Page 97 of Romeo

The question is: Is she toying with me?Or does she truly believe he’s dead?

“So your answer is to just kill an entire family to protect a man who deserves to spend the rest of his life behind bars?The money is that important to you?”

“Money is everything, honey.You should know that.You grew up on a red carpet.Some of us weren’t so lucky.Grab the box,” she orders.“Leave the bottles.”She retrieves the lit candle and heads toward the door.“Goodbye, Jules.At least, now your pain will be over.”She throws the candle, and it hits the floor a few feet in front of me.

There’s a largewhoosh, and flames begin to eat up the floor where the alcohol has been poured.I breathe deeply, trying to keep my panic at bay as they close the door and leave.

I rock my chair back, the flames growing higher and higher.I’m saturated with alcohol, meaning, if it gets too close—I won’t stand a chance.

The chair falls backward, and I hit the floor with a heavy thud.Pain shoots up through the back of my head, but I ignore it, knowing I only have seconds before this entire room—me included goes up in flames.

“Help!”I scream as I rock my arms, trying to break the fabric holding me to the chair.“Help!”Tears burn in my eyes.

Turn to Him.

The words glide into my mind, and as I focus on them, my panic ebbs.I’m not alone.

Only You can calm the storm, Lord.

I take a shallow breath, then cough as smoke fills my lungs.With one final struggle, the fabric loosens enough that I can slip my arm free.Carefully, I tug at the one on my other arm then undo the bindings on my feet.

I pull the top of my shirt up over my nose and mouth and stumble toward the door, but as I get closer, I pause.The flames were everywhere, and now—right in front of me—is a clear path.I can make it through the flames.

Thank you, Lord.

I push through the fire and pull the door open.My eyes burn as smoke fills them and my lungs.I drop to the ground.

The entire place is in flames.Heat licks my skin.Smoke fills my eyes and burns my lungs.

But I am not afraid.

Because I know that I am not alone.

Chapter34

Riley

The moment Sampson got the call that Odie’s house was on fire, we’d raced over here.But by the time we’re pulling up in front of the house, it’s a wall of flames.The fire department is fighting against them, and two officers are talking to a woman standing on the sidewalk.

Before the car is even in park, I jump out.“Bleib,Romeo,” I order as I close the door in Romeo’s face.Tucker jumps out too, as does Beckett.

“Oh no.You don’t think she’s in there, do you?”Beckett asks.

“I don’t know.But I know I can’t just stand here and do nothing.”Rushing forward, I’m stopped by a man wearing a bright yellow uniform.

“Woah!You can’t get any closer.”

“Is there someone in there?”I demand, trying to push past him.

He holds up his hands.“Woman said she saw three people go in, but only two came out just before the fire started.We’ll go in as soon as we get these flames under control.It’s not safe right now.”

I hear nothing he says becauseallI can see is Jules surrounded by flames.Is she even still alive?I try to push forward again, and he shoves me back.

“You’re going to die if you go in there.”

“I don’t care,” I growl.Then, using all of my strength, I shove him to the side and sprint toward the house, with absolutely no regard to the danger I’m putting myself into.It doesn’t matter.The fire doesn’t matter.

Only she does.

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