“Where’s Mommy? I want Mommy,” she choked through her sobs.
Rickie grabbed his arm and pulled herself up so she could speak into the two-way. “I’m right here, sweetheart. Mommy’s right here.”
“I’m sorry, Mommy.”
“Shh. It’s okay. We’ll get you out.”
Rickie’s chest pressed against Jamie’s arm as she took a deep shuddering breath, her eyes piercing his. He wrapped his arm around her waist and mouthed, “I promise.”
When she laid her head on his shoulder, Jamie took back control of the two-way. He had to know how serious the situation was. “Do your legs hurt, Chloe?”
“They used to. Now I don’t feel them.”
Biting on his knuckles to keep from roaring, he prayed Dani was already working on getting through the debris. “We’re coming to get you. Don’t worry. You’re going to be fine.”
“Okay, Daddy.” She sniffled some more and over the air he heard Coco yip. Good. The dog would keep her company and keep her from worrying.
A huge weight took residence on his shoulders as he released the talk button, cutting the connection to Chloe. Rickie stepped out of his embrace and shoved him hard, her eyes glassy with tears. “This is all your fault, James Caldwell. You’re the reason our baby’s life is in danger. If she didn’t need you, I’d kick your ass.”
He ducked his head. “You don’t think I want to kick my own ass?” For all they knew, his baby’s legs could be broken, or worse—she could be paralyzed. At the thought, his chest tightened and his eyes burned. Christ almighty. If there was ever a time for prayer, this was it.
The sensation of Rickie’s soft palm on his cheek undid him. “Jamie. Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.”
His breath hitched and his shoulders shook with the effort to keep his emotions in check. He was in charge. He was the leader. He had to be strong, or he’d never earn Rickie’s trust back. “Yes, you did. And you’re right. If I could, I’d change places with her right now.”
Stepping closer, she hugged him. “I know you would. I never doubted your love for Chloe.”
No. She just doubted his love for her. But that was a problem for another day. He cradled her face in his hands and peered deep into her eyes. “I will get our daughter back. If nothing else, trust that.”
Looking contrite, she nodded numbly and watched as he collected his equipment.
When he was done, he took her hand. “Come on, let’s go rescue our daughter.”
Strength and determination radiated from Jamie as he led her through what remained of the common area. Dust clogged the air and darkness surrounded them except for the narrow beam from Jamie’s flashlight.
In a way, Erica was relieved that the man she’d met and fallen in love with was back. Nothing would keep him from saving Chloe. But this man also terrified her. They were getting a divorce. As soon as Jamie signed the papers, it was a done deal. This wasn’t the time for her to waffle. This wasn’t the time for her heart to whisper about possible mistakes. Because she wasn’t making a mistake. She loved Jamie, every inch of him, with every inch of herself. He was the only one for her. No other man would ever take his place. She knew that like she knew her own name. But she and Jamie were oil and water. They’d never mix together. Not the way they needed to.
“Dani,” Jamie called out, startling Erica. She’d been so focused on him, she hadn’t even noticed the beams of light a few yards away.
The beams turned and landed on her and Jamie like the king and queen at a prom dance. She shook her head at her own tunnel vision. What was wrong with her? God, she hoped it was just nerves.
“Good to see you safe, Erica,” Hollywood said.
“Yeah, glad you’re okay.” Dani said the words, but her eyes went from their locked hands to Jamie’s face. Jamie just stared back.
Hollywood coughed. “Right. K9, normally I’d advise you to go in with the diamond chain saw, even though it weighs almost as much as you do.” He paused while she snorted. “But since we don’t have power, you’ll have to make do with the cordless cutting edge saw. Take the pick axe and bolt cutters, as well as this pry bar. You’ll need it to lever the vending machine.”
“Thanks,” she said, hooking the items into her belt.
“Why is Dani going in?” Erica asked. Surely one of the bigger men would be better suited for the task. “How’s she going to get the machine off my little girl?”
