Chapter 8
chapter eight
Brock
I wake to the sharp crack of shattering glass somewhere outside.
The sound slices through the quiet mountain night like a gunshot.
Beside me, Sadie stirs immediately, her body going rigid under my arm, her breathing shallow and quick.
I sit up fast, heart already pounding, and reach for the flashlight on the nightstand.
"Stay here," I tell her, voice low and urgent. "Lock the bedroom door behind me and don't come out until I say it's safe."
She sits up, clutching the sheet to her chest. Her eyes are wide in the darkness. "Brock, please be careful."
I lean over and kiss her forehead. "I will. I promise. Just stay put."
I pull on a pair of pants and head out. The house feels unnaturally quiet now.
I move through the living room and step onto the porch.
The flashlight beam sweeps across the yard and lands on my truck.
Both front windows are smashed, jagged glass still clinging to the frames.
The driver's side tires are slashed flat.
Ugly red paint drips down the doors in messy streaks, someone took their time with this.
I sweep the light across the trees and the driveway, but nothing moves.
No footsteps. No sign of whoever did it.
But I know. Deep in my gut, I know it was Ryan. He hasn't left town like I warned him to, and now he's escalating because he can't stand that Sadie chose me.
When I go back inside, Sadie's waiting just outside the bedroom door. She's pulled on my flannel and wrapped her arms around herself. "What happened?"
I pull her close. Her body trembles against mine. I rub her back slowly, trying to keep the anger out of my voice. "He vandalized my truck. Smashed the windows, slashed the tires, spray-painted it. He's pissed that you chose me, and he's lashing out."
She buries her face against my chest. "I'm so sorry, Brock. This is all my fault."
I tilt her chin up so she meets my eyes. "This isn't on you. Not for one second. He made his choices. Now I'll make mine. We'll get through this together."
The next morning, I file the police report at the station. The guys gather around while I explain what happened. Ramirez shakes his head and mutters a curse. "That bastard has some nerve. Want me to drive by your place a few extra times on my shifts?"
I nod. "I'd appreciate it. I hate leaving Sadie alone right now, but I can't skip my rotations."
The next two days crawl by with a tension that won't break.
Every time I leave for a shift, I check the locks twice.
Every time I come home, I scan the property for signs he's been back.
Sadie tries to act normal, cooking dinner, reading on the porch, but I see the way her shoulders tense when a car passes on the road below.
I see her checking the windows more than she used to.
On the third day, I'm out front replacing a section of fence when his dark truck rolls past. Slow. Too slow. I step into the middle of the road and raise my hand. He stops but keeps the engine running. I walk right up to his window.
"Stay away from my house," I say, keeping my voice low and steady even though my hands want to curl into fists. "Stay away from Sadie. You aren't welcome here, and you never will be."
Ryan gives me that same smug smile that makes my blood boil. "She'll come back to me eventually. You're just the rebound." He leans closer to the window. "She gets scared and runs, but she always needs me to bring her back."
My jaw tightens. "She's not scared of me. She's building a life here. Leave town. This is the last time I'm asking nicely."
He stares at me for a long moment, then shifts the truck into drive and pulls away without another word. I stand there watching his taillights disappear around the curve, my chest tight with anger and a worry that won't let up.
That night, I get called in for an overnight shift. Sadie walks me to the door and kisses me long and slow. "Come home safe to me."
"I always will," I promise. I check every lock one more time before I leave. "Call me if anything feels off. Anything at all."
I hate driving away, but duty calls. I'm halfway through paperwork at the station when the radio crackles with my own address. Garage fire. Possible structure involvement. I'm moving before the dispatcher finishes speaking. Ramirez is already climbing into the engine.
"She'll be okay," he says as we race up the mountain. "Sadie's tough. You know that."
I nod, but my hands grip the seat until my knuckles go white.
All I can picture is her trapped inside, smoke filling the rooms. When we crest the hill, I see the flames.
The detached garage is fully engulfed, fire licking out the windows, the roof starting to collapse.
It's spreading faster than a normal garage fire should.
I jump out of the truck before it fully stops and sprint toward the house.
