by Aliyah Burke
Kyle flicked his eyes between the three of them, released a bellow and charged. The towel fell to the floor as the men crashed together.
The grunt shot up from his gut, then Carter took them down. Kid was strong but Carter had the edge on him and managed to land some good blows as they made a mess of their gym.
Hands pulled them apart and Carter wiped the blood from his nose as he scrambled to his feet. Charlie held him back.
“You’re smart to have your man step in and help you by keeping you back,” Kyle snapped.
“I’m not helping him, kid. I’m stopping him from killing you.” Charlie’s deep voice had no humor in it. “You’re new here and at the rate you’re going, you won’t be here much longer. You don’t challenge him over being assigned any duty. You two have a beef, fine, but what you’re doing is stupid and he would have kicked your ass. That thing up against the wall was a warning but you attacked him.”
Carter wanted to rip his arms off and beat him with it, but didn’t move from the single hand from Charlie that rested against his chest.
“I’m not afraid of him.”
“Let me go, Charlie.” He moved left, scowling when Charlie mimicked him.
“No can do. I hate mopping up blood.”
“Daniel,” Charlie said. “Get that boy out of here. My advice kid. Fix your shit. And if you ever disrespect me like you just did Carter, that black eye and beat down you took is going to be like a carnival ride for you.”
Carter went to follow him once more but Charlie stopped him. The only reason Carter didn’t fight was because it was Charlie. Childhood friend and the one who understood him better than almost everyone else in the world.
“What the fuck was that about?” Charlie crossed his massive arms over his chest.
“I don’t like him, man. That’s all.”
“That much is obvious.”
“Insubordinate, arrogant, and full of his own shit.”
“You just described you when you first became a firefighter. Let’s get your nose looked at.”
“I’m fine. Just toss me my towel.” It hit him in the face seconds later. Carter balled it up against his nose. “Least it ain’t broken. And I was not like that.”
“Really? I remember you being exactly like that.”
“Not when it counted, Charlie. All I did was pass on Cap’s instructions to him about washing Engine Five.”
“He’s a cocky bastard, no denying it. But you can’t go around beating the shit out of him for that.”
“Since when?”
Charlie laughed and went to their fridge and tossed him a bottle of water. “Do you know who his family is?”
“Yes and I’m not impressed. His name isn’t going to keep me safe on a call. If he can’t be trusted to do as he’s told, all he is doing is putting all of us at risk. When we respond to a call, we shouldn’t have to worry about one of our own. We already have to worry about the fire and rescuing people.”
“I’m not arguing with you but he’s still here because his father is a federal judge. And he was transferred here, because they were scared to fire him.”
“And what? Figured that the excuse of him getting under a stiffer captain would straighten him out is the lie fed the public?”
“Pretty much.” Charlie finished his water in seconds and lobbed the bottle to the empty recycling bin.
“You know this how?”
“My wife is a reporter. She digs things up.”
“Shit, I’d forgotten Sheryl was a reporter. I usually don’t like them, but you know I love her.”
“I know and the feeling is mutual. My point is that you need to learn to deal with him.”
“The fuck I do. I don’t trust him and I won’t go into a fire with him at my back.” He shifted on the bench. “Would you have him at yours over in ‘Stan?”
“Fuck no.”
“Not exactly the same situation but you get my point, right?”
“I’m not telling you this because I’m not on your side, Carter. I think the fucker needs to go as well. I just don’t know if we’re going to be able to get him out. Brass is too scared about pissing off his family.”
“Well, I don’t give two fucks about his family. They’re not the ones in gear, going into the flames with me. I’ll have a talk with the captain.”
“Just be careful.”
“Why? Cap is one of us.”
“So was the one at the 103 but he just transferred the problem on, instead of dealing with it.”
He hated this situation. Carter pulled the towel back, looking at the red spreading out along the fibers. He found a clean spot and put it on his face again. “That boy is going to get someone killed.”
Charlie strode toward him and stopped in front of him. “I have something to ask you which is why I was hunting you down earlier.”
“What’s up?”
“You know that Sheryl and I are pregnant. That we’ve tried a few times and it hasn’t worked until now.”
“Of course, I know. I’m so happy for the both of you. Again, congratulations.”
Charlie’s grin could have lit the city. “Thank you. She’s due in less than a month. We talked about it and I would like you to be the godfather to my firstborn.”
Carter rose with a, “Hell yes.” He embraced his best friend. “I’m so happy for the both of you.”
“Really, you will?”
“Of course. I’m beyond honored. Going to spoil the kid horribly.”
“Look, I have to run, we’re calling her parents and she wants me there.”
Another hug and they separated. “Go, thanks for asking me.”
“I know how a lot of people see you, but I know you better than they do. Beneath that gruff exterior, you’re nearly as awesome as I am.” He grinned and jogged out.
Carter laughed and went to clean up then he was going to track down the elusive woman who’d snuck out of his place after their incredible night of sex. Gina Moyer.
Chapter Six
“Nice job closing that other case, Moyer.”
