Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 106065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 530(@200wpm)___ 424(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 530(@200wpm)___ 424(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
With another cough, I forced myself to function and realized I had to call 911. If I stopped even for a second, I’d freeze and shut down.
“Everybody out! This is not a drill. There’s a fire downstairs, follow the lines on the floor to the nearest emergency exit!”
I whipped around and stared at the closed door. That was Greer’s voice!
“I repeat, fire downstairs! Move out! Follow the lines on the floor to the nearest emergency exit! Fire downstairs!”
He was coming closer! My heart got stuck in my throat as I bolted for the door and shoved my phone into my pocket.
“Get out! Emergency exits on both ends of the second floor, ladder to the left, staircase next to the tower, cover your mouths and noses when the smoke gets thicker. Go, go, go!”
I opened the door and peered out just as a group of kinksters poured out from one of the orgy rooms, some of them half naked.
And then I finally saw him. Master Greer tended to stick out; he was easily six-foot-five or something like that, and he appeared in the rising smoke like my only way out of here.
“Master Greer!” I called. I still couldn’t handle the ringing noise and had to plug my ears with my fingers. Hell, I was shaking too, and I couldn’t wait for him to tell me what to do. Now that he was here, stalking toward me, more tears streamed down my face in sheer relief—but even more fear. I felt like I could allow myself to be scared now, ’cause Greer would save me.
“Oh, thank fucking God.” Soon as he reached me, he yanked me close for a tight hug, and I nearly shattered right there. “We’re getting out of here soon.”
Soon? How about now?!
“I’m scared,” I cried. “It’s so loud!”
He cupped my face in his hands and leveled me with a serious look. I flinched and automatically shifted my gaze to his cheek, then his shoulder.
“You’re gonna be brave for me, you hear me? I will get you out of here. Do you trust me on that?”
I nodded jerkily, just wanting to escape the sound drilling into my skull.
“That’s a good boy. You just come with me, yeah? Hold on to my belt and—here.” He lifted my undershirt over my head, and I sucked in a breath in shock. “Press this to your mouth and nose. We’ll climb down the fire escape as soon as I’ve checked the other rooms.”
Oh my God. I tried to act quickly, but my brain was ready to check out. I noticed he had his own shirt in his hand, and he moved it to cover his airways too.
“Second floor clear!” I heard Reese shout from downstairs. “Greer!”
“Halfway done!” he yelled back. Then I jumped and yelped as the sprinklers were activated above us, the water freezing cold against my exposed upper body. “Get River and Shay out—Corey and I will take the fire escape up here!”
“Roger! The smoke is too thick down here now!”
Please take me out of here, please take me out of here. I couldn’t handle it. It was too much. The cold water hit my skin and mingled with the tears, panic was too close, anxiety was through the roof, my chest hurt, my breathing was erratic, and everything fucking hurt.
Holding on to Greer’s leather belt, I followed him down the hall as he opened the remaining doors to make sure nobody was left behind, and all I could do was will the time to go faster. Every step counted, every breath, every second.
After maybe a minute, I swore I could hear sirens. It had to be over soon!
“Fire’s spread to the tower, Greer!” Reese yelled hoarsely from somewhere. Or maybe it was River? “Front exit is clear, the back of the downstairs area can’t be accessed anymore!”
No! No!
My eyes widened while Greer exploded with rage and slammed a fist into the nearest wall.
“Greer!” I coughed behind my damp undershirt and gripped his arm. My heart pounded so fast that I was getting dizzy, and we had to leave now!
He turned away from me. “Climb up on my back. Right now, Corey. You’re going to hold your breath and close your eyes, do you understand?”
Holy fuck, no! Were we really—no! No! We couldn’t go down there!
But I wasn’t gonna delay us and argue with him.
“Okay,” I whimpered. I hoisted myself up and wrapped my legs and arms around him, and I pressed my shirt to the back of his neck so I could bury my face in it. “Do we have to go downstairs? I don’t want to go downstairs. I’m so scared.”
“We will be out in less than thirty seconds, I promise.” He moved my arms lower, maybe because I was stupid and kind of choking him. God, I was horrible. “You’ve got this, sweetheart. You ready?”