"Sadie!" I shout as loud as I can.
No answer at first. I kick the front door open and thick smoke pours out. I pull my mask on and go in low, calling her name again. I hear coughing from the hallway, she's trying to find her way out, one hand on the wall. I reach her in seconds and scoop her into my arms.
"I've got you," I say against her hair. She clings to me as I carry her back outside into the fresh air.
My crew already has hoses working on the garage.
I set her down on the grass well away from the smoke and kneel in front of her, my hands moving over her arms and face, checking for burns or injuries. "Are you hurt anywhere?"
She shakes her head, coughing hard. "I thought the house was empty. I didn't know he'd go this far." Another cough racks her body. "I was reading in the bedroom when I smelled the smoke."
I pull her into my lap and hold her tight while she catches her breath. Then I catch movement near the back of the house. Ryan. He's sneaking toward the rear door, thinking the crew's too distracted by the fire to notice. I stand up fast.
"Stay with her," I tell Ramirez.
I move quick and quiet, catching Ryan just as he reaches for the back door handle. I grab the back of his shirt and slam him against the siding. "You set this fire?"
He twists in my grip. "She shouldn't be here with you. She belongs with me. I was just trying to smoke her out so we could talk."
I see red. My forearm presses against his throat. "She's not yours. She never was. You're done terrorizing her."
He struggles, but I don't let go until two of my guys pull me off him. The sheriff arrives minutes later, lights flashing. They cuff Ryan right there in the yard. He keeps shouting as they shove him into the back of the cruiser. "She'll always be mine, Wilder! This isn't over!"
I watch the taillights disappear down the mountain road. My hands are still shaking. I flex my fingers, trying to work out the adrenaline.
When I turn back, Sadie sits on the grass wrapped in a blanket someone gave her. Soot streaks her face. Her eyes are red-rimmed and glassy. She stares at the smoldering garage like she's not quite sure what just happened.
I drop down beside her and pull her into my arms. She comes willingly, burying her face against my neck. Her body shakes, small tremors I can feel through my shirt. Tears soak into my collar, hot against my skin.
I don't say anything. Just hold her. My hand moves up and down her back in slow strokes. Her breathing gradually evens out. The trembling stops.
The crew finishes extinguishing the last of the flames. Ramirez approaches with paperwork. I sign where he points without looking at it. The sheriff takes my statement while Sadie stays tucked against my side. She doesn't let go of my shirt.
When everyone finally leaves, I stand and pull her up with me. She sways slightly. I scoop her into my arms and carry her toward the house. She doesn't protest, just rests her head on my shoulder.
Inside, the smell of smoke clings to everything. I take her straight to the bathroom and turn the shower on hot. Steam fills the small space. I help her out of her soot-covered clothes, then strip off my own gear.
Under the spray, she stands with her eyes closed. Water runs black down the drain at first, carrying away ash and fear. I reach for the shampoo and work it gently through her hair. My fingers massage her scalp in slow circles. She leans into my touch.
She picks up the soap and runs it over my chest, my arms. Her hands move carefully, wiping away the grime from the call. Every touch lingers, like she's making sure I'm real, that I'm here.
When we're clean, I turn off the water and wrap her in a towel. She shivers despite the steam. I dry her off slowly, then myself. Lead her to the bedroom.
The sheets are cool when I pull them back. She climbs in and I follow, gathering her against my chest. My hand strokes her back, long, slow movements. Her muscles gradually relax under my palm.
She lifts her head. Her eyes meet mine. Something shifts in her expression, the fear draining away, replaced by something softer. Warmer.
I kiss her. Gentle at first. She responds, her mouth opening under mine. Her hands slide up my chest to my shoulders. I roll her onto her back and settle between her thighs.
We move together slowly. Carefully. Her breath catches with each thrust. My forehead rests against hers. Her fingers thread through my hair.
When she comes, it's quiet, just a soft gasp and her body tightening around me. I follow moments later, burying my face in her neck.
Afterward, I hold her close. Her breathing evens out. Deepens. Her body goes heavy against mine as sleep takes her.
I stay awake longer, listening to her breathe, feeling her heartbeat against my ribs.