Page 126 of Stealing Second

“It’s Marks. Get the hell out. I think your place is on fire.”

Out on the back deck, I see my back porch light on, and Gwen is standing with her gun pointed at the ground.

“You two get over to CeCe’s place. I’ll make sure everyone else?—”

“I’m going too. CeCe, get to Gwen.”

“Oh my God, you think this is William,” I gasp.

He takes my hand, and we move down his stairs. He hurries us to the property line and presses a quick kiss to my head. “Go. Get you, Gwen, and Elle inside. It’s going to be okay.”

“Rome!” I call after him as he runs across the driveway. “Be safe!”

“Come on.” Gwen opens the door. “They’ll be fine.”

At any moment, I expect to feel a panic attack come on, one that will have me in a ball, trying to concentrate on breathing.

I blink my eyes, and I’m at my sink, looking out my kitchen window as Gwen is on the phone.

“Come on, Rome,” I whisper against Elle’s little face. “Come on, come on, come on.”

Then, I see Blaze, AJ, Nour, and Locke all heading this way.

“Come on, Rome. Marks, come on.”

As the four walk into the house, I hear sirens close by, and then I see Marks and Rome. “Are you all okay?”

“Shit way to wake up,” AJ grumbles.

Blaze pats himself down. “Fucking keys are in my place.”

“Why do you need your keys?” Nour asks.

“We have a game tonight. I need sleep.”

“How the hell are you going to fall asleep after waking up like that?” AJ asks.

“I have a strict schedule,” he sneers. “Fire at four a.m. wasn’t on it.”

“Blaze, there are a couple of rooms upstairs. Go get some sleep if you can,” I offer.

“Where?”

“Up the stairs, take a left. The front room has two beds,” Gwen tells him and then looks at me. “Fawna and Francesca are in the other.”

“Shit, right.” I look at the others. “My room is at the top on the right; you can take that or?—”

“I’m in the first room on the left, past the bathroom. It’s open too. Blaze is right. You guys need to sleep. We’ll wake you up when we get an all-clear.”

“Gwendolyn,” Locke sighs.

She looks at me. “I’m not dealing with him.”

He rolls his eyes. “Fine, but let’s not kid ourselves here. We’re not getting back in there before we need to be at the game. So, if any of us happens to fall asleep with all that noise outside, we need to be up by eleven.”

“Eleven. Got it.” I nod.

Locke looks at AJ and Nour. “You two should take the double room. Blaze, take CeCe’s.” He turns and smirks at Gwen.

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