Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 37970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 190(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 190(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
"Emmett," he murmurs. "My name is Emmett Madden."
Jesus. Even his name is sexy.
"What's yours?"
"Nina," I whisper. "Nina Gregori."
"Close your eyes, Nina. We're getting the fuck out of here now."
I inhale a tiny breath, trying not to choke on smoke and fear, and slam my eyes closed.
Chapter Two
Emmett
Whoever set the house on fire with Nina inside is a fucking asshole. She trembles like a little deer in my arms, terrified out of her mind, as I race out of the bathroom and down the long hall, flames roaring all around us.
Mine plays like a damn mantra in my head the whole time, screaming at me that this girl is mine to protect. And it feels right for reasons I can't even begin to describe. Having her in my arms feels right in ways that shouldn't even be possible. And yet…I've never felt more certain of anything than I am that I was supposed to find her in that bathroom.
My engine company has been pumping water into the house since we arrived on scene. Alessandro Banger and Devon Allegra are at the broken window at the far end of the hall with a hose, spraying it down to give us a path, but there's no saving the house. At this point, all we can do is save Nina and keep the shit from spreading to surrounding structures.
Her screams led me right to her. We thought the goddamn house was vacant until I heard her. The old man who owned it, Vincent Gregori, died last month. Judging by the big blue eyes and flame red hair, Nina is related. Daughter? Niece? I'm not sure, but she's fucking stunning. I like the way her curves fit against me a little too well.
Stop fucking thinking about it, I order myself, trying to focus on getting us the fuck out of here.
A beam at the end of the hall crashes to the floor as if to remind me exactly why I need to stay focused.
Nina squeaks, cowering into me.
My dick picks now to throb like a motherfucker.
Jesus Christ. I'm going to hell.
"Hurry it up, Madden!" Alessandro shouts into his mic, his tone grim as he and Devon direct the hose at the flames licking up a wall to the left. "Move your ass!"
"Easy, Red," I murmur to the gorgeous—terrified—woman in my arms, putting on a burst of speed. I dodge a wall of flames burning through the room next to the bathroom and then stumble around a gaping hole in the floor.
"Faster!" Devon shouts, eyes locked on the flames behind us. I don't look behind me to see what he does. I'm not going to risk slowing down long enough to look. There's accelerant all over the fucking house. I noticed it as soon as I stepped through the goddamn door. And fires like this can be unpredictable. How much more accelerant is there? Has it all caught and burned off by now? I'm not trusting luck to be on our side.
Someone has been setting fires like this all over town for the last week. They've already burned down two vacant houses and an old cabin.
We reach the window about the time a loud crash rips through the house.
"Collapse is imminent. Evacuate all units," Banks Phoenix growls over the radio as the horn outside blares, alerting the crew to get the fuck out.
I don't have to be told twice. Inside this deathtrap is the last place I want to be right now. Christ. We're lucky we found Nina in time. Another few minutes and this entire goddamn floor will be nothing but flames and ruin.
"Take her," I order Alessandro, gently pushing her through the window into his waiting arms as Devon takes charge of the hose.
As Alessandro scoops her up, pulling her curvy body close to his chest, jealousy slides through my veins. I don't want his hands on her. I don't want anyone's hands on her.
What the fuck?
Alessandro shifts away from the window, giving me room to haul my ass out of the house and into the bucket. There's no goddamn room to move with three of us in full gear in it and her in Alessandro's arms, but we're out of the fucking house, and that's all that really matters.
"Civilian secured. Bring us down," Alessandro says into his mic, letting Banks know we're clear.
"Here." I ease Nina back into my arms, worried as fuck about her when she starts coughing. She inhaled a lot of smoke. And she's still trembling and pale. She tries to pull the oxygen mask off, but I quickly place my hand over hers. "Leave it on, Red. You need the oxygen."
Her blue eyes flutter open, fixating on me.
Jesus H. Christ. They're so fucking pretty.
Who is she? Even soaking wet with soot smeared across her cheek and her eyes all red-rimmed and watery, she's stunning. I've lived in this town for the last five years, and I've never seen her before now. I'd remember if I had. You don't forget a woman like this.