CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Summer
After making sure everyonehad a drink, I made my way upstairs to change.I picked out a pair of shorts and a tank top, since it had begun to feel like I had a long-sleeved bodysuit on, and not my actual work attire.
The air had thickened so much as I hit the bottom step, and instead of being able to check if I had sweat patches, I got charged at by Freya.And she didn’t arrive quietly.
For hours—really five minutes—she’s done nothing but be thankful to God for my safety.I pat her shoulder awkwardly, wishing she would stop crying for a minute to hear me tell her I’m okay.I’ve said it repeatedly but she’s either choosing to ignore my words or hasn’t actually heard me over her own voice.
I suck in a sharp breath when she shoves at my shoulder—the same shoulder that got hurt and is still tender to touch.I snap my head in her direction, glaring.“Bitch.What is your damage?”
“Why on earth would you go near a building you knew was going to explode?”she screams.“How irresponsible can you be?”
Jesus.Her lower lip trembles, her eyes watering once more.“Freya,” I begin, but she doesn’t even hear me.Again.
“You could have died.You should have called the police.You could have done anything but put yourself in danger.Why would you do something so stupid and reckless?”
She continues to ramble, so Jaxon steps up beside me, Lily under his arm, staying close.Their daughter is asleep in the pushchair just inside the door of the house.
I rub my hands down my shorts, quickly sharing a glance with Mark.I’ve known Freya most of my life.She is my everything.My ride or die.My bestie.My wifey.She’s my...she’s my everything.I’m the same for her.We’ve been through a lot, and we’ve always gone through it together.I’ve seen her go through the worst moments of her life, I’ve seen her grieve, and yet I have never seen this side of her.She is shaking, her lips trembling, and she’s barely holding it together.
Jaxon places a hand on her shoulder, cutting her rant short.“You’re scared, Freya, I get it, but try to calm down.Summer saved us today.If she had stopped to question what she was doing, we would all be dead right now.”
Her eyes widen, and if it wasn’t for Mark standing next to her, she would have fallen to the floor when her knees give out.He pulls her against his chest, and that’s when she bursts out crying once more.
I pull her into my arms and don’t hear what she says, because my attention is on Luke, whose head is down.He tries to whisper, to keep the words to himself, but I hear them.
“Except me.”
It’s said with so much anguish, so much guilt and pain.My heart breaks for him.
“Luke?”I call out, hoping he hears me.He jerks his chin up.“What did you say?”The others need to hear it.Because in good conscience, I cannot ignore what he said, even if he hadn’t meant to say it out loud.
He runs his fingers through his hair, but his gaze flicks to his older brother beside me.“I was in the van organising it all to fit.I wouldn’t have been in the house, even if Summer hadn’t turned up.”
Ah, he feels guilty over the fact that he may have survived if things had gone differently, if I hadn’t shown up when I did.
“You saw the state of the van.You may not have gotten out of that in time,” Jaxon points out.“Look, the main thing is, we are all okay.Let’s not think about the what ifs.”
