Chapter 37 Here With Me
HERE WITH ME
Wyatt
“Mother fuck, what is that noise?” I muttered.
The buzzing on the side table by my head was incessant, to say the least.
Meowwwww. Meow. Meowwww.
“Fuck sake, CC, really? I thought we were friends now. Why are you screaming at me?” I questioned as I tried to rub sleep from my eyes and figure out what was wrong with him. “The sun isn’t even up yet, man.”
Ember was curled up against my back, her arm wrapped around my waist, and her hand resting against my chest. Trying to reach for my phone and not wake her at the same time wasn’t the easiest task when she slept like this, but damn did I love it when she slept like this anyway.
Normally, it didn’t matter because I didn’t give two fucks about my phone when we were together, but right now, I had to make that noise stop.
Finally pulling it close enough to look at, I realized rather quickly what I was looking at. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I grunted.
“What’s wrong?” Ember whispered from beside me, her voice still very much asleep.
“Okay, little flame, time to get up. Quick, baby,” I said hastily. Jumping up, I slid my sweatpants back on and then reached under the bed, pulling out the cat carrier Ember kept there. “Ember!” I yelled, the sudden overwhelming panic setting into my voice.
She shot up in bed, looking around. “Why the fuck are you screaming at me? Wait…what’s that smell?”
“That is why I’m yelling. Fire and rescue squad are on their way. I need you dressed. Now.” I was trying to stay calm for her sake, but inside I was doing my best not to panic. This was not my forte. I was good under pressure when in front of a computer, not life or death situations.
The sirens in the distance were the only thing keeping me going at this point. It would be fine.
While she got out of bed and slid on clothes, I grabbed CC and shoved him in his carrier. Was he pleased? Not even a bit. But I was just happy he didn’t try to run and hide; instead, he tried to wake us up. “More catnip is in your future, buddy, and fresh fish,” I muttered.
I opened the window on the side of the bed and set CC’s carrier outside on the fire escape, along with my work bag. Turning back towards Ember, I started to question what the fuck she was doing when I registered what was happening. She was staring at her phone.
“Wyatt,” she whispered.
Sprinting over, I snatched the phone from her and shoved it into my pocket.
Arms on both her shoulders, I gave her a stern shake.
This was the first time I’d ever laid hands on her in a way that wasn’t sexual, and it had my stomach churning with unease, but I needed her with me and focused.
“Ember Rae, I love you baby, but I need you here with me, not down there. Do you understand?”
She nodded, tears in her eyes.
“Good girl. CC is out there, and that is where I need you to be, okay? Outside of this building with our boy.”
She nodded again, and I pushed her towards the window. Once she was outside, I climbed out with her just as the fire engines were pulling up, hoses coming unraveled, one of them finished pulling the ladder down for the fire escape, and Ember climbed down.
Bag on my back, CC under one arm, I climbed halfway down before handing CC off to the firefighter, and my feet were back on solid ground.
“Come with me,” he said. “Is anyone else in the building?” He was staring at Ember, but her eyes hadn’t left the building itself as smoke billowed out the far windows.
“No one else is here, just us,” I replied for her.
Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, I took CC back, and we walked to the other side of the fire trucks, where the ambulances were parked and waiting.
I knew she was okay, but I still let an EMT look her over.
The next two hours were spent watching them put out the fire and then rummage through the remains of my girls’ pride and joy to find the source of the blaze.
From where we were sitting, it looked like the damage was to the lower half—so the bakery—but I wasn’t an expert, and I knew the upstairs would be trashed from the hoses putting out the fire.
By hour number three, a police officer finally approached us.
“Ember Brady?” he said. She nodded but still didn’t speak. “I’m Detective Montague. How are you?”
I watched as she just shrugged. He stared at her for a moment before looking towards me.
“You are?” he questioned. It was so rare I got that question in this town that I almost chuckled, until I realized that he was with the state, not a county cop, and had no idea who the fuck I was.
“Wyatt Carragan, I’m her boyfriend,” I said calmly.
“Okay, well Ms. Brady. It seems the fire started in the middle of your bakery. Accelerant was used, spread around the entirety of the entryway and main level. Do you have any idea how—” I held up a hand, cutting him off, because I knew where these questions were going. I wasn’t stupid.
“Before you head down that road, we have security footage of every angle of the bakery, including the apartment above where we were sound asleep when the fire started. The only reason we even woke when we did was because of said security. It alerted me to increased temperatures, and when the smoke alarms went off, it alerted you. I’d be happy to send over everything from whatever window of time you’d like to look into. ”
He eyed me skeptically at first before nodding and handing me his business card that included his number and email.
