Chapter 45
I scoured the area for Bella, but she was nowhere to be found. Something wasn’t right, she wouldn’t have run off.
“Qué diablos estaba pensando?!” I screamed, the frustration and anger taking over instantly.
“Arturo, what’s going on? We’ve been waiting for your signal to start the exercise.” Tyler came darting through the trees, his eyes filling with worry the more he spoke.
I ignored Tyler’s confused looks and pulled out my phone.
“Now isn’t the time for a game of Angry Birds, mate, what are you doing?” Tyler demanded.
“Shut it! I’m trackin’ my girl.” Opening the app, within seconds I’d located her.
“What the fuck is that?” Tyler asked, trying to yank the phone from my hold. “Have you got a tracker on her?” The shock in his voice grated against my nerves.
“Look, I ain’t got time to discuss this now?—.”
“Arturo, is that smoke?” Tyler asked, pointing in the same direction the app was indicating for us to go.
“Boss!” Two of the guys ran through the trees, with a look on their face I hated. “It’s James and Sanchez. They’re dead, throats slit cleanly.”
“FUCK!” I roared, anger taking over. “You three go get Lorenzo and Red.” I ordered, already sprinting towards the Jeep.
“I’m coming with you!” Tyler was hot on my heels.
“Go home, Ty. That’s not a request.” I hissed. No sooner was I in the driver’s seat but the little shit was right there in the passenger seat. I slammed my palm against the steering wheel. “Tyler, get your arse out of the car, now! This shit is too fuckin’ dangerous.”
“You drive. I’ll navigate.” he said, grabbing my phone.
“Fuck’s sake.”
Not having the time to argue, I started up the Jeep and sped off toward the smoke.
Tyler remained silent. Clearly both of us were shaken up and didn’t know what to say.
All I could think was I’d fucked up. I’d become too cocky, thinking I had it all planned out in my head, despite knowing there was a threat still out there, lurking and waiting until I dropped the fucking ball.
After a few miles or so, we pulled up to the house in record time.
Bloody hell.
The house was completely engulfed in flames with no signs of the wankers that had taken her.
“BELLA!” I shouted to the air. When no answer came, I pressed my lips together and sprinted to the door.
I didn’t know how I’d get to her, but I had to.
She needed me and I wasn’t about to lose another person I loved.
As I brought my heel to the front door, booting it open, but a noise to my left told me I wasn’t alone.
“Tyler for fucks sake, wait here!” I demanded, but the stubborn little fucker simply shook his head.
“We’re both going.” his eyebrows furrowed. I closed my eyes briefly before turning back to the doorway. I wasn’t confident this piece of shit could manage my weight, let alone two of us! Besides, he wasn’t ready for something like this. He was clumsy and uncoordinated, and?—
“It’s Bella, A…” I glanced over my shoulder to see his eyes had become glassy. Dammit. He was her best friend. There was no way he was letting me go without him.
“Just… stay behind me. And for fucks sake do exactly what I tell you to do, got it?” I gritted out.
He nodded as I tied a spare shirt from the Jeep over my face, psyching myself up for whatever waited for us inside.
With a deep breath, I darted into the house, relying on instinct and rigorous training to guide me on where to step as we made it to the first floor.
As I turned, spotting what looked like cable ties, a floorboard beneath me groaned loudly. Flinging my arms out and ducking down, I shouted over my shoulder at Tyler.
“Ty, be careful! The floor is caving in. We’ve got to do this nice and slow.
” Facing forward again, I squeezed my eyes shut against the sting of the smoke.
It was then I realised the flames were getting worse the higher we climbed.
Gritting my teeth, I walked on what seemed to be the stablest beam, taking it one step at a time.
The fire above us made the back of my head burn, but I ignored it. All I cared about was getting to her.
“What if we don’t find her?” Tyler shouted over the pops and cracks of caving windows, and falling beams.
“We’ll find her. I won’t leave until I do.” A yelp at my back forced me to turn. Tyler was struggling to keep his balance and avoid the growing holes in the floor. “Tyler, go back outside, it’s too dangerous for the pair of us in here.”
“No—” he coughed. “I’m not leaving.”
“Tyler, go outside and wait for your dad, please!” I begged. “It’s getting more dangerous and I can’t protect us both.” Once again, his stubborn arse didn’t listen.
