Page 125 of Ashes

Parking lot. Mateo. Unending days. Fire.

Suddenly, my other senses awakened. I was warm and felt something hard pressed against me. That same something stirred against me and I peered down.

My heart halted when I saw who it was.

Jamal.

He was slumped face down on my lap, the lower half of his body in a high back chair beside my bed. One of his arms was tucked beneath his chest, the other outstretched above his head, clasping my hand in his.

I closed my eyes, trying to keep the tears at bay.

He came for me.

I didn’t think I would ever see him again. Or anyone for that matter.

A faint smile of relief tugged at my lips. My husband was here with me and by the looks of it, it seemed he hadn’t left my side since however long I’d been here.

The last thing I remembered was being on the hard floor of the warehouse Mateo had brought me to, scorching warmth licking my face as I watched Mateo run away and…

The explosion.

Is he dead?

I hoped he was because if that wasn’t the case, knowing my husband, he wouldn’t be alive for much longer.

Extending my free arm, I ran a hand over his hair as I took him in. He looked exhausted and my heart twisted inmy chest. I smoothed my palm down the side of his face and over his scruffy beard.

Being able to feel him, to touch him brought me so much comfort. I was flooded with emotion. I felt a tear escape and before I knew it, I was crying. Like a dam had broken and I couldn’t hold them back anymore.

I didn’t remember the last time I actually cried. I was always the type of person to put my emotions aside, telling myself that I’d deal with them later, but now everything came crashing back like a tidal wave.

“You’re okay,mon amour,” a soft voice said. I felt a shift in the bed I was lying in. “I’ve got you,” Jamal whispered, curling his arms around my body. “I’m right here.”

I snuggled into him and closed my eyes, burying my face into his shirt.

“You found me,” I choked out.

He kissed my forehead. “I never would have stopped looking for you, Sienna.” Then he tilted my head away from his shirt and pressed a gentle kiss on each of my closed eyelids, like he was trying to kiss my tears away. “Never.”

I opened my eyes and looked up at him. He cupped my wet cheek and brushed his thumb over it, wiping the streaks away. “There’ll never be enough words to express how sorry I am for failing you.”

Failing me? Does he think I blame him for what happened to me?

I tipped my head up and with the little energy I had, mylips gently touched his. Pulling away, my eyes were back on his. “You did not fail me. What Mateo did was on him, not you. Got it?”

He gave me a small smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “How are you feeling?” he asked, shifting the conversation.

“My limbs are sore and my chest hurts a little, but other than that, I think I’m okay.”

Something changed in his expression when I mentioned that my chest hurt.

“What is it?” I asked, worried.

His fingers trailed down my arm and hovered around my pulse, his fingertips brushing against my pulse. “Your heart stopped beating for two minutes before they were able to bring you back. You were dead in my arms for two—” His words cut off, tears falling down his cheeks.

I cupped his cheek. “Hey, I’m here.” I took his hand and placed it over my beating heart. “I’m right here.” My lips trembled as I said the words.

His forehead dropped to mine.