Heart of a Hero (Swift Angels MC #1)

Chapter One

Nora

Acrid smoke filled my nostrils, jolting me awake. My heart thudded against my ribcage as I leapt out of bed, realizing with sickening dread the apartment was on fire.

“Taylor!” I screamed, flying down the hall to her room, panic clawing up my throat. Oh God, not my little girl. Please let her be okay .

I burst into her bedroom, the smoke thickening, choking the air from my lungs. Taylor lay curled up in her pink princess bed, blonde curls splayed across the pillow, slumbering peacefully as danger loomed.

“Taylor, baby, wake up! We have to get out of here!” My voice cracked with desperation as I shook her small shoulders. She stirred, blue eyes fluttering open in sleepy confusion.

“Mommy? What’s wrong?” Her words came out in a drowsy mumble.

“There’s a fire, sweetie. We need to go now.” I scooped her up, thin arms circling my neck as she clung to me. The pop and crackle of flames echoed from somewhere below, every second precious as the inferno raged.

Sweat dripped down my face, plastering my dark hair to my forehead. I had to get us out. Had to save my daughter, the only light in my bleak world. After everything we’d been through, I refused to let it end like this.

I raced into the living room, Taylor’s trembling body pressed tightly against my chest. My frantic eyes darted around, searching for an escape route, any way to flee the encroaching flames. The front door -- I lunged for it, hope flaring in my heart, only to recoil as scorching heat seared my palm. The fire raged just beyond.

“Mommy, I’m scared,” Taylor whimpered, her face buried in the crook of my neck. Hot tears dampened my skin as she clung to me, her small frame shaking with terror.

“I know, baby. But we’re going to be okay. I promise.” My words sounded hollow even to my own ears, fear twisting my gut into knots. Think, Nora, think . There had to be another way out.

I scanned the room, smoke stinging my eyes, making them water. I glanced back at the door, the hungry flames licking at the edges, taunting me with their deadly dance. The acrid stench of burning plastic and wood filled my nostrils, making me gag. We were trapped, the realization hitting me like a punch to the gut.

Taylor lifted her head, her blue eyes wide with fear and trust. “What are we going to do, Mommy?”

I swallowed hard, mind racing as I sought a solution, any glimmer of hope in this nightmare. “We’re going to get out of here, sweetie. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

But as the smoke thickened, the heat intensifying, I couldn’t shake the sinking feeling I might not be able to keep my promise. We were running out of time, and I had no idea how to save us both.

Panic threatening to overwhelm me, I stumbled to the window overlooking the street, Taylor clinging to my side. With a shaking hand, I fumbled with the latch, my lungs burning as I gulped in the blistering air. Finally, the window swung open, and I thrust my head out into the night, the distant wail of sirens barely audible over the roar of the flames.

“Help!” I screamed, my voice raw and desperate. “Please, someone help us!”

But the street below was in chaos, and no one looked up. Hot tears streamed down my face as I pounded on the windowsill, splinters biting into my palms. “We’re trapped up here! My baby…”

Taylor whimpered, burying her face in my shirt. “I’m scared, Mommy.”

I hugged her fiercely, my heart shattering. “I know, baby.”

The smoke was growing thicker by the second, the temperature rising to an unbearable level. My eyes stung and watered, my throat raw from the heat and fumes. How much longer could we last like this?

Despair threatened to engulf me, and I started praying for a miracle. The fire was closing in, its hungry flames devouring everything in its path. We were running out of time.

“Please,” I whispered, my voice barely a croak. “Someone help us. We need a hero.”

My mind raced as I scanned the room, desperate for any way out of this nightmare. Suddenly, a memory flashed through my panic-stricken thoughts: the fire escape outside the living room window. It was old and rusted, but it might be our only chance.

“Taylor, sweetie, I need you to be brave for me, okay?” I pulled back, looking into her wide, frightened eyes. “We’re going to climb out the window and down the fire escape. Just like in the movies, remember?”