She repositioned her attention from the file in her hand to the man who stood in her doorway. Her boss, McCarthy Williams. “Thank you, sir.”
“You’re one hell of an asset to the team, I’m glad you came back here to work.” He strode in, a full indication this was going to be a longer talk.
Gina put the file to the side, giving him her full focus.
“How are you getting along with your ex?”
“I don’t see him except in rare situations.”
He stroked two fingers down his moustache. “An answer which doesn’t even begin to address my question.”
“Because it doesn’t matter. Sergeant Liaci and I have an understanding.” His disbelieving expression had her adding, “We do. We have agreed to be civil to one another when our paths cross.”
Okay, so they’d not actually gotten that far, because when she went there last time, she ended up in his bed with his cock buried deep inside her pussy. It was on her. She shouldn’t have gone there to his place. It’d been hard enough when she’d been with him in public, it should have been a no brainer that being with him behind closed doors would be an invitation for disaster.
“Good, because I need you to go talk to him about some notes he gave Stan.”
Her pulse kicked up in anticipation of being near him once more. She picked up a pen and rolled it in her fingers. “Do I dare ask why Stan can’t go question him about the notes?”
“No.”
“Tell me you’re not playing matchmaker.”
“I’m not playing matchmaker. Far as I figure it, you two had your thing and it didn’t work. I need this done for work, nothing else.”
Right and I play football for the NFL. “Sure. When does this need to be done by?”
“Soon as possible.”
“And Stan is…”
“At his desk,” McCarty said then cleared his throat. “But he’s on his way out the door which is w
hy I’m tasking you with it.”
“Right.” Gina pushed back from her desk and smoothed a hand down her white shirt then reached for her suit coat. Double-checking for her badge, she picked up her purse. “I’ll just be on my way now then, if you have the information I need to clear up with him handy.”
“In my office.”
She followed her boss and waited at the door while he got her a green hued file folder. Gina plucked it from his grasp and sighed. “I’ll deliver this back to Stan when I get back.”
McCarty smiled. “Thank you.”
“Anything for you, boss.”
As she took the stairs down to the first floor, she dug for her phone. Belly tight with knots, she scrolled through the numbers and hesitated when Carter’s showed on the screen. “Get over yourself,” she muttered. “This is work related. You’re not setting up a booty call.”
She pushed out into the sun and hastened to her car. Once behind the wheel, she tossed the phone to the passenger seat and stared at her reflection in the rear view. “I’m pathetic. I should just call him and get it over with. But I should read the notes and find out what information I need to clarify for him. Then I’ll give him a call.”
She started her coupe and drove home where she changed into a tattered pair of sweats and an old jersey shirt. A cup of freshly brewed tea beside her, she opened the folder and began reading.
Two hours later, she had the phone to her ear as she walked around her small apartment.
“Liaci.”
Christ, just the last name rolling off his tongue did wicked things to her woman parts. Not to mention her heart. “We need to talk.”
“I should say so, you snuck out on me, baby. Not sure what that was about and you’ve been avoiding my calls.”
Damn man could have her coming from his voice alone. She stood by the window and stared out over the city. Big. Loud. Forever moving. A good place to get lost if one wanted to. Yet, he always found her. Perhaps not physically, but definitely his memory. “This is business.” Three lying words that meant she didn’t have to think about the five missed calls from him on her phone.
“Really? Because I didn’t hear anyone announce who they were. You called, I answered. That’s simple and how I like it.”
“I didn’t think I had to announce who I was but hey, I can hang up and start over.”
He tisked. “You are prickly. What’s going on?”
“I need to review some of the answers you gave to Stan Hedger. He had some more questions on things but apparently, can’t get to you today, so I got saddled with the task.”
“Never any doubt on how you feel about that. I am more than happy to help out. Want to come here?”
In her mind, that last question equated to “Want to take your clothes off and have a fuck session until you can no longer walk?”
Her fingers drifted down around her clit but she hesitated. Just one touch, her body cried out. Yanking her hand from her pants, she marched to the kitchen and began making another mug of tea, to remain occupied. “Not necessary. We can meet in public and talk. I won’t take much of your time. Hell, we could do it right now.”
“No, sorry,” he said smoothly. “I can meet in a bit but I’m not doing this over the phone.”
Maybe I should just cross my legs and hump myself. “Why not?”
“Because I want to see you, baby.”
“It’s Gina or Ms. Moyer. Not baby.”
“Didn’t mind it so much when I called you that as my cock thrust in and out of that tight pussy of yours.”
Her nipples drew tight and she fought back a whimper. “This is business, please focus. When and where do you have time to meet then?”
“Come on over.”
“No.” Her body damn near rebelled when she snapped her response.
“Why not? I thought you needed answers.”
“I do. But if you’re not willing to do it over the phone, we can meet in a public place.”
“Sorry, I’ve been drinking. I shouldn’t drive. Why don’t you want to come by?”
“It’s not necessary. Hell, while we’ve been debating this, I could have asked and you could have answered what I needed taken care of.”
