Page 34

THIRTY-FOUR

J ulio sprinted up the stairs. The whole building had rocked, but he refused to look down the stairs, where the concrete had fallen away in a wash of flames. He knew what that meant.

The arsonist had rigged this building but not ignited the devices with the others. He’d waited as part of his plan.

Lured Samantha to the roof.

But she’d managed to call her partner.

Thank You.

As soon as Romeo found him, saying she was on the phone talking to someone else, he’d grabbed all the gear he could find nearby and sprinted this way. Turned out all he had was a Pulaski from some wildland firefighter’s gear. They’d probably be super mad when they discovered it was missing, but Julio would make sure they got their two-headed axe back.

Whether it had blood on it when he returned it was another story.

He pumped his legs, headed for the top floor. No hand on the rail, just the axe in his good hand and the other tight to his side.

Dominic.

Julio was going to kill the guy for being the one behind this.

The building shuddered, including the wall to his left. He rounded a landing, and flames licked behind the glass window on the door.

Julio pressed on.

Right up to the top floor.

He’d given Romeo instructions but refused to allow the guy to come up here with him. It was far too dangerous for both of them to come.

Julio shoved open the door, and wind whipped his hair and face.

Dominic stood to the left, on one side of a chasm below throwing flames up into the sky. Samantha had huddled against the wall on the right. She looked terrified.

“Dominic!”

The arson captain swung around to him with his hands empty.

Good, because Julio didn’t have a gun.

Dominic Tennet’s mouth split into a wide smile that almost looked demonic. “I did it! And now you’re here! We all die together. The beginning and the end.”

“Stand down.” Julio edged around the circle toward Samantha. “It’s over, Dominic.”

“This is the end!” As if he agreed with what Julio had said?

Julio kept taking small side steps around the circle. He assessed the building, and figured with Dominic’s knowledge, the whole thing would collapse in on itself soon enough.

They might only have seconds.

“You didn’t have to do this,” Julio said. “You killed people.”

“I purified them!”

Yeah, this guy was bananas crazy. How had he not seen it before? “You shouldn’t have done this.”

Julio wasn’t going to let him kill anyone else. Definitely not him and Samantha when they’d only just found each other.

Dominic shifted closer to the edge.

Julio reached out a hand, and Samantha grabbed it.

She stood, levering herself up on his good arm, then pressed against his side. “How are we going to get down from here?” She knew he wasn’t going to let her die. She didn’t even consider it, because she knew he had a plan.

He wrapped his good arm around her waist. “We have to give them a minute to get into place.”

“He had a gun. I don’t know where it went.” Her voice still sounded painful.

Time was running out.

“It doesn’t have to end like this, Dom. You don’t have to stay up here.” Julio motioned with his free hand. “Come with us.”

“No one is leaving!” Tennet screamed. “You aren’t going anywhere!”

Julio tugged Samantha tighter against him and said quietly, “Trust me?”

She nodded. “Always.”

He felt the gentle touch of her fingers on his abdomen, and his muscles flexed.

Across the expanse of the roof, a burst of flames shot up into the sky. Samantha tensed. Julio took a half step back.

Dominic said, “This ends, now!”

“Not for us.”

The building shuddered.

Julio shifted Samantha another step back. “Get ready.”

He heard the crackles begin. The heat in the center of the opening increased. Things were going to reach a fever pitch in seconds.

Dominic screamed, equal parts laughter and terror.

Julio spun Samantha to the edge and looked over.

“It’s really far down,” she said.

“We don’t have a choice,” he said. “The whole building is going to come down.” He glanced over his shoulder in time to see a burst of flames collapse the floor under Dominic’s feet.

The arsonist fell down, tumbling into the great pit of flames under him. At the same time, the building swayed. The floor beneath them began to crack.

Julio stepped on the edge, holding tight to Samantha. “I love you.”

“Just do it.” She tucked in close to him, her arms around his neck.

Julio let them fall first, rather than stepping off the ledge. He needed them to fall horizontally not vertically.

Samantha screamed.

Wind battered their clothes.

He looked over her shoulder enough to know his aim had been spot on.

A second later, they slammed into the inflated canvas the firefighters had set up. They hit the bottom and bounced up, nearly launched off the side. Hands caught them, dragging the two of them to the ground.

Samantha flushed, grasping hands to stay upright. Julio let one of the engine guys help him stand, then he slid his arms around her waist and tugged her close.

They were alive.

Julio lowered his mouth to hers, sweeping her up toward him at the same time. He heard a hoarse laugh, and she touched his cheeks, then her arms snaked around the back of his neck.

Someone whooped.

Julio found a slice of joy in the middle of chaos. Peace and life, hope and love—all of it there even in the midst of darkness and pain. The way it was always destined to be.

Because God had always meant them for each other.

He lifted his head and looked around. There was still so much work to do. Cleanup. Disaster recovery.

“Someone find me the chaplain!” he yelled.

Hmm. Unless Samantha wanted to wait for her sister to get back in town. Yeah, she probably did. “Actually…”

“No, I like this idea.” She smiled. “If I can speak, I’ll say ‘I do’ to you anytime.”

Julio grinned. “Sure?”

“We can have a reception later. Make a fuss.”

Julio whooped. “We’re getting married!”