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“I wanted to Google it,” I said. “But I was too afraid I would just freak out if I did.”
“It’s probably better that you didn’t,” he admitted.
“Will you get sick?”
“I’ll be at an increased risk of infection. There will probably be side effects, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”
He sounded like Superman when he said that, and I smiled because I didn’t know if he was aware that I thought he really was.
“Whatever happens…” I took his hand in mine. “We’ll get through it.”
“There’s something else you should know,” he said.
“What is it?”
Lucian sighed. “You’re still so young. I honestly never thought when I married you that this would be anything more than a contract. I never planned for it to happen this way. I just wanted to take care of you.”
“I know.” I dipped my head. “But what does that matter now? We fell in love. I don’t care about the age difference.”
“You don’t now,” he said. “But you should have everything you want out of life.”
“I already do.”
Lucian looked away quietly, before he worked up the courage to tell me what was bothering him so much. “Gypsy, I probably won’t be able to give you any more children. The chemo and radiation—”
“I don’t care.” He looked up at me, and I pressed his hand against my belly. “We have this one. That’s all we need.”
He didn’t look convinced, but I knew it was something only time could fix. He thought I would change my mind later and resent him for it, but I knew that I wouldn’t. I never thought I’d be married, and I was. I never thought I’d have any kids, and I was. Lucian had given me more than I’d already dreamed of; he just didn’t know it.
He kissed me, pulled away, and then kissed me again. “You should get to sleep.”
“Aren’t you coming?”
“Soon,” he promised. “I just want to finish going through these transactions.”
I squeezed his hand. “Don’t be too long.”
At first, I thought I was dreaming. The sound of Lucian’s voice was muffled and distorted by what I could only assume was a roaring river.
“Gypsy! Wake up, baby.”
This time, his voice carried, and I coughed, keenly aware that something was wrong. So very wrong.
Dense smoke filled the bedroom, and I blinked as I tried to process what I was seeing. Flames had consumed the frame of the bedroom door, and behind them, I could barely make out Lucian’s shape.
My first instinct was to move toward him, but I stopped when the heat penetrated my skin and shook me back to my senses.
“Oh my God.” I couldn’t breathe. The smoke was so thick, I was practically choking on it. “What do I do?” I screamed.
“Gypsy, I need you to listen very carefully,” Lucian yelled. “Grab the bedroom door and slam it shut. Then go to the bathroom and get some towels wet and wrap one over your face. Breathe through your nose. Do you understand?”
“What about you?” I shrieked.
“Put the other wet towels beneath the door crack if you can. You have to be quick, okay? Then get down on the ground and wait for me. I’m going to find a way out. I’m going to break the window so I can get you out, baby.”
I shook my head, terrified. “Lucian—”
“Slam the door,” he begged. “You have to do it now. There isn’t much time.”
I didn’t want to slam the door. I felt like if I did that, I would never see him again. “Promise me it’s going to be okay,” I cried.
“I’m coming for you, Gypsy,” he promised. “Remember what I said.”
I remembered that he assured me he would do anything in his power to stay here with me, and right now, he was putting himself at risk to try to get me out.
“Slam the door, baby. Do it now.”
I looked through the flames, trying to make out his face. “Come back for me.”
“I’m going to be right there,” he insisted.
“I love you.” The words came out in a choked whisper as I reached for the handle and swung the door with all the force I could muster.
Tears streaked down my face as I covered my mouth and ran to the bathroom, soaking as many wet towels as I could carry. I followed Lucian’s instructions, wrapping one around my face and bringing the others to the door. It was already shaking in the frame, flames slipping out from beneath, and I couldn’t push the towels in with my hands, so I flung them against the crack and hoped they would hold.
Then I got down on my knees and crawled over so that I was next to the window, remembering what Lucian said about breaking the glass. It would be the only way in or out, since everything in the house was controlled with electronic locks.
