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As we moved through the room and into the kitchen, everything came crashing down around us. The spinning colors of the fire engines indicated they were just outside. Why did they bother? There would be nothing left to save.
We burst outside with no time to spare. I released Maryanne, wiping my eyes as I turned to face the structure.
Everyone stood on the outskirts of the burning house, staring in awe and shock as the devastation. Roxy clung to Douglas, no longer barking. Aspen clung to the children, sweeping her gaze in my direction as the firefighters finally moved into action.
Douglas pulled me aside, his face covered with soot. “It’s Prescott. You know he did this. He did this!” Sobs pushed up from his throat.
I took his arm, pulling him further away from the fire. “Are you certain?”
“Of course I’m certain!” he snapped then lowered his head, shaking it back and forth. “I refused to sell to him. That was only five days ago. He told me something bad would happen. I should have listened to him.”
After taking a deep breath, I patted his shoulder. “Trust me, Douglas. The man is going to pay for this.”
“Don’t bother. He has everything. I doubt my insurance will cover the losses. He can have the place. He’s gunning for you, Montgomery. Don’t let him take away the winery. Your papa was so proud you were taking over. He was such a good man.”
I’d never told anyone that Douglas had worked at our winery years prior. He’d begged my father for a job, working for next to nothing in an effort to learn the business. I’d been a nasty son of a bitch to him the entire time, treating him like a second-class citizen. I regretted the time. Maybe that’s why I would never allow the man to go under. If it was the last thing I did, he would have his winery back at some point in the future.
“My father also cared about you. I will help you through this. You just have to trust me.”
“I do, more than you know. Just be careful. Prescott has powerful friends.”
I nodded several times, cringing as the roof sank into the middle of the house, another round of embers sparking through the burning trees. Behind me, I could hear the sounds of the children finally starting to cry. I fisted my hand, taking a deep breath of the wretched stench. I never wanted to forget this moment. It would fuel my act of revenge.
He moved back to his wife, his shoulders slumping. A broken man. Goddamn it.
“Go through the woods,” I called, pushing both Douglas and his wife toward the same patch of trees I’d come from. I took long strides in Aspen’s direction, handing her the flashlight. “Whatever you do, do not stop. No looking back. Go through the trees as fast as you can. Don’t fucking argue with me on this.”
She nodded, trying to offer me a comforting smile. “Don’t wait too long.”
“Yeah, I won’t. Now, go. Go!”
I waited until they were safely out of the line of sight before heading with purpose in the direction of the firefighters. I grabbed one of the men, yanking him to the side. “What the fuck took so long?”
By the light of the fire, I could see the look of contempt on his face. “We were on another call. I suggest you get out of my way so we can do our job.”
The man jerked away from me, instructing the others to advance toward the house. I stood for a full minute watching them. While they seemed to be doing the jobs they were hired for, I had no doubt in my mind they’d been instructed to hold back. The thought continued to anger me, but there was little I could do. The system in place had money and blackmail wrapped all around it.
Exhaustion was finally settling in, my nerves still on edge. There was nothing else I could do for the family. I took a few more seconds to glance at the horizon. From what I could tell, every vineyard was on fire. I couldn’t believe that Prescott would stoop this low. As I moved into the darkness of the trees, the stench of smoke as well as the continued crackle of limbs was just another reminder how precarious life truly was.
Shadows formed all around me, dragging me back to the horrible night two years before. I struggled to breathe, fighting the haunted memories and sadness. It became almost impossible the further I walked, my mind nothing but a horrific blur. By the time I was able to see a glow from the headlights, I was almost out of breath. I heard several voices, including Robert’s.
I almost laughed at the realization that our winery was likely next on the list. When I finally reached the fence, I was grateful to see the fire had been contained enough my estate had been saved.
“Jesus Christ. What the hell were you thinking?” Robert barked as he moved closer, pulling me further away from the fence line.
“Saving lives. What were you doing?” I wiped my mouth, searching the area for Aspen. Coughing, I was forced to bend over, the acrid odor remaining in my throat. After taking several deep breaths, I was finally able to breathe to some degree. “Where are they?” When he didn’t answer immediately, I grabbed him by the collar, jerking him forward. “Where the hell are they?”
“Relax. They’re safe. Okay? Whatever you did, the Kingstons are safe. Jesus, buddy. We need to get you some water,” Robert insisted.
“I’m fine.” I pushed him aside, taking long strides as I scanned the area. I finally found Aspen huddled next to the children, trying her best to keep them calm.
“You need to slow down,” Robert called. I couldn’t think clearly, anger keeping me on edge. I couldn’t stop thinking about the horrific scene. The vision would likely haunt me for one hell of a long time.
Aspen whispered in the little girl’s ear before standing, rushing forward. “You’re okay. Thank God.”
“Of course I’m okay. What the hell were you thinking going into that fire? You could have gotten yourself killed. Damn it. Why can’t you follow directions? Why are you always fighting me?” I realized I was shaking her with enough force a look of fear shifted into her eyes. I did something that surprised even me; I dragged her against the heat of my body, placing my hand on the back of her head. “I could have lost you. Jesus.”
She seemed as startled with my last words as the first, clinging to me as he pressed her face against my chest. “I’m fine. I was worried about you. What else did you expect me to do? They needed help. You needed help.”
