Hero Next Door (Next Door Romance Book 2) Read online

  I suddenly notice a much louder bleeping sound which is coming from a monitor by my side. A heart monitor actually. Ooh, that makes this a lot more serious than I thought it was. How hurt am I really?

  “I don’t think they are going to put you under any pressure,” Delia reassures me with a calm smile. “You are a victim in all of this, that much is certain. They aren’t going to be coming down hard on you. You might be a witness, but if you can’t remember anything then there isn’t anything that you can do, is there? There might be no need.”

  It feels like I might well be the only witness which is a whole bunch of pressure, it makes me feel even worse. Of course the cops are going to need to speak to me. They will need me to tell them everything.

  “What had happened that day?” I ask Delia quickly. “Talk me through it. See if it sparks my mind.”

  “Erm… I don’t know. I don’t think there was anything particularly different about that day aside from Mr. Jones not parading around like a fucking black cloud, bringing everyone’s mood down, it was the same as always. A couple of the guys who I work with did say that they thought he might be planning something because he was so quiet, but no one could have predicted a fucking fire.” She shakes her head sadly. “I should have stuck around, shouldn’t I? I shouldn’t have let him keep you behind again. But it happens all the time. I didn’t know that it was something else.”

  “You don’t feel guilty, do you?” I cock my head to one side and stare at Delia curiously. “Because there is no way that anyone could have known what was going to happen. Even if he did seem different and like he was planning something. No one has ever known what was going on in Mr. Jones’ head. There’s no way to tell.”

  “But you could have died,” she explodes. “You nearly did die, Esme. If you had… I wouldn’t have ever been able to forgive myself. I already feel horrible for all of the times that I left you in there with him.”

  “Delia, honestly… you had no choice. I stayed behind because I had no choice. It just is what it is.”

  That might have been my routine before, but fuck knows what my life will be now. I have no idea. The company is gone, burned to the ground for whatever reason. It doesn’t really matter if it was an insurance scam or not, it leaves me and the rest of the employees in the same boat. No job, no money, all pretty screwed. I really am screwed but I suppose it doesn’t really matter anymore. The choice has been made for me, I just need to make it work.

  All of a sudden, the door to my hospital room opens and a familiar face peers inside. Immediately everything inside of me stiffens, I panic, adrenaline courses through my veins at a million miles an hour, my heart races as the speed of light which unfortunately comes to light because I’m attached to a God damn heart monitor.

  “Theo…” I gasp out, my eyes popping wide as I stare at my best friend in shock. I wasn’t expecting him to come, I had no idea, and now… now I really am remembering him saving me. I don’t think it was a dream.

  “I have to get going.” Delia jumps up rapidly and grabs her bag. “I need to get on with job searching. But I will be back to see you tomorrow if you are still here.” She winks playfully. “Erm, have a good time.”

  She makes a comment to Theo about it being nice to meet him before she scurries out of the room leaving me all by myself with Theo freaking Landon. I have never felt so weird in my whole entire life.

  I’ve been on my own with Theo before, I remind myself. This shouldn’t be so strange…

  Although the last time that we were alone, we ended up in bed together, so maybe it isn’t the best thing to think about. Well, aside from him rescuing me from the building but I don’t remember that too well.

  “Thank you, Theo,” I say quietly as he takes a seat beside my bed where Delia was sitting only moments before. His presence brings a nervousness to me that I don’t know how to handle. He makes me all kinds of anxious. “Thank you for saving me. I don’t remember much of what happened but I do recall you rescuing me.”

  I hope that is the truth because it’ll be hugely embarrassing if not. But he simply smiles and nods at me. “That’s okay, you’re welcome. That’s just my job, I would help anyone who is in that situation.”

  “I know, I know you would.” He is a hero, a real life hero for anyone who needs it. I understand that now more than ever before. If it weren’t for him and the other fire fighters, I would be dead in that fire. “But thank you anyway. I appreciate you putting your own life on the line to save me. And other people as well, of course.”

