by L. J. Woods
No signs of the fire department yet and every second she’s not by my side is another second I have to fight my jaw from breaking.
“The girls haven’t seen her.” Lea approaches us with Vicky, Georgina and their squad behind her. She scans the lawn around us before glancing back at the school. “Any word?”
“No,” I say, shrugging off my blazer.
“Shit,” Allie says.
If Jo’s not out here, that can only mean one thing. She’s still inside. I can feel the heat from where I’m standing but it’s nothing compared to what I’d feel if she goes up in flames with the academy.
“You can’t be serious!” Lea exclaims as I head for the doors. “You can’t go in there!”
“Woah, wait!” Christian calls when I get closer. “King! What the fuck?!”
Voices call my name but my mind’s already made up.
The heat is almost unbearable when I get inside, smoke clouding my vision as fire spreads to the auditorium. I’m hoping she’s not upstairs because if she is, I don’t know if either of us will make it out.
There’s a small dark figure standing outside of a room and I can hardly breathe, making it hard to call out. “Jo?!” When I do, that figure turns towards me. It’s not her, this figure shorter and stalkier.
“Jordan?” I call again. What the fuck is Jordan Huang doing at the senior prom?
When I rush over, coughing from the smoke, he’s pulling at the door. “Jo’s inside!”
“What?!” My eyes widening does nothing for my vision, so I pull my shirt above my nose, pushing Jordan out of the way. “Get the fuck out of here. Go home!”
“B-but—”
“Go!” I push him down towards the front doors. Not to be a prick but if he doesn’t get the fuck out of here we’ll have another death on our hands.
“Jo?” Banging on the door, I don’t hear a sound. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
I know this closet. It’s the same one we lock the freshmen in as a hazing ritual every September. It’s one of the only two in the building with a fucked up locking system and Jordan knew it.
Throwing my body against the door doesn’t get it open. Neither does shoving my boot through it. “Jo?!” Banging on the door, I’m listening for a sound. Anything.
The fire grows in the distance, the smoke building making it harder to breathe. I’m not leaving this building without getting inside this fucking door. If I have to die, I’m dying right here with her. But not without a fight. We always fight.
Kicking at the knob, my mind flashes to Jo using her bobby pins to break into Cindy’s office. That’s when I reach into my pants to grab the pins Lea left behind. After straightening them out, I try to remember Jo’s movements, pushing them in the keyhole. My mind’s on the way her ass looked when I caught her bent over in front of Cindy’s office door, picking her lock.
Jesus, we can both die right now and I’m thinking about her ass.
Click!
No shit …
The door swings open, bobby pins in my grip when my heart stops. Jo’s on the floor, a half-smoked joint to the side of her hand like it rolled right out of her fingers.
“Jo!” Dropping to my knees, my hand comes to her face. My ear by her mouth, I check if she’s breathing. The minute some air leaves her mouth, my hand comes to her cheek, slapping against her skin. “Jo? C’mon, Jo, wake up.” That gets me a murmur, my chest dropping in relief. It’s the best I’ve felt since I got her off that ledge and man, this girl has as much of a deathwish as I do.
Taking my shirt off, I wrap it around her head, protecting her eyes and nose from the smoke, the heat of the building on my skin.
The minute I get us out of here we’re getting out of Eden. Burning down the school might not be something I’m able to get out of on my own. Especially not without my company. Cradling her in my arms, I head for the nearest exit. The smoke is thicker now and I hope Jordan got out okay. I can only make out the emergency lights as I head for the way I came in.
CRASH!
Something collapses from the second floor, right through the first-floor ceiling and it stops me in my path. If I was any quicker we’d both be goners.
Fuck.
Turning around, I’ll have to make a new plan. Good thing I know every exit in this place.
Heading for the boys’ locker room, the heat gets more intense. It makes me choke but I’m gripping to Jo, forcing my feet forward.
Almost there.
