Page 79 of One Quick Obsession

There was a scramble of feet, a shout, and more screaming.

“I’m in here! Help!”

Coughing, I shoved and kicked, crying as the rope refused to budge.

Damn Ronin. Damn everything.

“Scarlet!”

I froze in that instance, my throat tight. That wasn’t Hudson’s voice.

It was Luna’s.

Another gunshot, or perhaps it was a tree snapping, I couldn’t tell. Dizziness began to set in, the smoke too thick.

It couldn’t be Luna. Ronin was not allowed to touch my sister. I planted one foot on the pole, gripped the rope, and screamed as I pulled, using all of my strength. Another part of the rope snapped, but not all of it.

“No. I refuse. No, no, no, no, no.”

“Scarlett!”

Another shout, this one deeper.

I turned, coughing as my shoulders shook, and then Hudson was there.

“Get out of here!” I called out. “The flames are too high.”

“Not without you.” Hudson pulled a knife out of his pocket, and I let out a watery laugh that held no humor.

“Of course he would have a knife. Why couldn’t I just sleep with a fucking knife?”

“We’ll make sure you have weapons on you at all times.”

“I know you’re placating me, but we’re going to have to do this. Okay?”

“Keep your head down, the smoke’s getting thick. I’ve got this.”

And then the ropes were loose, but instead of sighing in relief, I pushed Hudson down and threw my body on top of him.

“What—” he began as part of the roof caved in, landing where Hudson had just been kneeling.

Then he rolled us over, covering me as well, as we both tried to stagger to our feet.

“We have to get out of here,” he called out over the flames, coughing.

He shoved off his flannel and covered my head with it. “Keep low.”

“What about you?” I asked, my throat so raw that dizziness started to seep in.

“I’ve got you, Scarlett. I’ve got you.”

My knees buckled, as the smoke was nearly too much, and then Hudson had me in his arms, as he ran through the back door that laid nearly on its side.

“Scarlett!”

Hudson set me down on the ground, moved the flannel off my head, and I blinked at Luna’s voice before turning back to the old Ackerson place.

The roof continued to cave in, as the walls licked with fire, the sounds of glass and stone being charred or breaking filled the small open space.