  As he grins at me again, my heart begins hammering hard once more. He doesn’t look like he’s even noticed but of course I am very embarrassed by the monitor giving me away. I like Theo, even more now, and I think that must be really obvious. We’ve had sex, I know that we have a lot of chemistry, I know that he’s amazing to be with. I know that we get on well, that we have a lot to talk about. And now he has saved my freaking life…

  “So, do you always check in on people you save?” I ask, trying to be a little bit cheeky. “Are you in the hospital a lot looking in on people you have pulled from burning buildings? You must be here all the time…”

  “I only check in on the people that I like.” Oh my God, I don’t know what he means by that. What does he mean about like? Like as a friend? Like because we had sex? Like like? “And I’m glad to see that you are okay.”

  I nod numbly. I think that I’m okay. “Yeah, I mean, I’m alive because of you, so that’s a bonus. I could have died in there, so that’s really something. I will have to start living a better life in future.”

  “Yeah,” he replies darkly. “Getting away from that boss of yours for one.”

  Does he know what happened? I don’t see how he can, but there is something to his tone of voice that intrigues me. I lean up to stare him in the eyes, to try and see in to his soul, but right now he’s giving nothing away.

  Chapter 14 – Theo

  “Let me take a look at your chart.” I lean across to the edge of Esme’s bed because I don’t want to answer any of her questions. I need to work out how much she is aware of before I start blundering in with my theories. “Oh good. You are doing really well considering everything that you went through. You are unhurt.”

  “Am I burned?” She’s quiet as she asks me this. I can tell that it’s a real worry of hers. “Is my skin damaged?”

  “A little.” The best thing for me to do is be honest. “But I don’t think there will be any permanent damage.”

  “Have I been out for a long time? Because Delia said that she has been in to wait for me to wake up?”

  “It was two days ago. And according to your chart you have been waking up a bit. You probably just don’t remember it much because it’s been a bit of a traumatic experience. I wouldn’t worry about anything.”

  I don’t know if she is going to believe me, but at least she looks a little less stressed. “Okay great. So, I’m not in any immediate danger. That’s good to know… but I’m still worried about the police. They are going to want to know what happened, aren’t they? And it’s annoying because I don’t have anything to tell them.”

  “You don’t?” I feel sad as she says this. This isn’t good news. I was hoping that Esme would remember stuff to confirm my suspicions. I’m still clinging to the hope that she can confirm my suspicion with what she knows. I mean, she was stuck in that building with that asshole while he set it alight, if I’m right. But I suppose it’s normal to not always remember the full details of a trauma. Especially right away. I can’t let my need for justice affect her. “That’s a shame, but it might come back to you over time. There’s a chance that you won’t need to anyway. There is an ongoing police investigation, so there is a big chance that they will discover the truth…”

  Even if a lot of the evidence is burned and gone. Not that I need to worry Esme with that right now. She already looks stressed enough, bless her. I can see it on her face that she desperately wants to help but she doesn’t kno
w how.

  “Yeah, okay.” She pouts out her lips. “I just want to get out of here now so I can know what’s going on.”

  “You should get a doctor in here if you can,” I tell her with a smile. “Then you will get a better idea of when they are going to let you out. If everything is as good as it seems to be on the chart then I’m sure it won’t be long.”

  She’s looking at me like she doesn’t want me to go, like she knows that she can trust me in a world where she isn’t sure who she can trust anymore. Of course I’m not going anywhere, no matter what. If she needs me here then I will stay. I just need to make her understand that I really don’t intend to go anywhere any time soon.

  “I can step out in to the hallway while you talk to your doctor, if you like. Then come back in as soon as they have gone so you can fill me in on all of the gory details.” I give her a reassuring smile. “If you want me to…”

  “Oh, sure.” Immediately she looks relieved. It’s nice to know that Esme trusts me. It doesn’t matter if I do or don’t know what it means, if it is connected to me saving her life or us sleeping together. That sure as hell isn’t a conversation that we need to go through right now. There is all the time in the world for that. “Thank you.”

