Saxon's Savior (Protect and Serve #3) - Pandora Pine Page 0,78
want to say anything that would hurt you. We don’t have the time to deal with this situation. The bell could ring at any moment.” I pointed toward the rain slashed window behind Dallas. “It’s life and death out there. We both need to be on our game to help people who can’t help themselves. We’ll finish this conversation later, okay? Let’s just get through this day.”
Dallas nodded. “Thanks for listening to my side. I’ll grab some food.”
I nodded as Dallas left the bunkhouse. I’d listened to every word Dallas said. I had the advantage of also knowing Toby. He wasn’t above being a total jerk to get what he wanted. He’d fucked me and Dallas over separately. Now it was up to me if Toby was going to fuck us over together.
I hope he rotted in hell for doing this to us. Today, of all days.
I was on my way back to the kitchen to make sure Dallas was eating when the alarm bell sounded.
Motherfucker. This was it. Hurricane Tess had arrived. I whispered a silent prayer that we’d save everyone today before heading out to do that very thing.
35
Dallas
Conditions had rapidly deteriorated in the two hours since Saxon and I had driven to the firehouse. The wind was so strong, it was pushing the ambulance into the next lane. I had to steer into the wind just to stay in my lane.
Things had also deteriorated between Saxon and I personally. How the hell had we gone from being on cloud nine this morning to only speaking about work-related matters? “Toby’s always been the type of guy who needs constant attention. I was hoping that by getting him away from everyone, I could settle things between us and get him to lay off us both.”
“Yeah, well, that didn’t work out, did it?” Saxon said, sounding tired.
I felt that old anger flashover in my gut. “I was crazy for him when we met at that conference. For the longest time I thought I’d never find someone who’d love me for me, quirks and all. In those brief shining moments, I thought I’d found him. After we left Boston, everything changed, and he became this cruel asshole I didn’t recognize.” I took a shaky breath. Maybe Saxon had been right about not talking about this until we were home and out of harm’s way from the storm. “You have no idea what it was like to think you’d found your forever, only to learn it was a cruel joke.”
“I don’t have any idea? I fucking walked in on the two of you kissing each other.” Anger flashed in Saxon’s eyes.
“I wasn’t kissing him. He was assaulting me.” I shot Saxon a quick look before returning my focus to the road. It was like driving through an obstacle course. Debris pelted the side of the ambulance. Tree branches were down everywhere, and I’d seen some dangling powerlines. It could be days before power was restored. “If you’d been watching what happened like you said you did, you saw me fall and him take advantage of the situation.”
“I did see that,” Saxon said on a sigh. “Tell me why.”
“Why what?” I was starting to get angry at Saxon. What part of assault didn’t he understand? “Why did Toby show up at the firehouse today? Why does he all of a sudden want me back, when for months he treated me like shit? I have no fucking clue. You said he was always trying to get in your pants back in Newburyport. Maybe he did this to hurt you, and I was a convenient prop. You know, kill two birds with one stone?”
Saxon gasped but stayed silent. I knew he was thinking over what I’d just said.
“Here’s the scene.” I pointed straight ahead to the intersection of Market and Oak Street. A car had been T-boned, and the driver was still trapped inside the car.
“Looks like we’re going to need the Jaws of Life,” Saxon muttered.
Saxon was out of the ambulance the second I shifted into park. It was raining so hard it was coming down sideways. He was soaked after the first two steps away from the ambulance. I followed Saxon as soon as the ambulance was secured.
As I ran toward the car, I could see Saxon speaking with the driver who was still trapped in his seat. A woman dressed in hospital scrubs stood at the open passenger side window and seemed to be listening to whatever Saxon was saying.