Burning For Claire (The O'Connell Family Book 2) by C.M. Steele Read Free Book Online Page B

corner. The security alarm didn’t go off downstairs, so I didn’t think it was her building. I was walking back to the bedroom, when there was a loud boom followed a shake and a distinct smell of fire. I knew I needed to get us out of there—fast.
    I ran back to the bedroom, and I threw on my shirt as I shouted for her to wake up. “Get up, Claire.”
    Damn, I needed to get her out of here before we were trapped, but she wasn’t waking up. I shouted again. “Claire, wake up!” She didn’t move. Oh shit. I put my hand on her, “Claire, baby, get up!”
    “What?” she murmured, still half asleep.
    “Fire. Babe, come on. Let’s go!”
    I grabbed her slippers that were right by the bed and the bathrobe. She barely stood up when I scooped her up and ran to the front door, not letting her get dressed. I knew we didn’t have time. I reached for the door handle and it was hot. The door we came up from, attached to the salon was hot too. Our only way out was the fire escape. She was wide-awake now and started panicking.
    “Calm down, baby. I’ve got you,” I promised.
    “Don’t drop me please,” she pleaded.
    “I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” I promised solemnly.
    Just as we got down the fire escape, the fire trucks arrived followed by an ambulance. We walked out from around the back after I helped her put on the slippers and robe. The medics spotted us and shouted to the firemen as we walked up to them. 
    “Is there anyone else inside?” the fire chief asked as he approached.
    “There shouldn’t be,” I growled. “Somebody tried to kill her.” I was feeling evil at the moment. I’d never felt the need to seek revenge until this moment. He could see my anger radiated from me as I scanned the area. I was looking to see if there was anyone who looked suspicious.
    There was a small crowd gathering on the street, but I didn’t notice anyone that seemed odd to me.
    “Chief, I don’t know what they used, but it was arson. I woke up to glass shattering, and as I looked out the front upstairs window a black car sped off.”
    “Okay, Mr…”
    “Williams. Brady Williams.” I almost let my real name slip. My rage and fear almost took over my common sense. 
    I looked down at my woman who was staring at the flames. I had my arms wrapped around her waist as she was lost in thought, shivering. The EMTs were trying to get a response out of her, but she wasn’t speaking. She was aware, though, because her tears were flowing heavily down her face.
    I turned her around to look at me, and I gripped the sides of her face. “Babe, I need you to go with him. They need to examine you.”
    “You didn’t leave me,” she mumbled almost childlike. It was kind of scary to see her so devastated.
    “Never, Claire. Now go with the medic, Matt here, and I’ll be with you in a moment.” I looked at the guy just above her shoulder and nodded.
    “Okay,” she whimpered as the EMT took her to the bus to examine her.
    The fire chief looked at Claire before he turned back to me and asked, “Sir, what is her name?”
    “She’s the owner of the salon and lived upstairs. Her name is Claire O’Connell.”  
    “Do you have any idea who could have done this?” he questioned.
    “Not at the moment. I need to speak with her and find out if she has any enemies or competition. She was just telling me that she was able to pay off her loans with her success. So it’s likely she’s got angry competition out there.”
    “We’ll look into it.”
    “Thanks,” I said. My eyes never left her, and I started to get a little jealous of the smile she gave the EMT. I wanted to be the man who made her smile through terrible times. “Excuse me. I need to check on her.”
    I walked over to her where she was standing by the ambulance. She was being evaluated, but from what I could see she didn’t have any burns. Thank God .
    I’d been in a lot of dangerous situations, but tonight was the first time that I felt true