The Promise (Wolfe Creek Duet #2)

61

THEA

“Stop. He can’t do that,” I choke out—my throat’s raw from inhaling smoke. We’re outside now, but Adrian still has a hold on me. “Let me go!” I try to scream, but it’s broken up by coughing. I beat my hands against his back as hard as I can and kick my feet until I land a blow to his dick.

Finally, he drops me.

I make a run for it. I don’t care that all I can see through the front door is flames. I don’t care about the smoke or that I’ll burn alive. For him I will. I’ll endure anything to be by his side. Even if it means death.

I’m quickly yanked backwards, away from the house. Adrian pulls me in close to his chest. “Stop, Thea. You can’t go in there,” he tries to reason. But there’s no trying to reason with me right now. I’m losing the man I love and I’m the only one that seems to care. Why am I the only one not okay with this?

“Yes, I can. He needs me. I can’t abandon him. Everyone’s abandoned him his whole life. I won’t,” I sob as I forcefully push against his grip, but he’s too strong. “I won’t abandon him. He needs me,” I wail until my cries eat up the words and I alternate between guttural screams and gasping breaths. I’m about to throw an elbow back into his ribs when I hear the gunshot.

Everything goes silent and for a moment, I wonder if I’ve lost my hearing. I don’t hear the river rushing behind the house. I don’t hear the birds chirping. I don’t hear the crackling of the fire. It’s all so beautifully quiet.

My body stills. There’s no point in fighting anymore. And then I realize that if I would’ve just believed that months ago in the cabin, Wes would still be alive. I should’ve stopped fighting a long time ago.

I go limp in Adrian’s arms and he lets me fall to the ground. And that’s when my hearing returns. The screams are all around me, swallowing and drowning everything out. It’s coming from me and I can’t stop. I can’t stop. I can’t stop.

ADRIAN

The sound of the sirens don’t hold a candle to Thea’s cries. I don’t know what to do. What am I supposed to say? I’m not used to being needed, but I know she needs me. She needs someone, I correct myself. Me , my mind urges.

We’ve both lost people today, but I can’t process that right now. I can do that later. She comes first. I’m about to do something… anything to help Thea when we’re swarmed.

It’s just the three of us, then suddenly it’s not.

There’s police cars and ambulances and firetrucks skidding into the driveway. People are pouring out of vehicles, yelling out orders, and then asking us questions. I can’t understand what they’re saying. I hear snippets, but can’t piece anything together.

Fire. Hurt. Inside. Shock. Yes, I must be in shock. Despite everyone here, I feel so fucking alone. That must be how she feels.

Sinking to my knees, I join her. Without hesitation or an ulterior motive, I wrap my arms around Thea. With that embrace, I hope she knows that this is a wound we share and when we’re both ready, it’s a wound we’ll heal together.

I expect her to fight me like she usually does. But she doesn’t. Her arms snake around my neck and she pulls me in close. I’m not used to being needed, but if this is what it feels like, I want it. I want her to need me always.

There’s a fierce desire growing inside of me. The desire to protect Thea. I want to take away her pain. I don’t care about mine anymore. I want her to be happy even if it means I’m miserable. I want her safe, even if it means throwing myself in the line of fire. All of this hits me at once and I know that I’ll do anything for her. Anything at all.

Being the youngest brother afforded me the least responsibility. No one expected much or relied on me. I’ve never had to be selfless or responsible. Right now, I want to be—for her. I want to ease Thea’s grief and be here for her because she needs it. Just like she was there for me when I confessed my past to her.

She wasn’t comfortable with it. I had to force it on her. But once I started talking, she let me spill my darkest secrets to her. She let me redeem myself and find solace in her arms. She probably doesn’t realize that I felt it, but there was a shift by the time I was done pouring out my heart.

That reluctance to touching me in a way that wasn’t sexual eased and I felt her compassion for me. And maybe something else that I can’t quite put my finger on.

Thea doesn’t know how much she helped me that day. Releasing everything I’ve been holding in lifted a weight off my chest, and even my nightmares have lessened. I want to give some of that relief to her. Not today, probably not a week or a month from now, but someday.

Although, I know very well that losing someone you love so deeply is a pain that never fully heals. There will be small reminders every once in a while that might make her smile or trigger a memory or make her break down. That never goes away, but it’s something we can bond over.

We sit there for a long time. Sutton joins us for a bit, but then he handles the police, mostly. Finally, the paramedics insist on checking us out. They get us loaded up on stretchers, give us oxygen, and check our vitals, all while we watch the firefighters try to control the blaze.

“Let me through,” a voice bellows from somewhere in the distance. Damian. I’m both relieved that he’s here and terrified for what he’s about to discover.

I see him push through a couple of officers. He spots the house first. Then, he scans the outside, finding us. He runs to us and more than anything, I wish I could slow time down. Slow it down so that he has a little longer before his world comes crashing down.

“Princess,” he calls out. He throws his arms around Thea, then pulls back to examine her. “Are you hurt? Tell me you’re okay.” She only nods. I don’t blame her. Between the smoke and tears, I doubt she’d be able to get much out. I watch Damian take stock. Me. Thea. Sutton. “Where’s Wes?”

The heavy silence should be enough to tell him. He waits. I open my mouth to speak, but Sutton takes the lead. He hops off the stretcher, puts a hand on our brother’s back, and leads him out of earshot.

I don’t want to watch, yet I can’t help it. I see Damian’s face fall and then the tears come. Sutton pulls him in for a hug. They stay like that for a while—sobbing and pulling each other in tighter.

I feel wetness slip over my cheek. Then, more on the other one. And it doesn’t stop. The agony pours from my eyes. And it doesn’t stop.

It doesn’t stop for a long time.