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The roads are quiet. I don’t see anyone loitering around as I let myself in and gather the pile of mail from off the floor. Just a handful of bills. Nothing else. I go into the office and skim through the files. Everything is on the computer, all saved on the cloud account. There’s no reason for anyone to have tampered with it. I’m pleased to find the file I’m looking for, but all I can make out from the audio is just muffled voices and the occasional word. Why do guys mumble when they talk? Their hands covering their mouths when they scratch their stubble makes it harder to lip-read what they’re saying.
A metallic thump like the sound of a gas canister falling onto concrete alerts me to the workshop. There’s no way anything could have fallen on its own. It had to have been pushed.
“Hello?” I call through the open doorway, getting up from the desk chair. “Is there somebody there?”
I hear the rustling of clothing like someone is walking quickly, and I dart to the window to see who it is. Movement catches my eye behind the hydraulic ramp as if someone just crouched down behind a small stack of tires. I send a quick text to Jason, telling him where I am and hoping that he’s on his way over to find me.
“We’re closed,” I feebly shout, my eyes following a long, wet trail on the floor and seeing the top of the crouched person’s head moving toward the exit behind all the shelving racks.
Gasoline fumes reach my nostrils, sending my senses on high alert. Another splash of clear liquid hits the floor as whoever it is leaves. I can tell it’s a guy from his build. His face is covered with a bandanna, and he’s not alone. His accomplice is wearing a similar face covering, and he tosses the plastic canister into the garage, then flicks open a lighter, his gloved finger resting on top of the flint wheel.
“Please, don’t do it!” I beg.
With all the flammable liquids stocked here, the garage will go up like a rocket.
“You can thank your boyfriend, Havoc,” the masked moron replies. “The boss wants to send him a message.”
“Well then text him like a normal person,” I plead, hoping I can keep him talking long enough for me to hit the fire alarm button and set off the sprinkler system. I’m not bothered about fucking up the machinery because I’m insured to the hilt. Unfortunately, my life doesn’t have a reset switch.
I’m about to break the glass with my elbow as he tosses the lighter onto the floor, igniting a whoosh of yellow flames. There should be water pouring from the ceiling, but the sprinklers aren’t working. Someone has disabled it. The smoke and heat swallow the air within seconds.
“Help!” I shout, diving onto the carpet as the front door slams shut. There’s no way out from inside the office. The back exit is on the opposite side of the workshop. I call Jason, but the call goes straight through to voicemail. He read my text, so he must be on his way. Stretching the neckline of my hoodie, I use it to cover my airways and crawl beneath the choking smoke to escape. I can’t see past the end of my nose, eyes streaming, throat closing, and my lungs ablaze. Breathing is impossible. But then the rear door flies open, siphoning half the smoke. I don’t see my savior until we’re outside in the yard after they drag me out. The leather-clad biker is wearing a helmet with the visor down, so I don’t know who it is, but they’re wearing the same outfit as the mysterious stalker who’s been keeping tabs on me since Bodie died. My eyes roll into the back of my skull, and I hear sirens wailing somewhere in the distance. I must have passed out cold for a while because when I open my eyes again, I’m in the hospital. My throat hurts, and every breath I take feels like my lungs are filtering shards of glass.
“Keira, thank God.” Jason’s voice makes my eyes dart to the left of me, and I see him sitting beside me, slumped over my bed, and holding my hand. “What the fuck were you thinking, going to the garage alone? Dan called, and he said you sounded upset. I thought we resolved this. We went over it this morning, and you said you trusted me enough to handle things.”
It takes me a while to answer, grimacing with tears. But when I eventually start to speak, my voice is strained and hoarse. “How was I supposed to know that Dan knew? I just wanted to help. So, I went to the garage to check the footage from the day those guys showed up and threatened you and Bodie. I thought they might have said something that Dan could use in court. The next thing I know, the garage is on fire, and I’m in the hospital.”
Jason kisses my hand, presses it to his cheek, then looks at me, his brows dimpled with worry. “You could have been killed.”
“I know.” The reality of it churns my stomach with nausea. “But thankfully, someone saw what was happening, and they were quick to pull me out.”
“Who?” Jason asks, bristling with suspicion.
“I don’t know. I couldn’t see who it was. But I recognize the biker leathers and helmet as the same person who keeps cruising past the garage.”
Jason’s eyes twitch questioningly, not liking the idea of someone watching me. “You were alone when I got there seconds before the cops showed up.”
“I didn’t drag myself out. I know what I saw,” I reply bluntly.
Jason blinks. “I know you did, baby. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you’re safe.” He reaches across the bed to stroke my hair, then hovers over me to kiss my forehead. “I’m just gonna step outside for a minute to check on something. I’ll be right back.”
ChapterEight
I’m bored out of my wits. The doctor insisted on keeping me in for a week, but the way Jason refuses to leave my side, anyone would think I only have days left to live. He’s been getting on the nurses’ last nerves, refusing to leave the room during examinations, bombarding the doctor with annoying questions, and even insisting on bringing in food for me in case someone at the hospital kitchen tries to poison me. Jason’s paranoia has been on high alert since the attack. It’s embarrassing, but I know he means well. When I look into his eyes, I see the devil staring back. Lethal and besotted. Crazy in love. I know he’d kill for me. He’d go to the depths of hell to keep me safe. It’s what I always wanted. A big, strong man who will sweep me into his arms and love me forever. No other guy has ever come close.
Someone knocks, and Jason stalks to the door to answer it. I hear mumbling male voices, then someone hands him a bag.
“Hey, Peaches. I asked the guys to call by your house to pick up some things for you.” My eyes bulge at the thought of them snooping around all my private belongings.I have secret things inside my dresser drawers that I don’t want anybody else to see.Least of all Tex. I can imagine him holding my vibrator and clicking through all the settings. The thought makes me cringe and wish the bed would swallow me whole. “Don’t worry, they didn’t rummage through your underwear drawer. Soapbox did that. She picked out something comfortable for you to wear when the doc is ready to discharge you,” Jason reassures me, setting the bag down beside the bed.
I flash a grateful smile, relieved to hear it. “I appreciate that.”
Jason seems fidgety today. It’s like he can’t keep still. He checks my phone to see if it’s finished charging, and I can tell it has because he removes the cable. Aside from a cracked screen, my phone still works, which I’m glad about. Like the garage, it’s insured. I’ll get a new handset and transfer all my apps and photos. I have so many treasured memories stored on the device that it will break my heart if I lose them.
“Do you want to text your mom?” Jason asks, holding out my phone.
I reach out to take it, then text Mom, telling her that everything is fine. I don’t call in case the doctor or one of the nurses walks in. Mom will overhear and wonder what’s going on. She doesn’t need to know about the arson attack, or that I’m at the hospital. She’d only worry, and so would Dad. Lying to her makes me sick to my stomach, but the last thing I want is for her and Dad to rush home. They are better off staying away, far away where Mayor Booker and his Jackal henchmen can’t get their filthy hands on them. My phone beeps with an incoming text that I read, then resume a relaxed position.
“My mom and dad say hi. I told them you and the guys have been helping me at the garage.” I swallow thickly. At least it isn’t a total lie. “She’s glad I have you guys, but I’m scared Dad will want to come back to check how I’m doing. I’ll need to file an insurance claim when I get home.”
