Chapter 1

1

My house was on fire, and my fiancé, a freaking firefighter, used his pull to get the whole damn team to save his suicidal high-school sweetheart.

I didn't call Mike.

I just stood there, watching the blaze eat away at the home I'd so carefully put together.

Last time, he'd answered my call first, rushing to rescue me, pregnant, from the flames.

Bethany, his old flame, who had some issues, jumped from her apartment building and died.

Mike said he didn't regret saving me and our baby.

We went through with the wedding like nothing happened.

Only, on our wedding day, he broke my leg and dragged me to Bethany's grave, forced me down on my knees.

"The fire at our place wasn't even that bad, Ashley! You set it up! You knew and you kept me from seeing her one last time!"

"Bethany was an angel. Why couldn't it have been you who died instead?"

I woke up back in my burning house that's when I knew I was gonna do things differently.

This time, he wanted to save Bethany? Fine.

I was done.

...

Smoke choked me.

I coughed, grabbing my cell and dialing 911.

The guy who answered had a voice I knew all too well.

"Ash, hey, it's Kevin. Mike said you'd probably call. Guess he was right."

Kevin was Mike's buddy from the firehouse, his best friend.

"Kevin, my house is on fire! I need someone here, like, yesterday."

While I was talking, the wooden bookshelf next to me caught on fire and collapsed.

Burning wood scraped my arm. I hissed, sucking in a breath.

"Ash, come on, cut the crap," Kevin said. "Mike told me everything. You're just pissed he went to save his old girlfriend, so you're calling in a fake alarm."

"Listen, the team's pretty much tied up right now. Just chill, okay? Bethany's life's on the line. You and Mike are getting married soon, so don't do something you will regret."

The fire was getting worse.

I didn't have time for Kevin's lecture and I didn't care what he thought, I hung up on him.