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“I can smell gasoline, boss,” Daniel huffed.
“Yeah, me too.” Francois shifted closer, shaking his head. “I don’t think… she made it.” He was nearly as gutted as I was.
However, I wasn’t going to take the news without trying to find her. I had to try. She was his baby, Hell, she was my baby. She’d slept with me for hours, snuggling next to me. She’d acted like I was special to her. I couldn’t just let her die.
“You can’t leave her. Please. We have to try.”
He growled under his breath, yanking off his jacket. “Fuck it. You’re right. She will not die without me fighting to save her.Stay right here. Do not move. Daniel. Keep her here. Rocco should be arriving at any moment.”
“Yes, sir.”
I watched in sickness and horror as Francois raced off, rushing ahead then yanking the arm of a passing firefighter. I was too shaken to know what to think or even breathe. I paced back and forth, hearing cracking sounds coming from every direction.
Firefighters rushed everywhere, the tremendous stream of water dousing only some of the flames. There was a terrible chemical stench, the odor putrid. I doubled over, terrified that this was the end not only for the furry baby but for the man I loved.
“This is horrible,” I muttered.
“It’ll be okay,” Daniel tried to assure me.
“How will anything be okay?”
Oh, God. I hadn’t told Francois that I’d fallen madly in love with him. What if I never got the chance? What if he died? I turned in another full circle, all time stopping. It was as if I was standing in a trench or a separate universe, watching the action. Suddenly, there was no sound but the violent beating of my heart. I could barely focus, the events of the last week and a half colliding with the little bit of happiness I’d almost found during the last few days.
It was surreal, something that maybe neither Francois nor I deserved. It was obvious whoever was out to destroy the man wouldn’t stop until he’d accomplished his goal.
I was sick to my stomach, bending over and dry heaving. Then I could swear I heard Sadie bark. It was coming from the oppositeend of the house, the one that had already been charred by the fire, the flames now doused.
I could swear I was trying to get someone to help me but not a single soul would stop.
Or listen.
This just couldn’t happen. I refused to allow the baby to die.
Without thinking, I took off running toward the location where I was certain I heard the sound.
“No!” Daniel yelled, trying to catch me but I was too quick, easily able to get away.
I bolted through the people, fighting to get to the location where I was certain I would find her.
After taking a huge deep breath and holding it, I raced through the open doors into the blackness. Smoke was coming from everywhere, the only light penetrating the darkness coming from the headlights of the vehicles. The world the man I adored lived in was insane.
Violent.
Bloody.
Impervious to rules.
Intolerant to people like me.
He hadn’t been able to hide his anger, cursing on the short drive from the club. He’d made several phone calls while I’d hovered in the backseat, trying to catch my breath and my bearings. Meanwhile, Daniel had driven like a bat out of hell, careening around those going to the festivities, not caring whether he hitany of the pedestrians. I was shocked we hadn’t, given the insane way he’d been driving.
Now, as I raced into the pitch-black atmosphere, almost instantly crippled by panic and thick, acrid smoke, I was shocked how much adrenaline was pumping through me. The fire was still ongoing, not all of the house engulfed, which gave me hope, but the portion I was in was already gutted, charred debris everywhere.
Embers floated all around me, touching down like rain coming from heaven, not hell. As my eyes got used to the lack of light, I listened for any sounds.
“Sadie!”
Woof…
