“That’s eighteen apartments. We have to move fast.” Johnson tells us.
About twenty firefighters with hoses and axes charge through the building’s front doors, and I lead a team up to the second floor. I knock at the first door, and a man who looks like he’s just woken up answers it. “What the hell?”
“Get yourself and your family out; there’s a fire.” He coughs, noticing the smoke for the first time. He nods.
I make my way down the hall, wondering what would have happened to him had we not gotten here when we did. The rest of the apartments seem to be empty as firefighters scour them; we make our way closer to the apartment we all know is where the fire is. I pray silently that the apartment above it hasn’t been affected.
“We’re up, Ember,” Haden shouts, and we kick the door down at the same time. A blazing inferno meets us.
Haden calls out, “Is there anyone in here?”
I make my way inside, the heat making me sweat inside my uniform.
“Johnson, get out of there, we have a list, and the man who lives in the apartment is out on the ledge.” I hear Grady say on the two-way radio.
“Let’s go, man,” Haden shouts, having heard the same instruction.
“I can get to him from here,” I tell him.
“Ember, don’t be fucking stupid; he’s out there. They’ll get him.”
“Go!” I command, and he walks backward. I axe through debris as I make my way to a window. I look outside and see a man on the ledge; he’s standing there, a bottle of jack in his hands.
“Go away,” he stutters, looking toward me. “I ain’t jumping, ’cause then they’ll save me. I want them to leave, then I’ll jump.”
“Come on, man, I gotta get you out of here, this place can blow any minute now, and you’ll take us both.”
“I already did.” He looks inside the building, and I frown. “Is there someone in here?”
“I didn’t mean to,” he slurs.
I realise that whoever is in the apartment needs me more than he does.
“Ember, get the fuck out,” I hear Grady say over the radio. I ignore him and make my way through the apartment, and then I see her lying on the bathroom floor. The room is filled with smoke, but the tiles have kept the flames out. The first thing I see next is a knife lodged in her stomach. I reach down and pick her up, holding her close to my chest as I make my way out of the apartment. It’s so hot, I can barely breathe, but all I know is I need to save her.
I move quickly down the hall, and Haden meets me halfway. He’s got a hose ready, and a few men follow after him.
“I told you to leave, man,” I growl over the noise.
“Yeah, well, I have a way of disobeying orders.” He rushes past me, and I don’t look back as I make my way outside.
I lay the woman on the ground and remove my helmet.
The paramedics rush over. One of them checks her pulse. “There’s a pulse, it’s slight, but it’s there.” I breathe a sigh of relief.
“You are fucking insane,” Grady yells.
All I know is that I saved her. That is all that matters.
Chapter 17
Shelby
Isee his truck pull up, the headlights switch off, and I wipe away the tears. Is this what I want in my life, again? Being the one sitting at home, waiting for news. Waiting for a reckless asshole to pull up, grateful that he made it through another day. I’ve been sitting on his porch stairs for the last hour, and I have thought about leaving about a thousand times. I should walk away. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t.
I have to see that he is okay myself. I’ll tell him this is over, but all I do is breathe a sigh of relief when I set eyes on him climbing out of the truck. It’s like coming up for air after being underwater for too long. He looks exhausted, his shoulders sagging, but I hate him so much right now. I hate him for making me care as much as I do.
He sees me, and he drops his bag. I find myself running to him before I can stop myself, flinging myself into his arms. I wrap my legs around him, and he kisses me so desperately, I know he feels everything I do. I hold his face in my hands, and I let his tongue enter my mouth.God, I hate you so fucking much, Ember.
