Reputation's Play (Book 1)

Ch. 49 Untied Strings

Chapter 49

The smoke was as thick as clouds over the ocean during a hurricane. Gia could barely see as she ran up the stairs towards Stella's room. She used the inside of her elbow to cover her face as her eyes stung from the tears and the heat.

"Daniel!" She called out as she ran into the room and found him standing in the middle.

Startled by her voice, Daniel looked over his shoulder in alarm.

"What are you doing?" He yelled as Gia ran up to him and threw her arms around his neck. "Why are you here?"

"What are you doing?" Gia asked.

Before Daniel could answer, an explosion shattered the windows downstairs. Gia flinched as Daniel shielded her and pulled her tightly to himself.

"We need to get out," Gia wiggled her hand free and grabbed Daniel's arm. "Let's go!"

"Go down the hall," Daniel pointed. "I'll be right behind you."

"No!" Gia yelled. Her chest tightened and she began to couch from the smoke in her lungs. Her cheeks were flushed and her hair was beginning to pick up the dreadful scent of a home going up in flames.

"Gia, you shouldn't be here," Daniel said.

"Neither should you!" Gia tugged once more. "What were you thinking?"

"This is all my mother's fault," Daniel shook his head. "This house, this family, Stella....everything had to be perfect for her."

Gia felt her heart shiver from the way Daniel looked around Stella's room. The tears in his eyes shimmered from the fire as he pushed one of the bookshelves down and watched the books catch on fire.

"I'm going to burn it all to the ground," Daniel said.

"Daniel, please," Gia looked around as the flames leaped at the curtains and the sheets. "We have to get out."

"Everything was a lie," Daniel looked at Gia with his broken eyes. "Our whole lives."

"This isn't going to help anything," Gia motioned towards the smoke in the room and the curtains that were burning. "Please, I'm begging you. Come with me."

"Leave, Gia."

"Not without you."

"Get out!" Daniel yelled.

"Make me!" Gia yelled back. "I'm not moving an inch from this house if you're not coming out with me."

Daniel's eyes narrowed in anger, "Don't be difficult."

Gia tried to hold her glare but couldn't as she began to cough uncontrollably. Her lungs made a horrible wheezing sound as Daniel crossed the room in three short strides and grabbed her shoulders.

"For fuck's sake," he growled.

"Do you want to burn with all this?" Gia asked. "Is that what you want? Is that what you think will make all the pain go away?"

"Yes," Daniel said.

"You're wrong," Gia shook her head. "It'll all just hurt me more."

Daniel's jaw clenched. His fingers tightened around Gia's shoulders as she pushed up to her toes and placed her hand against his cheeks.

"Come with me," she whispered, leaning her forehead against his. "We can leave. There's still time."

Daniel closed his eyes and slowly inhaled Gia's scent. It made his damaged heart beat for a few seconds as she brushed her mouth over his.