Page 109 of Silver Fox Daddies

As he scrambles to his feet, I see movement behind him.

A wooden plank falls from somewhere. At first, I think it’s a coincidence, until I see Jax at the other end. It lands on the staircase, acting as a bridge connecting the two staircases. I jump back as it drops, keeping Diesel and Melissa away.

The wood starts to bend, taking weight. Jax steps up onto it, side-walking his way to us. To freedom.

“Now, Bishop!” I yell. “Before he can get to us.”

Bishop groans, teeth gritted. He’s made it to his feet, but he collapses again, arms wrapping around his ankle to cope with the burn.

Diesel steps forward. “Forget the pain. See past everything. Melissa and the baby need you.”

Between the heat waves and flames, I see the agonizing pain on Bishop’s face change into something else. He grits his teeth again, channeling the pain. He reaches the wooden plank with one hand, drawing enough strength to add another.

I step onto the plank, flames sizzling below, and stick out my hand. “Grab it.”

Jax draws closer, the plank bending under our weight.

Bishop growls.

“One more push,” I tell him.

He reaches up and grabs my hand. I pull his limp body across the plank onto the wooden staircase just as fire consumes the steps.

“Run!”

We all dash up the staircase, consumed by thick plumes of smoke.

I turn around and see Jax behind us, beelining for the exit too.

“Fuck,” I say under my breath.

He runs fast, quickly reaching us. An arm stretches out from his still-able body, about to reach my back. He’s unburned, just breathless from all of the coughing. Fire snaps behind him, the ash on his face turning his expression a new kind of cruel.

“I want to see you burn,” he says, now only a few steps away.

Bishop’s foot catches on the stair, tripping him. He face-plants onto the step in front of him, unable to move. Panicking, I squat to unhook his foot, noticing the angry sores. The only way to release his foot is to put my hand directly onto the burn.

He howls.

That’s when Jax pins Bishop in place with his foot.

I take my gun from my jacket, fumbling for the trigger, but too much smoke has made its way to my brain, reducing oxygen. I can’t properly position the weapon.

My fingers don’t even have the strength to keep it in my hands.

The gun hits the step.

Fuck.

Jax cackles, stepping over Bishop’s body, shoving himself to the front of the line so he can reach the exit first. I dread to think what he’s gonna do when he gets there first. The key is still in the lock. All he has to do is turn it.

He darts over Bishop and knocks Melissa out of his path.

I free Bishop’s foot and start to help him up, hand about to retrieve the gun.

But another gets there before me.

Melissa’s manicured hand wraps around the gun, lifting it. There’s a bang before I can register what’s happening.

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