1
Micah
The noise. Rumbling. Roaring. Loud. Boisterous.
Everywhere.
Right before the sound there was a tingle in the air, like the Heavens telling us that something big was about to happen, but not directing us until it was too late. It was all the warning we received—a feeling.
One second I was chasing Remy and Ensley, playing tag that made all of us laugh, and the next my Marine training kicked in so naturally it was seamless.
Danger. Threat.
Grabbing Remy around her belly and picking her up, we charged to Ensley. I thrust Remy into Ensley’s protective arms and pushed them both to the ground, not knowing what the fuck was going on, but they needed to be covered.
Remy cried hysterically beneath us as I watched one by one as explosions erupted at Austyn and Emery’s houses. Another boom quaked the ground, and I curled around my two girls with my body protecting them as the leaves from the tree above shook.
What in the fuck was going on here? Homes in Sumner didn’t just randomly blow up. Hell, homes in America didn’t just blow up.
That shit was a declaration of war.
Trust me, I’d been there—in the middle of the madness, exactly like what was happening in front of me in my hometown.
Fear struck bold and hit me hard. It wasn’t for me. No, it was for the two girls beneath me. Very few times I felt fear. This time, I could feel it all around me. It was this tangible thing I felt as though I could grab it and hold on to it. As if it were waiting in the air, ready to take all of us down.
Nothing could happen to these two.
Nothing.
I wouldn’t allow it.
In that split second, they were the only thing that mattered. Everything inside of me had shifted. Priorities, emotions, everything was intensified as I took in the scene around us, looking for the threats.
“Oh my God. Austyn is in there!” Ensley cried, and I could feel her body shaking along with Remy’s.
I had to get them out of here.
Had to get them away.
Far away from the danger.
They needed to be safe, and that was away from here. Then I could focus on getting Austyn out.
Huge fireballs lifted into the sky, shaped like one large mushroom. My mind went back momentarily to the desert. My guys around me while everything burst into flames. Engulfing. Consuming.
Rapidly, I shook it off. This was not the time, nor the place for that shit. Focus.
Quickly and efficiently, I picked up both of my girls and moved toward Ensley’s car all the while taking charge and commanding directives. “Ensley. Get in your car and drive directly to the clubhouse. No stops for any reason. You get there as fast and safe as possible. You do not leave until I get there.”
In the position I held Ensley, I couldn’t see her face to gauge her reaction. Shock had certainly set in, but I needed her to focus on my instructions and for them to get to the safety of the clubhouse. I set them down. Ensley picked up Remy and clutched onto her, fear stark in her gaze as she nodded. Okay, she was with me. Good.
Her face was white as a sheet, but I had to continue. “You call 911 on the way and give them the address,” I ordered, needing them gone. “I’m going in for Austyn. When you get to the clubhouse, let my mom help with Remy.”
Safe. Away from here.
“Okay.” The word had some shakes to it, but I needed her to pull it together and get Remy out of here. Whatever this was, it was big, and nothing could happen to them. I’d just found them and wasn’t letting them go.
“Go!” I ordered, but she stayed still for a moment. Why the hell wasn’t she going? “What?” It came out as a bark, but she had to get the hell out of here and get to the clubhouse.
“What are you going to do? Why won’t you come with us? What about Austyn?” she pleaded, tears falling from her eyes.
I gripped Ensley on each shoulder and looked deep into her eyes, needing her to see the desperation for them to get far away from danger. “Please, Ensley. I need to focus without worrying about my girls. Take Remy and go. Now.”
Remy’s cries got louder, killing me inside. Seconds ticked by feeling like hours. Ensley reached over, brushed her lips against mine, and dashed into her car.
Fuck, that was nice. That small touch. I didn’t know I needed it, but I did. She felt like comfort.
I pulled out my phone and called my father as I took off in a mad sprint to the house, hearing Ensley’s car leaving the area and feeling that partial bit of relief.
“Son.” Thankfully, he answered right away.
I didn’t waste any time. “Explosions at Austyn and Emery’s. Need to get here now. Everything’s on fire, and I know Austyn is home. Don’t know about Emery or the others. I gotta get Austyn out!”
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” he yelled, hanging up the phone. I shoved my phone in my back pocket, forging ahead to the mission in front of me.
Making it to the fire at Austyn’s home, the red, yellow, and orange flames lit up the sky while smoke billowed from everywhere. It was taller than the trees around us.
How many bombs had detonated? The questions ran rampant in my mind. In the military, I was trained to identify the source of my problem and work out the solution.
The only solution here was getting Austyn out and finding out if anyone was in Emery’s home.
Heat. The closer I got the more it enclosed around me, sucking me in, and wanting me to enter it. Fire was a dangerous element. It needed fuel to survive. If you were in the path of it, it would eat you whole and not think twice about it. Hell, it would laugh and find something else to set ablaze.
Pressure. Every breath became harder to hold onto the deeper I got to the house as the air was tinged in smoke. Being trained, I paced my mind to steady each inhale and exhale.
Repeat.
Focus.
The mission in front of me—get to Austyn and get her out. It was all that mattered.
“Austyn! You in here?” I yelled, hoping like hell she could give me a clue as to where she was. Going into fire was difficult, but not having any clue where you were headed was worse.
“Help!” I heard from the inside. Fuck, it was Austyn, and she sounded scared. Something I hadn’t heard from her since we were little kids. This meant whatever was in there was bad, and I needed to prepare myself for what I was about to see.
Fuck.
Stepping nearer, the flames were hotter than hell, but I made it through the fog to the house. I tapped the door handle a few times to check the temperature. Hot. Scorching. Luckily, I hadn’t gripped the handle, or my hand would’ve been burned to shit.
This also meant that the fire was right on the other side of the door just waiting for me like a temptress.
But I had to get in.
I used my arm to cover my face, knowing flames would be on the other side, as I kicked the door down with my booted foot. Fire came out in a flash as I bent down to evade the flames, then its angriness receded back inside. Milliseconds was all it took, and if I hadn’t had the quick reflex to go down, I’d be burned and unable to try to get to Austyn. Once again, I had to be thankful for my training.
Fuck, I hoped like hell there weren’t any more explosions, or we were both fucked. If something else went off when we were both in here, that would be the end.
Risk or not, I was getting Austyn out of here.