Chapter 13 - Between Blood and Business: When Larkin Risks His Entire Life to Pull Me From the Flames
The battle was won, but the warehouse had caught fire from the exploding fuel drums. Thick, toxic black smoke rolled across the rafters, and the structural steel began to groan under the intense heat.
"Penelope! Move!" Larkin shouted, running toward me as a flaming support beam collapsed between us, cutting off the main exit.
The heat was blistering, scorching the fabric of my suit and making it impossible to breathe. I stumbled, coughing violently as the smoke filled my lungs, my vision swimming with red and gold flames.
Without a second of hesitation, Larkin leaped straight through the wall of fire.
He caught me in his arms, shielding my body with his own heavy jacket as burning timber rained down around us. The flames caught his shoulder, burning through the expensive wool and searing his flesh, but he didn't even flinch. He kicked open a rusted iron side hatch with all his strength, carrying me out into the cool, driving rain of the Brooklyn night.
We collapsed together on the wet pier, the rain washing away the soot and blood.
I looked at his burned shoulder, tears of adrenaline and relief mixing with the rain on my cheeks. "You idiot... you could have died."
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Larkin pulled me fiercely against his chest, burying his face in my wet hair, his body trembling with an emotion he had never allowed himself to feel.
"An empire is useless without you, Penelope," he choked out against my neck. "I don't care about the city. I don't care about the money. You are my queen. And I will burn the world before I let anyone take you from me."
