Page 41 of Burned By Love

West would help him.If he hadn’t already known how much he cared about Jonathan, he would now, after the fire.He’d never been so scared for anyone in his life, not even Austin, who was the person he was closest to.

Jonathan was it for West, and West was willing to wait for as long as Jonathan needed him to.

* * * *

JONATHAN SUCKED INa breath, then another.It felt good to have fresh air.It felt good to breathe, period.For a moment there, he hadn’t thought he would make it out of the shop alive, but he had.He was still breathing and unharmed, and while he was still freaking out, the people he loved were safe.Hewas safe.

For now.Sal wasn’t going to give up.He’d told Jonathan what he wanted, and until he got it, Jonathan and his family would never truly be safe.

He took a step away from West, who frowned and reached for him again.“What are you doing?”

“He’s going to make sure you end up in trouble,” Jonathan explained.“He’ll say you attacked him.”

“They won’t listen to him.He set my boyfriend’s store on fire and threatened him.No one would have expected me to stay back and watch as he hurt you.”

“But he’s going to use it against you.He might come for your job, and I know how much you love it.I can’t be the reason you lose it.”

West caught Jonathan’s shoulders, forcing him to look at him.Jonathan was glad for the steady hold because he was starting to freak out.

That should have happened sooner, right?He hadn’t freaked out when he’d seen Sal in the shop or when Sal had ignited the fire.He’d been sad and angry, but he’d known better than to panic.Now that Sal wasn’t anywhere near him, though, he felt safe, especially with West there.

Having West so close meant that Jonathan could freak out, panic, and scream, and nothing would happen to him.He’d be safe through all of it.West would keep him safe.

Jonathan didn’t know when or how it had happened, but West had dug under Jonathan’s skin and made himself at home there.The way Jonathan felt about him was anything but simple.He wanted a real chance with West, a chance to show him that even with everything that he’d been through, he could be a good partner, but he wasn’t sure he could do that.He wasn’t sure he could have anything as long as Sal was after him, and right now, that felt like it would never stop.

“You’re having trouble breathing,” West said.“I’ll find a paramedic.”

He looked around and started to let go of Jonathan’s shoulders, but Jonathan wasn’t ready for it.He grabbed one of West’s arms, making sure West couldn’t leave him.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine.You were just in a fire.How much smoke did you inhale?Did Sal hurt you?”

“I’m having trouble breathing because I’m freaking out about Sal.My lungs are fine.”Although Jonathan would appreciate it if he could stop being involved in fires.Was it a secondary effect of having a firefighter boyfriend?

West’s expression softened.Jonathan was still wearing West’s coat, but West didn’t seem to care as he wrapped an arm around Jonathan’s shoulders and pulled him close.“There’s no reason for you to freak out.Sal is out of your life now, Jonathan.”

“Is he?”

“I don’t see how he could get out of this.He didn’t just threaten you.He set your store on fire with you inside of it.He tried tokillyou.”

Jonathan didn’t think Sal had wanted to kill him.He’d wanted him to see what would happen if he continued resisting.He’d wanted Jonathan to lose something that was important to him so that he’d fold and let Sal back in.

Jonathan turned toward the store.There was still smoke in the air, but he couldn’t see any flames.The waiting area was gone, and he doubted they’d be able to salvage anything there.Hopefully, the back rooms were fine, but Jonathan would only find out when they got in, and he suspected it would take a while before they were allowed.

Sal had destroyed Jonathan’s livelihood.He’d destroyed the livelihood of Christy, Ethan, and Daniela.This was their shop, their baby, and it was gone.Jonathan didn’t know what he and his friends would do, but thinking about it made him want to cry.

“Remember that you’re not alone,” West said as he cradled Jonathan against his chest.“I know this feels like too much right now, but you’re not fixing this on your own.”

“Christy and the others lost everything because of me.”

“They lost the shop because of Sal, not because of you.You need to stop thinking that you’re guilty of what Sal did.He makes his own decisions, and now, he’ll have to pay the consequences.Besides, you're insured, right?”

Jonathan was relieved to remember that they were.Christy was the one who’d taken care of it, and if he knew her, they’d probably end up with enough money to open a brand-new shop.

“West?”a woman asked, causing both West and Jonathan to turn.

“The fire’s out?”West asked.

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