Chapter 5

5

LUKE

M y shift ends at 2 AM, and at 1:50, I can hear the rumble of the second team coming in to guard the house for the rest of the night. We're parked in a cul-de-sac, where a little boy and his mother, who has recently divorced her ex-husband, are staying with her parents. The ex has been skulking around the house, leaving little messages in the mailbox and slid under windshield wipers, but that shit doesn't fly in my town.

The Iron Guardians are watching the house either for the rest of the week until the ex gets the picture, or until he's arrested. We have four guys on each shift during the night, and it's been a quiet guard job all things considered.

The other bikes park and we all do a quick meet and greet with the team coming in. It's protocol—we don't let anyone guard the house without verifying ID and making sure we know who's on site. It's a little over-the-top maybe, but with all the shit people try to pull to try and get past us, it's necessary.

"See you tomorrow," I tell the guys as I straddle my bike. It's been a long night, and I'm looking forward to a few hours of shut-eye before I work in the morning. I'm about to take off when one of the new guard's phones chirps an urgent alert, which he quickly checks. Something tells me to wait and see what's going on, even if it's none of my business.

The guy who gets the alert, Benji, is younger, so what he says next doesn't come as a surprise. "Ah, hell. I'm still signed up for Stonebridge U's emergency alerts. Sorry about that."

Fear prickles along my spine, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. "Is there an emergency?"

Benji reads the message, eyes narrowed, before nodding once. "Electrical fire at the west residence hall. I guess it killed the power, too. They're evacuating the building."

The residence hall. Emma. "Fuck." I gun my engine, barely pausing to shout instructions. "New shift, stay put. Don't let anyone get past you. Benji, call some of the other guys and send backup. I'm going to make sure everyone gets out okay."

I tear off into the night, adrenaline and worry mixing together to create a potent cocktail. Emma lives with a roommate, but that doesn't make me feel any better. The thought of her alone in the dark with the smoke rising makes my blood run cold. What if she's hurt? What if she's trapped?

My bike roars underneath me as I weave through traffic, ignoring any and all speed limits. A few minutes later, I'm pulling up outside the residence hall and a crowd of people are standing near the parking lot, watching the start of the blaze. I don't even stop, just kill the engine and run towards the building, shouldering past a few stragglers.

The fire isn't apparent from the outside of the building, but there's an eerie orange glow coming from the left side of the lowest floor, slowing climbing. Fire trucks are already on site, sirens echoing in the air as even more make their way to campus. Huge groups of students are outside in their pajamas and various other states of undress, and someone official-looking with a clipboard is taking names.

"Emma," I shout, looking around. "Has anyone seen Emma Lawson? Has she gotten out?"

A girl with her dark hair in a messy bun looks up at me, frowning. "You know Emma? She's not out yet. She's on the 8th floor, room 8-E."

I curse and whip out my phone, dialing Emma's number. Please pick up. She does, after only a few rings, but her voice is so small.

"Luke?"

"Emma, thank God. I'm here. Are you alright?" I barrel into the building, shouting over the sounds of the fire, the firemen, and the crowds of people.

"Luke, what are you doing here?" Her voice is faint, like she's not holding the phone to her mouth.

"Just tell me you're okay!" The smoke is getting thicker and there's no time to waste. I dodge the firemen trying to direct me outside and charge onwards, covering my mouth with the crook of my arm.

"I'm fine, but the sirens. Is there really a fire?" Her voice is small, terrified. "I'm hiding in my closet. I don't know why. I just panicked. Oh, should I run?"

A quick glance shows me that the fire department has the windows open, getting the blaze under control before it can spread to the higher floors. She's probably safe, but there's no way in hell I'm risking it.

"I'm coming." There's a fireman blocking my way now and I push him aside, too focused on getting to Emma. He yells after me, but I ignore him. I'm not leaving her up here alone.

I take the stairs two at a time and finally reach the eighth floor. I can hear the creaking of the building, the roar of the fire, and the shouts of the men below, but that isn't important. Finding Emma and getting her out is.

"Emma!" I bellow, shoving her door open. There's a little less smoke up here, and it's quiet. Empty.

"Luke!" A muffled reply comes from the end of the hall, and I dash towards it.