Jamie set his equipment down. He looked like he was about to answer, but Dani cut him off, her eyes narrowing on Erica. “Because where Chloe is located is virtually impenetrable for anyone bigger than Coco. As it is, I’m going to have to cut through quite a lot of obstacles just to get to her. And these guys”—she waved her hand around—“would get stuck. And then we’d have another problem on our hands. As for getting the machine off her, I have the same training they have. I will bring your daughter out.”
All right then. This obviously wasn’t the first time Dani’s abilities had been questioned. “Thank you,” Erica said.
Dani nodded then grabbed a strap and wound her arms through it so it rested under her breasts.
Erica followed the strap to its end. Her breath caught when she saw the long bright orange board with black tie straps. “Oh God,” she cried, pressing her hand to her mouth. “What’s that for?”
“It’s a spine board,” Dani explained without looking at her.
Hearing her gasp, Jamie’s arm snaked around Erica’s waist and yanked her to his side. “It’s just a precaution, honey. If Chloe can crawl, Dani will let her come out on her own.”
“And if she can’t?”
“If she can’t, Dani will pull her out.”
She rested her head on Jamie’s arm and together they watched her husband’s date wind her way through a mountain of wood, plaster, concrete, and metal to save their only child. What a damn nightmare.
Hollywood came to stand beside them. “Don’t worry, Erica. Dani’s the best.”
Jamie pressed his two-way. “Status.”
Erica leaned in close so she could hear.
“Hit a sheet of drywall. No way around. I’m using my blade to cut through,” Dani said between breaths. “Should be done in a minute.”
Soon after, they heard a bang and a crack followed by a “Hot dog!” After a grunt, Dani continued. “Okay, LJ. I’m on the move.” They heard more noise as she tossed smaller objects out of her way.
“Careful, Dani,” Jamie warned. “We don’t want this pile of crap coming down on you.”
“I always am, LJ. You know that.” Dani laughed and the sound made Erica grit her teeth. She could just imagine what else the woman was always careful about. She pushed away from Jamie’s side, sick at the thought that the woman her husband was sleeping with was saving her daughter’s life. Unfortunately, when she stepped back she tripped and fell smack against Hollywood. An arm as hard as iron snapped around her waist, pulling her firmly against the man’s granite-like chest.
His low laugh rumbled against her back as he leaned down and whispered, “Anytime you want to make him jealous, let me know. But this probably isn’t the best time.”
She shrugged out of his hold and turned her head to give him a piece of her mind. Hollywood grinned widely, his gaze flicking to Jamie. And oh, boy! If making him jealous had been her goal, she’d have succeeded. Jamie’s eyes burned with possessiveness and his body seemed impossibly large as he advanced on her.
“Let go of my wife,” he said, his voice a low, dangerous growl.
Hollywood raised his hands in surrender. “My bad,” he said, the amusement dancing in his words making it clear he meant the opposite.
“Damn,” Dani said, loud enough for Erica to hear her through both men’s two-ways.
Jamie gave her one last hard look before turning in the direction Dani had gone. “What is it?” he asked.
“Rebar.”
“Fuck. Can you get around it?”
“Not around, not over, not under. I�
�m going to have to go through it.”
“What’s your plan?”
Jamie’s technical rescue team had some amazing tools, but how could Dani get through reinforced concrete? Erica listened anxiously to Dani’s answer.
“It’s a support column about fifteen feet long and four feet high by four feet deep. A chunk of cement from the center has already broken out and there are cracks extending out from there for about a foot on each side. If I can chip out the concrete, I can cut the rebar. The hole will be big enough to get the board through.”
Visions of the column caving in on Dani and stranding Chloe alone on the other side made Erica sway. She grabbed Jamie’s sleeve. When he looked down at her, his brow arched, she asked, “Will it hold after she cuts through it?”
He nodded. “She’ll leave enough of the original structure on either side and above the hole to maintain the integrity of the column.”
Releasing his arm, she breathed deeply and stepped back.
“Okay, do it,” Jamie said to Dani.
