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Kraine growls and his haunches go up.
“Jake?” Panic hits at Maitlyn’s voice. “What was that noise?”
Seeing the man’s face twist into malice as Maitlyn rounds the corner, I fear for her life as I’ve never feared anything. He raises the gun. “You, bitch!”
Maitlyn’s eyes widen with fear. “Oh, God, Daniel! What are you doing here?”
Before anything can happen, I launch myself at Daniel and a loud pop hits the air. Searing pain roars through me in the blink of an eye.
And I’d do it all over again.
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
MAITLYN
I screamat the top of my lungs, “What have you done?!” Tears race down my face, probably leaving long tracks in the smudged soot.
Daniel’s face twists with fear and shock. “It was meant for you.” He drops the gun as he stares at Jake writhing on the ground.
Kraine jumps on Daniel and subdues him with his snarling fangs in his face and his body holding him down on his chest while my ex cringes.
I run as hard as I can to Jake as he grimaces, and a red pool forms on the ground around his leg.
“Oh, my god. Honey, breath slowly.” To my surprise, I stay calm as I put pressure on the wound. This man hasn’t taken away my fears and anxiety, he’s allowed me to feel it and then process it in a way I never have. The other man lying on the ground used to work those same maladies to get what he wanted. Fears of abandonment. Fears of not being enough for someone. And anxiety over almost everything, only enhanced by his behavior that kept me guessing.
But I’m good enough and I know Jake won’t leave me.
“Jake? Jake?! Is someone alive in here?” A loud yell breaks in through the air. A man in the distance appears from the smolders in full firefighting gear.
Jake’s jaw is clenched tight as sweat beads down his face, but he finds the strength to yell, “Pierce! Over here!”
“Stay still. Don’t move,” I cry. “We’re over here. Hurry.” I keep my hands on the wound, but the blood doesn’t stop.
Pierce runs towards us and spots the gun. He kicks it far away and notices Jake lying in a pool of blood. He starts spouting commands involving letters and numbers into the radio on his shoulder while Kraine snarls and stays on top of Daniel.
The firefighter leans down. “Man, if you wanted more time off, you coulda just asked.”
“Not funny.”
“Ma’am, I need to look at the wound.”
I hesitate to lift my hands.
The man named Pierce grabs my hand lightly. “It’s okay. I got him.”
Are all these Hot Shot firefighters chill and calm in the face of crisis and chaos? This is a new breed of man that every woman needs to experience.
Nodding, I lift my hands as the tears pour down my cheeks.
Pierce examines it and I see medical training for sure. “Didn’t hit any arteries. You’re fuckin’ lucky.”
Jake grunts, “Right.”
“Good to see you, though, bro. Missed you up here on the BTP.”
Jake chuckles, “Thanks. Not exactly the way I wanted to come back.” He looks at me and smiles. It’s strained. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
