up from her lounge on the bed to race downstairs. Sadie followed, her head hanging.
She didn't cry or show any emotion other than a vague sense of emptiness.
I knew it would come.
30
Sadie
The fire lit up the entire street, glowing like a beacon as flames crept out the windows. With my heart in my throat as Enzo pulled up at the end of the block where the police had set up a barricade, I left Enzo to grab Rebel's leash and made my way to the uniforms standing there. "That's my gym!" I announced when one blocked my path.
Enzo came up behind me, Rebel's leash in his hand as they caught up. The officers took one look at him and nodded. "Mr. Vescovi."
"Thanks," Enzo said, taking my hand and tugging me through the street. The smoke that rose from the building was black, melding into the night sky as everything faded away.
The gym.
My apartment.
Everything I owned except for a bag of clothes Enzo had packed for me.
Gone.
Tears stung my eyes, whether from emotion or the smoke, who the fuck knew. Matteo stood off to the side, surrounded by Simon and the other man from the night at my apartment, berating the Fire Chief as he stood and argued back at him. The front doors were blown open wide as firefighters hosed the building down all over the place. This would crush my father.
"My Dad's title belt is in there," I said in horror, ripping my hand out of Enzo's grip and making my way for the doors. It wasn’t a conscious thought so much as the instinctive need to protect just one thing that meant the world to him.
