Chapter 31
GRAE
Fear pulsed through me. “Where?” I asked, scrambling off Caden’s lap.
Nash glanced at Caden before looking back at me as if he didn’t want to answer.
“Where?” I demanded.
“Vacation Adventures.”
Caden cursed as he stood. “When?”
“The call just went out,” Nash said. “Got a text from Law. He’s already there.”
I grabbed for Caden’s hand, needing the reassurance of his touch. “We have to go. I need to see how bad.”
Worry streaked across Caden’s face. “It could be a coincidence.”
“Do you really think so?” I asked.
He cursed again. “No. Come on.”
Nash led us to the hall, where Holt, Wren, and Maddie were already waiting.
Maddie wrapped me in a hug. “You okay?”
“Not really.”
Wren rubbed a hand up and down my back. “Let’s see what’s what. Maybe it’s not as bad as we think.”
My stomach roiled as a million and one different possibilities ran through my head, but I nodded.
Holt motioned to a back door, and we filed out of it. Caden wrapped an arm around me as we rounded the building to Main Street. Sirens sounded from down the street, and the air had a faint glow.
We all picked up our pace. But when the Vacation Adventures building came into view, I gasped. The entire structure was completely engulfed in flames.
“Oh my God,” Wren whispered.
“It’s all my fault.”
My words were barely audible, but Caden heard them. He wrapped me in his arms. “This isn’t on you.”
But it was. If I didn’t work there, none of this would’ve happened. I burrowed into Caden’s chest. “This is Jordan’s livelihood.”
He’d worked so hard to build his business. Now, because of me, it was all going up in smoke.
Caden’s arms tightened around me. “We’ll help him rebuild. I’m sure he has insurance.”
But it was more than that. Someone was trying to destroy my life one piece at a time, and I was terrified of what they might do next.
“Grae!”
My head lifted as Noel and Eddie jogged over to us. Both their eyes were wide.
“What the hell is going on?” Eddie asked.
“We’re not sure yet,” Caden answered for me.
“Where’s Jordan?” I croaked.
Noel inclined his head toward a group of officers. Jordan was talking to Lawson and looking supremely pissed off. I guessed angry was better than sad, but I was sure grief would hit him later.
Firefighters surrounded the building, spraying more water on the blaze.
Noel eyed Caden and me. “Do they know what started it?”
Holt shook his head. “We don’t know anything yet. Nash just went to try and get some more info. I’m texting my team to check the footage from the cameras I put in and see if we got anything.”
I glanced over to see Nash talking with Clint, but I doubted they had anything to share.
“This is insane,” Eddie muttered.
A muscle ticked in Caden’s cheek. “You need to talk to my brother. We had a run-in tonight.”
Nausea swept through me. If Gabe did this, Caden would hold himself responsible.
No one said anything else as we watched the firefighters battle the blaze. They got it under control remarkably fast, but the damage had been done. Even though the structure still stood, it would surprise me if it wasn’t a complete loss.
Jordan ambled toward us, looking lost. My stomach dropped.
I stepped out of Caden’s hold and crossed to him. “I’m so sorry.”
Jordan wrapped me in a hug, holding on tightly. “I can’t believe this happened.”
I swallowed hard. “It might be my fault.”
Jordan reared back, his gaze cutting to my face. “You think this is the same person who set your house on fire?”
“How could it not be?”
Jordan gripped my shoulders. “This isn’t your fault.”
I bit the inside of my cheek. “If I didn’t work here, it probably wouldn’t have happened.”
He ducked his head. “Grae. We’ve known each other for pretty much our entire lives. Do you really think I’d hold you accountable for something like this?”
“No, but—”
“Good. Because I never would. This could all be an accident. Some faulty wiring or something. Let’s not borrow trouble just yet.”
I sighed. Hoping for that felt ridiculous at this point, but I didn’t want to argue with him. “Okay.”
He released me, turning toward the building as firefighters made their way inside. “This is going to be a shit show.”
“You know I’ll help however I can. Pull extra hours to go through whatever they can salvage. Anything.”
Jordan glanced down at me. “I know. You’ve always got my back.”
“Always.”
Caden stepped up behind me, wrapping an arm around my chest. “I’m sorry, man.”
Jordan’s jaw hardened, but he nodded. “Thanks.”
Eddie and Noel joined us. Eddie winced as he took in the wreckage. “This blows, boss.”
“You call the insurance company yet?” Noel asked. “They’ll cover it, right?”
Jordan nodded. “Someone’s coming out in the morning. We’ll just have to wait and see how much damage was done.”
My stomach churned. How many memories did this cottage hold for me? Too many to count. It had been my first job out of school, the one where I proved to myself and my family that I could stand on my own two feet. We’d shared a million laughs here, and even a few tears.
A firefighter emerged from the building and strode across the parking lot to Lawson, holding something that looked like a box. He and Lawson shared a handful of words as Lawson snapped on gloves and took out an evidence bag.
The firefighter opened the box, and Lawson stared inside for a handful of moments. Then there was a flurry of movement—more police officers and a crime scene tech.
My stomach hollowed out as dread pooled there.
None of us said anything as Lawson looked up, locking eyes with me. His expression was unreadable, but he started toward our group. His steps were heavy, slow. Each one had my heart racing faster.
Lawson came to a stop in front of Caden and me.
“What is it?” I whispered.
A muscle below his eye fluttered. “One of the firefighters found a fireproof box sitting on your desk.”
“What? I don’t have one of those.”
Lawson nodded. “He thought it was odd, so he opened it. This was inside.”
Lawson held up a clear evidence bag. Inside was a photo.
It took a moment for me to place the image. It was of Caden and me walking back from that first lunch at Dockside. But someone had scratched out Caden’s face. And in bright red letters it read:
YOU DON’T BELONG TO HIM.