“The fire marshal said it burned for about four minutes before they arrived. You were lucky you were so quick to act. Thankfully, the building is solid brick, so it wouldn’t have spread, but it would’ve climbed.
Could’ve been a much different outcome if you hadn’t woken up when you did.
” He shifted on his feet before his eyes met mine.
“If you could send me two hours before the fire until now, I’d appreciate it.
” He looked back over to Ember. “Ms. Brady, I’ll be in contact with some questions, but for now, I’ll let you guys try to rest and clean up. ”
“Thank you, Detective Montague,” I replied when Ember just leaned her head on my shoulder and said nothing.
He walked away, back to talk to the fire marshal, if I had to guess.
“Where are we going to go?” Ember whispered. “Do we even have a car key?”
“Mine was in my bag, don’t worry. We’ll go to my place tonight and work the rest out after we get some sleep, okay?” My arm wrapped around her shoulder, I pulled her in tight, and kissed the top of her head.
A slow breath out and back in. At least it wouldn’t take much investigating to figure out who was responsible. We had a pretty solid idea of exactly who was behind this.
Pulling into my driveway, I put the car into park as the dashboard clock read four oh two in the morning. We weren’t able to go back into the apartment because the building hadn’t been approved as structurally sound yet. We hadn’t been upstairs to the apartment either, but I assumed it was flooded.
I looked over at her. She was leaning against the passenger door, her gaze on the outside of the window and CC in her lap. Reaching over, I took her hand in mine and squeezed.
“Let’s get you inside and in the shower. We’ll clean off and try to get some sleep. We can figure out clothes and shit in a few hours, okay?” I asked, my voice still quiet.
She nodded and unbuckled herself before sliding CC back into his carrier despite his protests. He didn’t want to be away from her, and I didn’t blame him because neither did I.
I got her inside, locked the house back up, and let CC out of his carrier so he could find his own way around the house. It didn’t take much coaxing to get her up the steps and into the master bedroom.
Undressed and in the warm shower, my hands placed on her shoulders, I turned her around so her back was under the water spray.
“Head back, little flame.” I was doing my best to keep my tone gentle with her as she listened, her dark red hair dipping beneath the stream of water.
Shampoo, conditioner, getting her clean, all of it went by in a flash.
A silent flash, because she still hadn’t spoken a word since she asked me where we’d go.
I knew it was a symptom of her shock, but it didn’t seem to stop me from worrying about her.
Once we were both clean, I dried her off with a fluffy towel and slipped one of my t-shirts over her body and a pair of boxers on mine.
I made her sit on the edge of the bed while I brushed through her hair and then towel-dried it the best I could.
I didn’t own a blow dryer, and to be honest, even the brush was a new purchase.
The wet hair didn’t seem to be bothering her though.
Pulling the blankets back, I nodded my head towards the bed and watched as she climbed in. Once I was beside her, I pulled her back against my chest and wrapped my arm tightly around her.
Her body was perfectly still, even her breath barely moving her chest.
“I’m here, Ember. You aren’t alone. It’ll be okay,” I whispered into the darkness.
She shook her head. “If you hadn’t been there Wyatt…”
Her voice trailed off, but we both knew what she was implying. If I hadn’t been there, she and CC may not have made it. My chest felt tight just thinking about that fact.
“You don’t know that. Don’t let your mind go there. You’re both safe here, and I’ll do anything in my power to ensure you stay that way.”
She rolled over so she was facing me, her dark eyes staring up at me—eyes filled with fear of the unknown, unshed tears, but also unspoken gratitude. I wasn’t sure why she was grateful. All I did was protect her, and as a man who loved her, that was my one and only true job.
“You told me you loved me,” she whispered after another moment. “Did you mean it? Or was it just something you said because it was—”
“Stop,” I said, cutting her off. “I said it because I meant it, and if the worst was going to happen? I refused to leave this world without you knowing. I’m in love with you, Ember Rae. So damn in love.”
I leaned down, my hand cupping her jaw as I kissed her. Cutting her off again before she could say anything more.
“Now, go to sleep.”
My hand went back to her waist, and I closed my eyes, effectively ending the conversation, or at least trying to.
“I can’t say it back?” she asked, her tone a little stronger now and filled with indignation.
“Nope. I don’t want to hear it while you’re stressed and still in shock from everything that just happened.
I can wait till you’re clear-headed and ready to drop to your knees and beg me to let you say it.
” I opened an eye and peeked down to see her pouting slightly, and I chuckled. “Good night, little flame.”
She sighed and cuddled up against my chest. “The doors are locked, right?”
“Locked extra tight, alarm is on, and my phone is on loud just in case anything happens,” I said confidently.
I felt her nod and lean her forehead against my bare chest.
“Thank you, Batman,” she whispered.
“Anything for you, Poison Ivy.”