by Alice Raine
Everyone else was evacuated safely.
But not Jack?
My heart went from galloping to exploding, and I actually saw little white lights in front of my eyes for a second or two. Pulling in a long breath through my nose, I tried to calm my skittering nerves, but it was a bloody difficult task.
Nodding jerkily at the two men, I closed my locker and began to make my way towards the exit on jellified legs.
Jack had been hurt. And as a result I felt … what, exactly? Sick? Traumatised? Terrified? Blinking several times, I shook my head to try and shake some sense into myself, but it failed. I was a complete mess.
If he had been seriously injured then news would have spread around the studios … wouldn’t it? Although from what the guys were saying the fire had only happened recently, so perhaps news hadn’t had time to get out yet.
Pinging the elastic band around my wrist, I briefly considered getting my phone out and calling him. I had his number, after all, I could call him and see if he was all right. Or maybe send a text?
Stopping, I stared sightlessly at the ground, completely torn over what to do. Jack and I had unquestionably moved into the ‘friends’ category, and it was definitely OK for a friend to call the other if they’d been hurt, wasn’t it? Nodding decisively, I brought up his number and dialled, listening intently as the call went through and gripping the phone so hard that my knuckles hurt.
As the first ring sounded down the line, my heart was absolutely pounding in my ears, but after ringing and ringing it went through to answerphone. What did that mean exactly?
Almost overcome with growing panic, I hung up without leaving a message and dashed out into the fresh air. Pausing to draw in several calming breaths, I realised I could smell a faint tang of smoke in the air, which only added to my dread.
I had to do something, but what?
Deciding that the best thing I could do was to ask at the information point to see if they had any news, I quickly set off towards the front of the site.
I tried to look calm and professional as I strode into reception and enquired about the well-being of those involved in the fire, but my voice had a definite edge of hysteria in it which I couldn’t tamp down. The woman behind the reception gave me, and my identity card, a thorough look-over before she nodded her head, satisfied, and reached for a sheet of paper.
Pushing her glasses further up her nose, she skimmed over it before reading aloud. ‘Three of the cameramen have been admitted for smoke inhalation but they’re set for release in a day or two. Fiona is being treated for some minor burns, but is expected to be out later today.’ I was literally bouncing from foot to foot as I waited for her to scan the rest of the sheet.
‘What about Jack?’ I blurted, unable to wait a second longer.
She raised an eyebrow and re-read the sheet. ‘There’s been no word about Brent or Jack.’ No word? My heart sank. Why not? Apparently seeing my panic, she softened her features and gave me a sympathetic smile. ‘They got it worst. All I know for certain is that they got taken away by ambulance about an hour ago.’
My emotions were so screwed up I truly wasn’t sure what to do next. I’d spent the last few weeks feeling conflicted about just how much I felt for Jack, but one thing was certain – I would never in a million years want him to be hurt.
In our short acquaintance, I’d thought some dreadful things about him, wishing he would bugger off, leave me alone, and stop throwing my emotions into turmoil … but I had changed my mind. I liked him.
Really liked him.
Possibly in a ‘more-than-just-friends’ kind of way.
I’d finally got around to admitting it to myself, and now this had happened. I couldn’t breathe properly, and had to bend forward to rest my hands on my knees for a moment as I tried to refill my lungs. What if he was seriously injured … or worse? Swallowing hard, I closed my eyes as nausea swirled in my stomach and one thing became vividly clear in my mind.
I had to get to him.
Thank you for reading!
Join Cait and Allie in Undone, the final instalment of the Revealed series, as they pursue their Hollywood dreams. Is Jack injured? Can Cait lower her defences and finally allow a man into her trust again? Will Sean go public about Savannah so that he and Allie can finally be together?
Undone, book 4 of the Revealed series, coming soon from Alice Raine and Accent Press.
The Untwisted Series
By Alice Raine
For more information about Alice Raine
and other Accent Press titles
please visit
www.accentpress.co.uk
Published by Accent Press Ltd 2016
ISBN 9781682994221
Copyright © Alice Raine 2016
The right of Alice Raine to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
The story contained within this book is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of the publishers: Accent Press Ltd, Ty Cynon House, Navigation Park, Abercynon, CF45 4SN
