Chapter 15
Sirens filled the air as Scott shook his head. What the fuck had happened?
“Sir,are you okay?”
Opening his eyes, he saw a small crowd standing near him. Flickering light from enormous flames danced in his vision. The house had exploded.
“Heather,” he yelled, attempting to sit up. His head spun but he pulled himself to his knees andlooked around.
A few people surrounded her as she lay on her side, unconscious, hair spillingover her face.
Crawling the few feet that separated them, he pushed aside one of the spectators and touched her shoulder. Ashes and red marks covered her bare skin. Scorched holes dotted her top. He had some too.
“Hey, wake up,” he called softly to her. “You’re stronger than this.” Touching her neck, he felt for a pulse.Please God, let it be there. Blood pumped through her veins underhis thumb. Yes.
Two fire trucks pulled up, the men jumping out, pulling hoses with them. The crowd moved back as they turned on the water then sprayed the house. There wouldn’t be anything left. It was too far gone. But he and Heather had gotten out, so nothing else mattered. As long as she was fine.
“How long were we out?” he asked one of the people still nearby, an older woman in a bathrobe and slippers. She seemed quite concerned for Heather.
“About ten minutes. I’m Sadie, I live there.” She pointed to the house to the right of Heather’s. “I hope she’ll be all right. She’s such a sweet girl, always helping me when I need it.”
“I hope so too,” he replied, running his fingers over Heather’s cheek.
“Do you live here? Do you know what happened?” The fire chief had come over, one eye on the firefighters and one on them.
“This is her house, Heather Silva. We were inside and smelled gas. We figured we’d call to get it checked once we got outside.”
“Good thing you did.” He bent then slid his fingers over Heather’s wrist. “Paramedics are pulling up now.”
Relief surged through him, and he moved only slightly away as they checked her neck then gently turned her overonto her back.
“How is she?” His voice sounded like he’d eaten nails.
“She’s got a good size bump on the back of her head.” The man glanced around and nodded. “Lots of debris around. Possibly she got hit with something, or had she hit it before you got out?”
“She was fine, but it all happened so fast. I think something in the cellar went first and we hightailed it outof the house.”
A soft groan slipped from Heather’s lips and Scott reached for her hand. “It’s okay, princess. You’ll be fine.” He hopedthat was true.
Her eyes fluttered open and she struggled to sit up. The paramedics helped her, but when she saw the flames behind him, herface crumpled.
He rushed closer then pulled her into his arms as she cried, “My house.”
“It’s only a house. The most important thing insidegot out. You.”
Holding her tight made him realize he never wanted anything bad to happen to her again. What the hell had caused this? Just another coincidence? He didn’t think so. This time they’d gone too far. Whoever thehelltheywere.
“We’d like to take you to the hospital to get checked out. There are some burns and cuts that need to be cleaned and treated. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to make sure nothing’s broken. There’s a possibility you both have concussions from the blast.”
The fire chief asked a few more questions, then they were hustled into an ambulance. They were allowed to ride together, and he held her the whole way. She was quiet except when one of the paramedics asked them questions, making sure they weren’t confused or disoriented. Unfortunately, they were led to different rooms in the ER to be examined. He didn’t want to be separated from Heather foreven a second.
“Mr. Holland?” A woman in a lab coat walked in and pulled over a rolling stool. “Let’s see what we’ve got.”
“I’m fine,” he insisted, his mind on Heather. “I’m more concerned for my friend who was brought in with me. It took her a little longer to regainconsciousness.”
“And the fact you were unconscious yourself, even for a few minutes, is enough for me to takea look at you.”
Scott sat still while the doctor poked, prodded, and asked questions. The light she shone in his eyes made his headache throb like a bastard, but all he could think about was Heather and how she was.
