Page 144 of First Chance

“I don’t care.”

“Lochlan…”

“Let it burn, Jo. I don’t fucking care. I’m not leaving you.” I hold her face against mine, feeling her breath fan across my skin.

I need to do something, I can’t let the world go on without her.

I step back, staring at the chain link fencing. It’s 12 feet high with 12 feet between each post. It keeps the bears in, but it’s not indestructible.

“I’m getting you out of here.” I kiss her brutally and jump back through the hole I came through.

I pull the chain link webbing from the outside until the metal cuts through my skin, but I keep pulling. I don’t stop until it breaks free from the posts and snaps back, falling to the ground.

“What are you doing?” She asks, her eyes bouncing between me and the fire in front of her. It’s bright enough that I can see the beads of sweat on her forehead.

“Your chain is looped like a figure-eight around the post.If I can get it down, we can slide you off and worry about getting it off of you later.”

“It’s metal and probably cemented into the ground.”

“I didn’t say it would be easy.” I jump up, gripping the pole as high as I can and dig my foot against it, pulling the aluminum post until it starts to give.

It’s metal, but it’s hollow. If I can get it to bend just enough, I can get her off.

“Lochlan,” she cries and then coughs.

The fire is getting closer, and the smoke is filling the air.

I jump up again, grabbing even further up the pole now that it’s slightly bent, and I use every bit of strength to bring it towards the ground.

“Ahhhh.” My entire body is screaming in pain, but it’s still not enough. It’s bending, but not enough to slide her off.

Not by mysel–

“LOCHLAN!” Hayes yells, riding in on the side-by-side, driving straight through a trail of flames. Jordy, Arizona, and the Sheriff jump out.

“Help me!” I yell mid-pull, feeling my biceps ripping from the inside out.

Jordy and Arizona jump in immediately, helping me pull the metal post, leveraging it with brute strength until it’s almost low enough.

“Move, move!” Hayes yells, looping the tow chain around the top of the post. “Clear out, if it snaps back, it could take your head off.”

Jordy and Arizona find a safe spot, but I go to Jo, wrapping my arms around her to cover her the best I can. “I’ve got you, baby.”

“Lochlan, the fire,” her voice rattles.

The flames are licking my back now, at least that’s what it feels like. My shirt is saturated in sweat, and each breath feels like it’s being forced through a bendy straw.

Over her shoulder, I see Jackson checking Curtis’s lifeless body. He went down in the dirt far enough from the tree line to keep from getting burned up.

He picks him up and hands him off to Arizona, who takes off, carrying his limp body out of here through the only clear path through the trees. The fire is nearly surrounding us now.

“Heads up!” Hayes yells before throwing the side-by-side into reverse and pulling the pole.

My hands go around Jo’s head, bracing for anything that might come flying her way if this doesn’t pan out.

If this doesn’t work, I’m afraid it might be over for us.

Us. Because I’m not fucking leaving her.

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