Burning Up: Firefighter Contemporary Romance Series Box Set

by K. C. Crowne

  Her father stepped up, “He’s the father of her child.”

  Oh. I guess the cat was out of the bag after all.

  They wheeled Maddy away, down a long hallway and through the double doors. Nurses told us we had to stay back. Maddy’s mom, of course, wasn’t having any of it.

  “Do you know who we are?” she said.

  I cringed, never thinking I’d hear anyone say something like that seriously. It seemed too cliché to even be real, but there we were, and this was my first introduction to Maddy’s family.

  “It doesn’t matter who you are, your daughter’s safety is our number one priority,” the nurse said. “And right now, she needs to be taken care of. Once she’s in stable condition, we’ll let you see her.”

  Derek didn’t say a word, he just stood back and stared me down as if waiting for me to start a fight. I wasn’t about to cause any drama at the hospital, we had enough to worry about. If he stayed away from me, I’d stay away from him. In fact, I felt like I should probably stay away from all of them.

  I wasn’t going to leave her though. She was the mother of my child, and while love might have been too strong of a word for what we had at this point, I felt something. I cared about her deeply, and it wasn’t just because she was carrying my baby.

  The nurse walked over to the counter, and I followed. Without even looking at me, she said, “I’m sorry, there are no exceptions to the rules, no matter how famous or rich you are.”

  “I know,” I said. “I’m a firefighter and EMT.”

  “Oh,” she said, looking up for the first time. She gave me the once over and seemed shocked that I was part of the same group as Maddy and her family. “I’m sorry, I’m just used to families like theirs arguing and trying to bend the rules every chance they get.”

  “I understand,” I said, leaning on the counter and speaking softly. “I just want to know what they’re doing back there?”

  “She’s still being checked out by the doctor,” the nurse said. “As soon as I know more, I’ll let you know.”

  “I appreciate it, thank you,” I said.

  Maddy’s family had taken seats in the waiting room. Her mother was still in tears, her father just stared straight ahead.

  “How did we let this happen?” her mom wailed. “It’s all our fault for pushing her, Greg.”

  Her father said nothing. He continued staring straight ahead. Derek sat beside him, hands clasped in his lap. When he caught me looking at him, he stared back. His eyes were so cold and emotionless, it caused the hair on my arms to stand up. Something wasn’t right about him. Sure, maybe I thought that because he was the ex-fiancé of my baby’s mother, but it was more than just that. He showed no sadness, no remorse. There was nothing but emptiness in his dark eyes.

  The entrance doors opened, and two police officers stepped inside. One man, one woman. They both walked over to Maddy’s family, and I stepped closer so I could hear what was being said.

  “Derek Savage?” the man said. “You need to come with us.”

  “What’s going on?” her father asked, standing up.

  “We have some questions for Mr. Savage,” the officer said. “Regarding the accident.”

  “What are you talking about? It was an accident, he was with us the entire time,” Mr. Byers said.

  The woman spoke up this time. “We have reason to believe he’s connected to the paparazzi that caused the accident.”

  My ears perked up. The news apparently came as a surprise to everyone but Derek, who stood up and said only three words, “Call my lawyer,” before handing himself over to police custody.

  “We’ll figure this out, Derek,” Mrs. Byers said. “I’m sure it’s all a big misunderstanding.”

  Derek nodded and walked out of the hospital, leaving the three of us alone. I felt like such an outsider standing there. We came from different walks of life, and yet, we were all there for the very same reason.

  “Sit down,” Mr. Byers said, giving me a harsh look. “I imagine we’re going to be here awhile.”

  I accepted his invitation to join them, sitting down next to him, where Derek had been moments before. We were all quiet for a long time, until her dad turned to me and said.

  “You saved my daughter’s life back there, I’m sure of it.”

  It wasn’t a question, so I didn’t answer him. Maybe I had. Maybe I hadn’t. It was still too early for us to know if she’d make it or not.

  “Thank you for that,” he said.

  “No need to thank me,” I said. “She’s an amazing girl.”

  “That she is,” he said softly, showing emotion for the first time since the whole thing had started.

  ooo000ooo

  Eventually, we were escorted to a private waiting area, away from the prying eyes of the press. Others had joined us too. Friends and family of Maddy, people I’d never met before in my life. I stayed in my little corner, not sure where I belonged exactly.

  We waited for what felt like an eternity. Random updates came through now and then, but for the most part, we were in limbo for many long hours and late into the night. Only a few people stayed the entire time, one of which caught my eye.

  A petite redhead was also standing on the outskirts. She was pacing, back and forth, biting her nails. She kept checking her phone and looking toward the door, as if she wasn’t sure if she belonged or not. Knowing what it was like to be out of place, I walked over to her.

  “Jax,” I said, reaching out my hand.

  “Julia,” she said shyly.

  “Friend of Maddy’s?” I asked.

  She nodded, but then stopped. “Well, I used to be. I’m not so sure she’s going to want to see me now,” she said.

  “Why’s that?”

  “She blames me for telling the press about the pregnancy,” she said. “Even though I had nothing to do with it.”

  “Well, I don’t know what’s going on with that,” I said. “But I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you.”

