Read Online Rapid Entry: Firehouse 69, Book 3 by Delilah Devlin - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Delilah Devlin
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Lieutenant Knox barking orders. “Harris, Coop, get the LIFEPAK and backboard. Ambo’s ten minutes away! Turner, check the driver of the truck. He’s sitting on the curb.”
Shoring up his gut, Gage ducked down next to the driver’s door and peered inside the small sedan. The dented roof sank between the tops of the front seats. He saw a female hip, her upper torso bent toward the passenger seat, but he couldn’t see deep enough into the car. He tried the door, but the frame was twisted, jamming it closed. “Ma’am, I’m a firefighter. I’m here to help.” He heard a groan. A good sign. But he needed to get closer. “I’m gonna break the window behind you. Keep your eyes closed.”
He stood, swung the axe to strike the glass, and tore the shattered safety glass away with the mattock in a single sheet. Dropping his helmet and axe, he crawled through the opening into the backseat and wedged himself toward the small space between the front seats. He ungloved his hand and reached to touch her shoulder, then he slid his fingers against her neck. Her pulse was strong, pounding. “Ma’am, can you hear me?”
“Could this day get any worse?”
The voice, even in a whisper, was familiar. His heart went still. “Viviana?”
“Gage? You have to be kidding me.”
Jesus Christ. “Hon, are you hurt?”
“Don’t think so. Bruised, maybe. I only had time to unbuckle and duck before the second log dented the roof.”
He heard irritation in her tone, which meant she couldn’t be too badly hurt. Relieved, he took a deep breath and hit his mike. “LT, the woman appears fine. But we’ll need a spreader to get her out.” After the lieutenant acknowledged him, he turned back to Viviana. “Can’t budge the driver’s door, so you’re stuck for a few minutes.”
“Of course I am.”
He almost smiled at her little pity party, but he wasn’t one hundred percent sure she was okay. He had yet to see the rest of her. But she was awake—a good sign. He had to keep her talking. “Were you in a hurry to be somewhere?”
Another groan sounded.
Worried she was hurt worse than he’d first thought, he smoothed a hand over from her shoulder to her hip. “Viv, are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she bit out. “Just peachy.”
Her words were snarky, but by her tone, she seemed defeated. And not once had she seemed glad he was here. He thought back to the cold shoulder she’d given him earlier. “Viviana, what the hell’s going on? Did I do something to piss you off?”
“I was leaving. My bag’s in the trunk.”
He drew a sharp breath. “Without saying goodbye? Was it something I did?”
“No. It’s not you.” A loud sigh sounded. “And I’m sorry. But I got scared.”
“Was I coming on too strong? All you had to do was say so. I’d have backed off.”
“No. But you were making me feel… I don’t know. Like I couldn’t breathe,” she said, and gave a soft sob. “I didn’t want to talk. So I ran.”
Gage withdrew his hand and backed away. His stomach soured. She lay trapped in a car, nearly killed, because of him. “Well, as soon as we get you out of here, you can be back on your way.” He kept his tone flat, but inside anger began to swirl. He glanced out the window. The LT stood a few feet away, his back turned. He must have heard some of what they’d said and was giving them privacy to finish.
“Gage…”
He didn’t want to hear another I’m sorry , not now. It was his fault she was in this mess. He reached out the window and slapped the side of the car. “Let’s get this door off its hinges!”
Coop handed Gage a blanket to cover her in case the glass in the driver’s door shattered. Without speaking, Gage reached through the V between the seats and spread it over her hip and shoulder. Then he waited while Coop widened the gap in the door with his mattock and inserted the spreader. Two minutes later, he was dragging the door away and reaching inside to help Viviana scoot
Shoring up his gut, Gage ducked down next to the driver’s door and peered inside the small sedan. The dented roof sank between the tops of the front seats. He saw a female hip, her upper torso bent toward the passenger seat, but he couldn’t see deep enough into the car. He tried the door, but the frame was twisted, jamming it closed. “Ma’am, I’m a firefighter. I’m here to help.” He heard a groan. A good sign. But he needed to get closer. “I’m gonna break the window behind you. Keep your eyes closed.”
He stood, swung the axe to strike the glass, and tore the shattered safety glass away with the mattock in a single sheet. Dropping his helmet and axe, he crawled through the opening into the backseat and wedged himself toward the small space between the front seats. He ungloved his hand and reached to touch her shoulder, then he slid his fingers against her neck. Her pulse was strong, pounding. “Ma’am, can you hear me?”
“Could this day get any worse?”
The voice, even in a whisper, was familiar. His heart went still. “Viviana?”
“Gage? You have to be kidding me.”
Jesus Christ. “Hon, are you hurt?”
“Don’t think so. Bruised, maybe. I only had time to unbuckle and duck before the second log dented the roof.”
He heard irritation in her tone, which meant she couldn’t be too badly hurt. Relieved, he took a deep breath and hit his mike. “LT, the woman appears fine. But we’ll need a spreader to get her out.” After the lieutenant acknowledged him, he turned back to Viviana. “Can’t budge the driver’s door, so you’re stuck for a few minutes.”
“Of course I am.”
He almost smiled at her little pity party, but he wasn’t one hundred percent sure she was okay. He had yet to see the rest of her. But she was awake—a good sign. He had to keep her talking. “Were you in a hurry to be somewhere?”
Another groan sounded.
Worried she was hurt worse than he’d first thought, he smoothed a hand over from her shoulder to her hip. “Viv, are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she bit out. “Just peachy.”
Her words were snarky, but by her tone, she seemed defeated. And not once had she seemed glad he was here. He thought back to the cold shoulder she’d given him earlier. “Viviana, what the hell’s going on? Did I do something to piss you off?”
“I was leaving. My bag’s in the trunk.”
He drew a sharp breath. “Without saying goodbye? Was it something I did?”
“No. It’s not you.” A loud sigh sounded. “And I’m sorry. But I got scared.”
“Was I coming on too strong? All you had to do was say so. I’d have backed off.”
“No. But you were making me feel… I don’t know. Like I couldn’t breathe,” she said, and gave a soft sob. “I didn’t want to talk. So I ran.”
Gage withdrew his hand and backed away. His stomach soured. She lay trapped in a car, nearly killed, because of him. “Well, as soon as we get you out of here, you can be back on your way.” He kept his tone flat, but inside anger began to swirl. He glanced out the window. The LT stood a few feet away, his back turned. He must have heard some of what they’d said and was giving them privacy to finish.
“Gage…”
He didn’t want to hear another I’m sorry , not now. It was his fault she was in this mess. He reached out the window and slapped the side of the car. “Let’s get this door off its hinges!”
Coop handed Gage a blanket to cover her in case the glass in the driver’s door shattered. Without speaking, Gage reached through the V between the seats and spread it over her hip and shoulder. Then he waited while Coop widened the gap in the door with his mattock and inserted the spreader. Two minutes later, he was dragging the door away and reaching inside to help Viviana scoot
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