Page 40 of Bliss with a Billionaire

Sirens rang out through the night, growing ever closer. “They’re almost here. Don’t do something stupid.”

“Get out of my way,” Grant growled at him.

“Mr. Harrington,” James began, joining Ethan to block him.

“Damn it, James, get out of my way.”

“Sir–“

“Would you leave Sierra in there?!” he shouted.

James swallowed hard as he shook his head. “No. I’m coming with you.”

“No,” Grant argued. “You wait here. If something happens…Sierra will need you.”

“Good luck,” James said as he stood aside. Grant pushed past Ethan and ran toward the flames. The heat nearly drove him back, but his desperate desire to find Julia kept him moving forward.

He skidded to a stop when he reached the foyer. Flames danced all around him. He searched the smoky air for any sign of her. “Julia!”

He didn’t receive an answer. “Julia!”

The smoke clawed at his throat, making it raw as he choked out a cough. “Julia!”

He raced into the living room off the foyer, dropping to his knees as his eyes burned and stung. He searched for her. Was she lying unconscious somewhere? Was she tied to a chair like Kyle had been?

“Julia!” he choked out, crawling further into the room. He spotted nothing amidst the burning furniture.

He cursed under his breath as he climbed to his feet, throwing an arm across his mouth and nose and raced back to the foyer. He hovered, trying to decide if he should climb the stairs or head in the opposite direction.

He chose the other room, hoping she wasn’t up the stairs that were nearly consumed by flames. He scanned the space, the smoke so thick he could barely see through it. “Julia!”

His heart sank with every utterance of her name that didn’t produce a response. Tears stung his eyes as he stepped further into the room, desperate for any clue to her whereabouts.

“Julia!”

“Grant!” Her voice, strained and weak over the roaring flames, lifted his heart. She was alive.

“Julia!” he called to her again, straining to make sense of a location.

“Grant!” she shouted, sounding closer.

He twisted as he scanned the room in search of her. The smoke swirled near the entrance, and he moved toward it.

“Julia!” The relief in his voice shined through as he finally spotted her.

He cupped her face, his fingers trembling with relief and fear, and kissed her forehead, a silent prayer of thanks escaping his lips for finding her alive.

“Grant!” She flung her arms around his waist as she pressed closer to him.

He held her tightly again for a second before he said, “Let’s get out of here.”

“Right,” she said with a nod as she slid her hand into his and tugged him toward the door.

He followed her through the smoke into the foyer as the stairs collapsed in a flaming heap. As they stumbled onto the porch, the cool night air felt like a balm against his scorched skin. Each breath was a painful cough, a reminder of thesmoke-filled lungs, yet the relief of escaping the inferno was overwhelming.

Stepping onto the stairs, a loud crash sounded behind them. The front door collapsed, barring any entrance or escape from the blazing inferno.

Police cruisers, fire trucks and ambulances barreled closer.