Page 57 of Knocked Up by Her Daddy's Friends

“Yes, I can walk,” she agrees.

“Alright, stay low and follow close behind me,” I order, throwing Veronica’s limp body over my shoulder.

We head back through the flames, into the kitchen and I hear Buzz’s voice. “Drifter, I can’t fit through!”

“I’ve got them, just help them out!” I shout, my lungs on fire as racking coughs hit me.

“Veronica first,” Skye insists.

I want to argue but the flames are closing in and there isn’t time. “Buzz, Veronica’s unconscious, I’m gonna push her through, you gotta grab her.”

“Got it!” he shouts, and I easily lift her through the window. “I’ve got her!” he calls back seconds later.

“Now you,” I say to Skye. I can tell she’s weakening, and I help her through as quickly as I can.

“She’s safe. Come on!” Buzz calls.

I place my hand on the scalding hot metal bars to pull myself up. My scars tingle as I can feel the heat of the flames behind me. My eyes sting with smoke and I can feel the blackness seeping in. My mind starts to shut down as the flames win and I’m unable to move.

“Drifter!” they shout.

But I’m lost. Lost in the memory. Back in my bedroom, the flames licking at my skin.

Then a touch, as gentle as a feather, brings me back. Skye’s hand is on mine, and she looks at me, tears trailing down her soot-stained face, “Drifter, please. I need you.”

I nod and pull myself up and out of the window, landing with a thud on the dirt outside. Gasping for breath as Skye envelops me in an embrace.

Maybe we all have to go through hell to find heaven.

Chapter 30

Skye

The flames surround me, dancing around enjoying the spectacle of my death. The smoke embraces me too tightly choking me. I gasp for air clutching at my throat.

“Skye… Skye, it’s okay, you’re safe,” I hear, and the gentle touch of a warm hand rouses me from my nightmare.

When I open my eyes, it’s Gunner’s handsome face I see looking back at me. His dark eyes filled with compassion. “You were just having a bad dream. You’re safe now. You’re in the hospital. The doctor says you’ll be fine, just some smoke inhalation and shock, they gave you a mild sedative,” he says soothingly, stroking my cheek.

“Gunner, you’re touching me?” I say, wondering if I’m still dreaming.

Gunner and the others hate me, don’t they?

He chuckles softly, “It would appear so.”

As I start to come to, the events of what happened start to come flooding back and I let out a gasp. “Drifter? Veronica? Are they okay? Is Buzz? I saw him but did something happen after? Where is Angel? I didn’t see him, is he…” I start frantically asking as I try to sit up.

I want to ask if my baby will be all okay, but I haven’t told the guys yet and I don’t know how to ask. Now’s hardly the time to drop that kind of bombshell on him. Plus I should tell them all together. The father could be any one of them. That’s if I’m still pregnant. The idea that I may have lost the baby tears me up, and tears spring to my eyes as I start to cry.

Gunner hushes me. “Shh, it’s okay. Everyone’s fine, Skye. Drifter and Veronica are both fine, they’re sleeping in the beds next to you,” he says, and I notice the white curtain concealing the others in the room. “Buzz and Angel just went to the cafeteria to speak with the cops. Skye, we got them all. The recording on Veronica’s phone is enough to send Bill to jail for the rest of his life. Most of the Demon Riders either died in the shootout, have been arrested, or have fled. It’s over.”

I breathe a sigh of relief. The curtain next to me opens with a swooshing sound and I see Drifter, sitting up in bed. “Drifter! You’re okay!”

“Sure am beautiful, didn’t you know by now I’m fireproof?” he quips, coughing slightly.

I know he’s putting on a brave face, that facing the fire to rescue me must have been terrifying for him. “Thank you. You saved my life. Mine and Veronica’s,” I say, reaching out my arm.

He reaches out too, squeezing my hand. He doesn’t need to say anything. We’ll talk properly about it at some point, I’m sure.

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