She's curled up in the corner of her closet, arms wrapped around her legs. Her eyes are wide and fearful, and she's trembling.

I crouch down and gather her into my arms. "Hey, I'm here now. Everything's going to be okay."

To my relief, she relaxes a little against my chest, fingers curling into my shirt. "Luke," she says again, this time with recognition. "Thank you. I'm sorry. I just froze and I couldn't think?—"

"It's okay," I reassure her. "We'll get you out of here."

I scoop her up and carry her towards the stairs, grabbing a discarded hoodie off her couch on the way. She buries her face into my shoulder, clinging to me tightly. A fierce surge of protectiveness wells up inside me as we descend the eight flights of stairs. By the time we reach the ground floor, the smoke has dissipated and the fire appears to be under control. There are still a few stragglers—other students who are either too drunk to notice what's happening or who were caught on the upper floors and couldn't find the stairs. I catch the eye of a fireman and nod towards Emma. At first, he looks pissed, but once he shines his headlamp over and sees the insignia on my jacket, his expression changes to resignation.

"Iron Guardians. I should have guessed." With a heavy sigh, he jerks his head towards the door, where the lights of the fire trucks are still illuminating the night. "Get her out of here."

Relief washes over me as we step out into the cool night air. Emma stirs in my arms, peering up at me."We're out?"

"Yes, baby girl. We're out." As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I realize how intimate they sound. And how natural. How right.

Instead of pulling away, however, Emma relaxes, letting out a breath that tickles my neck. "Thank you. You keep showing up at just the right time."

"You're welcome." My hand rests on her head, keeping her tucked against me. "It's over, you're okay."

"I'm just glad you came." Her voice is soft, barely a whisper. "I know this was crazy, but I'm so glad you were here. But how did you know?"

I hesitate, wondering what to say. The truth is, the second I heard the alert go off, I knew I had to get to her. "I heard about the fire and came straight here. I had to make sure you were alright."

Her eyes widen, and for a moment she just stares at me, speechless. Then, she does something I don't expect. She leans closer and presses a kiss to my cheek.

"That means more to me than you know."

And as I carry Emma across campus, towards my bike, towards safety, all I can think about is the feeling of her lips on my skin. Then, a thought pierces the haze. "Don't you have a roommate?"

"Yeah," Emma murmurs, half asleep against my chest. "Sarah. She had to go back to her parents right before the fire. A family emergency. But at least she's safe."

When I put her on the ground, she looks hesitantly at my bike parked haphazardly on the curb—not usual for me, but I was in a hurry to get to her. Emma's expression changes from apprehension to awkwardness as the fear leaves her and everything that just happened in the last hour becomes clear.

I can only imagine what she's thinking. It's the middle of the night, almost morning really, and she's out here in slippers with a man she barely knows in her pajamas. And I just put her down in front of my bike without even consulting her about whether she wanted to come home with me or not. She looks back at the residence hall and winces—no going back inside for a few hours at least—then to my bike again.

"I'm going to hazard a guess and say you've never ridden before?" I ask, handing her the hoodie, which she immediately pulls on.

Emma shakes her head wordlessly and takes a step back. Her arms are wrapped around her middle, hugging herself. I want to gather her up again, hold her close, and tell her everything is going to be okay, but that's not what she needs right now. Not exactly.

"Well…" I try for a reassuring grin. "There's a first time for everything. Here." I grab the extra helmet and hold it out to her. "Put this on."

"Where are we going? If we wait, I'm sure I can go back up?—"

"You're coming home with me," I tell her, watching her eyes go large. "Look, it's too late for anyone else to be driving you, and it's not safe here. Your building isn't habitable, and besides, you can't just stand out here in the cold."

"What if people?—"

"The Iron Guardians have a reputation," I interrupt. "We're the good guys, Emma. No one will bat an eyelash if you're riding with me."

She bites her lip, clearly nervous, but finally reaches for the helmet. "All right."

I help her get it settled and straddle my bike. With a deep breath, Emma gets on behind me, holding my waist tightly. I can feel her heart racing against my back, and I reach down and squeeze her hand reassuringly.

"Ready?"

She nods and holds on tighter.

"Hey," I call over the engine. "You can trust me. I've got you."

"I know." She sounds a little breathless. "I do, Luke. I trust you."

