HIS WILDFIRE

From Man to Man

The room smelled like fear. I walked into it, tensed, my mind bracing for the worst. But then I saw him. Ted. Pale, wounded, but breathing.

He reached for my hand. Weakly, but there was force behind it, desperate, as if letting go meant something final. His eyes met mine. He didn't say a word, but everything was loud enough. That grip, that look. I knew he wanted to live. I leaned in. Further and softly planted a kiss on his forehead. I pressed his hand, stopping him from saying the words he was trying so hard to let out. I could see he was struggling.

Then the door opened.

His mum entered. She somehow still looked so tired. Her face softened at the sight of Ted conscious. She rushed to his side, gently held his face, careful not to touch the breathing aid and smiled genuinely. There was something in her eyes, though—curiosity, maybe suspicion, as they flicked between me and Ted. Like she was trying to piece together a puzzle we hadn't given her all the pieces for.

Rosette came in next. The nursed cautioned there were more than enough people in the room so I decided to leave immediately. While at that, I noticed the atmosphere between Rosette and Ted's mum didn't portray any familiarity. It was odd, there was no warmth between her and Ted's mother. No small talk. No nod. Nothing. Just a cold wall of unfamiliarity that made my skin crawl.

Outside the emergency room, Ted's mum approached me, Suzzy, and Leo. Her voice was calm but firm. "You've been here too long. You need to rest, freshen up. He's stable. I'll call if anything changes."

I wanted to argue, to stay, to keep holding his hand. But she was insistent. I couldn't read her anymore. Was she just being kind, or was I being dismissed?

I finally stepped out with Suzzy and Leo, who planned to pack up and leave town now that school had officially vacated. But I needed a place to breathe. To hide.

I called Jaime.

"Hey, baby," he answered, chipper at first. Then he paused. "Your voice... what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just...can I come to the chalet?"

There was silence on the other end, but I could hear his thoughts racing. Jaime always knew when I was lying. "I'll have the driver come for you. I'll join you right after work."

I sat quietly in the shade of the hospital's parking lot. I saw a familiar black truck close by but I couldn't have enough space in my head to recall it. I just buried my head in my arms until the familiar black Benz pulled up. The same driver who once drove me from the chalet to school stepped out, smiling warmly.

"Little Master Grandee," he greeted.

I offered a tired smile and got in. The ride was quiet. Peaceful. Somewhere along the way, the exhaustion knocked me out. When I opened my eyes, we were pulling into the driveway.

The chalet was still the same, tucked away in nature's arms, surrounded by trees and quiet air. I walked around a little, letting the wind kiss my cheeks. I felt... small. But safe.

Inside, I dropped my bag, headed to the bathroom to freshen up, then wandered into the kitchen to make something. I didn't even realize I was humming to myself until I heard keys jingle and the front door creak.

"Baby."

His voice melted into the room.

I turned.

Jaime stood there, dressed in a grey tee and black trousers. His smile was wide, arms open.

I didn't walk, I ran. Straight into his chest, and suddenly I wasn't holding back anymore. I wept. Not just tears, but sobs. And even as I tried to swallow the sound, one escaped me like a cracked glass.

Jaime froze. "Hey, hey—what happened? Grandee, talk to me."

"Ted..." I whispered.

He stiffened. "What happened to Ted?"

"He got into an accident this morning. He... he almost—he's in the emergency room."

Jaime's jaw clenched. But it wasn't concern that flickered in his eyes, it was something darker. Jealousy? Anger? He masked it too quickly, brushing my cheek.

"I'm sorry. That must've been hard."

"I think I'm overreacting," I murmured, pulling away from his arms. "I shouldn't have"

"No," he interrupted. "You're allowed to feel what you feel."

We sat at the table eating quietly. I tried to change the topic, tried to pretend everything was fine.

"I saw a black truck earlier. It looked... familiar."

Jaime's fork paused mid-air. Then he nodded. "Mr. Ray's security. They're keeping an eye on things. On you."

Something about that answer didn't sit right. I had a lot of thoughts. Too many, actually. But I was drained. I nodded.

Jaime looked at me then, lips pressed tightly. His voice lowered. "I'm sorry. For everything that happened the last time. I didn't mean to push you."

I didn't think. I just leaned across the table and kissed him. A deep, slow kiss. Maybe I needed comfort. Maybe I needed to forget everything. For a moment, I thought it worked.

But then his hands moved fast.

He pushed the plates aside, stood up, and tugged at my oversized shirt. The same one I had borrowed from his closet. He stripped it off aggressively, lips moving from my mouth to my neck, then down oo to my chest. I gasped as he sucked on my nipple, hands roaming with urgent heat.

"Jaime—" I whispered.

But the guilt was louder. I saw Ted's face. His eyes. That grip. That silence.

"Stop—" I pushed at Jaime's chest.

He froze. Pulled back. His eyes were wild, his breath shaky.

"What is this?" he snapped, stepping away. "Is it Ted? Is that why you're pushing me away?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

His hands balled into fists. He turned away from me, his jaw clenched so tight I thought he'd crack a tooth. Then he muttered something under his breath I couldn't catch.