Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty-Seven
brIDGER
“ T he condos, the rental building, and the lodge are all out,” Jones says as he gives me the status update. “The pub is the last still burning, but it was the most extensive. He probably started there first and then made his way from there. It’s a hot fucker.”
“And the surrounding homes and trees?”
“No damage,” he replies. “The resort is a mess and will likely need to be leveled and rebuilt, but that’s a problem for someone else.”
I nod, but I feel sick. This will have a huge impact on our economy and on people’s livelihoods. It could be devastating for some, and that asshole did it on purpose.
“Where is he?” Jones asks me.
“I assume he’s at the hospital by now. Ambulance took him an hour ago.”
Jones shakes his head. “What a twisted motherfucker. He did all of this because he was throwing a goddamn fit?”
“That’s the gist of it, yeah.” I sigh and watch as our guys send more water into the pub. “All those homes, the families hurt, all of this just because he didn’t get his way. Like a fucking toddler. Scratch that, my daughter didn’t throw fits this bad when she was a toddler.”
Jones sucks in a breath. “Yeah, well, I hope he doesn’t claim insanity or some shit and get away with it.”
“Me, too.”
“Chief!” I turn when Martinez comes running over to us. “We have another call in town. One of the engines is on the way there now.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I scowl at him. “Where?”
He rattles off the address, and sheer terror rolls through me.
“Isn’t that your house, Chief?” Jones asks.
“No, it’s across the street, but my whole world is in that house.” I take off to my truck. “Handle the rest of this, Jones!”
“I got it, Chief!”
Dani and Birdie went over there to pack. Jesus fucking Christ, they’re in the house.
I pick up the phone and call Dani, my heart hammering in my throat and blood rushing through my ears as I drive down the mountain toward town.
“This is Dani. Please leave a message?—”
“Fuck!” I end the call and try again, but it just rings and rings and rings in my ear until her voicemail picks up again. “They have to be out of the house. They have to be out of that fucking house.”
The road down to town is windy and treacherous, and add in the dark and it’s not quick or easy, and that only fuels my frustration and panic because I can’t get to my girls.
I can’t get to them.
Finally, I turn onto the road that gets me back into town, and as I approach, I can see the flames from two blocks away, where I have to park because the road is blocked off for the engines and first responders.
My blood runs cold when I see the ambulance.
In the second dead run of the night, I sprint down the middle of the street toward the fire, scanning the faces for Dani, but I don’t see her.
“Status,” I bark at my man as I approach the engine.
“It’s a loss, Chief. We’re focusing on keeping the homes around it safe while it burns out.”
“Was anyone inside?”
“Bridger!” And just like that, my heart starts to beat again. I turn in time to catch Dani, who launches herself in my arms, and I hug her close. “Oh, my God, Bridge, you’re here.”
“Hey, it’s okay. I’m right here. Birdie?”
“She’s okay,” she assures me. “She’s fine. She’s with Blake at Holden and Millie’s.”
“And why are you here?”
She shakes her head, almost like she’s in a daze. “Because I had to wait for you. ”
“No, Dani, you shouldn’t be here. This whole block is evacuated. Come on, we’re going to your brother’s.”
I lead her the few blocks to Holden’s and then see the group of them on Holden’s porch.
“I’m so sorry,” she says over and over again, her face pressed to my neck as she clings to me. I nudge her head up so I can look in her face, and she looks like she’s in shock. Her gorgeous face crumples, and the tears start to come. “I’m so sorry.”
“Hey, sweetheart, you didn’t do anything wrong.”
“That’s what we keep telling her,” Millie says as she runs her hand down Dani’s arm. “And she wouldn’t come back here with us.”
“Would someone please tell me what happened?”
Dani cries against my shoulder, hard sobs that break my fucking heart.
“I was there,” Blake says. He’s holding Birdie, who looks terrified, and I nod to the house.
“Daddy,” Birdie cries, and almost launches herself into my arms.
“It’s okay, peanut. I’m here.” And even though I’m covered in soot, I won’t stop Birdie from snuggling into my chest. “Let’s go inside.”
“Wait.” Dani lifts her head, pointing behind me. “Don’t you have to put out the fire?”
“I have men for that, kitten. They have it covered. You’re my priority right now. Let’s go inside. I want to know if my girls were ever in that fire.”
“No,” Dani says, shaking her head. “We were over there for a while after you dropped us off, but Birdie didn’t feel well, so we went home.”
Home.
“I left the lights on and everything over there because she was really bad, and I didn’t want to waste time getting her where she’s comfortable.”
I kiss her head and breathe her in, not caring at all that she smells like smoke. She’s safe, and she’s whole, and that’s all that matters. “Thank you.”
“Dani called me because Birdie really felt unwell,” Blake continues. “So I came to have a look. Cupcake threw up, and that set us in motion of cleaning everything up, including the kiddo.”
“So, we didn’t hear the oven timer go off,” Dani picks up. “I was baking cookies for Birdie and burned the last batch. But when I opened the windows, the smell was way worse than it should have been.”
“I saw the lights,” Birdie chirps and points out the window. “And then we saw the fire, and it was scary.”
“I bet that was scary.” I kiss Birdie on the cheek. “Are you feeling okay, peanut?”
“Yeah. I feel better. I’m not dizzy anymore.”
“You’re breathing okay, with all of that smoke?”
Birdie nods, but I make a mental note to grab the rescue inhaler and keep it on me for a few days, just in case.