She sniffled, her lower lip trembling. “But, Mommy, I’m scared of heights.”

“I know, baby, but I’ll be right there with you. I won’t let you fall.” I forced a smile, trying to project a confidence I didn’t feel. “We can do this together.”

Galvanized into action, I rushed to the living room, dragging a chair to the window. The smoke was even thicker here, making it hard to see. I fumbled with the latch, my fingers clumsy and shaking. Finally, the window creaked open, a gust of cooler air hitting my face.

I leaned out, peering through the haze at the narrow metal platform below. It seemed miles away, the ladder descending into darkness. Fear gnawed at my stomach, but I pushed it down. There was no other choice.

“Okay, Taylor, I need you to hold onto me really tight, like a baby koala.” I knelt down, helping her climb onto my back. Her small arms wrapped around my neck, her face pressed against my shoulder. “Don’t let go, no matter what.”

I grabbed a blanket from the couch, tying it around us like a makeshift harness. It wasn’t much, but it might keep her from slipping if my grip faltered. My heart pounded as I climbed onto the windowsill, the drop yawning beneath me.

“Hold on, baby,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Mommy’s got you.”

Taking a deep breath, I swung my leg over the edge, my foot finding the cold metal of the fire escape. The platform shuddered under my weight, the rusted bolts creaking ominously. I forced myself not to look down. I added more of my weight, and yelped as the platform gave way. It groaned and clanged as it collapsed, banging against the building before landing on the concrete below. I gripped the window frame, thankful I still had one foot inside the apartment.

If I’d stepped out all the way, we’d have died! My heart pounded and my throat felt tight. What were we going to do now?

Desperation clawed at my throat as I searched for a way down, a way out. Then I saw them -- the firemen. Hope surged through me, so fierce it hurt.

“Help!” I screamed, my voice raw and ragged. “Please, help us!”

I waved my arm wildly, praying they would see us through the haze of smoke. For a terrifying moment, nothing happened. The firemen continued their work, oblivious to our plight.

Oh God, what if they didn’t see us? What if they couldn’t reach us in time? Tears streamed down my face as I imagined the worst. I couldn’t let that happen. I wouldn’t.

“Up here!” I yelled again, louder this time. “We’re trapped!”

And then, miraculously, one of the firemen looked up. He pointed in our direction, shouting something to his teammates. Relief crashed over me like a wave.

“They see us, Taylor,” I whispered, hugging her tightly. “They’re coming. Just hold on a little longer, okay?”

She nodded against my back, her small hands fisted in my shirt. “I love you, Mommy.”

“I love you too, baby. More than anything.” I kissed the top of her head, my heart aching with the force of it. “We’re going to be all right. I promise.”

I closed my eyes and let myself believe we were going to make it.

* * *

Dawson

The alarm blared through the station, jolting me into action. “Apartment fire on 5th and Maple!” someone shouted. My heart pounded as I threw on my bunker gear, the heavy coat and pants weighing me down but also steeling my resolve. I joined my team as we raced to the fire truck, sirens already wailing.

As we sped through the city streets, I tried to calm my nerves and focus. Flames. Smoke. People trapped. This is what I trained for. What I lived for.

We screeched to a halt outside the burning apartment building, flames licking out the windows and thick black smoke billowing into the sky. My eyes watered from the acrid stench as I leaped out and assessed the inferno before me. It was worse than I thought. The fire had engulfed the entire building, all the way to the top floors, orange tongues of flame bursting through some of the top floor windows.

The captain walked off to assess the situation and I stared at the building in horror. Evan came up beside me letting out a long whistle. “Damn. Think someone’s Christmas lights caused this?”

I shrugged. This time of year, anything was possible. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

Cap came back and gave us our orders, and the crew got to work dousing the building. Another fire station responded, and soon we had two hoses trying to tame the flames. I wasn’t sure it was going to be enough.

