Female NovelFitch had always been the kind of guy who could keep his cool, even Tyler had said so. It must be serious over there. lan's brow furrowed as he glanced at Maja, still in bed, recovering.
He couldn't let her know what was happening; she'd just end up in tears again. Her body was still on the mend.
He hastily set down the book he was reading, a dog-eared copy of a Rosemary Sanders novel, and bent to plant a kiss on Maja's cheek. "There's a bit of a situation at the office. I need to step out, but if you feel unwell, don't hesitate to call me."
"Is something wrong?"
"Just a meeting, nothing major. I'll be back before you know it."
Maja nodded. The little boy snoozing beside her was named Craig, and the girl, Rosemary Sanders. In the end, one bore lan's surname, while the other took on the Sanders family name.
A weak smile curved her lips. Childbirth had taken a toll on her, but after a week of rest, she didn't feel discomfort anywhere.
For the past week, lan had been on diaper duty and mixing formula. When the babies fussed at night, as Maja stirred, lan would gently press her back into bed. "Rest up. I'll take the little ones next door to settle them down."
Maja was indeed weary, drifting back to sleep before she knew it.
A week of this routine had drawn dark circles under lan's eyes, yet he seemed to glow with a spirited light.
She turned to gaze at the two sleeping children beside her and, filled with contentment, fell asleep too.
Downstairs, lan revved the engine of his car to the max, heading for the address Tyler had sent. Fitch's kid was in critical condition, with no guarantees of survival.
The site of the blaze was a disaster-a wildfire had consumed half the hillside. Firefighters were still battling the flames, preventing any access by people or vehicles.
Zoey's safe house, where she was supposed to be resting, was a quaint bungalow nestled against the hills, staffed by Rachel's people. Though Rachel had been demoted to go undercover, she had unexpectedly arranged everything perfectly for Zoey, secretly securing a safe spot away from prying eyes.
lan's car had barely reached the foot of the hill when he saw the distant glow of the fire, a knot of anxiety tightening in his chest. Wildfires are notoriously difficult to contain, and the firefighters would likely be engaged all night.
How the child had been safely evacuated was a mystery. Gripping the steering wheel tightly, lan arrived at the base of the hill and saw Tyler waiting, his face smeared with soot and urgency. "Fitch charged in there, and I couldn't stop him."Contents belong to NovelDrama.Org
lan's expression darkened immediately. Wildfires were terrifying; a shift in the wind could spell doom.
The area was swarming with fire engines, the blaze drawing the attention of the entire town of Greenfield.
Rubbing his forehead, lan said, "We need more hands on deck."
Tyler, too, was uncharacteristically panicked, the last time being the Phelps Herrington incident. He had watched Fitch rush into the flames, even getting shoved aside by him.
Tyler couldn't bear to recall the look
in Fitch's eyes, never having seen him so desperate. Attempting to light a cigarette but too shaken to manage, Tyler let his pack fall to the ground several times.
lan knew he was blaming himself for not holding Fitch back. "Cut the smoking, Tyler. Fitch isn't going down that easily."
Tyler plopped down, his clothes now
filthy. "What's with you guys, really? I thought he was over Zoey, after personally putting her behind bars. Now, hearing she's in trouble, he's ready to throw his life away. You guys are just..."
He was at a loss for words. He used to relish watching these people's drama, smart folks chasing each other over love, but now he was genuinely scared and regretful. They'd known each other for years. Phelps had vanished, and if
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something happened to Fitch, what
would become of his own life?
lan joined the firefighting effort, but these guys were the pros. Besides adding manpower, he wasn't much help. It wasn't until late into the night that the flames finally began to subside.
Maja had called, wondering why he hadn't returned. "Maja, looks like I'm stuck with overtime tonight. You go ahead and sleep. The kids just fed, so they should be good." "Alright, don't overdo it."
After hanging up, lan followed the firefighters deeper into the fray. With the fire now under control, it wasn't as dangerous.
About eight hundred meters in, he heard a hoarse voice. "Zoey!"
"Talk to me!"
"Zoey, where are you..."