Page 134 of Shattered Souls
“She’s unconscious.” He has to shout to be heard over the creaking of the house and roaring of flames. Fuck, the entire structure is going to come down.
“Move it, Van Doren, before the fucking roof caves in!”
The silhouette moves before Grayson’s lean frame appears in the window. His sweater is pulled up to cover his nose andmouth, and in his arms is a bruised and bleeding Riley. My heart shatters at the sight.
“We’re going to get you out of here, Tempest. Just hold on,” he murmurs, voice tight with tension. I reach for her, my hands shaking as Grayson passes her to me. Feeling her in my arms, relief floods me. Even in this state, holding her is a balm to my terror.
“I’ve got you, sweetheart.” Holding her close, I murmur reassurances in her ear. She feels so fragile in my arms, so vulnerable, but her chest rises and falls, her eyelids fluttering. She’s alive.
I carry her safely away from the blazing house and gently set her down on a patch of grass. The blades are cool beneath her heated skin as I brush her hair, darkened with soot, away from her face before kissing her forehead. “Come on, baby, open those gorgeous eyes for me,” I plead.
Sirens blare in the distance, and I’m aware of Grayson kneeling at my side. His hand is wrapped around hers as he kisses her knuckles, murmuring similar pleas.
Her chest rises and falls, breaths shallow but steady. Still, she doesn’t stir. Tears sting my eyes, and I turn away as I force myself to keep them at bay. My gaze connects with Logan’s. He’s standing off to one side, keeping Aurora’s attention away from her mom, but Logan’s face is etched in pain, and he does nothing to stem the tears streaking down his cheeks as he looks at Riley as though he’s watching his heart shatter into pieces.
Seeing him break, my own tears wriggle free until the three of us are crying and pleading with Riley to wake up.
To come back to us.
To survive.
To live.
My fingers curl around Riley’s limp ones, my focus intent on the air that fogs up her oxygen mask every time she exhales. She regained consciousness momentarily before the fire trucks and ambulances arrived, and several more times while she lay on a stretcher on the way to the hospital. Every time, she’d been groggy and confused, and the EMT had advised her not to talk.
I’d given the paramedic a menacing glare as he’d tried to close the doors and climbed into the back of the ambulance before they’d peeled away from the still-burning house.
Aurora was sitting in the back of another ambulance, Logan keeping her entertained while she was checked over. She doesn’t appear to have suffered the same extent of smoke inhalation as Riley. Likely thanks to the blanket that was wrapped around her. Grayson had been deep in conversation with the fire chief and police, giving a statement when the ambulance left. He’s still absent, but Logan joined me in Riley’s room, carrying a passed-out Aurora a little while ago.
Neither of us says a word. Exhaustion and worry rim his eyes, likely mirroring my own as he stares transfixed at Riley’s sleeping form. The doctors have assessed her and assured us she’s fine, minus some minor smoke inhalation—hence the oxygen mask.
She’s merely sleeping. Exhausted from the night’s activities… and whatever the fuck has gone down in the last twenty-seven hours since I stupidly left her alone at the stadium.
All in all, she’s lucky.
We’relucky.
Bowing my head, I press a kiss to each of her knuckles. Tonight could have ended so differently. The fire could havegot her. Bertram could have destroyed her before the fire even started. We could have been too late. We nearly were.
“Any word from Grayson?” Although he keeps his voice low, his words are a thick rasp as though Logan was the one caught inside that burning house.
I shake my head. I’d messaged him and Logan earlier with an update on Riley’s condition. Although he’s read the message, he hasn’t responded.
“He’s probably still dealing with the fire chief.”
“Do you think Bertram was still in the house?” he asks after a moment.
I merely shake my head, not knowing. I fucking hope so, though. I hope he met a slow and agonizing end in those flames.
“I hope he was,” Logan continues, voicing my thoughts aloud. “I’m done with this. I want him gone. I want a normal life for the five of us—one where we aren’t afraid to let Aurora out of our sight or where Riley is constantly looking over her shoulder.”
What I wouldn't give for that, too.
A twitch against my fingers has my gaze snapping to Riley’s face. Her eyelids flutter before opening, and I let out the first real breath since I got Logan’s call as I take in those stunning hazel eyes.
She stares at the ceiling briefly before her head falls to the side, her gaze catching on mine. “You’re okay,” I assure her, giving her fingers a squeeze. Her eyes are clouded with confusion, and she lifts a hand, touching her oxygen mask. I can see the events of the night play out across her mind before her head whips toward Aurora.
“She’s okay, too.” Relief floods her features as she stares at her daughter, sleeping soundly on Logan’s lap.