Captain Briggs came over a few minutes later, his face grim. He pointed up, and I followed to a window on the top floor. “Dawson, we got a woman trapped on the eighth floor.”

My blood ran cold. “I’ll get her, Cap. Just get the ladder truck in place and --”

“No can do.” Briggs shook his head firmly. “The fire’s too intense. The building’s not stable, and the flames will weaken the ladder. No way to reach her.”

“Cap, we can’t just leave her!” I clenched my fists, my mind racing for a solution.

“Nothing we can do, son.” Briggs put a hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry. Sometimes, we lose people. You know this already. It’s part of the job.”

I shrugged him off, still staring at the raging flames. Like hell was I giving up on her. Not while there was still a chance. I scanned the adjacent building, an idea starting to form. It was risky as all get-out but it just might work.

The roar of the inferno faded as determination flooded through me. I knew what I had to do. I turned to Briggs, my voice low and urgent.

“I’ve got a plan, Cap. Trust me.”

Briggs narrowed his eyes at me, suspicion etched on his face. “What are you thinking, Dawson?”

I pointed to the adjacent building. “I can get to the roof from there, rappel down to her window, and bring her back up.”

“Are you out of your mind?” Briggs barked, his face turning red. “That’s suicide! I order you to keep your ass on the ground, Kane.”

But I was already moving, sprinting toward the neighboring building. Briggs shouted after me, but his words were lost in the chaos. I knew he was just trying to protect me, but I couldn’t stand by and do nothing. Not when a life hung in the balance.

I burst through the door of the adjacent building, my heart pounding in my chest. The stairwell stretched before me, a daunting climb to the top. But I didn’t hesitate, taking the steps two at a time, my bunker gear weighing me down.

Sweat poured down my face, my lungs burning with each breath. But I pushed through the pain, focusing on the task at hand. I had to reach the roof. I had to save her.

I reached the top floor, slamming through the door to the roof. The cool night air hit my face, a stark contrast to the heat of the stairwell. I rushed to the edge, my eyes scanning the burning building before me.

There, on the eighth floor, a window illuminated by the dancing flames. A woman leaned out the window, screaming for help. A little girl clung to her. My heart clenched at the sight.

I knew I didn’t have much time. The building could go at any moment.

I stepped back from the edge, my mind racing. The gap between the buildings was wide, the flames licking at the sides of the apartment complex. One wrong move, and it was all over.

But I couldn’t let fear take hold. This was what I was meant to do. Even if this next shift was my last, it didn’t matter. Every life I saved made it all worthwhile.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. The heat of the fire was palpable even from this distance. I forced myself to focus, to draw on every ounce of training and experience I had.

“You can do this, Dawson,” I whispered to myself, my voice barely audible over the roar of the flames. “You were born for this.”

I opened my eyes, my gaze locked on the window across the way. The woman and child were still there, the woman’s movements growing more desperate by the second.

My heart pounded in my chest, adrenaline coursing through my veins. I knew what I had to do.

I took a step back, my muscles coiled like a spring. The weight of my gear seemed to fall away, my mind crystal clear. I could almost feel the presence of my team below, their silent support giving me strength. Except the captain, who looked ready to murder me for defying his orders.

“Hang on,” I whispered, as if the woman could hear me. “I’m coming.”

And with that, I took a running start, my feet pounding against the rooftop. The edge rushed toward me, the gap between the buildings yawning wide.

But I didn’t hesitate. I pushed off with all my might, my body arcing through the air. For a moment, time seemed to stand still, the world falling away beneath me.

And then I was flying; the wind whipped past my face, and the flames reached up to meet me. My heart was in my throat, and my pulse pounded in my ears.

I didn’t look down. I kept my eyes on the prize, on the window growing larger with each passing second. I could see the woman’s face now, her features etched with fear and desperation.

I braced myself for impact, my body tensing as I prepared to land. The heat of the fire was overwhelming, and if it hadn’t been for my gear, I knew the smoke would have choked my lungs.

