Wild and Free (The Wilder Brothers)

“Everything?” I asked.

“All of it, Luke. Up in smoke. We’ve lost it all, and we need you.”

The phone fell from my hand and Jessica gasped. I wrenched myself from her arms as the sound of sirens filled my ears and I ran around picking up my clothes. I jumped into my pants and pulled my shirt over my head, then stuffed my boxers into my pocket. I looked around for my wallet and my keys, storming out of Jessica’s room as I backtracked my steps from the night before.

“Here.”

I whipped around and saw Jessica holding them in the palms of her hands. Completely naked, looking as confident as ever. I scooped up my things and stuffed them into my pockets, then wrapped my arms around her and held her closely. She buried her face into the crook of my neck, relaxing as I held her hot skin next to mine.

“Call me soon, okay?” she asked.

I peppered her neck with kisses before I carried her back to bed. She didn’t need to see what was about to happen. How quickly I’d tear away from her apartment. Because it wasn’t about her. I wasn’t running from her. I was running towards something. I was running to an issue that needed to be resolved. An issue every single brother would look to me to solve during a time I still couldn’t admit to myself was happening.

I settled her back into bed and locked my lips with hers. I wanted to taste her one last time. I felt like shit for running out on her, but Everett’s words hung heavily in my ears. A fire. Damn’t, it couldn’t be worse. I smoothed her hair back from her face.

“I promise we’ll talk soon,” I said.

I rushed down her hallway and out the front door of her apartment, I leapt over the balcony and fell two stories before landing onto my feet. The air was thick with the smell of smoke as I rushed to my car. I felt my phone vibrating again in my pocket and I pulled it out. Everett was calling again. With Dad not too close behind that phone call. I jammed my phone back into my pocket and fell into my car, holding back my own tears as I cranked up the engine and peeled away from the apartment complex.

This was not how I expected the night to end.