Page 37 of Bliss with a Billionaire

“The door is locked,” Julia offered. “I could pick it, but…”

“No, we don’t have time for that.” Ava’s firm voice brought her some level of comfort, though not nearly enough. “Give me another look at the room. As slow as you can.”

Julia nodded as she sucked in shallow breaths and slowly turned the camera around. She couldn’t help but wonder if Ava’s soothing words were meant to lull her into a more comfortable state in which to die.

She pressed her lips together until they hurt, her features pinching. She would never see her family again. She’d just found them. She’d wasted so much time in the past two years, and now that things had finally come together, it had all fallen apart.

She couldn’t stop a sob from escaping her lips.

“It’s okay, Julia. We’re going to get you out of there,” Ava said.

She sniffled, causing another choking cough to ripple through her. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, but can you turn back just a smidge to your right?”

Julia shifted her camera back.

“There,” Ava said. “What is that?”

“Candleholder, I think,” Julia answered through coughs.

“Is it heavy?”

“I’m not sure.” Julia hurried toward it and lifted it. “Yeah.”

“Good. What’s the layout of the house? What’s on the wall to your left?”

“Another room, I think?” Julia said.

“Put the phone in your pocket, but keep it on. Take that candelabra and smash a hole through the wall.”

Julia bobbed her head as she slid the phone into her pocket and lifted the heavy iron item. Gripping the candelabra with both hands, Julia summoned all her strength and swung it at the wall. It dented it, but didn’t break through.

She whacked it again. Then again. And again. Each strike was a testament to her determination, the metal’s impact against the plaster a rhythm of her refuse to succumb.

She smashed at the wall with as much fervor as she could in a desperate attempt to save her life. Finally, the wall gave way. She bashed it a few more times, opening the hole wider.

“Okay, I’m through,” she said as she tugged her phone from her pocket and eyed the hole she’d made. “There’s fire in there, too.”

“That’s okay. Climb through, Sunshine. You may be able to get to the door there.”

“Right,” Julia said with a nod as she shoved the phone into her pocket.

Tears streamed down her cheeks again as she fought for her own survival, pushing herself through the hole she’d made. The cracked wood ripped at her skin and tore at the fabric of her clothes, but she dragged herself through, spilling onto the floor.

Smoke and flames surrounded her here, too. She hurried to pull the phone from her pocket and scan the room with it as she pushed to sit on her haunches. “Okay, it looks like…maybe a clear path to the door?”

“Go for it, Julia,” Ava said. “Touch the doorknob first. You don’t want to walk into a wall of flames.”

“Right, okay.” She hurried across the room and tapped the doorknob. With a sob, she said, “It’s hot.”

“Okay, the fire’s close there. That’s not an option.”

Julia groaned again as she twisted to study the room. “Should I go back and get the candelabra?”

Before Ava could answer, part of the ceiling caved in across the room. Julia startled at the noise, pressing a hand against her chest as her heart pounded hard against her ribs.

“Sunshine, go back to that collapse. Is it on fire?”