Chapter 9 - THE CLINIC BURNS
Briar wanted to scream at her mother.
Instead she went numb.
“You told Corbin?”
“I thought he was helping me protect you.”
“He beat me.”
Her mother’s face collapsed.
“What?”
“He controlled where I went. Who I spoke to. He took my money. He locked me inside our apartment.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t know.”
“That seems to be everybody’s favorite sentence.”
Briar walked out.
Damien followed.
He didn’t touch her.
Good.
She was afraid she would either hit him or collapse against him.
Neither felt safe.
They drove toward Brooklyn.
Halfway there, Victor’s phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“The clinic’s on fire.”
Briar’s heart stopped.
“No.”
Victor accelerated.
Smoke was visible six blocks away.
Briar opened the door before the SUV fully stopped.
Damien grabbed her coat.
“Briar!”
“My rabbit!”
“The building is burning.”
“My father put something inside it!”
“I know.”
“Let me go!”
A firefighter blocked the entrance.
“Ma’am, stay back!”
Then Briar heard barking.
She froze.
“Rosie.”
Dr. Feldman had kept Rosie overnight.
“Oh God.”
She ran.
Damien caught her.
“Stop!”
“There’s a dog inside!”
Flames shattered a front window.
Briar fought him.
“LET ME GO!”
Damien looked at the fire.
Then at Victor.
“Get me a blanket.”
“Boss—”
“Now.”
“You’re not going in there.”
Damien handed Briar to Victor.
“Hold her.”
“What are you doing?”
Damien wrapped a wet blanket over his shoulders.
Briar’s face drained.
“No.”
“I thought you wanted the dog.”
“Not like this!”
He ran inside.
“DAMIEN!”
The next ninety seconds lasted a lifetime.
Briar screamed his name until smoke burned her throat.
Then a shape appeared through the doorway.
Damien stumbled out carrying Rosie.
The injured pit bull was wrapped against his chest.
His jacket was burning.
Firefighters rushed him.
Briar grabbed Rosie.
“She’s breathing!”
Damien coughed violently.
“You’re insane!”
He looked at her through smoke-reddened eyes.
“So I’ve been told.”
A firefighter sprayed down his sleeve.
Briar laughed and cried at the same time.
Then Caesar barked from the SUV.
A warning bark.
Damien turned.
Too late.
A black sedan ripped around the corner.
A man leaned from the passenger window.
Gun.
Victor shouted.
“DOWN!”
Shots tore through the street.
Damien threw himself over Briar.
Glass exploded behind them.
Police sirens screamed.
The sedan vanished.
Briar shoved Damien.
“Are you hit?”
“No.”
She checked anyway.
His shoulder.
Chest.
Side.
Then she felt wet warmth on her palm.
Her face went pale.
“Damien.”
He looked down.
Blood spread across his white shirt.
May you like
“That,” he said quietly, “might be a problem.”
Then he collapsed.
