“Tomorrow.”
Crinkling her nose, she looked around. “Do you smell that?” She took off toward the back of the room. “Something’s burning.”
“Don’t open that door!” he yelled as he bolted after her.
8
Smokin’ Hot
The heat intensified the closer Sin got to the fire door leading to the playrooms. Before Evangeline reached it, he grabbed her and bolted toward the front exit. “We’ve gotta get out of here.”
He pushed on the front door, but it wouldn’t budge. Adrenaline surged through him. He pulled up on the knob and shoved hard. Still, no movement.
Taking Evangeline’s hand, he strode back down the hall and into the lounge. He flung open the black drapes, revealing two front-facing windows.
“Turn around and cover your head.” As soon as she did, he hurled a chair at the window. The glass shattered, the cold air rushing inside the warm space. He grabbed a bar towel, wrapped it around his hand, and punched out the jagged shards. One punctured his skin and blood oozed onto the rag. He clasped Evan’s hand, and directed her to the window. “Watch yourself.”
The smoke had found its way into the lounge and they both started coughing. After she made her way through, he followed.
Once outside, he called for help.
“My nightclub is on fire,” he said to the 9-1-1 operator. After providing the address, he hung up. Only then did he realize that Evangeline was gone. Panicked, he charged around the corner.
She came running down the sidewalk toward him. “The back of the building is engulfed,” she said, hugging herself.
He pulled her into his arms to warm her, but she pulled away and stared into his eyes. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” He bit back the mounting fury. “Areyouokay?”
“Just cold. I’ve got a blanket in my car.” She pulled her car keys from her pocket and hurried across the street. When she returned, she cloaked him with the blanket.
“Wait in your car where it’s warm.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
Those four little words soothed him more than she could ever know. Removing the blanket, he cocooned her in it.
As sirens wailed in the distance, his phone vibrated and he read the incoming text. “I warned you. Payback time.”
“Arson,” he growled.
She flicked her gaze to him. “How do you know?”
“Just a hunch.”
She eyed his phone. “Show me.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Don’t shut me out,” she said, cupping his cheek as the sirens grew louder.
He showed her the text.
A knot formed between her brows. “Who would want to destroy you like this?”
Two fire engines and an ambulance stopped in front of the building. First responders jumped into action. Most got to work fighting the blaze, but one hurried over to them.
“Anyone in the building?”