“Arturo, she’s my friend—” he started.
“And you’re mine.” His eyes flashed with an unknown emotion.
It was true. Despite what a pain in the arse he was at times, he had become someone I didn’t despise.
I’d actually become fond of his company and easy banter.
“Now get your arse back outside! I’ll find her.
I promise.” His lips tipped up as he nodded and finally turned back.
A strong wave of relief filled me as I watched him turn the corner to head back downstairs.
But just as his foot went to hit the first step, a crack right above his caught my eye.
“Wait, Ty! Step back?—”
My heart stopped as the beam directly above his head snapped. Tyler’s eyes went wide as he raised his arms and tried to move forward.
But it was too late.
“TY!”
I watched in horror as the beam tumbled down, slamming Tyler into the step below with sickening crunch. A split second later, the staircase gave a huge groan before crumbling down and caving to ground below, taking Tyler’s unconscious form with it.
“TYLER!” I yelled, peering over the edge of the remaining bannister.
There in amongst the rubble he lay, his body twisted with a large shaft of wood piercing through his front.
Blood spilled from his mouth as he coughed.
My eyes welled with tears as he used the remaining strength he had to gesture his hand for me to keep going.
Now I had two people to save. I’d find my girl, then get Tyler.
I darted through the flames, until I came to a dead end. Where the fuck was she?
“BELLA!” I yelled, coughing against the smoke. I bent over trying to force cleaner air into my lungs and when I stood and looked up, I saw it. A roar of anger left me as I spotted the hatch with no way of getting up there.
Think, you stupid fuck. Think!
My eyes landed on what seemed to once be the ladder, shattered halfway.
It had one hook hanging on by a few rusty nails, the other one seemed to have been busted off.
I flung the good half toward the opening, hooking it into its rightful place.
With a grunt, I threw a leg up, just about managing to get my foot on.
It wasn’t going to hold me for long, so there was no room for mistakes.
The wood was softening as I finally reached her, she was unconscious and it pained me to wonder how long she’d been like this.
“I’m here, my love.” I whispered, scooping her limp body up into my arms, her breathing was shallow and her face was stained with smoke.
I felt sick, sick that I could lose her if I didn’t get her out in time.
I ripped off the shirt that was wrapped around my mouth and placed it over Bella’s.
She needed it more than I did, fuck knows how much smoke and other shit she’d ingested.
Dropping down from the ceiling, I cursed as I landed awkwardly on my ankle.
With the staircase now gone from the second floor we’d need another way out.
Making a split decision, I shoved my way into what looked like an old bedroom, at least in here it wasn’t completely covered in flames.
Setting Bella down, I shoved at the boarded up windows.
There was a garage below. Fucking jackpot!
Pushing the windows out as far as they would go I bent and picked Bella up and swivelled us out.
Ignoring the distance, I shuffled the edge of the window and as gently as I could, slid down the side of the house.
As I landed the tile beneath my feet came loose and we both slid quickly off the side.
Luckily, we landed in a bush which cushioned the fall.
Cursing and wincing against my screaming ankle, I carried Bella away from the house. I lay her on her grass, breathing her in one last time before I turned my attention back to the house that looked ready to explode.
Tyler .
“I’ll be back, my love, I need to get to Tyler.” I could only hope she heard me, I could only hope she knew where I was going. “I love you, always remember that,” there was no guarantee I would walk out of there alive, but at least she’d know I loved her.
As I kissed her lips, I heard a car in the distance, I strained my eyes to find Lorenzo’s SUV revving down the driveway. He jumped out of the car before it had even come to a halt.
“Isabella!” he screamed, racing over to us. “Arturo, what the fuck happened?!”
“I’ll explain, but I need to get Tyler.” I sprinted off toward the house, not listening to a word Lorenzo was screaming.
“Where’s my son, Arturo?” Red called after me, but I couldn’t risk turning back. I had one mission right now, and that was to bring my friend out… alive.
I battled through the smoke, but it was so dark and thick it was near enough impossible to see a damn thing.
Fuck! Where the fuck are you, Ty?!
I hauled myself to the floor above, desperately searching the fallen debris for any sign of him. I had just about given up hope when a glint of blue caught my eye.
“Tyler! Fuck, I’m comin’.”