Another EMT hurried toward Wade.

Sarah tried to sit still as the guy examined her. She knew her injuries weren’t bad. But if Jax hadn’t called her, they would have been. “You saved my life,” she said as she turned her head to look at him.

His face was like stone.

“How did you get Eddie to talk with you?” She’d thought the guy had been adamant about not talking with anyone.

“I’m not a cop, so I didn’t play by the rules.”

No, she rather thought that Jax made up his own rules.

“Ma’am,” the EMT said, drawing her attention. “How many fingers am I holding up?”

She pushed his hand away. “Two. Look, I don’t have a concussion. I’m bruised, but fine.” Actually the shock was wearing off and she was starting to feel more in control.

“There she is,” Jax murmured. “I see you coming back to me.”

Sarah shook her head and kept her focus on the EMT. “What else do you need to do? Can I go now?”

The EMT glanced over at Jax as if it were his decision.

Stifling a sigh, Sarah pushed out of that ambulance. But Jax was there, wrapping his arm around her before she’d even taken a step. “I don’t want you out in the open.”

Because he thought that jerk was still there? No. Sarah shook his head. “He was watching from a distance, playing it safe. He’s not out here.” She was sure of it. Being there—even hiding in the growing crowd of onlookers—would be too risky. And this man . . . she was realizing that he was far more intelligent than she’d originally realized. This guy was no amateur. When it came to killing, he knew exactly what he was doing.

Then she caught sight of Detective West. He was talking with some of the firefighters and frowning up at the burning building. “Detective West!” Sarah called out.

He turned at her call. His eyes widened when he saw her. Then he was rushing to her.

“Molly could be in there!” Sarah called out. “This place—I think he had Molly here.” Actually, she thought Molly had vanished after walking near that building. He either took her inside or he took her away . . . in the car that had been stashed in the alley’s entrance.

“What?” Brent’s brows shot up. “Here? Did you see her?”

“No, but he set that place to blow and if Molly was the bait to lure us in—”

He looked back at the fire and swore. “Then she was bait that didn’t make it out alive.”

Staring at those flames, Sarah shivered.

JAX HELD OPEN the car door for Sarah. She looked so shell-shocked, so pale. He just wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her as long as possible.

What if she’d gone into that building?

Rage grew within him. Someone was fucking with Sarah, and he didn’t like it one bit.

No, actually, they were fucking with Sarah and with him. Because Jax owned that building. The building that could have blown and taken Sarah’s life. He’d bought the place months ago, but hadn’t done a damn thing with it. He’d heard Sarah mention that video cameras had been on the second floor—they sure as shit hadn’t been there when he’d acquired the place.

The cops wouldn’t know the building was his, not yet. He had plenty of corporations set up to mask his identity—plenty of businesses and buildings traced back to the corporations and not to him, personally. Eventually, though, the authorities might track the place back to him. If they searched long and hard enough.

Is that what that bastard out there wants? For me to look guilty?

Jax locked his jaw. He hadn’t told Sarah that he owned that place. And he wouldn’t, not yet. The last thing he wanted was for Sarah to doubt him. For some reason, he wanted her to . . . trust him.

Keeping the truth from her probably wasn’t the best way to build trust. But confess that inferno belonged to him? Yeah, that would be the number one way to get the cops to lock him up—for real, this time.

The cops had asked questions, dozens of them. The firefighters had battled the blaze and extinguished the flames. Now only dark tendrils of smoke drifted into the air.

Had Molly Guthrie been in that fire? The fire marshal wouldn’t be able to tell them, not for a while. And, right then, Jax’s focus was on Sarah, not the missing woman. Sarah looked dead on her feet. He needed to get her someplace safe. Someplace he could protect her.

Wade wasn’t in any condition to drive Sarah. The guy had a concussion, and he’d been loaded into the back of an ambulance. Jax would have felt better if Sarah went to the hospital, too, but the woman was stubborn.

And currently covered in ash and blood.

He slammed the car door shut and then glanced over at his lawyer. “I’ve already called my office,” his lawyer told him quickly. Ty tossed him the keys. “You take the car, and my assistant will come for me.” The cops had impounded Jax’s bike, but he knew Ty was already working to get the motorcycle released and delivered back to Jax’s place. The guy was definitely worth the retainer Jax paid for him.

Jax’s fingers fisted around the keys. “Let me know what you find out.” Because he knew that Ty was staying to dig for additional information on that chaotic scene. Lawyers always had a way to get the cops to talk. “You can come get your car later.”

Ty nodded and backed away. The guy kept glancing curiously at Sarah, but Ty hadn’t asked Jax any specific questions about her. His lawyer knew better than to pry. Especially when a woman was involved. The sunlight glinted off his blond hair as Ty turned away.

Ty came from old Southern money. He’d been one of those silver-spoon types that Jax normally hated. He’d never wanted or needed anything, and the guy had just sailed his way through law school at Tulane.

Jax had fought his way through life, battling for every single thing he possessed.

But he and Ty . . . well, they were different, that was for sure. But he’d had Ty’s back over the years, and Ty had always been there for him. Though Jax was sure that hefty retainer fee figured into the equation . . .

Still, Ty was the best criminal defense attorney in New Orleans, and the guy had always kept quiet about the secrets Jax carried. He knows better than to share them.

Jax glanced across the street and saw Carlos waiting. Jax gave the fellow an almost imperceptible nod. He owed Carlos—more than he’d ever be able to repay. The man had been his right hand for years, and Carlos had been a good friend, even when Jax didn’t deserve it. There weren’t many people that Jax actually counted on in that world, but Carlos—the man was family to him.

Jax walked to the car. Slid behind the seat and started to crank the engine.

But Sarah’s fingers flew out and curled around his. “Wait.”

He glanced over at her.

“I need to . . . see the scene. Just a little longer.”

She leaned forward and stared at the building. It was just a shell now. Hollow. Black. Smoke rose in long, sweeping tendrils.

“It’s destruction. Death. That’s what you wanted to show me,” Sarah murmured. “You wanted us to see death.”

His back teeth clenched. “What the guy wanted was for you to die, Sarah. He wanted to hurt your father by hurting you.” He cranked that engine. Yeah, okay, Sarah wanted to stay there and get in the killer’s head. Too bad. The woman was covered with bruises and blood and maybe she was too stubborn to go to the ER, but he would be taking care of her.

“My father . . .” Now her voice was weary as she leaned back in the seat. “If you’re talking about his enemies, they’d fill the street.”

He glanced over at her. She’d turned her head away from him and was staring out of the window. “Buckle your seat belt, princess.”

Her hand moved and slowly clicked the seat belt into position. “I hate him.”

He pulled away from the scene. Maneuvered through the cars and the onlookers who’d gathered to watch shit burn. “The dick who did this? Don’t worry, I’m sure the LOST group will be taking him down. Isn’t that what you do?”