“You can drive anytime, sweetheart," he replied. Then he urged her, "Ride me hard."

Rowan plunged them back into the storm, and Chris lost his words. In seconds, they were sucked into an uncontrollable spin. Chris felt like he was fighting for his life. He could hear his racing heartbeat in his head. He could feel himself reaching for survival.

But not without her.

Rowan grabbed Chris’ hand and guided him to exactly where she wanted him to touch her as she rode him. When his larger finger found her button and applied the right pressure and rhythm she craved, her whole body screamed in triumph.

Yes, yes, yes.

The friction they created together sent millions of sensations throughout her body. She didn’t feel herself coming. It yanked her out of the storm and hurled her into the deep ocean.

When it hit, every nerve in her body shattered. The pleasure was so intense that a wave of sorrow ran through her as she realized she might not experience this again.

Not without him.

Rowan felt herself drift down into the ocean’s depth, feeling peaceful despite the pain. Suddenly, warm arms caught her and pulled her back to the surface. Chris turned her around gently and kissed her.

“Stay with me,” he whispered.

Rowan didn’t have the energy or the voice to reply. So she just echoed it in her head.

Please, stay with me.

forty

You will pay for the pain you caused me.

The figure swung the open canister. Gasoline spilled against the barn wall.

You fucking laughed and danced through the night without a care that you’ve torn people’s hearts out! Bitch, I’ll rip that laugh off your face.

The last drop of gasoline splashed against the dark gray wood planks. Its intoxicating scent triggered a laugh out of the figure.

Let’s see who will have the last laugh.

With a snicker, the figure produced a book of matches, ripped one off, lit the entire book, and tossed it to the base of the barn. The fire ignited the fumes in a whoosh before the matches even touched the ground, knocking the figure down. Intense heat hit, and the figure scrambled out of the way with panic.

Fuck!

Fire ate away at the sleeve of the figure’s shirt. With a horrified scream, the figure rolled around on the ground, putting out the flame.

The figure scrambled up in pain and jumped when three pairs of blazing eyes appeared from the darkness. Loud, angry growls competed against the crackling sound of the burning wood.

I gotta get out of here.

The figure forgot its earlier bravado and ran into the forest, leaving the inferno behind.

forty-one

Chris woke with a start to the blaring of an alarm. He jumped off the bed as Rowan jerked to a sitting position.

“That’s the fire alarm,” she said in terror.

“Get dressed!” Chris was already pulling on a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt.

Rowan’s phone was blowing up on the nightstand. She threw it to Chris to pick up as she hurriedly dressed. Chris answered.

“The gray barn is on fire!” Kieran yelled through the speakerphone. “I’ve called 911. I’m on my way.”