Page 165 of Whispers and Wildfire
Roswell hit us again—harder—and we narrowly missed the smoldering remains of a tree.
We crested a hill, and as we started to come down the other side, the red glow intensified.
“This looks worse,” I said. “Sorry, I shouldn’t keep talking.”
“It’s okay. I’ll get us out.”
Pressing my lips together and keeping myself braced in case Roswell hit us again, I watched as Luke navigated the scorched road. Ash whirled in the air, and some of the trees were still burning, the flames bathing the forest in an eerie orange light.
Luke swerved to one side, then to the other. I looked back. Roswell kept surging forward, trying to smash into us. My heart felt like it might burst, and my stomach was sick with fear.
Roswell sped closer, and Luke veered aside just in time. The road took a sudden turn, and just as we darted around the bend, Roswell seemed to miss, his tires skidding on the uneven ground and spitting dirt behind him. I gasped as his car slammed straight into a burning tree.
My eyes widened, and I clapped a hand over my mouth as the tree broke, the tall trunk smashing the top of Roswell’s car.
“Holy shit,” Luke said.
Slowly, I turned around, my eyes still wide with shock. “I don’t think he’s making it out of that.”
“Probably didn’t survive the impact.”
I put my hand to my chest. I didn’t know whether to feel relieved, horrified, or just stick with abject terror, since we were still on the edge of a raging wildfire with no end in sight.
“Hang in there, baby,” Luke said. “I think we’re almost through.”
Another road branched off, and Luke took the turn. Around another bend, and over the top of a low hill, the trees returned to normal. Some showed signs of scorching on their trunks, but their branches were intact, and the worst of the smoke was behind us.
“Do you have any idea where we are?” I asked.
“Actually, yes. This should take us back to the highway. Probably south of the closure, but at this point, it doesn’t matter.”
Leaning my head back, I took a few deep breaths. Although the road was still bumpy, Luke was able to slow down, and it wasn’t long before we came to the highway. I’d never been so happy to see pavement in my life.
He stopped on the shoulder, unfastened both our seat belts, and hauled me across the bench seat into his arms. We stayed there for long moments, just breathing. Gratitude overwhelmed me until I found myself sobbing into his chest. Not the fake sobs of the damsel trying to manipulate her captor, but the relief of having survived and knowing that an evil man would never hurt anyone again.
It was over.
After a long embrace, Luke called Garrett to let him knowthey could call off the search—I was safe. I used his phone to call my parents. For once, my dad did most of the talking. My mom was too overcome to say much. I assured them I was okay, and I’d see them soon.
When I ended the call, Luke gently touched my face. I melted into him as he kissed me, slow and deep.
After more kisses and whispered I love yous, we set out again, this time heading for home.
CHAPTER 42
Luke
The morningafter Melanie’s rescue, we stayed in bed late while she told me the whole story of her captivity.
I held her while she talked, gently stroking her skin. I hadn’t pushed her to tell me anything, leaving it in her hands whether she shared the details. She’d insisted that she wanted to. That she needed to speak the truth of what had happened to her. Bring it into the light so it wouldn’t fester inside her.
It wasn’t easy to hear. But in the end, I was so fucking proud of her.
And so grateful she was with me, and it was over.
After lingering in bed, our limbs tangled, we got up and it was like stepping into a new reality. The past wasn’t gone, and it certainly wasn’t forgotten. But it wasn’t as heavy as it had once been. And I knew that somehow, after everything we’d been through, we were free to move forward.
I went to the kitchen to make coffee while she poked around the cupboards and refrigerator, looking for something to eat. I loved the sight of her in nothing but one of my old Haven Auto T-shirts, her legs bare.
