Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 28026 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28026 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
“My grandfather built this cabin with his bare hands, and the hell if I’m going to leave it,” he growls, that handsome face fierce and determined. “This is all I have left of Grandpa Fred, and I’m going to fight this fire if it kills me.”
His words make me gasp.
“No!” I scream. “You can’t, Christian, it’s not worth it! Come with me!”
But as I cry out, red and orange flames reach towering heights in the distance. They roar to life behind a canopy of trees, and a horrible crackling sound hits my ears. The trees start to bend and break, causing the conflagration to burn higher and hotter even as I stare in horror.
“Go!” Christian screams. “Now, Emily!”
Tears stream down my face as I hop into the cab of the truck, fishtailing the vehicle before roaring down the mountain. In my rearview mirror, I see my handsome lover, wielding the heavy hose while desperately spraying the roof of the cabin with water. I admire the alpha male’s courage and bravery, but will he survive? My heart breaks ... because I can’t live without Christian Degas now.
12
Christian
Istare straight ahead while sitting on the couch of my place in Vegas. It’s a luxury penthouse situated on the top-most floor of the Degas Hotel, outfitted with all the finest touches: plush, pile carpets imported from Persia; multiple chandeliers scattered about; and priceless artwork on the walls. A panoramic view of the city can be seen through floor to ceiling windows, and the apartment is still and quiet, the hushed exclusiveness reeking of money. But I don’t see anything because what the fuck happened a few days ago? One moment, I was enjoying coffee with my girl on the front porch of my cabin. We were giggling and laughing, enjoying each other’s company as Emily shot me sweet, flirtatious smiles. Then the next, a towering fire appeared out of fucking nowhere, racing up the mountain towards us.
I went into protective mode then. I rushed Emily off the property, tears streaming down her face as she raced off in my truck. Then, I grabbed the hose and began to defend my house. I sprayed the roof, the walls, and every conceivable surface with water. I filled garbage cans, the tub, and multiple large bins with water, and shut off the gas. I screamed and yelled, practically beating my chest as the fire approached, as if I could scare the conflagration off with my charisma alone.
But it wasn’t to be. The flames intensified as they rushed up the hill, an ominous mix of flickering reds, oranges, and yellows. I could hear the snap and crackle of kindling lighting up, and branches fell to the ground with massive booms. Stinging ash floated in the air, coating my skin while making my eyes water. The winds picked up in volume, embers glowing like fireflies as they landed everywhere and anywhere. The signs were clear. My efforts were the puny machinations of one human being against the might of Mother Nature. This fire was going to consume the mountain, and everything standing in its way would be decimated.
Screaming with despair, anger, and helplessness, I hopped on an ATV and zoomed down a narrow trail, the heat of the flames surrounding me on all sides. I still don’t know how I escaped because reports are that the fire consumed everything for more than two hundred thousand acres. Firefighters fought valiantly for days before containing the conflagration, and countless damage was done. Officials claim that a man and his son committed arson, firing a gun when projectile discharge from the firearm struck an object, causing heated fragments of the projectile to land in a dry receptive fuel bed, igniting the fuels. But that’s all gobbledy-gook to me because my girl disappeared, and she’s likely dead. My truck was found abandoned in downtown Fairview a few days later, the husk charred and blackened, with no trace of Emily.
There’s no one that can tell us what happened to the curvy girl either because the town was evacuated just twelve hours prior, before being burned to the ground. Nobody saw Emily arrive; there are no cameras capturing her presence; she’s just literally gone. CalFire told me that it’s likely she died, although we have no solid proof at the moment. Right now, the authorities are handling too much to even check for human remains in or around the car.
I sit on my couch, a broken man, tears streaming down my face in the ominous silence of my penthouse. What the hell happened? One moment, I was enjoying a peaceful afternoon with the woman I love. Yes, I know what it is now: love. I adore Emily Robinson, even though our circumstances were fucked up. She was my ex-wife’s daughter, but she was also young, sweet, sassy, and innocent all at once. In the space of two weeks, I lost my heart to the gorgeous blonde, but now all I have left are memories.