Page 73 of Secrets That Bind Us

Dean

Present Day

“Oh my God! Sheriff!” I hear Chief cry out from behind me.

Coughing, I drag Verity’s body out of the house, as close to the cement driveway as I can, ignoring it all go up in fucking smoke. Kneeling beside her, I smack her face a little. I give her a kiss. “C’mon baby! You gotta wake up, Ver!”

I tear my shirt off, cleaning her, trying to find the wound. “Jason! Please! You have to help me.” I choke on the fresh air, then cry out to God. “Please!”

I can’t break. I can’t break.

It doesn’t end like this.

It can’t end like this.

“C’mon baby, please, please, please wake up, baby.”

It doesn’t end like this.

I won’t let it.

Jason kneels by her chest. “I got this. I already called the FD. What the fuck happened Dean? Did you do this? How was she shot? Goddammit!”

He asks, but it’s all blurry. “Micah was in the house, Jace. He’s been living in the goddamn house this whole fucking time!”

Jason is grunting, and I’m helping him however I can, going to Verity’s feet and putting them up on one side of my shoulders, helping with blood flow. “I thought the motherfucker was dead!”

I shake my head, not daring to look back at the flames, but Jason has his eyes dead set on me as he starts working Verity’s chest.

“You gotta tell me right now before everyone leaves the fucking barn. Am I going back in there to look for a body? You know protocol. We don’t sift through the ashes unless we’re told to. So tell me now. Is my team going in?”

“No.” I say sternly. “The flames got to him right when he shot her.” There’s a loud groaning as the roof collapses, and I allow myself to look back when I hear the sirens.

But it’s spreading fast, and the guests are starting to get closer to us to get away from the rapidly spreading fire.

I see the bride dashing our way and I stand up. “NO!”

With a shocked gasp and wide eyes, Zoey puts her hand to her mouth, turning quickly to shield my children from seeing their mother like this. Jake and Eli are next to see, and they immediately hold onto each other.

“Jace…” my voice cracks. I can’t live this life without her. Tears blur my vision, burning due to the soot on my face.

“I’m working. Keep rubbing her legs.”

“Oh my God.” I choke on an inhale. “We were doing so good.”

He rattles off something as I see the devastation– the fire having spread from the house to the fields, and the barn– and I swear to God in the ruins of the collapsing barn I see a giant fucking goat disperse in the smoke rising above. Ash dances around us like flakes of snow.

Next thing I know, I’m in the ambulance with my girl, listening to the flatline.

I hang my head and pray one last time.