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“Woman!” Holden turned on her and she read his intent the second he laid eyes on her.
“You try to do the He-Man shoulder sling crap again, buster, and this fire won’t be your only trouble.”
His eyes turned dark. Darker than anything she’d ever seen before.
“Keep wagging that finger at me and that little spanking you got earlier won’t be the last time we punish you.”
She narrowed her eyes into slits. “I’m not going anywhere.”
He considered her for a moment. “Grab the other hose from the side, Riley, while I grab some shovels.” Holden expelled a huff of frustration. “Stay close and don’t even think of going off on your own.”
She nodded briskly, “Time. How long before the big guys get here?”
“Ten minutes tops.”
Water blasted from the tip of her hose and she started watering down the dry grass. Holden doing the same beside her while Riley started digging a huge fireline through the grass. Given the strength of the wind, she didn’t hold out much hope but it was something.
Dry grass crunched underfoot and cinders scattered through the weeds, causing small pockets of fire to spread along the empty field. She caught as many as she could but the fire was jumping.
They worked together moving as a team trying to save as much of the property as possible. Over the ledge of small hills, a blur of dust kicked up about a mile out.
“Oh thank God! Look! The cavalry is here.”
Chapter Eight
Jin and Rebel pulled up in a rolling tumble of dirt, their red rig a beautiful sight. Another one pulled up beside them filled with water from the looks of it.
Smoke boiled low across the field like a thick fog and burned her lungs but still, her heart soared and she smiled.
“Where’s Holden?” Riley called out coming in from the field, every inch of his muscled body covered in dirt.
She pointed to where he helped Jin unload a bigger hose while other men jumped off the rig, shovels, and axes in hand.
Keeping the flames from reaching the tree line on the south side, she watched Holden and Riley, their muscled backs and chests glisten with sweat, as they beat back the flames while Jin and Rebel took care of the broader field below the house. Two of the other men working on taming the house fire.
The beast of a flame reared up, fighting back as if alive.
Behind her, an overlooked propane tank exploded sending parts of the grill it was attached to flying in all directions.
Birds roosting in the grass scattered. She cringed as pain ricocheted through her shoulder and the right side of her head. Huffs of anger flooded her veins and she threw up her hands fast but too late to keep from hitting the ground full force.
Her world blurred along the edges. For a long second, it was hard to tell which way was left and which was right. She turned an ankle, and from the way her legs shook, it was safe to guess nothing was broken.
With her heart nearly choking her Zahara rolled to her knees trying to spot her men. They were rushing toward her yelling but all she heard were their voices like dulled masculine moans.
“Zahara.”
She turned, nearly falling to the ground. She raised her hand to her head and brought it back with blood smeared across her palm. “Whoa. Whoa, Zahara. It’s us. We’ve got you. Don’t move, baby. Fuck we need to talk about you putting yourself in danger like this.”
She took a deep breath and tried to cope with the waves of nausea bombarding her. Love, loyalty and a massive case of pissed off woman clouded her judgment.
She wanted so much to be a part of saving Holden and Riley’s home.
Twelve hours ago she’d never pictured herself in the middle of fighting a massive fire.
“Told you. You don’t belong with the Savages. Fucking this whore. I told you, boy, you do things my way or I’ll make sure you don’t have anything at all.”
The ringing in Zahara’s ears had faded and the first voice she heard left her heart cold and frozen in her chest.
