Runaway Heiress by Melody Anne Page A

step.
                  They reached the bottom of the stairs and Chad smelled smoke. The house was so old it wouldn’t take much for it to become an inferno if a fire had already started. He needed to get her out. He looked around the corner and didn’t see anyone so he pulled her tightly against his side and rushed through the room, and straight out the front door, flames starting to creep up the walls behind him.
                  He looked quickly from side to side and didn’t see anyone so he pulled her to the safety of the bushes. Once they were hidden from view he spoke into the microphone on his shirt.
                  “She’s safe and out of the house – pull out,” Chad spoke. There were several acknowledgments, more firing, then he saw the guys racing from the burning house, covering each other’s backs.
                  Chad kept Bree behind him as he lifted his gun and fired into the house, covering the men as they ran from the flames. No one was going to die on his watch. Once the men were safely away he finally focused on Bree.
                  He ran his hands along her body, checking for injuries. When he reached her wrists, she let out a small gasp. He looked at her damaged skin in the light of day and had to fight the rage wanting to boil over. He wanted nothing more than to go back in that house and destroy the men who’d been foolish enough to harm her.
                  Instead, he gently lifted her hand to his mouth and softly brushed his lips against her swollen and bloody flesh. He wanted to take her pain away – he should’ve been able to prevent it.
                  “I’m okay, Chad. Thank you,” Bree told him in a tear choked voice. He pulled her back into his arms and held her tightly, while waiting for her family to join them. He heard the sound of sirens in the distance. Their back-up had arrived.
                  “I’m sorry, Bree. I promised I wouldn’t let anything happen. They never should’ve been able to get close to you, let alone take you away.”
                  “I was the one acting foolish. You’re the one who rescued me. I was so terrified when I saw you fall to the ground. I’m sorry I got you shot,” she whispered. She was barely able to talk, she felt so guilty over him being put in such danger.
                  “Did they…. they didn’t… we should get you to the hospital,” he choked. He couldn’t bring himself to ask her how bad her torture had been. She seemed to realize what he was trying to say.
                  “My wrists are the worst of my injuries. They knocked me out in the van and when I woke up I was tied to the bed. It took me a long time to get out of the ropes. I struggled a lot – cutting up my skin in the process. They didn’t touch me other than that,” she reassured him.
                  He didn’t need to know how close the men had come to doing exactly what he feared. She couldn’t even think about it without panic setting in.
                  “We need to have you checked, anyway,” he said, but she heard the relief in his voice.
                  “I wouldn’t know what to do if a man in my life wasn’t trying to take control,” she said with a small attempt at humor. He gave her a half grin before standing up. He saw the ambulance coming around the corner and he wanted to get her inside it.
                  “Chad, watch out,” he heard Trenton yell. Everything slowed down as he turned toward Trenton, who was throwing his arms in the air. First he pointed to his gun, indicating he was out of bullets, then pointed to his left. Chad turned and realized one of the gunmen had gotten away from them. He had a gun pointed directly at Bree and him.
                  Chad reached forward to push Bree back to the ground, but she saw the gunman at the