A light shines under the door at the end of the hall and I can finally hear sirens from the other side. My eyes sting like I’ve got whiskey in it and there’s a pain in my chest, a tight pull.
“We’re gonna make it, baby,” I mutter, coughing with a wheeze. I don’t know where that comes from. I don’t call girls that shit but if I don’t make it to that door, it won’t matter.
The last bit of the hallway feels like a mile. I’m dizzy, breaths shorter and when I squint, that familiar figure at the door makes me flinch.
“D-dad?”
It makes me freeze in my path, his plaid blazer blurry and I’m starting to feel like I’ve taken one of Isaac’s pills.
He chuckles, crossing his arms and looking at me in that pathetic way he always does. “She’ll kill you, son,” he says in that deep, gruff voice.
“No!” I yell, forcing closer but it feels like a strong force is slowing me down. Making sure Jo is secure in my arms, shirt still around her face, I pull her closer to my chest, hiding her face from the smoke. “You’re wrong! You’ve always been wrong! With her, I don’t need you! I never did!”
His chuckling echoes through the hall. It takes over, loud like it’s on a speaker as I near the door, pushing right through him to the exit. Pressing on the metal with my back, the night sky takes over my vision before a hard thud.
The world goes black.
Then all I see is her.
* * *
Her naked body comes above the water, the lake around her.
It drips off her skin like liquid gold, her hair falling on her arms.
Sultry. Sexy.
Scooping her up in my arms is the only thing I can do before I feel her lips touch mine.
Soft. Supple.
Perfect.
She wraps her arms around me, a beeping in the distance as her laugh lights up the sky above. The sun shines on her head like a halo. Like a crown. My queen.
My everything.
The beep is louder. Sun brighter, Jo flying up into the sky, right out of my grip. I try to yell her name but it’s no use, nothing comes out of my mouth. And before I know it, it’s too late.
The brightness eats her alive before it opens wider to swallow me whole.
“Jo!”
Sitting up, a wire pulls at my arm. Beeping comes from my right and when my head whips to it, there’s a screen with my heart rate. I’m in one of those paper-thin gowns and it only takes me a few seconds to piece it all together.
How the fuck did I end up in the hospital?
“Damien?” Jo’s voice comes from beside me before a curtain whooshes open. A smile spreads across that sandy brown face, her golden eyes glimmering under the hanging light. “Thank fuck.”
“Okay!” A nurse wheels in some equipment and heads towards me. “Look who’s awake!” She smiles, closing the curtain on Jo. “Give me a minute to run some tests and then you can see him, okay?”
“Can I watch?” I hear Jo ask.
The nurse laughs, smiling my way. “Just a moment.” I want to ask her the same thing. I’m craving her body. That face. Turning to the screen beside me, she starts pressing buttons. “Your girlfriend is very supportive.”
A few months ago we’d both cringe at someone calling her that but now, it makes me feel like all is right in the world. Especially when I don’t hear her protest.
The doctor comes in shortly after but my mind is still on her. I’m hoping she’s okay and I’m hoping no one knows who’s behind that fire. A pain hits my chest but it feels light
er knowing we both got out of there. Alive. Together.
My diagnosis? Smoke inhalation. Doc says I got out before it got too bad. Says there’s some damage to my face but after taking pucks to the dome, soot feels like a walk in the park.
He also says it could have been a lot worse. But the truth is, if I had to do it again, knowing Jo was in that closet, I would.
“Did you check on her?” My body aches when I tilt my chin towards Jo’s bed.
“She’ll be fine.” The nurse says. “We took her in to make sure of that.”
“Good.” My voice is hoarse when I thank the doctor and on their way out, they slide open Jo’s curtain before they close the door.
There’s a moment, both of our eyes dancing around each other’s faces before another smile spreads across hers. Her hair hangs in loose coils around her shoulder, and she looks fucking cute in that little hospital gown. Alive. Yeah, I’d definitely risk it all again.
“Hey,” she finally says. She bites her lip and I can tell there’s a tear in her eye, the way it blurs and shimmers.
