Watch Me by Cynthia Eden Read Free Book Online Page A

fast and frantic run in there to grab them, just in case that alarm meant they were going to need a quick exit. When she came huffing back into the room—
    “It’s on fire.”
    Gwen froze and looked at Chance.
    “The lower floor is on fire. We have to get out of here, now!” He ran toward her and grabbed Gwen’s arm.
    “I-I don’t smell smoke…”
    “You wouldn’t, not up here, not the way the place is reinforced, but, shit, it’s blazing. The alarms should have gone off sooner.”
    He grabbed a gun from the line of drawers near his door.
    “Chance?”
    “I don’t believe in coincidences. Someone set that fire…and we have to be ready.” His fingers locked with hers. “Stay with me.”
    He wasn’t even wearing a shirt. “Chance!”
    But he yanked open the door and pulled her outside. That was when the smoke hit her. They were on the second floor and below them, well, Chance just used that area as a garage to tinker with his cars. She knew the guy loved his classic rides. But when she looked over the edge of the stairs, she didn’t see his tools. She just saw the flames. Rising and twisting. They were shooting fast across the floor below them.
    His hold tightened on her. “We’re going for the exit on the right. We’ll get down these stairs, we’ll stay low, and we’ll get out safely.”
    But there was so much fire.
    “Trust me. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
    She did trust him. So Gwen nodded. And they ran down the stairs and straight into the fire.

Chapter Four
    The smoke was billowing, choking him, and Chance could hear Gwen coughing as they made their way through the flames. He should have been alerted to the fire sooner. What the hell had gone wrong?
    One minute, he’d been lost in Gwen, and the next…
    We’re in hell.
    They were crouching as they made their way to the exit. The flames were close, but he wasn’t about to let Gwen get so much as a blister on her skin. He’d get her out of there¸ and then he’d find the SOB who’d done this.
    They reached the door. With the fire raging so hot, he didn’t make the mistake of reaching directly for the doorknob. Screw that. He lifted his foot and kicked at the door. Once. Twice. The door gave way and fresh air rushed inside. He gulped that air greedily even as he cleared a path to exit. When they left that inferno, Chance made damn sure that he went out first. Just in case some unwelcome company was waiting outside—the kind of company that would have started the fire—he wanted to use his body to shield Gwen. He had his gun at the ready and he kept his body as close to Gwen’s as possible.
    In the distance, he could hear the scream of sirens. When the alarm had finally gone off, he knew the system had sent an instant message to the fire department. The fire fighters wouldn’t get there soon enough, though. The place was going up so fast. With all of the oils and paints he kept in his work garage, hell, it was a wonder the building hadn’t already blown sky high.
    And then the windows shattered as if on perfect fucking cue. Glass flew out. He pushed Gwen behind him and stared at the wreckage.
    Someone was going to pay.
Pay.
    ***
    He smiled when he saw the fury on Chance’s face. Oh, but there was no missing that rage. Not with the fire lighting up the scene. It had been simple enough to start that fire. A few Molotov cocktails, a few wires cut…and bam. Instant hell.
    Gwen was clinging tightly to Chance. And the guy was holding her just as fiercely. Together, for the moment, but he’d be pulling them apart soon enough.
    The fire truck’s sirens were growing louder and he could see the lights from the truck in the distance. Like the fire fighters would be able to do anything at that scene. Not now. The fire was too bright. A red and orange beauty that couldn’t be controlled.
    It just burned.
    Some tasks were just so much fun.
    ***
    She’d never been to Chance’s office before.
    VJS Protection, Inc.
    The gold-lettering