“Come by.”
Sinful decadence spread along the phone to her ear and she nearly whimpered aloud as those two words took root and spread up throughout her. “Perhaps you could swing by my office tomorrow then, Mr. Liaci, since you are apparently indisposed at this time. I’ll see you there around nine o’clock.”
Gina ended the call before any more words could be exchanged. She tossed her phone to her sofa and rested her head against the window. Cripes, this wasn’t fair. Why didn’t her body remember the pain and humiliation that had slammed her when he’d served those damn papers to her? Because it sure as fuck seemed that every time she found herself around him or listening to him, her ovaries stood up and threw him a goddamn ticket parade, begging for attention.
Behind her, the phone rang and since it wasn’t the ringtone she’d assigned the job, she ignored it and went to fix herself some food. Tonight was some time for her. Tomorrow, Gina figured she would have to bring her A-game since she would be face to face with Carter once more.
aβ
Carter smoothed a hand over his white button down shirt as he stepped from the elevator and strode to Gina’s office.
I really thought she would have swung by last night. He hadn’t lied to her, he had been drinking, not enough to keep him from behind the wheel but it had been his excuse and so he had run with it.
He slowed as he walked around the corner.
Gina stood there laughing and joking with a tall, fit black man.
Reining his emotions under control, he made his way to the duo. “Gina,” he called out.
She peered over her shoulder and her smile faltered a fraction. “Mr. Liaci. You’re early. My office is right over there; I’ll be there in a moment. Thank you for coming in.”
He didn’t go to her office, instead he crossed his arms and waited. “No problem. When you ask me to come see you, it’s what I do. I can wait.”
She glared at him then turned back to the other man. Whomever she spoke with glanced at him a few times then dismissed him like he wasn’t married to the blonde between them.
You’re not. You divorced her, remember?
His brain really needed to keep quiet. Carter didn’t like the camaraderie between them but he counted to ensure he didn’t snatch the man away from her and punch him in the face. Through a sharp and narrowed gaze, he observed the rest of their interaction.
The way she didn’t mind his hand on her arm. The way she leaned into him. The way his eyes sparkled when they stared at Gina. All of it irritated him beyond belief.
When they separated and she moved toward him, he smoothed out his expression.
“You could have waited in my office.”
“No problem, Gina. I don’t mind waiting for you.”
She cut her gaze to him, suspicion in her eyes. “What are you up to, Liaci?”
“Nothing, just waiting for you to get done with whomever you were talking to there. Who is he? Boyfriend? Does he know about what we did the other night?”
She clenched her hands to fists then relaxed them. Gina stepped through to her office and closed the door behind him when he walked by her. “Could you possibly announce it any louder to the room?”
“Sure I could. Want me to?”
Gina tossed her hands up in frustration. “Why do you feel the need to be like this to me? I work here. You don’t see me strolling into the fire station and announcing we fucked the other night.” She took a seat at her desk.
“You could and I’d be fine with it.” He lowered his muscled frame into one of her leather chairs.
“This isn’t high school, Carter. And when did you want things about your private life announced to the public anyway?” She flipped open a folder, reaching for a pen.
Her move allowed him to see the tops
of her breasts in the shirt she wore.
Was that what the other man was doing, staring at her creamy skin while they talked?
“Who was he?”
With a shake of her head, she met his stare. “Who was who?”
“So many men now, can’t keep track?”
“Watch the tone, Liaci. You don’t have any say over who I do and don’t talk to. If you’re referring to the one I was conversing with when you walked in, that’s Davidson Levitt.”
“The man you had pancit with the other day.”
She tapped the pen against the desk, flopped the file closed, and leaned forward even more. “Let’s get one thing straight right now. You. Don’t. Own. Me. You have no say in who I talk to, who I eat with, and who I sleep with.”
Her tone held an icy edge to it, something she hadn’t ever used when she was married to him. Didn’t matter. He arched an eyebrow. “You think not? Sure, I may not own you but you are my wife, Gina.”
“Ex,” she snapped. “I’m your ex-wife. I carry that status because you didn’t think I was the right woman for you. You wanted someone more like Rochelle.”
“I did not want her. I wanted you. Still do.”
“Really? We must remember it differently because I remember coming home early and seeing that skank coming out of the back looking all tousled and sleepy wearing one of your shirts.”
“I never laid a hand on her.”
“Of course not. The red skin was from some other man’s scruff on her neck. I mean, it’s perfectly natural for a woman not your wife to be strolling around your place nude while you assume your wife is going to be gone for another two days.” Sarcasm dripped from her words.
“That’s not what happened.” His frustration began to rise.
“I’m sure it didn’t. Either way, the next few days were tense and then you served me with divorce papers. Irreconcilable differences were the reason. I signed them, Carter. I signed your goddamn papers and got out.”
“You left under the cover of darkness,” he growled. “Didn’t even give me a chance to talk to you.”
“What the hell was there to talk about? You served me with divorce papers. I’m fairly certain we got it all out between us. There was nothing else to discuss.”