“Hey,” I reply, my voice a rocky whisper.
“This place feels like a hotel.” She takes a breath, dodging her own feelings as she looks around the room and I follow her gaze. Wooden floors, dim lighting and a large window overlooking the city. A large sofa sits near a tv built into the wall beside it. They must know who I am because they gave me a room big enough for an apartment. I don’t know whose idea it was to keep Jo by my side but I’m grateful.
“You tryna get us both killed, Rowland?” My throat feels scratchy when I speak, but those eyes on me make it all better.
“I was about to ask you the same question.”
‘Why didn’t you show?”
Her brows furrow when she gets off her mattress, pulling her IV with her before she climbs into my bed. She curls up next to me, her warm hand on my cheek as she looks into my eyes.
You can literally hear my heartbeat get faster, and when she gives me that little smile, it quickens more.
“Damien,” she says, and it’s already breaking my heart and making me hard at the same time. At least he still works. “I was on my way to the library.”
When I arch a brow, she nods a small nod before she lets out a small laugh. It sounds nervous, a tear rolling down her cheek and I can’t help but wipe it away.
“But it’s like the universe wants to keep us away,” she says.
“Or Jordan Huang,” I reply, remembering the last person I saw before I saved her. “He locked you in there?”
There’s a knock at the door and when we look over, a head of purple and brown hair is in the window. Allie waves before the door creaks open, her head peering around it. “Can we come in?”
Jo nods at her friend before she walks into the room, Lea behind her.
“Holy shit you guys.” Allie makes her way over to Jo’s bed, getting comfortable. “How many times are you gonna scare us? I’m gonna need something stronger than pot to deal with it all if that’s the case.”
Jo laughs and I’m so relieved to hear it, pulling my arm around her. Who says waking up in the hospital together isn’t romantic?
“Yeah, that wasn’t funny,” Lea comes to the other side of us, punching me in my arm. “Who the fuck do you think you are, King? Superman?”
“Batman,” Jo counters.
“You’re awake.” Willow appears in the door in jeans and a long yellow sweater, Isaac and Christian on either side of her. Her eyes widen before she makes her way over to me and it jars me when she wraps her arms as far as they can go.
“Woah, Low,” Jo says. “Not like you have a sister or anything.”
Willow puts my face between her palms. “If you died, my sister would be miserable, forever.” A finger comes to my face. “Don’t do that shit again.”
“Shit, alright,” I say, my cheeks like a fish, a burn coming with it. When she releases me I clarify. “But I can’t make any promises. Your sister’s not going down on my watch. Well, unless it’s—”
“Ew!” Willow looks horrified when she backs away before her hands go to her ears.
“Yeah, I’m with Willow,” Christian says in an ERA hoodie, walking in with Isaac in a patchwork jacket. They make their way over to the sofa.
I want to thank them already for keeping Jo’s little sister safe and sound. But there’s something still heavy on my mind. “Your brother tried to kill Jo,” I say. “Again.”
“He thought you guys were gonna rat him out,” Willow pipes up, sitting beside my boys.
“Why are you always defending him?” Jo asks her sister.
“How was my brother supposed to know that you were about to burn down the entire school, you pyro?” Lea protests. “He was scared.”
“I was.” Jordan appears in the doorway and he’s lucky I’m hooked up to this bed. “Willow told me you guys were handling it and I freaked out, I didn’t know what that meant.” Lea goes to stand beside him, rubbing the back of his blue spring jacket. “I thought Jo would do something crazy.”
“Crazy?” Jo asks, her grip tightening on my leg.
“Well, you haven’t exactly been the quietest new girl on the block,” Lea defends.
“She could’ve died, Jordan,” I repeat, knowing damn well that fire was my idea. “Like her parents.”
“I know I—” He hangs his head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt. I was only trying to protect my family. I didn’t want to get sent away like Lea and I really didn’t know there was a fire, you have to believe me.”