  She flinched as if I’d slapped her. “I highly doubt that, but I couldn’t stay away. She was my closest friend, and if something happens to her--”

  Tears streamed down her face. It wasn’t the face of someone who’d betray her best friend, that much I knew. Something else had to be going on, and while I didn’t have all the answers, all fingers seemed to be pointing at Derek. At least in my mind, they were.

  The same nurse from earlier stepped into the room. She didn’t go up to Maddy’s parents, instead, she sought me out. Probably because I was one of the only reasonable ones there. Her parents gathered around.

  “Madeline is in stable condition. Only minor breaks and a concussion,” she said. “She’s going to be sore for a while, and we’ll want to keep her here for monitoring for a day or two.”

  What a relief. It felt like the entire room let out a collective breath.

  “What about the baby?” I asked.

  “We’re still monitoring the baby,” she said. “But so far, everything looks good. We’re going to continue to make sure it stays that way.”

  “Can we see her now?” her mother asked.

  “Yes, but only two people at a time,” the nurse said.

  A hand patted me on the back, and I turned to find Mr. Byers standing there. “You should go first,” he said.

  “Are you sure?” I asked.

  “Yes, you saved her life,” he said. “Go, talk to her.”

  Her mother started to protest, but I didn’t wait around for anyone to change their mind. I followed the nurse out of the room and down the hallway, my palms sweaty as we entered the room. Even though everything sounded good, I was still scared shitless. I thought I might lose her, and the reality of that situation hit me hard. I couldn’t lose her. I might not know her that well yet, but I wanted to change that. I wanted to be part of her life, not just the baby’s.

  When I stepped past the curtain and saw her there, my heart literally broke. She was cleaned up, no longer bloody, but her face was bru
ised. Her arm was in a cast, and she was hooked up to so many machines. Her eyes were closed, at first, and I thought she might be sleeping.

  “Someone’s here to see you,” the nurse said.

  Maddy opened her eyes, and when she saw me, she actually smiled. Even through all the pain and chaos, she was happy to see me.

  “Jax,” she said. “Was I imagining things, or were you the one who pulled me out? It’s all a blur.”

  “I was there,” I said, stepping closer. I reached for her hand, and she gave it to me, willingly. Kissing her knuckles, I stared deep into her eyes. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

  “All because of you,” she said. “My hero.”

  I gave her hand a quick squeeze but didn’t let it go.

  “The doctors told me that I’m fine, and the baby is going to be okay too,” she said.

  “Yeah, that’s what they told me too.”

  She averted her gaze, but only for a second. “Is my family here?”

  “Yes,” I said. I left out the part about Derek, not sure if it was the right time or not.

  “I was also told by a couple police officers that the paparazzi might have been hired to follow me closely. Is that true?”

  I nodded. “It’s possible. That’s what we were told. That Todd guy was in the car that hit you first.”

  “So he was the one who leaked everything. He knew because he was stalking me, watching my every move,” she said, as if putting the pieces together herself. “Which means-- Oh God, Julia--”

  “It’s alright,” I said. “She’s here.”

  “She is?” Maddy looked surprised.

  “Yes, she’s in the waiting room. She wasn’t sure if you wanted to see her or not though.”

  Maddy’s eyes welled up with tears. “I can’t believe she came after what I accused her of. I was awful to her.”

  “Well, I don’t know about all that, but she’s here. She cares about you, Maddy.”

  “I need to apologize to a lot of people,” she said, sighing. Her eyes were growing heavy, and she looked exhausted. “Like you, for one.”

  “Me? Why me?”

  “For not telling you I was pregnant, for cutting you out of my life. All because I was worried what my parents would think,” she said.

  “I think your parents might be more open minded now,” I said, chuckling.

  “Why do you say that?”

  Thinking back to how her father invited me to join them in the waiting room, then told me to see her first, I said, “I just have a feeling.”

  We shared a smile, and deciding not to deny myself any longer, I leaned down and kissed her. She kissed me back, her good hand entangling in my hair. She was going to be okay, and so was our baby. Maybe, just maybe, we could make it work, I thought.

  A knock at the door pulled us from the kiss.

  “Sorry to interrupt,” a female’s voice said softly.

  “Allison! What on Earth are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be back for a few more days,” Maddy said, smiling even larger than before.

  “When I heard my best friend had been in an accident, I got the first flight home,” Allison said.

  Allison was tall and lean with long, dark hair. She didn’t so much as walk over to Maddy as waltz over to her. She was so smooth and quick on her feet, and I stepped back to give them a moment.

  “And who is this?” Allison asked, giving me the once over with an approving look.

  “That’s Jax, he’s the father of my baby,” Maddy said. Then she laughed. “God, that sounds so awful.”

  “Baby?” Allison said. “How did I not know about this?”

  “Well, to be fair, you were on the other side of the world, doing your own thing,” she said.,

  “But phones exist, Maddy! And a new boyfriend too? Since when?”

  Boyfriend?

  Maddy and I shared a look, and I could see it in her eyes. The rules we’d started out with no longer applied. So much had changed. There was no way we could be casual about this.

  “Since now,” I said with a grin.

