Chapter Thirty-Four

Delany

Laying there in his arms, I couldn't get my mind to shut off.

Those three little words kept rattling around in my head like some alarm bell going off. Nothing I did could ease the confusion warring within me. I wanted so much to wake him up and ask him if he said it in the heat of the moment? Was it deliberate? Did he truly mean it?

Knowing I would not sleep anytime soon, I carefully extricated myself from his arms, slipping from the bed. Seeing his shirt draped over the chair, I didn't think when I donned it before making my way out of the room. Heading down the hallway, I tried to be as quiet as I possibly could when I descended the stairs before entering the kitchen, only to stop when I saw Montana sitting at the small table, leaning over a glass of whiskey. The bottle next to him, half empty.

"I'm sorry," I muttered, backing away.

"No need to leave."

"I only came for some water."

"Bottles are in the fridge."

Walking over to the fridge, I opened it and quickly grabbed a cold bottle of water.

"You know, I saw him with you that night at the bar. He looked at you like you were everything he ever dreamed of and more. Had I known who you truly were back then, I would have done everything in my power to keep you two apart."

"I'm sorry?" I whispered, unsure where he was going with this.

"You and I are alike, you know that?"

"How?"

"Neither of us like change."

He was right. I didn't.

"Now, everything is going to be different."

"Montana, I never meant to—"

"I know," he interrupted with a sigh, pausing to throw back the remnants of the whiskey in his glass before pouring himself another drink. "It's not your fault. It's mine. I knew you weren't just a one-night stand for him. He looked at you like I look at my Tess."

"But that's good, right?"

He slowly nodded. "Yep, but it also means everything is about to change."

"I don't understand."

"I know you don't, which makes this entire situation all the more troubling."

"Then explain it to me. What can I do to help?"

Montana turned to me and simply said, "Love him. Be there for him. Trust that he knows what's best and will never put you in harm's way. Storm will go to the ends of the Earth to protect you and Harlow. You wanted a peaceful life. Well, he's going to give you that and more. But, Delany, he's going to need something from you in return."

"What?"

"Acceptance," he stated firmly, as he leaned back in his chair. "Storm is going to do things, say things that won't make any sense to you. He's going to be absent when he would rather be with you and Harlow. He's going to miss important dates, dinners, birthdays, time with his family, and it's going to weigh on him heavily. He's going to need your understanding, your acceptance of this life, so he can do what needs to be done."

"I think I understand," I muttered, looking at the water bottle in my hands. I knew being with Jason would not be easy. He was an important figure in society and within the Soulless Sinners. Couple that with my past, being with me and giving me what I want, I knew he would be pulled in two different directions.

"I never wanted to complicate his life. I only want to make things easier. I'll do anything to help him achieve that."

"Then don't fight him when the time comes, Delany. Because it's coming. It's closer than either of you think."

Nodding, I didn't know what else to say.

Turning to leave, I stopped dead in my tracks as the water bottle slipped from my hands.

"Delany?" I vaguely heard Montana say as my body immediately became alert. My heart picked up, beating furiously against my chest while a familiar pungent smell assaulted my nose.

"Delany, what is it?" he urged, stepping in front of me.

Unable to move, I whispered, "Do you smell that?"

"Smell what?"

"Fire."

The second I said the word, alarms started blaring loudly throughout the house, sending Montana running for the stairs. I needed to get to Harlow and get her out of this house. As the daughter of a firefighter, I knew never to play around with fire. Yet, I couldn't get my feet to move as the acrid smell engulfed me, freezing me to my spot.

It was an intense smell that curdled my stomach and burned my nose. Fire was unpredictable and always more intense than anyone thought. From the moment I could walk, my father taught me everything I needed to know, what to do, and how to protect myself. Yet, faced with the real thing, all I could think about was my parents and how scared they must have been the night they died.

"Delany!" I heard Jason shout my name while a gloved hand clamped over my mouth. Hearing muffled breathing, I reached up to remove the hand when something sharp poked me in the back.

"Come with me," the voice clearly said.

Turning, I saw a firefighter in full gear, mask and all, as he motioned for me to follow. Not thinking, I did as I was told when something hit me on the back of the head, knocking me to the floor.