Shadowed Ménage (Ménage Series Book 3 of 6)

Chapter 11: The Escape - Joe

Joe

The man has lost his goddamn mind! Maybe he's just fucking with me, I hope. Why would he kill Eve? His own wife? Just because I slept with her, without his permission? I've probably had more sex with her than he has this past year. That's no reason to...

"Wait, what's that sound? Is that SMOKE? Why do I smell smoke?" I say out loud just as the small light goes out.

It's suddenly completely dark and I hear lots of popping sounds. Then a minor explosion.

Holy shit, I know what's happening. That son of a bitch started the house on fire! That asshole, he is trying to kill me.

Putting the wacky poem in my pocket, I get down on the floor and start kicking each bar where they are attached to the hardwood floor. One by one, I try each of the metal rods that are screwed down into the floor, but none of them move and I fear the worst. Then, finally, the last one next to the wall moves. Feeling around, there are scratches on the floor, deep cuts into the wood. Eve, she must have been working on this one over the years.

"Thank God Eve, you saved me. Now I'll come to save you. I just hope it's all a lie and I'm not too late," I say out loud to myself while kicking the bar.

It's not moving very much, so I grab hold of the others and it finally bends. Then, crawling on the floor, I squeeze through the tiny opening. While doing so, I feel a shooting pain in my ribs, then along with my abdomen and leg.

Shit, I'm hurting even worse all over my body. The son of a bitch must have kicked the shit out of me when I was unconscious. Christ, I'm in pain everywhere.

Fighting through it, I pull myself up using the big brown couch. Then I hear a gigantic explosion and the entire house shakes. The floor feels warm, so I stagger over to the door.

Yup, goddammit, it's hot too.

Opening the dresser and armoire, I look for something to cover myself and shield my body from the fire. All I find is lingerie, panties, some stockings, and a few roles-playing outfits. Nothing of any actual use, except for the stockings. I could at least cover my nose and mouth with those.

Glancing over to the couch, I pull one of the big cushions off and there is a zipper. Opening the cushion, I pull out the foam block and cover my head, back, and arms with it. Hopefully, there is enough house left to escape this room and then make it out of here alive. This is all so insane, but I am in total survival mode now.

Feeling the door again, it's still hotter than hell, and I decide to use one pillow off Eve's bed to open the door. While standing behind it, as I turn the knob, the bedroom door explodes open and there is a flash of fire.

Once the flames dissipate, I head out the door because it's only going to get worse from here on out. I would rather take my chances out there than burn to death in this room.

Stepping out into the hall, the entire place is on fire. Looking down over the banister, I realize that I'm upstairs, in their house, on the third floor, because I can see his study down below. Son of a bitch, everything is ablaze. If I don't find a way out soon, this place is going to crumble beneath my feet.

The smoke is thick, and I need to keep moving. There are flames everywhere, it's so hot that my body is sweating profusely. The smoke is getting thicker and I can't see very well now. Making my way to the stairs, they give way and fall into the flames.

"Eve! Eve! Where are you! Eve!" I scream over and over, but I can hear anything except for the fire eating away at this house.

Continuing down the hallway, walking as close to the wall as I can, I'm not even sure that I'm going in the right direction. Reaching the end of the hall, I turn the corner and try to feel for a doorknob. Sliding my hand along the wall, I finally find one, and it's locked.