Flare Up

by Shannon Stacey

  “I’ll call them in a little while. It’s going to be a shitty phone call and I need more ibuprofen first.” He opened his eyes as the truck started to move. “I have to tell Wren.”

  “Yeah. And you know we’ve all got your back, but Patty needs to know what’s going on, too. Cait’ll be worried about her mom and I need to be able to tell her you’ve taken her into consideration.”

  “No, I have to tell Wren now.” His head was starting to throb in earnest, but he did his best to stay focused. “If he knew starting a fire at Tommy’s would get me there, then he knows everything about her and he might know she’s at the market right now. Take me home so I can get my Jeep.”

  “You look like you’re about to pass out. You’re not driving anywhere.”

  “I don’t want to call her and panic her without somebody there to be with her on her way home.”

  “We’ll get somebody.” Gavin used voice commands to initiate a call to Cait. “We don’t need to panic, but Cait will make sure her mom and Wren are both okay until we figure this out.”

  When Cait answered and Gavin started explaining, Grant rested his head against the seat and closed his eyes. The pain was bad, but the fear for Wren was worse. He tried to remind himself that the man had never physically hurt her when they were together. That he hurt other people to manipulate her.

  But, as Gavin had said before, that was before Mitchell did time behind bars. And he’d come to Boston to find her. That was an escalation and that meant all bets were off.

  It wasn’t until he made up his mind to call her—she had to know Mitchell was in Boston—that he realized he’d left his phone at home. Fucking concussion.

  Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself to ease the pounding in his head and waited for Gavin to get off his freaking phone so he could use it.

  * * *

  “Does Wren Everett work here?”

  Wren froze as a flush of fear spread over her body like a wildfire. It wasn’t a voice on the phone this time and it felt as if a vise was tightening around her chest, keeping her from breathing.

  She couldn’t be seen from the aisle she was in, but there was no way to get to the back office—or down past the walk-in to the back door—without being seen by whoever was at the front of the store, near the cash register.

  If you get scared, call me. If you think something’s wrong, call 9-1-1 and then call me.

  “Can I help you find something, sir?” Mr. Belostotsky sounded friendly enough, but she noticed he didn’t answer the question. And he was greatly overexaggerating his accent, perhaps to make the other speaker think he couldn’t understand him.

  “I’m supposed to find Wren Everett and this is the address I was given, but my LT couldn’t remember the name of the market.”

  She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket as she moved, wincing at the beep when she hit the button for the nine. But then she paused before hitting the one.

  That wasn’t Ben’s voice.

  My LT.

  That’s what Grant called Danny and Rick, she thought, gathering the courage to peek out from behind the shelving. If she was seen and had to run, she could probably make the back door before he could catch her.

  A man with dark salt-and-pepper hair was frowning as he lifted his phone to his ear. “Hey, Jamie. I’m here but I’m not sure if I’ve got the right place.”

  He was wearing a Boston Fire sweatshirt and talking to Jamie. Most importantly, he wasn’t Ben.

  Keeping her finger over the button on her phone because it made her feel better, Wren stepped into view. “I’m Wren.”

  “Never mind, I’ve got her.” The man hung up and smiled at her. “I’m Steve and I work with Jamie Kincaid. I guess somebody with 59’s looking for you and I live around the corner, so I was closest.”

  When her phone buzzed in her hand, Wren dropped it, choking off a startled scream.

  “You okay?” Steve asked.

  No, she was definitely not okay. She looked down and saw Cait’s number on the screen of her phone, which luckily didn’t look cracked. After glancing at Steve to make sure he hadn’t moved any closer, she bent and picked it up. “Cait? What’s going on?”

  “You sound scared. Are you okay? Somebody from the fire department should show up any second, but I’ll call the police if you need them.”

  “No, I don’t think so. Steve is here, and his sweatshirt is from the fire department. He said he works with Jamie.”

  “Yup, I know Steve. Nice guy. He’s going to give you a ride to my mom’s house, okay?”

  “No, it is not okay,” she said, fear making her loud. “What is going on? Did something happen to Grant?”

  “Grant’s okay.”

  “Then why didn’t he call me? I want to talk to Grant.”

  “He left his phone at home and then he was vomiting in Gavin’s truck and—”

  “Wait, he was throwing up? Is his concussion worse?” A sobbing sound choked off her words and she could feel herself losing control.

  “Wren, stop. Grant is okay.” Cait’s voice was firm. “He went in for a meeting and overdid it and the headache made him sick. But he’s no worse than he was before. And I don’t know exactly what’s going on yet. They were on their way to my mom’s and I’m waiting for somebody to come and relieve me. And Steve’s going to bring you home, or he can stay with you on the bus and we’ll give him a ride back to his car later. Whatever you’re comfortable with. All I know is Grant and Gavin don’t want any of us alone.”