  Maddy smiled back at me. “Yes, since now.”

  Epilogue

  Madeline - A Year Later

  “Are you free tonight, babe?” I asked as I finished pulling my hair back into a bun. Jax was sitting on the bed, watching me, our daughter curled up in his arms.

  “I’m thinking of going out with Julia and Allison tonight, if you don’t mind babysitting Violet,” I said.

  “It’s not babysitting,” he chuckled, “She’s my daughter. And of course I don’t mind. Go out, have fun with your friends.”

  My heart nearly burst from my chest every time I looked at the two of them. Violet was only a couple months old, but she was the most beautiful baby I’d ever seen. I couldn’t have asked for a better child.

  I slipped my engagement ring back on my finger, remembering the night Jax asked me to be his wife. It had only been a couple weeks since he proposed, but we were eloping the following month. No need for a big party, it would just be the three of us and my two best friends. Oh, and my parents too, of course. He had a few guys coming along too, but that was it. No press. Nothing.

  Ever since the whole ordeal with Derek, I stayed out of the press as much as possible. Having a PR firm on hand helped a bunch, and while I was initially skeptical of Liam and his desire to label my family as a brand, we eventually worked things out. He kept my name out of the papers as much as possible, and I paid him to do so. It was a nice arrangement, and so far, it was working out well, with a few exceptions.

  Even he couldn’t keep some pictures from showing up, but thankfully, once word got out that a paparazzi nearly killed me and my unborn child - and who ended up causing a major traffic accident that killed others - my private security firm made sure no one got too close to us. It was still hard, and I knew Jax was struggling with his brush at fame sometimes, but we made it work.

  I kissed him quickly, apologizing for rushing out the door.

  “Go, you have a meeting with Pierre, I know,” he said. “I’ve got everything under control here.”

  Jax still kept his job at the firehouse, and eventually went back full time. He was still in therapy, but according to him, saving me - and knowing that he couldn’t save everyone - really helped him to see that he was only human. He wasn’t a superhero, but he could still save lives. Every life he saved helped him remain strong for the times when he couldn’t save someone. And of course, I was always there too. He was my hero, but I was still strong enough to be there for him when he needed me too.

  “Don’t forgot my father’s retirement party on Friday,” I called out before leaving the penthouse.

  My parents were beginning to accept us. Him saving my life helped a lot. Liam even explained to them that our story was actually good PR - who wouldn’t appreciate a love story where the hero saves the girl’s life? Even if we came from different walks of lives, who cared?

  My poor mom struggled the most, but only because she still couldn’t believe Derek was a monster. Him being sentenced for hiring the paparazzi to stalk me and report on my private life was helping though. That and seeing how good Jax was with Violet too.

  I was already in the elevator, when I realized I forgot my phone. Groaning, I pushed the elevator button to go back up to the penthouse. Pierre was thankfully patient with me. He had Julia to keep him company, and from what I’d been told, their story was really starting to heat up too. I had to face the reality that my assistant might one day marry her prince charming and run off to France. While I was sad at losing my assistant one day, I was happy for my best friend. She deserved it. She’d worked hard her entire life, always did whatever it took, and finally, she would get her own happily ever after.

  I ran into the penthouse and found Jax talking to Violet. He hadn’t heard me come in, and I stopped in the doorway to bedroom and watched as he got her dressed for the day. I smiled, feeling a warm glow surrounding me. I knew I was just going to be later for my
appointment, but I couldn’t stop watching the two of them together.

  “There you go,” Jax said, putting a bow in her hair. “It’s purple, because your name is Violet.”

  Our daughter wiggled in his arms, gurgling happily. Jax smiled down at her, entranced by the little person in his arms. God, I really didn’t want to go into work that morning. I wanted to spend all day with them.

  Jax turned around and saw me standing there. “Well, hello,” he said. “I thought you’d left.”

  “I forgot my phone,” I said, pointing to it on the dresser.

  “Ah, yes,” he said, picking it up and walking it over to me. “A CEO can’t be without her phone.”

  I stood on my tiptoes, pressing my lips to his. Yes, I had meeting to get to, work to do, but it had been too long since I’d taken a day off and spent it with my family. I knew what I had to do.

  “I’m taking the day off,” I said. “We’re going to the zoo as a family.”

  “Are you sure? Won’t your dad be mad?”

  “Nah, he’s only my boss for a few more days,” I said. “And Julia can handle my meeting with Pierre. I’m going to enjoy one of the perks of being the CEO’s daughter for a few more days, before I’m the one in charge.”

  Jax leaned in, pressing his forehead against mine. Our daughter was between us, snuggled up close to both of our chests.

  “I’d really like that,” Jax said. “And I think our daughter would too.”

  My career had always been the most important thing to me. I’d put everything into my job for so long, and what did it get me? Sure, it got me the position I’d always wanted, but it almost cost me the man I loved more than life itself. The accident and everything that happened afterward put things into perspective for me. I didn’t want to miss out on my daughter’s life like my own father had done.

  I’d find a balance. I’d make it work. For the first time in my life, there was something more valuable than running my father’s company.

  I had a family, and they would always come first.