Page 85 of Stuck with my Brother's Firefighter Besties

“Ryan, with me!” Jaxon shouted as he led the way toward the worst of the wreckage, the flames licking dangerously close.

I nodded, grabbing my equipment and falling in line behind him. The heat of the flames pressed against my skin, but it was nothing compared to the weight of the situation.

People were trapped. They needed help.

I moved quickly, setting up the tools to break open one of the car doors when I heard a panicked shout. A woman was pinned inside, her screams rising above everything else.

“Colt!” Jaxon’s voice rang out. “Get to the other side, now!”

I didn’t ask questions. I knew exactly what he meant. We’d need to work together to free her, and there was no time to waste.

I darted around the other side of the wrecked car, barely making it to the other side when I saw the shifting debris. Her car had hit a building, and the damaged walls hovering above her car seemed unlikely to hold much longer.

The woman inside the car was wedged tight, her legs trapped beneath the dashboard.

“Hang on, we’re going to get you out,” I called out, trying to steady her, trying to calm her down while I assessed the situation.

A sharp crack echoed from the structure of the car as I grabbed the hydraulic rescue tool, preparing to cut through the metal.

But before I could get a solid grip, the roof creaked ominously. The flames from the nearby car were licking higher, and the heat was unbearable.

“Move, Colt!” Ryan yelled from the other side of the wreckage, his voice strained.

I glanced up just in time to see a massive chunk of the crumpled car frame begin to shift.

Without thinking, I dove in between the wreckage and the woman, shoving her body toward the open space I had just cleared.

The world seemed to slow down, everything in my vision sharpening as the debris fell. I felt the metal graze my back, the heat of the flames searing my skin, but there was no time to register the pain.

I kept pushing, my body moving on instinct.

And then, everything went dark…

* * *

The next thing I knew, I was coughing, and the smell of smoke was choking me as I tried to sit up.

Hands were on my shoulders, pushing me back down, firm but gentle.

“Stay still,” Ryan’s voice urged.

My head was swimming. I blinked several times, trying to clear the haze.

“What happened?” I croaked.

“You nearly got crushed, dumbass,” Jaxon’s voice cut in.

He sounded like he was trying to hide his panic, but the tension in his words was unmistakable.

I was vaguely aware of the sound of sirens and the busy chaos of the firehouse, but I couldn’t focus on anything other than the ache in my chest and the way my body refused to cooperate.

“Is the woman—” I started, but Jaxon cut me off.

“She’s fine,” he said, his voice quiet but firm. “You saved her.”

I tried to sit up again, but the pressure in my head intensified. I groaned, unable to shake the fog.

“Damn,” I muttered, flopping back against the ground. “I shouldn’t have… should’ve...”

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