Page 75 of Loving the Tormentor

But my gaze is on Chase. One second, he's pulling out his lighter, and the next, my trailer is on fire. My home, the place where I grew up and lived my best and worst memories, where I hugged my dad when he would cry and ask for help, where I used to dress up with Lena, where I watched my mother walk away and never come back. The mobile home that was broken into the night my safety was shattered forever, where my music teacher would visit to teach me the violin for free. Where people came to collect debts, where Kayla King promised she'd protect me against the gangs of the North Shore. It all lights up in flames.

There's liquor everywhere, accelerating the process, and black smoke surrounds us before I can find a way to get my dad out.

I don't know where Chase or Achilles are anymore. All I know is I hear a struggle and someone falling.

"Help!" I scream as I try to grab my dad’s ankles.

Then two arms wrap around my waist, making me scream again.

"It's me," Achilles calls out, coughing in my ear.

"My dad! Take my dad first."

"In your fucking dreams. Let's go."

I fight him, hard enough that we both fall back.

"Take my dad! I can walk. Achilles, I'm begging you. Help him."

He helps me up, and before I know it, he's got my dad's limp body flipped over his shoulder.

"Go," he orders. "What the fuck are you still doing here if you can walk?"

I can hear the sirens of a fire truck on its way here the second we go outside. Lena’s there, catching me as I step out.

I cough my lungs out as she takes me with her, walking me far from my home going up in flames.

My eyes are on my dad, though, watching as Achilles walks the road with him before putting him down on the side. The second I see him safe, his eyes opening as Achilles's strong stare looks down on him, something else comes to my mind.

"My violin," I gasp.

Lena holds me tighter. "Nyx, it doesn't matter?—"

"My violin!" I shout, shrugging her off and running back to the house.

My lungs feel heavy, like I've got a terrible flu, and I can't take a single breath. All I do is cough continuously as I attempt to sprint back to my place.

I'm grabbed at the waist from behind, lifted until my feet are kicking into the air.

"Don't you fucking dare go back in that house," Achilles hisses in my ear.

"My violin. You know how much it's worth. Let go! This is all your fault!"

"You're not thinking straight. It's anobject."

"An object that means everything to me," I sob. "I need it… It's my life."

I hear him mumble some insults as he puts me down. "You'll be the end of me, woman."

And I watch, mouth agape, as Achilles Duval strides back into a burning house to save my dream.

Chapter Eighteen

Achilles

R.I.P. 2 My Youth – The Neighbourhood

Idon't often sprint. Hell, I'm never in a rush. The world always waits for me.