Page 136 of Wild Embers
CHAPTER 34
WALKER
“Can you drive any faster?” Levi complains from the passenger seat.
“I’m going as fast as I can without causing an accident,” I grumble. Even still, I push the gas pedal further toward the floor.
We saw the smoke about a mile back. The dread only grows the closer we get.
“Neither of them are answering,” Levi complains, pulling his phone away from his ear.
All I can think is that I need to get there. I need to see Blake.
We had sex this morning, and then I fucked it up.
I pushed her away.
If she’s hurt…
No.
I shove the thought aside.
We pull in through the front gate and circle the main house to the back, where all the commotion is going on.
I scan the crowd for Blake and Santiago, but come up empty. Instead, I find the fire department is in the midst of putting out the fire while the wranglers gather the horses in a nearby corral.
Where are Blake and Santiago?
Parking my truck, Levi and I hop out at the same time and dart forward.
Relief cools my alarm when I spot Blake standing outside the open doors at the back of the ambulance.
“There,” I shout to Levi, pointing to Blake.
Darting toward the EMT, I call for her. “Blake!”
She whirls, almost too quickly, like she’s on edge. But when her eyes land on Levi and me, her body visibly relaxes. Her movements turn sluggish as she runs toward us.
Reaching her first, I wrap her up in a comforting hug.
She doesn’t argue. She doesn’t tease. She doesn’t tell me to put her down.
And that’s what scares me.
She’s afraid.
Blake nestles her nose into my neck like she needs to reassure herself just as much as I need it.
Levi taps me on the shoulder and raises a brow when I look at him, his implication clear.
I pass Blake to him, and he holds her close. I search her back for anything amiss.
“I’m okay,” Blake claims.
Levi pulls back and refutes, “I think we’ll be the ones who decide that.”
We each give her a thorough scan as we ask a million questions, looking for signs of burns, smoke inhalation, blood, a concussion…