  She calls the doctor and I do as I have promised. I step out in to the hallway to wait patiently for her. Well, I want to be patient, but to be honest I find myself pacing up and down like someone who is waiting for potentially bad news. But it won’t be that because I know Esme is okay. We got her out in time, she will be just fine.

  Mr. Callum Jones on the other hand… well, I don’t know what is going to happen to him.

  I could go and see him. The devil on my left hand shoulder wants me to. It wants me to go and visit the little prick, to put him in his place and make him see… well, whatever he did. I still don’t know yet. But there is an angel on my other shoulder trying to let me see that Esme wouldn’t like it. She wouldn’t want me to do anything rash until she has her thoughts all organized. It’s killer, knowing that he’s within reach, although I suppose not really since the cops are all over him, and that I’m not doing a damn thing about it. I just have to hold on to the idea that it’s all for a reason and that I won’t end up regretting doing nothing in the long term. God, I hope I’m right.

  In the end, I force myself to take a seat in the hallway, to be patient as I wait for Esme’s doctor to be done and I slide my eyes closed. Of course, her beautiful face floods my mind immediately, and I think about every side of her that I have seen already. Polite, as I was moving in. Angry and rude, when I tried to talk to her after her boss just wound her up. Happy, as we drank and ate dinner. Sexy, as we fell in to bed together. Vulnerable and afraid, as I rescued her from the fire, and now sweet and waiting for answers as her life hangs in the balance.

  I like every side of her. I can’t help myself. She intrigues me and she has done from the very first moment that I met her. I like her more than I promised myself that I would like anyone ever again. I can’t imagine sitting in the hospital for anyone else that I met just a short while age, but Esme… she is something special.

  I don’t know how much time has passed, I might have even drifted off for a nap at some point, but eventually I find myself heading back in to Esme’s room because I’m sure that the doctor must be done with her now.

  “You’re standing up.” I run my eyes up and down her completely surprised. “What’s going on?”

  “You were right.” She beams from ear to ear. “I’m doing okay. They are letting me home.”

  “Oh my God, that’s incredible!” I hoped for it, for her sake and so that I can keep a better eye on her, but to hear it is something else. “That’s awesome news, and since I am already here I can give you a ride.”

  “You don’t have to do that.” And there it is again, that lovely adorable blush in her cheeks. I love it when she goes all red. She looks so sweet she makes my chest ache. “I can get a bus or something. You have done enough.”

  I let out a little laugh. “I’m driving that way anyway. It seems silly for you to get a bus when I am here.”

  It takes her a couple of minutes, but finally she nods and agrees with me. “Sure, okay, thank you.”

  Instantly, I’m relieved. I let out a breath that I didn’t even know I was holding. Even if Callum Jones is surrounded here, I don’t trust him. I wouldn’t be able to relax with the idea of Esme alone on public transport. There is a protective bear deep inside of me which is utterly desperate to be unleashed because of her.

  “Let me carry everything for you.” She doesn’t look too weak or anything. “Then once your discharge papers arrive, we can get you in to the car and get you home as quickly as possible. I’m sure you can’t wait.”

  “It’s weird, because I’ve pretty much been out of it since I have been here, but I’m still tired. My body is craving my own bed.” She giggles a sweet musical sound which makes my heart sing. “Does that make me sound lazy?”

  “Not at all! I’ve heard that you don’t get much sleep in hospitals anyway so I don’t blame you. How about I get you home and tuck you right in to bed… oh, in a totally innocent way. I didn’t mean that to sound as it came out.”

  Luckily, she laughs again and we overcome any awkwardness that could have come with that moment. It seems like we aren’t going to get all weird around one another which is great, and if that’s a positive to come from the fire then… well, I can’t ever be glad for it because that isn’t right, but I can see the silver lining.

