Page 75 of Precious Hazard

My lungs can no longer function. There’s no air. The putrid smoke singes my nose, scorches my eyes. I’ve wrapped my arms around Drago’s neck as he carries me through a tunnel of fire. It’s closing in on us from every side, getting ready to swallow us without mercy. We are going to die. We are—

My lids fly open. Breath wheezes out of me. A goddamned nightmare. One I haven’t had in quite a while.

No, not a ghastly dream.

A memory.

I was barely four, but that night has forever burrowed into my mind. I keep reliving it, over and over. Feeling the devastating helplessness of a child, but seeing it twisted by myadult thoughts. In the two decades since, its grip on me has never waned. Even now, I can feel the heat on my skin. Taste the smoke in the air. My throat is scraped raw, making swallowing hard. It’s as if I’m still there. In the middle of an inferno, reliving that hell all over again.

There’s no way I’ll get any more sleep tonight. It usually takes me a while to shake off a nightmare, and this latest one is worse than any before. More real somehow. Almost as if I can still smell the charred scent in the room. It’s invading all my senses, wrapping around me like a deadly shroud.

Throwing my legs over the edge of the bed, I sit up. It takes me a moment to realize that the darkness in the room isn’t total. An odd light flickers somewhere behind me, casting my shadow onto the door connecting my bedroom with Arturo’s. I look over my shoulder, searching for the source, when my eyes latch onto the fire.

A terrified cry erupts from my lips. I leap off the bed and scramble backward, plastering myself to the sliding door, my eyes still locked on the orange flame across the room. Has it followed me from my grisly nightmare into this awful reality? Tremors shake my whole body. Icy fear slides down my back. My legs turn to jelly, wobbling as they struggle to support my weight. And all I can do is stare at the raging blaze dancing over stacked logs in the fireplace.

“No!” I grit out, beginning to fall.

My mind can’t process what’s happening. The flames that looked contained just a moment ago have seemingly grown, completely filling my vision. A haze descends around me. The room fills up with smoke. So much smoke. It’s stinging my eyes. My nose. I’m choking on its bitter stench.

“No. No. No.” I’m shaking my head, trying to flee on quaking legs from the inferno surging toward me. The cool surface at my back reminds me there’s nowhere to go, and something intrinsic tells me not to trust my eyes. The thought has barely formed when the door behind me slides to the side.

“Tara.” A large tattooed arm wraps around my waist, preventing me from hitting the floor. “What—”

Twisting around, I throw my arms around Arturo’s neck and clamber halfway up his body. “Out,” I whisper into his chest. Holding on as if my life depends on the refuge only he can give me, I hang on to him with all my might. A whimper escapes me. “Please, get me out of here.”

“I will, baby.” His hand lands at the back of my head, caressing me as if I’m a wounded animal. “Just tell me where you want to go.”

Tears threaten to choke me, but I somehow form the words. “Away from… bad dreams.”

The door slides shut, and then I’m being carried. Where to, I don’t know. Don’t care. I just know I’m safe. I bury my fingers in Arturo’s hair, clutching the soft strands in my grip. Musky shampoo, lemongrass soap, and clean male. His scent wraps around me, and I take my first deep breath since waking up, thrilled to the bone that I can no longer smell charred wood and smoke.

The bedframe creaks as Arturo climbs onto the mattress. Keeping me pressed to his chest, he lies down on white sheets. I don’t dare move a muscle as I end up sprawled on top of my husband, listening to the rhythmic sound of his heartbeat. The melody lulls me, and along with his scent, chases away my ugly thoughts of fire and destruction.

“Tara?” His warm palm glides down my back. “Do you want to talk about it?”

I shake my head and nuzzle into the soft spot where his neck and shoulder meet, just above his clavicle.

“You sure? I know a thing or two about bad dreams.” His tone is gentle, soothing. Like nothing I’ve heard from him, but everything I need right now.

“No, thank you,” I whisper.

“Okay.” Still keeping his arm tightly wrapped around me, he tugs the blanket up, covering us both. As I finally let myself relax, my breathing evens out, and I drift into a tranquil state as his palm continues to glide along my back. His strokes are slow and light. Tender. Something I never would have expected from Arturo. Especially after my latest act of defiance. Maybe he hasn’t seen the helicopter yet?

“Did you see my addition to your… fleet?” I press the question into his neck.

“Yes.”

Oh…

I wait for him to say more, but our steady breaths are the only sounds in the room. Whatever his reasons, I appreciate him choosing to wait till tomorrow to rip me a new one for the stunt I pulled. Tonight, I can’t handle any more “excitement.”

My eyes flutter closed, and I surrender to sleep. Rocked to dreamland by the comforting rise and fall of his chest beneath me. Protected by the steady, hypnotic beat.

Chapter 16

“You bought a helicopter?” Sienna’s screech echoes through the dining room.

“Yup.” I dig my fork into the Tupperware container and stuff another bite of delicious pork chop into my mouth. “Your brother insisted that I get something that would make a statement.”

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