Page 40 of August’s Cowboy Braxton

I threw it into the grass and reached for her.

She caught my forearm, then jerked backward. Evie had her other arm.

“I can’t let you take it.”

“Let go of me.”

Evie held on.

I locked eyes with her through the smoke. “Take your hand off her.”

Evie looked at me.

“Now.”

Her grip loosened.

Addison ripped free and I hauled her through the window. She hit the ground next to me coughing.

I ran my hands over her arms and shoulders. “Are you hurt?”

“No.” She shoved at me. “Get Evie.”

I turned.

Evie stood inside staring at the fire crawling from the trash can toward the wall.

“Get to the window. Now.” I motioned for her to come my way.

She didn’t move.

Torin hammered on the door.

“It was supposed to stay buried,” she said.

“It’s not worth dying over.”

Her eyes found Addison. “I’m sorry.”

Addison coughed into her sleeve. “Then come out.”

Evie finally climbed toward the window. I helped pull her through just as Torin rounded the trailer. He cuffed her without resistance.

Volunteers arrived with extinguishers, knocking the flames down while smoke continued pouring from the open window.

I turned back to Addison. She was standing, but barely.

“Sit.”

“I’m fine.”

“Please.”

She lowered herself onto a concrete barrier while I checked her again. No burns. Just a red mark around one wrist and breathing that was rough but steady.

Her eyes stayed on me. “You froze.”

Guilt hit hard. “For a second. The fire took me back.”