Chapter 124: Protect my wife with your life.

Victoria.

Oh my God.

Victoria!

My head snaps toward the ice cream shop or what’s left of it.

The front windows are shattered, part of the entrance has collapsed inward, and thick smoke is pouring from the building. Flames flicker behind the broken glass, casting an ugly orange glow across the walls.

My heart stops.

Victoria was inside.

She was behind the counter, she was laughing with me just minutes ago, teasing Lysander and stealing spoonfuls of my ice cream.

She was alive.

She was perfectly fine, now her shop is burning and....and she’s inside.

"Victoria!"

I start toward the entrance.

I don’t think, I don’t stop to consider the flames or the smoke or the possibility that the building could collapse.

All I can think about is my friend.

I have to find her, I have to know she’s alive.

"Nerissa!"

Lysander’s voice follows me, but I keep moving.

I can see people gathering outside the shop, some stumbling away from the building while others desperately search the faces in the crowd.

Where is she? Where the hell is she?

I reach the edge of the pavement leading to the entrance when an arm suddenly locks around my waist.

I gasp as I’m hauled backward.

"Let me go!"

I twist violently, trying to break free but Lysander’s grip tightens.

"Stop!"

"Victoria is in there!"

"I know."

"Then let me go!"

I shove at his arm, but he doesn’t move. His body is pressed against my back, holding me firmly enough that I can’t take another step toward the burning building.

I fight him harder.

"Let go of me, Lysander!"

"You’re not going in there."

"That’s my friend!"

"And I’m not letting you run into a burning building!"

I turn in his hold, glaring up at him.

"Then do something! Send someone in! Call your men! Do whatever the hell you need to do, but don’t stand here holding me while she might be trapped in there!"

He looks over my shoulder toward the shop.

I seize the opportunity and try to wrench myself free again.

"Nerissa, the building could come down at any moment," he says, his voice firm. "You go in there, and I might lose you too."

"I don’t care!"

His jaw clenches.

"Well, I fucking care!"

I freeze for when the sound of something crashing inside the shop tears through the air.

I flinch violently.

My eyes flying toward the smoke.

"Victoria!"

I struggle against Lysander’s hold again, tears burning behind my eyes.

"Please! Just let me go! I we can’t leave her in there!"

He doesn’t release me.

Instead, he turns his head toward Hakeem, who is hurrying toward us through the gathering crowd.

"Hakeem!" Lysander roars. "Tell the emergency crews there are people trapped inside. Now!"

Hakeem nods sharply and rushes off.

I watch him go, my chest heaving. Then turn back to the burning shop.

Please, please be alive Victoria.

———

The sound of sirens grows louder as more emergency vehicles arrive. Firefighters rush toward the burning shop, dragging their hoses behind them while others secure the area and keep the crowd back. The paramedics waste no time attending to the injured people scattered across the pavement.

I stand beside Lysander, biting into my fingernails...hard enough that I taste blood.

It’s a habit I thought I’d stopped years ago, but apparently, some things return when you’re terrified enough.

The firefighters work tirelessly to contain the flames. Water crashes against the burning wreckage, and thick clouds of smoke rise into the sky. Eventually, the fire begins to die down, leaving behind the blackened remains of the car and the damaged front of the shop.

Only when the firefighters declare the immediate area safe do the paramedics move inside.

They begin bringing people out on stretchers.

Every time one emerges, I straighten, desperately searching for a familiar face.

A man, an elderly woman, another injured customer.

But no Victoria.

My fingers find their way back to my mouth.

"Nerissa."

Lysander’s voice is quiet beside me but I don’t look at him.

"Not now please."

He says nothing more.

Then I see her...two paramedics emerge from the shop carrying a stretcher. A familiar head of hair is visible beneath an oxygen mask, and one arm is secured against her body.

My heart leaps into my throat.

"Victoria!"

I break away from Lysander before he can stop me and hurry toward them.

"Vicky!"

Her eyelids flutter.

Then she turns her head slightly toward my voice. Even with blood near her hairline and her face pale beneath the soot, I recognize that familiar glint in her eyes.

"Oh, thank God."

I grab her uninjured hand, my eyes filling with tears.

"You’re alive. You’re actually alive."

Victoria manages a weak smile.

"Baby girl," she whispers, her voice hoarse. "I think this is the worst publicity my shop has ever received."

A laugh bursts out of me. It’s half a sob, half a laugh, and completely uncontrollable.

"You absolute idiot!"

She winces.

"Ow. Don’t make me laugh. I think my entire body is broken."

I squeeze her hand carefully, tears slipping down my cheeks.

"Don’t you ever scare me like that again. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, boss."

The paramedics begin moving her toward the ambulance, and I walk alongside the stretcher, refusing to let go of her hand until they need to secure her for transport.

I climb toward the ambulance entrance, ready to follow her inside.

"Ma’am, I’m sorry," one of the paramedics tells me. "We’ve reached the maximum capacity for this transport. There are several other injured people who need to be taken to the hospital."

"But she’s my friend!"

"I understand, but you’ll need to follow in another vehicle."

I stare at him, disbelieving.

"Victoria....."

"We’ll take care of her," he assures me.

The ambulance doors close before I can argue further. I stand there watching as they drive away, feeling helpless.

Then Lysander steps beside me.

"Come on. Hakeem will drive you to the hospital."

I turn toward him.

"What about you?"

"I have things to take care of here."

I want to argue, but I know he can’t simply abandon the situation.

He turns to Hakeem, who has approached us.

"You protect my wife with your life. If anything happens to her, you’re dead. Understood?"

Hakeem straightens immediately.

"Yes, Don."

"Good. I’ll have Alex and Zion follow you in another car, in case you need backup."

Hakeem nods and hurries away to bring the vehicle around.

I turn back to Lysander, reach for his hand and squeeze it.

"Thank you," I whisper. "And be safe."

His gaze settles on mine, something unreadable passing through his eyes.

"You too, Nerissa."

I give him one last look before Hakeem pulls the car around. Then I climb into the back seat, my heart already racing with the need to reach the hospital.

Hakeem starts the engine, and we pull away from the scene, another car following closely behind us.