Page 86 of Against the Autumn Pines
HERE WITH ME
Wyatt
“Mother fuck, what is that noise?”I muttered.
The buzzing on the side table by my head was incessant, to say the least.
Meowwwww. Meow. Meowwww.
“Fuck sake, CC, really? I thought we were friends now. Why are you screaming at me?” I questioned as I tried to rub sleep from my eyes and figure out what was wrong with him. “The sun isn’t even up yet, man.”
Ember was curled up against my back, her arm wrapped around my waist, and her hand resting against my chest. Trying to reach for my phone and not wake her at the same time wasn’t the easiest task when she slept like this, but damn did I love it when she slept like this anyway.
Normally, it didn’t matter becauseI didn’t give two fucks about my phone when we were together, but right now, I had to make that noise stop.
Finally pulling it close enough to look at, I realized rather quickly what I was looking at. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I grunted.
“What’s wrong?” Ember whispered from beside me, her voice still very much asleep.
“Okay, little flame, time to get up. Quick, baby,” I said hastily. Jumping up, I slid my sweatpants back on and then reached under the bed, pulling out the cat carrier Ember kept there. “Ember!” I yelled, the sudden overwhelming panic setting into my voice.
She shot up in bed, looking around. “Why the fuck are you screaming at me? Wait…what’s that smell?”
“That is why I’m yelling. Fire and rescue squad are on their way. I need you dressed. Now.” I was trying to stay calm for her sake, but inside I was doing my best not to panic. This was not my forte. I was good under pressure when in front of a computer, not life or death situations.
The sirens in the distance were the only thing keeping me going at this point. It would be fine.
While she got out of bed and slid on clothes, I grabbed CC and shoved him in his carrier. Was he pleased? Not even a bit. But I was just happy he didn’t try to run and hide; instead, he tried to wake us up. “More catnip is in your future, buddy, and fresh fish,” I muttered.
I opened the window on the side of the bed and set CC’s carrier outside on the fire escape, along with my work bag. Turning back towards Ember, I started to question what the fuck she was doing when I registered what was happening. She was staring at her phone.
“Wyatt,” she whispered.
Sprinting over, I snatched the phone from her and shoved it into my pocket.
Arms on both her shoulders, I gave her a stern shake. This was the first time I’d ever laid hands on her in a way that wasn’t sexual, and it had my stomach churning with unease, but I needed her with me and focused. “Ember Rae, I love you baby, but I need youherewith me, not down there. Do you understand?”
She nodded, tears in her eyes.
“Good girl. CC is out there, and that is where I need you to be, okay? Outside of this building with our boy.”
She nodded again, and I pushed her towards the window. Once she was outside, I climbed out with her just as the fire engines were pulling up, hoses coming unraveled, one of them finished pulling the ladder down for the fire escape, and Ember climbed down.
Bag on my back, CC under one arm, I climbed halfway down before handing CC off to the firefighter, and my feet were back on solid ground.
“Come with me,” he said. “Is anyone else in the building?” He was staring at Ember, but her eyes hadn’t left the building itself as smoke billowed out the far windows.
“No one else is here, just us,” I replied for her.
Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, I took CC back, and we walked to the other side of the fire trucks, where the ambulances were parked and waiting.
I knew she was okay, but I still let an EMT look her over.
The next two hours were spent watching them put out the fire and then rummage through the remains of my girls’ pride and joy to find the source of the blaze. From where we were sitting, it looked like the damage was to the lower half—so the bakery—but I wasn’t an expert, and I knew the upstairs would be trashed from the hoses putting out the fire.
By hour number three, a police officer finally approached us.
“Ember Brady?” he said. She nodded but still didn’t speak. “I’m Detective Montague. How are you?”