  Wow, Esme really was tired. She barely made it through her front door because she was drifting off to sleep. Although it did feel nice for her to lean in to me, to need me even longer. But now I have her in bed and she’s snoring lightly, so in theory I could go. I don’t have to stand here watching over her like a creeper. I could just… leave.

  But there is a tight sensation in my chest and I don’t think that’s just because I want to watch her angelic face as she breathes in and out deeply, finally relaxed because she is at home, in her own environment, with no worries left in the world… although that definitely is a big part of it. No, it’s because I’m still worried about Callum Jones. I have this image of him inside of my head, of him being a mad man, completely unhinged and terrifying. I’m in the middle of a nightmare where he could creep in through the middle of the night and take her away to do… well, whatever he was going to do to Esme inside of that building. I don’t even want to think about it.

  “I will sleep here,” I whisper to myself as I grab a blanket off the set of drawers nearby. There is a pillow as well which I can use to form a bed of some kind. “I will sleep here then nothing can happen.”

  I have slept in worse conditions and I need to be a light sleeper anyway because of my job, so if anyone does creep in here in the middle of the night, I will be able to take them down. I don’t know what Esme will think of me being here, but I’m sure that she will understand when I explain myself. Hopefully, I will be her hero again. Not a freak.

  As I lie down on the floor and I rest my head against the pillow, I try not to think about what everyone else would say about me being here. I would certainly get teased more about being in love from everyone at work because they are obsessed with me finding it again. Natasha would be over the moon for me. As for Jane, well she already thinks that I have someone else but she would have a lot to say. None of it good though. But it doesn’t matter about her opinion anymore thank God, I seem to be fully rid of her forever.

  Rid of Jane, potentially falling for Esme, who would have ever thought it? Not me, that’s for sure. There’s a time when I thought that I would be stuck in that pit of misery forever. It just shows what a difference time can make.

  Chapter 15 – Esme

  “Don’t go.” The words reverberate right the way through my body. I don’t want to listen to them but I’m afraid I don’t have any choice in the matter. “This isn’t over.” I’m cold, ice cold, yet hot all over as well. “W
e need to discuss our feelings… our love… once this is all over me and you are going to be together. You’ll see…”

  No, no, no! I need to run, to get out of here, but something has me fixed in place. My legs are lead. My body weighted down and heavy. There is something, everything, blocking me from getting out of this mess. No, no.

  “I’m going to kiss you.” I see teeth, a full set of threatening teeth attached to the face of a man I barely recognize anymore. “I’m going to hold you down and kiss you. Then I will tear your clothing off. And if you try to resist that, I’m going to set you on fire and let the flames strip you down to nothingness. How would you like that?”

  “No, I don’t want it.” His face… it’s too close to mine. I can feel hot breath blowing all over me. “I don’t want you. I have something that I like, a person I really want to be with, it isn’t you. It’s not you.”

  “Don’t tell me that you don’t want me. I see you flirting, parading around in front of me, being suggestive.” Something is around my throat. Something that I can’t get off. I claw hard at my neck but the sensation remains. The air is escaping, leaving my lungs, I don’t think I can handle this much longer… “You are asking for this, Esme.”

  I didn’t know… I want to scream that loud, but I’m in too much pain to do so. I didn’t mean to.

  What could I have done differently to stop Mr. Jones looking at me like someone he wants to lock in a room to take advantage of? I shouldn’t have behaved like I did. I should have kept my distance, never worn a skirt, had a boyfriend or two for him to know that I will never be interested in him like that. Anything to keep him away…

  “This isn’t your fault.” That voice sounds suspiciously like my hero, Theo, reminding me that I shouldn’t have to worry how I’m coming across to men, that Mr. Jones should have known how to control himself. But he can’t be here, he must be in my imagination because I can definitely feel my life slipping and ebbing away. “You did nothing wrong, you can’t blame yourself, there is nothing that you did wrong, Esme, nothing at all…”