The world turned orange. The explosion wasn't like in the movies; it was a wall of heat and pressure that knocked Isabella backward into the pantry hole. The sound was a solid THUMP that made her ears ring with a high-pitched whistle.
The kitchen was filled with fire and smoke. The ceiling started to groan.
Isabella scrambled out of the hole. The Boss was on the floor, clutching his ears. Vanessa was gone, blown through the wall into the garden. Isabella ran to Jaxson. She grabbed a steak knife from the counter and sliced through his zip-ties.
"Are you okay?" she sobbed, grabbing his face.
Jaxson blinked, shaking the soot from his hair. He looked at her like she was an angel. "You blew up the kitchen," he said, a bloody grin spreading across his face. "That's my girl."
"We have to go!" she yelled.
They ran through the burning house. The velvet curtains were on fire, and the silk sheets in the bedroom were melting. They reached the balcony and jumped into the pool to extinguish the embers on their clothes.
They ran down the stone steps to the dock. The boat was still there. Jaxson untied the ropes and jumped into the driver's seat. He turned the key.
The engine roared to life.
As they pulled away from the shore, Isabella looked back. The beautiful white villa was a skeleton of fire against the dark Brazilian sky. She saw a figure standing on the beach. It was Vanessa. She was alive, but she was burned and defeated. She watched them go, her rifle useless in her hand.
Jaxson pushed the throttle all the way forward. The boat leaped over the waves.
"Where to now?" Isabella asked, leaning against him. She was covered in soot, her dress was a rag, and she was exhausted.
Jaxson looked out at the dark horizon. "Somewhere they don't have a map for, Bella. Somewhere we can just be Mark and Sarah Miller forever."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out one last thing. A small, velvet box. He handed it to her.
Inside was a ring. It wasn't gold. It was a simple silver band with a small, clear diamond.
"I bought this with the first hundred dollars I ever earned honestly," Jaxson said. "I've been carrying it for years, waiting for someone worth giving it to."
Isabella put the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly.
"I love you, Jaxson," she said, over the roar of the engines.
"I love you, Isabella," he said. "Now let's go home."