“By the time we noticed what was going on, the fire was bad,” Blake says. “I have no idea when it started or who called 911. I didn’t see any signs of anything when I got to your place about an hour before. ”
“It’s an old house,” Holden says, his arm around Dani, holding her close. “I’m no fire chief, but it doesn’t surprise me that it went up quickly.”
“You’re right.”
“I swear, I didn’t leave anything else on,” Dani says, shaking her head and turning pleading eyes up to her brother. “Just the lights. I never turned on the oven or a curling iron or even the TV. I don’t know how this could have happened.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” Holden says, kissing her on the forehead.
“Mommy’s sad,” Birdie says to me, and we all quiet, turning our heads to her. “Don’t cry, okay? I’m sorry I got sick and we had to go home. Maybe it’s my fault.”
Dani pulls away from her brother and takes Birdie from me, hugging her close.
“This is not your fault,” Dani says to her as she kisses her cheek. “Don’t you even think that.”
Birdie takes Dani’s face in her tiny little hands and looks into her eyes. “Don’t cry, Mommy. It’s just an accident.”
“Well, damn,” Millie mutters as Dani starts to cry for all new reasons, and I just pull them both into my arms because I don’t know what else to do. “Might be the sweetest moment ever. I’m such a crier these days.”
Millie sniffles, so Holden wraps his arm around her. Then there’s a knock at the door, and Blake looks grateful to have something to do as he crosses the room to open it.
“Chase,” Blake says and stands back to let the man in .
“I thought you might be down here. Shitter of a night,” Chase says in greeting as he joins us in the living room. “We’ve made an arrest.”
“Good, that fucker deserves it,” I reply, shaking my head. “You arrested him at the hospital?”
“Arrested who?” Millie wants to know.
“The arsonist,” I reply.
“Oh, you found him?” Dani demands. “Who is it?”
“Can I have the attention again?” Chase asks, waving a hand. “Thanks. Yes, the arsonist is in custody, still at the hospital. But that’s not who I was referring to. We’ve made an arrest in regard to the fire across from your house, Bridge.”
Dani marches right over to him. “Who?”
Chase’s eyes move up from Dani’s to mine, and he blows out a breath. “It was Angela, Bridge.”
Dani gasps.
“What the fuck?” Blake asks as I set Birdie gently on the couch, and she cuddles into a blanket, and then I turn my attention back to Chase.
“Why?” Holden asks.
But I know.
“Because she was mad that I wouldn’t give her any money to stay away from us,” I reply. “And because she knew she’d destroy me if she hurt Dani.”
“She set the fire and then went to the Wolf Den, had a couple of drinks, and started bragging about it.” Chase shakes his head. “Brenda the bartender called us, and we arrested her.”
“Jesus,” Blake mutters .
Dani hasn’t moved. Hasn’t torn her gaze away from Chase. She’s just staring at him.
“She almost hurt my baby,” she finally says. “If we’d been over there, Birdie could have been hurt. So, I want you to promise me that that bitch is going to jail, and she’s going to stay there, or I’m going to hurt her.”
“I didn’t hear that last part,” Chase says and reaches out to squeeze her shoulder. “We have a strong case, Dani. She’s in a whole lot of trouble.”
“Not as much as she’ll be in if she gets out,” Dani mutters, turning to me, her eyes hot. “That. F?—”
“Okay.” I take her face in my hands and lean in to kiss her. I’m fucking furious, my blood is boiling, but I think Dani’s pissed enough for everyone in this room. “Take a breath, sweetheart.”
“I didn’t realize my sister had such a violent streak in her,” Holden says, and Millie smirks.
“No,” Blake says, shaking his head. “That’s a mama bear, and she’ll gut you without hesitation.”
“Damn right,” Dani mutters as I fold her into my arms.
“See?” I kiss the top of her head. “It wasn’t your fault at all. Thank God you brought Birdie home.”
“Yeah.”
“You’re incredible, baby.” I lift her chin and smile down at her. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.”
“Marry me.”
The room goes still, and Dani frowns up at me. “What? ”
“Yeah, I know, I’m the king at blurting shit out even though I’ve planned something romantic, but I don’t want to waste another second. You’re mine. We’re never letting you go. Marry me.”
“Yeah, marry us,” Birdie says, jumping to her feet and bouncing on the couch. “So we can wear pretty dresses!”
I hear Blake and the others mumbling and chatting, but I only have eyes for my girl.
“What do you say?”
“You want to marry me, even with all of my baggage, and?—”
“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to us.” I tip my forehead to hers. “You’re the piece that fits so seamlessly, so effortlessly, it’s as easy as breathing. You’re exactly what we need and who we love, and I don’t have a moment of hesitation about your past. I lived it alongside you for years, and you’ll continue to heal from it because you’re strong and amazing, and I’m in awe of you.”
“Wow,” I hear Millie say with a sigh.
“Holden already gave me his blessing to ask you,” I add for good measure, and her eyes, already full of tears, widen.
“He did?”
“I did,” her brother confirms. “I just want you to be happy.”
Without looking at her brother, Dani smiles up at me, two tears breaking loose and falling down her cheeks. “You do make me really happy. Sometimes I don’t know if I deserve to feel so good. ”
“Ah, kitten.” I kiss the tip of her nose. “You deserve the world. Let me give it to you.”
“Yes, Bridger Blackwell, I’ll marry you.”
“Yay!” Birdie wraps her little arms around our legs, hugging us close as the others applaud, and I grin down at my girl.
“Are you happy?” I ask her, and she nods. “Use your words.”
She bites her lip, and I tug it free with my thumb.
“I’m really fucking happy.”