“Roger that, LJ.”
Dani gave them status updates as she loosened the concrete along the crack and cut several of the steel bars. “I need to do one more layer and then I should be good.”
“Make sure there’s enough space for an occupied board.”
At the sound of Jamie’s strangled voice, Erica looked up at him. His eyes were closed and a muscle jumped in his jaw. Her heart clenched with fear. He didn’t think Chloe would be able to walk out. She must have whimpered because his eyes shot open and his gaze flew to hers. He didn’t say a word, simply brushed his fingers along her cheek. But his eyes spoke of fear and regret.
“Hey, Jamie.”
Erica looked up to see Drew and three other men approaching them, boots clomping over the debris, their heavy equipment jiggling and jangling. How such big men could move so fluidly with the amount of gear they carried amazed her. And their arrival thrilled her. Surely with the whole team here, they’d have Chloe out in no time.
“Erica, thank God you’re okay.” Drew grabbed her in a great bear hug.
She hugged him back, smiling. Of all Jamie’s brothers, Drew had always been her favorite. “You should probably thank Jamie instead. He’s the one who got me out from under the wall.”
Drew stepped back and clapped Jamie on the shoulder. “Nah. They’re one and the same.”
Jamie pulled him into a chokehold, knocking his helmet off, then he rubbed the top of his brother’s head with his knuckles. “Smartass.”
Drew laughed, and all the men, including Jamie, joined in.
She’d often wondered why people joked in tense situations like this one. From an outsider’s perspective, it had always seemed out of place to her. But now that she was here, in the middle of everything, she understood. When faced with the choice between laughing or crying to relieve the stress of a dangerous situation, laughter was easier to handle.
A sense of hope filled Erica’s heart. She’d have her baby in her arms soon. Safe and sound.
Suddenly, everyone stopped, their expressions intent as they listened to someone speaking over the radio. Jamie unclipped the radio from his jacket and held it to his ear. She inched closer to him to hear better, but he shook his head and pulled away. “How bad is it?” he asked.
Her heart started a manic beat against her ribs. Oh God. Had something happened to Chloe? Her hands curled around Jamie’s arm as she tried to climb higher. Drew gently disengaged her fingers from Jamie’s turnout coat. When she lowered herself to the ground and stepped back, he put an arm around her shoulders and lightly squeezed her bicep.
“What’s going on, Drew?”
A look passed between the two brothers. “Get her out of here,” Jamie grunted.
What? “I’m not going anywhere. What’s wrong, Jamie?” When he remained silent, she insisted. “Tell me. If this concerns Chloe, I have a right to know.”
Ignoring her, he flicked his two-way. “Dani, stop all maneuvers until we get a readout.”
No! She shrugged Drew’s arm off and faced Jamie, desperation making her fierce. “What’s the matter with you? You can’t just leave our daughter to die under a stupid vending machine.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “I’m not leaving Chloe.”
“But you—”
“Just calm down. This isn’t helping our daughter. Can’t you hear her crying? You’re shouting and it’s scaring her.” He blew out in exasperation. “Give me a minute and I’ll explain everything.”
Her throat swollen with unspoken questions, she nodded and gave him some space. Surrounded by Jamie’s grim-faced team, she waited and listened.
“How much time do we have?” he asked.
All the men swore when the answer came. If someone didn’t answer her soon she was going to explode.
Jamie held out his hand. “Come here.”
She took it and followed him to where he stopped a few yards away. If something had gone wrong with Chloe, she would… God, she had no idea what she would do. Tears filled her eyes and she searched Jamie’s face for answers.
After a few moments, he cleared his throat. “I don’t know how to say this.”
“J-just say it.”
“Okay. The aftershock caused a gas leak. Fumes are filtering up from the basement. We’ve got about twenty minutes before the levels on this floor become unsafe. We need to evacuate.”
