“How?” He groans, lifting up a gun. Then he smirks. “Thank you for giving me this, sweetheart. Now I can make sure you die.”
He lifts his hand and I wince, pushing Mercy further behind me. I see his finger slowly squeezing and I close my eyes.
Jerking, I hear a thud but then nothing. No gunshot.
Opening my eyes one at a time, I don’t see Frank.
I see James. Holding a tank in his hands. And when I look down, Frank’s lying at my feet, blood pouring out of a gash on his head. He grins at me.
“I think I deserve a raise.”
Nodding, I grin back, tired yet suddenly so damn energized. I feel like I could run a mile. Or two.
“I’ll talk to the chief when he gets back.”
Turning, I press Mercy into my chest, breathing in her sweet scent under the foul odor of smoke and gasoline.
“I’m so sorry, baby. I never should have told you to go. I never should have let you leave the way you did. I love you so much. I lost my mind…I thought.”
“I know what you thought. Your mom told me when she saw the pin.” She coughs again and I frown, my brow scrunching up.“Can you get her some oxygen until the ambulance gets here, James?”
“Yeah.” He runs over and pulls out a mask and hose to start the oxygen.
Mercy shakes her head, “I don’t need it.” But she bends over, coughs so hard that I pull her into me and groan.
“Dammit, you’re killing me. Sit down and put the mask on, wildfire.”
“Fine,” she coughs. “But I’m not going in an ambulance.”
“Oh you are,” I growl. “Or I’m going to spank your ass right here. You’re going to get checked out before I take you home.”
“Bully,” she snarls, muffled under the mask.
“Oh you have no idea, Mercy Lee. I am going to be all over you until you’re better. And then we’re going to get married and we’re going to find a place to live.”
Her brows lift. “You didn’t ask me,” she says, moving the mask out of the way.
“No I didn’t. I’m not going to. I’m going to be an absolute bear until you promise to marry me or I’m going to kidnap you and marry you in Vegas. I haven’t decided yet.”
She laughs, her eyes still watering but somehow twinkling with happiness. “We’ll see.”
“Yeah, we will. I’m not letting you get away from me this time, woman. I love you, wildfire.”
She smiles under the mask. “I love you too, caveman.”
“So marry me. Tomorrow. At city hall.”
She shakes her head but doesn’t say no. Holding her hand, I smile down at her while the guys finish up putting out the fire.
I lost everything tonight. My house and everything in it is gone. But I didn’t lose the two women that mean more to me than life itself.
And if I have to start over with nothing but them, that’s fine. They’re all I need after all.
I hold tight to Mercy.
And maybe a bed to make love to my future wife in. After all, I’m not really a caveman.
Although I’ll never tell her that. A guy’s got to keep his street cred after all.
