Page 205 of Fierce Storm
“There’s reports of an accident at the corner of…” His voice trails off as I internally groan, my eyes dropping to my phone to find a message from unknown—a.k.a. Jill or her people.
UNKNOWN: You might want to check on your projects—vandals are rife at this time of night.
For the briefest of seconds, my heart seizes, but I don’t have time to worry about that. I can rebuild in New York. It’s Keeley that needs me.
SALVATORE: They’re just buildings. They’re replaceable.
UNKNOWN: Is your girl?
Fuck. A tremor runs through me as I close my eyes. This is what we wanted, but God, I feel nauseous.
“Can you drive any faster?” I try to keep my voice calm, but it wavers slightly and my driver smiles.
“Of course, but it’ll cost you.”
“Anything. Just go.”
He nods before putting his foot down to speed through the back streets, only slowing when we’re on a main road. I allow myself one more moment of panic before I blow out a breath and rid myself of useless emotions, preparing to do what I have to do.
“Just here,” I tell the driver when we arrive near the beach house, handing over a wad of cash as I jump out of the cab, then dump my carry-on by the side of the road.
I duck into the shadows of the house next door—knowing they’re not home—and make my way closer.
The street is eerily quiet as I walk toward our fence, my jaw clenched so tightly it should hurt, only I can’t feel a thing. I’m numb to the pain, my focus on ensuring Keeley’s okay.
I slip around the garden and hide behind my car, only then letting myself breathe now that I’m close. I made it. I’ll be ready for if and when they?—
Keeley’s scream pierces the air, and the blood rushes from my body as I take off in a run, adrenaline coursing through me. They were faster than we thought.
I throw open the door, my shoulder pounding into the doorframe as I rush through, but again, I don’t feel it. I wouldn’t have even noticed if it hadn’t momentarily slowed me down.
“Get off me,” Keeley yells, the strength in her voice coming through loud and clear as I round the corner to the sunken lounge. The first thing I see is a hooded figure hovering above Keeley on the couch, and without checking for weapons, I dive on top of him, both of us crashing into the coffee table seconds before loud voices fill the house.
“SFPD, don’t move.”
I jolt as relief fills me, silently thanking Austin for coming through.
But it’s not until my eyes lock with Keeley’s that I finally relax. She’s okay. We’re all okay. And this is almost over.
After the intruder’s taken away, Keeley and I give our statements to police, and as suspected, they’re not at all happy that we didn’t report our suspicions earlier. They take my phone as evidence, and I prepare myself for whatever consequences I have to face.
Despite having no intention of paying it, I offered Jill money, and I can’t exactly tell the police that I only did it to piss her off in the hope that she’d send someone after my girlfriend.
Since we’re in a wealthy neighborhood, it’s not long before a media van arrives and reporters are crowding our yard, forcing us to hide inside. Not that we were planning on venturing out anytime soon.
Keeley and I are kept mostly apart, so the second the detectives leave, I have her in my arms, assessing her for damage before I walk her back to the couch.
“I’m fine.” She giggles. “Like I told you I would be.”
My heart races and I wish I could focus on her happiness, only I have way too many questions to let her off the hook. “What if I hadn’t come home, Keels? Or what if I’d arrived five minutes later?”
“If you had, the police would have been here. And I knew you would. I’ll bet you were on a plane the second you received the gossip notification.” She smiles and I shake my head, an incredulous laugh bubbling out of me.
“You are trouble, you know that?”
“Did you or did you not rush to Paige’s defense without filling her in on what you were doing?”
“I did.”