CHAPTER 5
Rickie’s grip on Jamie’s fingers was tight enough to break glass. In that moment, he’d have given anything to turn back the clock. Go back to five forty-five and pick Chloe up from the daycare himself. Go back a year to the day Rickie had sent him packing, the day that would forever be burned into his retinas. Hell, maybe he should go back to the day he’d first met Rickie. Not so he could avoid her, but so he could do everything right. He didn’t for one minute regret having had Chloe, but he definitely could have worked on creating a better home for her and on building a stronger marriage with Rickie.
Her bottom lip trembled when she spoke. “What about Chloe?”
He wanted to tell her their daughter would be all right. How could he though? In a matter of minutes, the entire building would be one spark away from a bonfire. “I’ll get to her. But you need to leave right now.”
The wild shaking of Rickie’s head sent her blonde hair whipping around her face. “No. Let me stay, Jamie.”
“It’s too dangerous.” A sound like that of a trapped animal escaped her lips, making his heart break. Christ. Were their positions reversed, he’d want to stay too.
“At least until Dani reaches her. Please, Jamie. I need to stay.”
The pain and humility in her tone did him in. Rickie had never been anything but authoritative and in control. It’s what made her so great at her job. “When I say go, you go.”
A tremulous smile flashed across her face, gone almost before he noticed it. “Understood.”
When they rejoined the group, he asked for an update. “Gas levels?”
“Rising. Seventeen more minutes,” Drew said.
“LJ, I’ve got a problem,” Dani interrupted. “I need to use the saw to sever this last piece of rebar.”
“No go. Use the bolt cutters.”
“Already tried. They aren’t big enough.”
“Shit.” He looked around at the men surrounding him. “If she turns that saw on, the place could blow.” One by one, the men nodded. “If anyone wants to leave, go now. No hard feelings.” One by one, the men shook their heads.
A lump the size of his fist formed in his throat. He had the best fucking team in the world. “Okay, Dani, do it. But be as quick as you can.”
“Got it.”
They all held their breaths at the sound of the saw powering up. Jamie held Rickie’s hand and wrapped his arm around Drew’s shoulders. Prayers from his childhood played in his mind. Was it too obnoxious to ask God for a favor now? He’d never know unless he tried. Bowing his head, he begged God to save his little girl.
Dani’s whoop over the radios sounded like a heavenly aria when it came. “I’m through, LJ.” Coco’s excited barking joined the team’s gleeful encouragement. “Coco’s here. I told her to stay with Chloe, so I must be very close.”
Since he hadn’t wanted Chloe to be frightened by the team’s radio chatter, he’d asked her to turn off the radio Coco had brought her. But now that his luck seemed to be turning, he wanted to tell his daughter that help was near. “Call to her. Ask her to turn the walkie-talkie on,” he said.
A few seconds later, he heard a click and the sweetest softest voice. “Daddy?”
“I’m here, baby.”
“Coco was barking. I got scared, but then I heard Dani.”
“That’s right. Dani’s coming to get you. You be a big girl and do what she says. Okay?”
“Okay. I’m not going to die, am I, Daddy?”
The air left his lungs in one awful whoosh, as though the building had collapsed on his chest. Beside him, Rickie made a small keening sound. “No. Of course not,” he said, more vehemently than he should have. Softening his tone, he asked, “Can you see Dani or Coco yet?”
“Coco came back.” He heard slurping sounds accompanied by Chloe’s giggles.
An ache started deep in his chest. “I love you, baby.”
Dani’s voice came over the air, calm and light. “I’ve got her, LJ.”
“Good. Turn her radio off.” He waited to hear the click, then spoke to Dani. “I’ll try to ask questions you can answer without scaring her. What’s on her? Is it the vending machine?”
“Yes.”
“Can you lift it?”
“Yes.”
“Can you pull her out from underneath at the same time?”
“Maybe.”
“Too cramped?”
“Time is a bigger issue.”
Shit. How could he have forgotten? If he didn’t pull it together and keep a cool head, he’d get them all killed. “Levels?” he asked Drew.
Aftershocks (Six-Alarm Sexy) Page 5