I landed on the opposite rooftop, rolling with the impact. One of my firefighter brothers was on the rooftop behind me, the one I’d just vacated. He held up a coil of rope and I nodded. I’d been so focused on reaching the woman and kid, I hadn’t even thought to grab anything. I’d have figured it out once I got there.

Evan ran toward the ledge, much like I had to just done, then he was airborne. He landed a little more gracefully than I had, then found a place to tie off the rope.

“I’m going to rappel down to the window,” I said.

Evan looked around. “Better hurry. This building isn’t going to stand much longer, and the flames will probably eat through the rope pretty quick.”

I nodded and braced my feet on the ledge of the building, my hand gripping the rope. It seemed to be holding, so I started my descent. The window came into view, and I swung through the opening.

The woman and her daughter were huddled in the corner, their faces streaked with soot and tears. The fire had already eaten through their door and was fast approaching.

“It’s okay,” I said, my voice steady. “I’m here to help.”

And as I gathered the little girl in my arms, then secured her to my back, I knew this was my calling… the one thing I was meant to do. I used the rope to climb back to the rooftop and handed the little girl off to Evan.

“Where’s the woman?” he asked.

“I’m going back for her. Get the girl out of here.”

Evan shook his head. “Not leaving you behind.”

I didn’t argue with him. Didn’t have the time to do so. I went back down and through the window again, this time getting the woman out of the burning building. The flames had already traveled across the carpeted floor and I knew even a second later, they’d have been blistering her skin. As it was, she might very well have burns from the heat.

The flames licked at us as I shielded the woman with my body. I went back up the rope, and as I looked up, I saw Evan’s frantic expression. That’s when I noticed the fire already trying to eat through the rope. It wasn’t going to hold. Making a drastic decision, I climbed faster, and when I thought I was close enough, I grabbed the woman’s arm.

“I need you to let go,” I shouted over the raging fire.

She shook her head. “No.”

“I’m going to toss you up to him. This rope is about to burn through.”

Her eyes widened, and her grip loosened enough for me to put my plan into action. I wrapped the rope around my leg and used my other to secure my hold. Keeping one hand on the top of the rope, I swung the woman up toward Evan.

He leaned over the rooftop, his fingers grasping at her hand. Once he’d grabbed hold, I let go of her. I watched as he pulled her onto the rooftop, and then I looked at where the flames were eating through the rope already.

Time was up.

I kicked the rope free of my feet, holding it in both hands now. Then I walked sideways to my left a few steps. Calculating the distance between my current location and the nearest window at the next building, I decided it was now or never. I ran, my feet pushing against the building until I reached the end, and then I was soaring through the air. The building was within reach, when the rope snapped.

My heart pounded in my chest, and I heard a roaring in my ears, as I started to fall. Thanks to my momentum and mass, I had just enough of an arced trajectory that I managed to grab hold of a windowsill on my way down. My shoulder screamed at me, and I grabbed hold of the bricks with my other hand.

Just as my grip was starting to slip, the window jerked up and another firefighter looked down at me.

“You going to hang out all day, or come inside?” He smirked.

“Fuck you. Get me the hell inside the building.”

He helped me over the windowsill and into what appeared to be someone’s bedroom. “We vacated this building and the one on the other side of the inferno. Not taking chances of a spark catching.”

“Good. Now let’s get down to the ground so the captain can chew my ass out.”

He snorted. “Damn right he will!”

In the stairway, I spotted Evan with the woman and child. Their faces were streaked with soot, but at least they were alive. I straightened, the weight of what we’d just accomplished hitting me like a ton of bricks. Everyone else had given up on them. If I hadn’t ignored the captain, these two would be dead right now.

I took a moment to catch my breath, the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. The little girl saw me and rushed toward me, throwing her arms around my waist in a tight hug. “Thank you, Mr. Fireman.”