Her words send a rush of possessive warmth through me as we roar off into the night. Emma's arms tighten around my waist, her body pressed close. I can feel her heartbeat against my back, matching the rhythm of mine, and I know that something has changed between us tonight.

"Hold on tight," I yell as we take a sharp turn, leaning into it. "We'll be there soon."

She gives a little squeak of surprise but doesn't let go. We weave through the streets of Stonebridge, passing the park and the campus, the old Victorian homes, and the stone buildings of the university, until we reach my house. The garage next to the house where I work is dark, but the motion lights for the home itself kick on as I pull into the driveway.

"You live here?" Emma asks, sounding surprised. "It's beautiful."

"Thanks." I can't help but smile at the awe in her voice. I didn't build the house myself, but I did a fair bit of renovation and repairs over the years. I'm proud of the results. "Wait til you see the inside."

She grins at me, helmet wobbling on her head. "Can't wait."

I help her off the bike and take her helmet, storing it safely inside the garage. Then, I lead her into the house. The space is open and airy, with a mix of rustic and modern finishes. The kitchen is my favorite—clean lines and high-end appliances. I like to cook when time allows.

"Let me show you to the guest room. Unless you wanted something to drink?"

She hesitates, glancing at the clock on the microwave. "I hate to disappear after you basically saved my life, but I really need to get some sleep for my exam tomorrow. I don't even want to think about if they're going to let me get my study supplies from my dorm or if I'm going to have to wear pajamas to school tomorrow, but my head is so fuzzy that I can't even think straight. If I could just crash on the couch?—--"

"Emma."

She breaks off, looking up at me.

"You can stay here."

"But, don't you have roommates or something? I really don't want to intrude, and I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea."

I shake my head, resisting the urge to laugh. "I live alone, sweetheart. There's no one here but me."

"Oh." She pauses. "So I'd be staying with you?"

"You'd have your own room, of course."

She looks relieved. "Okay, well, if you're sure. I'd hate to put you out."

"You're not putting me out," I reassure her, taking her hand. "In fact, I'd be honored if you stayed. But only if you want to, Emma."

"I do." She squeezes my hand, smiling shyly. "I trust you, Luke."

Something flares in my chest at her words, and I fight the urge to pull her closer. Instead, I give her hand one last squeeze and lead her down the hall. "Right this way."

I show Emma to the guest room, a little space tucked away at the end of the hallway. There's a bed, a dresser, and a small desk. It's a little plain, maybe—I haven't had a lot of visitors—but it's clean and comfortable.

Emma looks around the room, exhaling in relief at seeing a bed. "It's perfect, Luke, thank you. I can't believe how kind you're being to me."

I shake my head. "It's nothing."

She smiles up at me, and for a moment, we just stare at each other, the air charged with something powerful. It'd be so easy to take her hand and lead her to the bed. Then, she clears her throat, looking away.

"Well, um, thank you, Luke. For everything. I don't know what I would have done without you tonight."

"It was my pleasure, Emma. Anything you need, just ask."

Emma nods, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "Well, I guess I should try to get some sleep"

"Get some rest. My room is just across the hall if you need anything, alright?" Like me to bury my face between your legs?

"You're too sweet."

She offers me a soft, tired smile before closing the door. I linger in the hallway for a moment, feeling like something important has just happened. It's more than rescuing her, more than inviting her to stay—the bond between us growing, becoming harder to ignore.

In my bedroom, I strip off my leather jacket and flop down on the bed. It's been a long night and day, too. I'm exhausted. But at the same time, a part of me wants to rush back into the hall, throw open the door to Emma's room, and take her in my arms.

I let out a groan, scrubbing my face. Now is not the time.

Rolling onto my side, I stare out the window, trying not to think about how close Emma is. Only a wall separates us. So close, but at the same time, so far.

I let out a huff, punching the pillow and flopping onto my back. It's no good, though. No matter how many times I tell myself to sleep, my mind keeps racing.

I don't know why, but from the moment I first saw Emma, I've been drawn to her. There's something about her. The soft curves of her body, the delicate features of her face, the sweet way she bites her lip when she's nervous. I've been trying to push those thoughts down, telling myself that she needs me to take it slow. But I just want to take, take, take, until she's mine in every possible way. What am I going to do? What in the hell am I going to do?