“Speaking of fire,” Allie says, her eyes on her phone screen. “They’re saying it’s the biggest one to hit Eden.” Sliding off the bed, she walks over to us, showing us the carnage on her screen.
Elite Royal Academy looks like I felt after Allie’s party—except ten times worse. Half the building looks crumbled, a firetruck still spraying water on what’s left. But for some reason, it makes me lighter, secure.
“Guess we don’t have to worry about anyone finding out about anything, huh?” Lea pulls her brother close under her arm and Jordan takes a glance at Willow, his cheeks red. “As long as we don’t talk.”
“Another pact?” Christian asks.
“Definitely,” I confirm. This one is as big as the pact we have about Marion.
“We’ll find who did this.” A man’s voice comes from the door. “Questioning these kids might be a good place to start.”
Jo’s eyes whip to mine, her hazel eyes wide but I pull my finger to my mouth.
“We have a hunch who might connect to this crime but it’s still too early to say who.” He lowers his voice and I’m straining my ears to hear the rest, shushing the room. “All we will say is, it’s—time we—restrictions on who comes—Eden.”
Shit.
From the door, two officers pass by, one of them looking in and his eyes meet mine.
Fucking shit.
“Me?” Jo puts that together as quickly as I do. “They think I did it?”
“Give us a minute,” I say, looking around the room. No one budges so I ask again, this time with my voice booming. I’m happy I finally found it, even if it hurts. “Now!”
“Geez!” Isaac gets up from his seat. “That’s the last time I visit you in the hospital. C’mon guys.”
When they’re all out, I look over at Jo, wiping a strand out of her face. She won’t like this idea. It’s bigger than the one I had after Marion. But we can’t keep playing these games here forever.
“We need to leave,” I say but her mouth moves with mine and it takes me a second to realize she’s saying the same thing. “I mean out of Eden.”
“Let’s get the fuck out of here.” Jo nods. “As long as you’re with me.”
Pulling her face to mine I plant a kiss on those soft, velvety lips until the room, the noise, and the beeps disappear. Until I’m filled with that weightless feeling, until she sighs against my lips.
“Let’s do this, Rowland.”
&
nbsp; And with that, the both of us are climbing out of our beds, pulling IVs from our arms.
She hands me a duffel bag and it doesn’t take much time before we’re both out of our hospital gowns and in matching black joggers and hoodies. The perfect low-key outfits to sneak out.
“Thank you, Willow,” Jo mutters, pulling her hoodie over her head of hair. “I asked her to pick up some stuff from the mansion but this is very much appropriate.”
“Ready?” I ask, taking her hand in mine, duffel bag over my shoulder.
“With you?” She smiles, gripping my hand. “Yeah. Always. Even if I don’t admit it.”
Pulling her in for a kiss, my hand drops to her ass, my tongue sliding over hers. When we part, she looks up at me with trusting, bright eyes. A small smile on her lips tells me that kiss does the same thing to her as it does to me.
Blows her mind.
“Okay, Rowland, let’s do this. Me and you.”
Twenty-Four
Jo
“Wait!”
“Now’s not the time for waiting, Rowland.” Damien looks over my head, his hand sliding to my arm. He meets my eyes with a steely gaze. “If we’re doing this, we’re doing this. Now.”
We’re ready to go, in our hoodies and leather jackets but there’s just one thing. “I can’t leave without Willow.”
“Fuck.” Damien’s soft forehead lands on mine and that parade of butterflies erupts in my stomach. “You Rowland girls are gonna be the death of me.”
“Not if you don’t kill me first, King.” My hand on his cheek, I pull him in for another kiss. Soft. Warm. His lips move with mine, giving me the confidence that we can get through this.
“Ten minutes,” he groans against my lips. “I’ll order a car to the ER exit. It’s way too busy there for them to notice us leaving. Ten minutes, Rowland.”
“Or what?” I ask, biting my lip at his warning.
“Don’t let it get to that.” Turning me around, he points me towards the door. “Don’t be stupid. Don’t dawdle.”