I crouched down to her level, gently pulling back to look her in the eyes. By all rights, she should be crying and terrified. But I didn’t see any of that when I looked at her. This one had nerves of steel, even though she didn’t look to be more than four or five.

“You were so brave,” I told her, my voice filled with admiration. “You did everything just right.”

She beamed up at me, her smile bright despite the soot smudged across her face. Her mother stepped forward then, her eyes brimming with tears. “I don’t know how to thank you. You saved our lives.”

I shook my head, suddenly feeling self-conscious under the weight of her gratitude. “I was just doing my job, ma’am. Anyone else would’ve done the same.”

Evan snorted, and I knew he disagreed. But these two didn’t need to know I’d defied orders and rushed to save them. Even though they risked their lives every day, not one single man had dared go against the captain’s orders. Except me. If I hadn’t run into this building to access the one on fire, then no one would have dared to go after the two trapped in the flames. But they’d followed me, not wanting to leave a brother behind.

It was just who I was, who I’d always been. The son of a Dixie Reaper, born and raised to put others before myself. To run toward the danger, not away from it. My dad’s club might not be on the right side of the law, but I’d grown up watching him save people. Not in any conventional sense, but he’d still made a difference in the lives of quite a few women and children. And I was damn proud of him for it.

We made our way down to the ground. The rest of my team was already there, their faces a mix of relief and awe as they clapped me on the back.

“Hell of a stunt you pulled up there, Kane,” the captain said. “Thought for sure we were gonna be scraping you off the pavement.”

I grinned at him, my heart still racing in my chest. “Couldn’t get rid of me that easily, Cap. I’ve got nine lives, remember?”

He snorted, shaking his head. “Yeah, well, try not to use ‘em all up in one night, will ya? I don’t want to have to train a new recruit.”

I laughed, the sound echoing off the buildings around us. “No promises.”

I had no doubt he’d read me the riot act on my next shift. But for now, he was just glad we’d all made it out alive.

But even as I joked with my team, my mind was already spinning with the weight of what’d just happened. The image of the little girl’s face, the feel of her arms wrapped around me, and the sound of her mother’s sobs as I carried her to safety. I knew none of those things would leave me anytime soon.

It was moments like this that reminded me why I did what I did, why I risked my life day in and day out. To save lives, to make a difference, to be the hero someone needed in their darkest hour.

“Out of curiosity, how did you and the little one manage to get to the other rooftop and into the stairwell?” I asked, glancing at Evan.

“You really want to know?”

“Wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t,” I said.

“Took a running leap while holding her. I figured if she got some bumps and bruises it was still better than burning to death. Saw you outside the window on the way down the stairs.”

As I looked up at the sky, the stars twinkling above me like a million tiny lights, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. This was where I belonged, who I was meant to be. Dawson Kane, firefighter, hero, son of a Dixie Reaper.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The smoke billowed around us as we worked to keep the damage to a minimum. We hosed down the other two buildings, hoping it would be enough to keep the flames from taking hold of them as well.

“Kane, check the perimeter!” Cap shouted over the roar of the fire. “Make sure there aren’t hotspots or secondary ignition points.”

“On it!” I called back, already moving toward the edge of the building.

I reached the perimeter of the building and began my sweep, my eyes scanning the area for any signs of trouble. The smoke was starting to dissipate now, the flames slowly dying down under the onslaught of water from our hoses. Not that it was going to save the building. It would be a total loss, along with everything inside.

As I rounded the corner, I caught sight of something out of the corner of my eye. A flicker of movement in the shadows. I froze, my hand instinctively reaching for my radio. But before I could call it in, a figure emerged from the darkness. It was the woman from the apartment. What the hell was she doing over here? She should have been getting checked out by paramedics.

“Thank you for saving us.”

I felt a lump form in my throat as I nodded, my voice suddenly gone. The woman reached out and took my hand, squeezing it tightly. In that moment, I felt a connection to her. A bond forged in the heat of the flames and the desperation of the rescue.