19
R ose jerked awake at the obnoxious blaring noise that blasted through Caleb’s house. “Shit, fire.” She scrambled to get off the bed, twisting her legs in the covers, and fell in a heap next to it instead. “Caleb?”
He didn’t answer, and the noise paused, but somewhere else in the house, the reflection of a swirling red light hit the open bedroom door. She got to her feet and almost tripped again. “Get off.” She tugged at the blankets. “Fire, Caleb!” she yelled.
Where the heck is he?
Sniffing, trying to catch any smell of smoke, she realized she was naked when the coolness of the door hit her left boob on her way into the hall. “Shit.” Did she have time to get dressed? Would stopping to put on clothes mean the difference between surviving and dying?
She took one step into the hallway and then whirled around, racing back into the bedroom to grab something to wear because she already knew there was no way she could avoid nightmares if everyone in the place saw her naked. Her fingers made contact with what felt like a t-shirt, and she pulled it on over her head. The label rubbing against her throat told her she had it on backward, but that didn’t matter. Speed did.
“Caleb?” She raced down the hallway to the front door. He must have gone out. He wouldn’t have left her here alone with the fire alarm going off—she was sure of it. She tugged on the door handle, but it didn’t open.
The fancy lock.
She flipped up the plastic cover that protected the lock and slapped her palm against it, pushing buttons with her other hand. The little light stayed red. It had flashed to green yesterday when he’d opened it. She tried again.
I don’t know what I’m doing.
Please open.
Open, damn it.
“Caleb! Help me!”
Oh my God, did he lock me in here and leave me to die alone?
Rose closed her fists and hammered on the door. Someone had to hear her. She screamed at the top of her lungs, frantically looking around for the flames and smoke, brushing angrily at the snot running from her nose with the back of her arm. This could not be how she died. She shot across the room to the window, but all of them were now shuttered. Wedging the tips of her fingers in under the rum, she pulled with all her strength. They moved, but not enough. “Pull up, damn it.” Pain sliced through her fingers as she broke two fingernails down to the quick. “Ouch. Please open. God. Let me out.”
She searched for something that might help her escape, but she couldn’t find anything. He was a soldier; he was meant to have guns and knives in the house. She’d even take a sword or a hammer. Balling up her fists, she hammered and kicked at the door, ignoring the pain, and screamed as loud as she could.
Just as suddenly as the chaos started, it stopped, as if someone had cut the power and the lights went off. Her breathing hitched, and she sucked in a painful breath as the shutters opened and a mechanism on the door clicked.
Did it open?
Please be open.
This time, when she twisted the handle, the door opened, and she ran into the hallway. Pausing for a second, unsure where to go, she looked both ways.
“Ma’am? Miss Rose, are you okay?”
“Oh my God, there’s a fire.” She grabbed the child by the wrist. “How do we get out? Tell me.”
The boy dug his heels in, trying to pull his hand free. “Miss Rose, there’s no fire. It was someone being stupid at my daddy’s work.”
In her confusion, she froze, dropped his hand, and blinked stupidly at him. “What do you mean? The fire alarm was going off.”
He shook his head and backed away from her. “I’m gonna go get my mom.” RJ spun on his heels and took off running. He disappeared through a door further down the hall.
Rose sagged against the wall.
What is this place?
Are they all crazy?
“Oh crap, are you okay?”
She blinked at Lily. “Um—ah—” Her hands went to her throat, and she rubbed, trying to remind herself how to breathe.
Lily wrapped an arm around her and half carried her down to her place. She nudged open the door with her elbow and got them inside. “Rexar, call Caleb. Now.”
Her husband’s eyes widened. He pulled out his phone, stabbed at the screen with his index finger, and put it to his ear. “Get your ass here, now. Your woman is in my house and scared out of her fucking mind.” He stuffed the phone back in his pocket.
“Come sit down.” Lily guided her to the couch and pushed her into it. “You don’t want to fall over. Can I get you water? RJ, please bring me a glass of water.”
Rose flinched when Rexar came closer. He stopped in his tracks and squatted on his haunches, bringing his face to her eye level. “Is it easier for you if I leave? I can stand outside the door and wait for Caleb, so you know you are safe?”
Oh God, now she was throwing the man out of his own home. Her mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. Nothing made sense in her hysterical state.
“She’s scared. I think you should go.” Lily softened her words with a stroke down his arm. “Take RJ with you. Maybe he can go to the barn and see the foals or something.”
“You got it.” Rexar straightened and took RJ’s hand. “I’ll be just outside the door. Let me know if you need help, ‘k?” Lily nodded, and the boys left, shutting the door behind them.
Lily sank carefully onto the couch beside her. “What do you need?”
“Cold.” Why couldn’t she string two words together? This was ridiculous. She was competent, dang it. She just needed to figure out how to act like it.
“I think you’re in shock.” The sympathy in her voice brought a fresh wave of tears that Rose couldn’t have stopped if she’d tried. Lily stood and pulled her to her feet. “Come on, jump in my shower and warm up. A hot shower always makes me feel better.”
She followed her through their house and into the bathroom. Lily flipped on the shower. “I’ll grab you some towels and some comfy clothes.”
“Th—thank you.” The words garbled between her chattering teeth, but she figured Lily understood her when she answered with a smile over her shoulder as she disappeared out of the room, closing the door behind her.
It took a few moments before the heat of the water started to penetrate the ice on her skin. Rose huddled under the water, struggling to figure out how on earth her morning had gone to hell so fast. Was this what these people went through day in, day out? Thinking they were finally in a safe spot, only for life to yank the rug out from under them?
I knew better than to let my guard down.
I knew it, and I did it anyway.
Stupid. I was stupid to think I could have a normal week, never mind a normal life.
Stupid.
Stupid.
Stupid.
These people must think I’ve lost my mind.
Mortified, she dashed at the tears rolling down her cheeks angrily. She had no business crying. Crying would fix nothing. Nothing. She knew that. She’d learned that lesson well. Her mistake had been allowing herself to dream of more.
Never again.
No more wishes.
No more dreams.
Rely on nobody but yourself.
She took a shaky breath and coughed when she sucked some water into her lungs. Shoring up her defenses would be difficult, but she could do it. She’d done it before, and she’d do it again. Now, she just had to figure out how to protect her heart in the process.
“Baby girl, Rose?”
“Ca—Caleb?” So much for her resolve. Even the sound of his voice made her want to beg him to help her fix the mess that was her life. She reached for the shower curtain, but she didn’t look around it. She needed every available second to compose herself before she had to look him in the eye and lie her ass off.
He moved closer and stroked one finger over hers. “Are you okay?”
“No. No, I’m not.” Admitting she was not okay hadn’t been the plan at all.
One more day.
Just one more day, then I can be strong again.
Her seesawing emotions could not be allowed to make her make stupid choices, but the woman inside her craved comfort from him, and she just wasn’t strong enough to resist.