Page 64 of Roark
She pointed a finger, pressing it into his arm. “And you’ll move on together or apart? That’s the question I’m asking you. It’s what you need to think long and hard about before the time comes, or mark my words, they’ll be confusion and hurt feelings and another big mess you didn’t anticipate. Trust me,” she said. “I’m an old woman but I’ve been a mistress before. I know how things can change in the blink of an eye.”
Roark didn’t know how to respond to her last words. He didn’t want to know about his aunt’s previous lovers or any who’d broken her heart for fear he might have to hunt down some old guy and beat his ass. No, Roark only wanted Kaymen Benedict to be caught, finally, and for everyone to be safe again. That was all he wanted, or at least that was all he was going to let himself acknowledge that he wanted.
Chapter 19
Roark awoke with a start. His eyes opened but he didn’t move. He was laying on his side so he could see the lighted numbers from the alarm clock on the nightstand. It was two a.m.
He sighed, because for the past nights Tamika had been in his bed, Roark had been sleeping soundly through the night. He’d even dreamed of a calmer, happier time in his sleep. But tonight, he was up.
After a few seconds of going over that fact, he rolled over and reached for her. She was there, and he loved the feel of her softness pressing eagerly against him. Not in a sexual way—of course, that didn’t mean he didn’t thoroughly enjoy having sex with her—but what he was feeling right now was a heavy dose of comfort.
Roark wrapped his arm tighter around her, snuggling his face into her neck where he inhaled her scent.
He paused and inhaled again, deeper this time.
Roark sat straight up in the bed. It wasn’t flowers he smelled.
Tamika sat up right behind him. “Smoke,” she whispered, and in the next seconds they were both leaping out of the bed.
Roark paused long enough to slip on shoes; he was bare-chested and wore only basketball shorts, but that would have to be enough. Tamika wore a nightgown and she pushed her feet into her slippers too, but they both made it to the door at the same time.
“Touch it first,” she said. “See if it’s hot. The door and the handle.”
Roark did as she instructed, pressing his palm to the center of the door at the top, then bending down to do the same at the bottom. There was no heat. He stood and reached slowly for the doorknob—again, no heat. In the next second, he yanked the door open and stepped through with Tamika right behind him.
They both looked up and down the hall but didn’t see any evidence of smoke. They only smelled it.
“We need to check each room before going downstairs,” she told him.
“And call for the guards,” he said as an afterthought and then cursed when he ran back to his room to grab his phone off the nightstand. Sure, the phone wouldn’t save anyone from a fire, but Roark was acutely aware they weren’t just dealing with a fire.
He dialed Jack’s number and waited for him to pick up, but after five rings, Roark disconnected. By then, he was at the door to Tuppence’s room, because it was the first room next to his. Tamika was already in there waking Tuppence and telling her to get her slippers and robe on.
“There’s no fire or smoke in here,” Tamika came to him saying.
He nodded, and they both headed to the next room. Sandra’s.
Tamika checked the door this time and then hurriedly pushed inside. She flicked on lights as she moved, and Roark looked around the room, his heart sinking as he did.
“She’s probably in the bathroom,” Tamika said. “She goes a lot at night.” She walked toward the closed bathroom door.
As she checked it, Roark knew what she’d find. He reached for his phone again this time dialing Cade.
Tamika came running out of the bathroom, eyes wide, voice cracking as she said, “She’s not in here.”
Roark went to her then, wrapping an arm around her and hurriedly leading her out of the room as he waited for Cade to pick up. Tuppence was already in the hallway when Cade answered.
“Sandra’s gone,” Roark told him. “She’s gone, and we smell smoke in the house. I’m gonna get everyone out.”
“What? We’re sitting right outside and we don’t see anything,” Cade replied.
“Well, she’s gone, Cade! She’s gone!”
Roark and Tamika walked Tuppence down the steps gently, only to stop the minute they saw the smoke coming from the parlor.
“Why aren’t the smoke alarms going off?” Roark asked. “What the hell is wrong with the alarms?” There was a security system connected to the smoke alarms, but nothing was going off, even though something was clearly burning in the house. “Take her back upstairs. I have to get Suri and Aunt Birdie.” He was talking to Tamika, who looked at him as if she were getting ready to tell him it was too dangerous to go downstairs. He wasn’t going to accept that if she did. “Or just stay right here, and I’ll give you a signal if it’s clear for you to get her to the doorway.”
Roark didn’t wait for another reaction from her or a response. He ran down the stairs, using his arm to cover his mouth and nose so he wouldn’t inhale too much smoke. There was only a dim glow from the two wall sconces in the foyer, which was how they’d seen the smoke. Other than that, no lights were on down here. It didn’t matter—he knew where he was going.
