Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 57908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Paramedics and firefighters rushed toward us, and one reached for her. “Let me take her, sir.”
I looked down at her face. Bloodied, bruised, and marked with soot. Her chest was still barely moving.
“She’s inhaled a lot of smoke,” I said, shocked at the sound of my own voice. Gritty. Raspy. “Please help her.”
“So have you. You both need to be looked at.”
Moments later, she was on a gurney, oxygen being pumped into her as they worked on her. I sat on the tailgate breathing in the mask they insisted I put on, while another paramedic checked out my cut. “Stop fidgeting,” she said. “I need to clean this gash and stop the bleeding. I’m Sheila, by the way. And you are?”
“I’m fine,” I insisted. “Look after her.” Then I huffed. “And I’m Dom. That is Cherry.”
“Cherry is in good hands. Tom is looking after her. You need to be looked after too,” Sheila informed me. “You were very brave to go in after her. And foolish.”
I shook my head, unable to take my eyes off Cherry. “She’s mine. I had to.”
Sheila put her hand on my arm. “She’s lucky to have you.”
“Is she going to be okay?” I asked, coughing.
Sheila handed me a bottle of water, which I gratefully drank. She looked at Tom, who nodded.
“She’s inhaled a lot of smoke, and we think she has a concussion. Her arm is broken. But all recoverable.” She glanced over her shoulder. “I can’t say the same for the building.”
I followed her gaze. Cherry’s home and place of business were gone. She was hurt.
I shut my eyes, realizing if I hadn’t decided to drive in, it could be much worse.
“I need to call her daughter.”
I saw movement from the gurney, and Cherry struggled to sit up, clearly panicked and confused. I stood, dropping the mask and climbing into the rig, ignoring Tom’s and Sheila’s protests.
I bent over Cherry, cupping her face. She was coughing and looking around wildly.
“Cherry, baby, it’s me. I’ve got you.”
“Dom,” she gasped, her voice barely audible. She wrapped her hands around my wrists.
“I got you,” I repeated. “You’re safe.”
“I woke up… There was smoke. I couldn’t find my way.”
“I found you.”
“Why?” she asked.
I didn’t know if she was asking why I came. Why I risked my life. Why I had to find her.
I had the same reply to all the questions.
I bent and gently pressed my lips to her head.
“Because I love you.”
“Dom!”
I pulled my aching head out of my hands and stood. Hannah rushed across the waiting room, Chase close behind her. Unable to get a hold of her, I had called Charly, who’d taken charge and sent Maxx to the theater to get Hannah and tell her what happened. He drove them into Toronto, making sure they arrived safely.
Hannah was visibly upset, gripping Chase’s hand as she stopped in front of me.
“Your head!” she gasped.
Ignoring the pain it caused, I shrugged. “They said it was too deep for butterfly bandages. The stitches make it look worse than it is.”
Hannah grabbed my arm. “I spoke with the paramedics, Dom. They said you risked your life to get her. You saved her.”
I frowned. “Of course I saved her. She needed me.”
Hannah flung her arm around my neck, hugging me hard. “Thank you,” she whispered brokenly.
I hugged her back as best I could, considering she was still holding on to Chase with a tight grip, as if she needed him to stay standing. “She’s going to be okay,” I assured her. “I spoke with the doctor, and he said she has a concussion, a broken arm, some bruising, and, of course, the smoke inhalation. They’re going to keep her overnight for observation.”
“Her apartment?” Chase asked.
I shook my head. “Gone. All of it. And the salon.”
Chase pulled Hannah close. “It’s okay, Cinnamon. She’ll stay with us.”
“She’ll stay with me,” I responded, my voice firm. “I’ll look after her.”
They blinked at my tone, and I drew in a calming breath. “I have room. And I can adjust my shifts.”
“She’s my mom,” Hannah protested.
“She’s mine to care for.”
A slow smile spread across Hannah’s face. “Is that a fact, Dom?”
“Yes.”
“I guess we’ll see about that.”
She headed to the nurses station, speaking to one of the women. She turned her head and looked at me, rolling her eyes, then headed to the back.
Chase glanced at me. “Should I ask?”
“They wouldn’t give me any information or let me see her unless I was family.”
“So you told them…?”
“I was her husband.”
“Which makes Hannah your…”
“Stepdaughter.”
“I guess that sort of makes me your son-in-law.”
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever.”
He grinned. “Okay then…Dad.”
“Shut it.”
“Can I have a bigger allowance?”
“Chase…” I warned.
“Maybe we can play ball on Sunday.”
His teasing made me smile. “Whatever.” I sat down, suddenly tired. He sat next to me.
“Seriously, you okay?”
“My head aches, and I smell like smoke. I feel as if I coughed up a lung earlier, but otherwise, I’m good.” I sighed. “As long as Cherry is okay, I’m good.”