I’d already lost Parker; I couldn’t lose him, too. Tears of anger poured down my cheeks, and I felt as if I was going to lose all sanity at any moment. Seth slammed on the gas even harder and grabbed my hand.
“We’re going to get to him. I promise. We’re almost there.”
A few seconds later, we drove through a bend in the road, and I could see the skid marks on the asphalt, followed by Ripp’s truck turned upside down. Flames flickered at the top, and he was still inside, desperately trying to break free.
Another car was nearby, and a man was trying to help him. Fear gripped my chest as the flames grew higher. Seth skidded to a stop, and I bolted out of the car after him. The closer I got, the hotter the heat of the fire grew.
Seth joined the man in trying to pry open the door, and with their combined their strength, they managed to rip it completely off. Without hesitation, I reached into the burning vehicle and kept Ripp from falling on his head when Seth cut the seat belt to free him. Ripp grunted in pain, floating in and out of consciousness.
“I think my leg’s broken,” he said, his voice faint.
Tears clouded my vision, but my adrenaline gave me the strength I needed to pull him to safety. By now, the fiery truck had garnered the attention of everyone driving by. So many people stopped to gawk at us, and some asked if we needed help, but there was nothing they could do.
Seth stood over me as I sat on the ground with Ripp’s head in my lap. He was alive; that was all that mattered.
“You’re going to be okay,” I murmured, stroking his blond hair.
It wasn’t long before the sirens blared down the road, and the ambulance came to take him away.
* * *
It felt as if I’d aged a decade in three hours. Ripp was bruised all over and had a broken leg, but they were still going to check the rest of his body to ensure there was no internal bleeding. I didn’t want to think of the torture he would’ve gone through if we hadn’t gotten him out of his burning truck.
Assistant Sheriff Jeff Sterling had already been by with some of his deputies to ask Ripp some questions, but no one has been allowed in his room yet. They said they’d come back later, and hopefully, Ripp’s parents would be here by then. With his mother being an FBI agent and actively investigating Nikolai, I told her I felt uncomfortable around Jeff. She would know how to handle him and his questions. I had no doubt he was getting paid off by Nikolai.
The waiting room was so stark and white that it hurt my eyes to look around. Or maybe it was holding back all my tears that made them burn. I wanted to call Kase and tell him what happened, but I didn’t want him involved more than he already was. The news stations would surely make their rounds on TV, but I hoped Ripp would be gone before his name went public.
Seth joined me in the waiting room, draping an arm around my shoulders. “Is it done?” I asked, leaning into him.
I could feel him nod. “It is. I’ve sent my private jet to California to pick up Ripp’s parents. It’s only an hour flight from here. They’ll be here soon.”
I lifted my head and my gaze caught someone down the hall, rushing toward us.Brooks. It was uncanny how much he and Ripp looked alike. I stood and he hugged me, his voice just a whisper in my ear.
“Nikolai fucked up messing with my brother.”
“Yes, he did,” I said.
I told Brooks everything while Seth got us some coffee, and when Seth returned, Brooks let me go and shook his hand.
“Thank you for helping my brother.”
Seth nodded. “Of course. He’s a friend.”
The nurse monitoring Ripp entered the waiting room, and her eyes widened when she saw Brooks. “You must be Mr. Jameson’s brother.” She smiled and shook his hand. “I’m Miranda.” They exchanged pleasantries and then she focused on all three of us. “As you know, Mr. Jameson’s right leg was broken. It’s now been put in a cast, and we’ve given him plenty of pain meds.” Her face brightened. “And I’m happy to say that all the other tests have come back normal. There’s no internal bleeding or any other broken bones. He should be clear to leave in a few hours.”
It was as if a mountain of stress lifted off my chest.
“When can we see him?” I asked.
She flourished a hand toward the hall. “Right now. He’s awake and asking for you.” She walked away and Brooks turned to me, his brows lifted.
“Ready? We might as well give him the bad news.”
Ripp wasn’t going to be happy with me.
I looked over at Seth and he kissed me. “Go. I’ll wait here.”
Brooks walked with me down the hall and my chest constricted. Visions of Parker covered in blood with a bullet hole in his head flashed through my mind. Now, I was about to see Ripp, battered and bruised in a hospital bed. My heart felt like it was being squeezed into a bear trap. Every breath was like inhaling shards of glass, and my lungs felt like they might burst with the pressure. The pain was unbearable.