  Ben.

  The back of Wren’s neck prickled. They knew something. And she couldn’t think of any other reason why Grant would send a stranger to pick her up at work. He was afraid for her and he couldn’t get to her himself, so he’d sent another firefighter.

  “Wren?”

  “I’m here.”

  “Just let Steve bring you home and the guys will tell us everything, okay? It was more important to get somebody to you than to get all the details. But everything will be okay.”

  “I’ll let you drive if it helps you feel safer,” Steve said, holding up a set of keys.

  She shook her head and, after assuring Cait she was okay and would be home soon, hung up the phone. “I don’t think I’m up to driving.”

  After explaining to Mr. and Mrs. Belostotsky there was an emergency, she got her coat and followed Steve out to a small SUV. He held the door for her, and she was aware of the way he looked around while she climbed in, as if watching for somebody.

  She thought maybe Cait knew more than she was telling her, and when Steve climbed in, she looked at him. “Did they tell you what’s going on?”

  He shrugged as he pulled onto the street. “I know your boyfriend’s on a crew with my LT’s husband, they want you home and I’m supposed to keep my eyes open for anybody who looks like a problem.”

  “I’m sorry you have to do this,” she said quietly, not sure what else to say.

  “Don’t worry about it.” He flashed a quick grin. “Never hurts to have guys owe me a favor. You look a little shook, so go ahead and find a radio station you like and just try to relax, okay?”

  That was easier said than done, since there was no doubt in Wren’s mind at this point that Ben was somehow the trigger that had them sending a stranger to get her home safe.

  The panic was like acid reflux, rising in her throat and trying to choke her, but she listened to the radio and concentrated on her breathing. She was okay. Grant was okay.

  But when Steve pulled up in front of Patty’s house, she could feel herself getting emotional again. “Thank you so much. I can’t... Do you want money for gas? I can—”

  He held up his hand. “Don’t worry about it. Like I said, someday I might need a favor and I’ll know who to reach out to.”

  Gavin walked out to the street as she climbed out of the car, and hi
s smile looked forced. “Hey, Wren. Sorry for the drama, but Steve was the fastest way to get eyes on you.”

  “Why do you need eyes on me? What does that even mean?” In her gut, she knew the answer, but she wanted to hear it. “Where is Grant?”

  “He’s inside. And yes, he’s fine.”

  “Cait said he threw up,” she said as they walked up the sidewalk.

  “Yeah, in my truck, the jerk. He got his blood pressure up enough to make the headache so bad he threw up from the pain. But he’s better now.”

  Gavin opened the door for her and she didn’t stop until she saw Grant in the living room. He looked pale, but he stood as she walked in and she went straight into his arms. Stroking her hair with one hand, he held her tightly with his other arm until she mostly stopped shaking.

  “What’s happening?” she whispered.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t call you myself. I forgot my damn phone and by the time Gavin was done with his, I was sick and then you were with Steve and there was no sense in doing this over the phone.”

  “Doing what? Cait said you were sick.” She pulled back and cupped his cheek in her hand, as if she could feel a fever.

  He turned his head to kiss her palm. “It was the pain, but I took a couple of painkillers and Patty gave me some crackers, so I’m feeling better. I promise. Let’s go in the kitchen and we can all talk.”

  After threading his fingers through hers, he led her to where the others were waiting. Patty and Carter. Gavin and Cait. They’d been talking in low voices, but a hush fell over them and they all looked at Grant, waiting.

  “Okay, so Gav and I had a meeting with Cobb today. There’s a possibility—hell, I guess a probability, actually—that the fire was personal. That it was deliberately set to get to me.” He paused and Wren’s stomach lurched as she realized what he was saying. And when he turned his head to look at her, she knew it was about to get worse. “The cops down in Virginia can’t locate Ben Mitchell. He blew off a meeting with his parole officer. He’s gone and nobody knows where he is.”

  But Wren knew where he was. She could feel it in her gut, and it made her sick. He was in Boston. He’d come for her. And just like before, he’d hurt somebody she loved.

  “He called me at the salon again yesterday,” she managed to say. “I was going to tell you, Grant, but then you got hurt and... I should have called you. I should have called you as soon as he hung up.”

  “Did he say anything?” Gavin asked.

  “Just my name. And then I told him my name was Kristen and that Wren quit and he hung up, but I don’t think he believed me. I should have called you right that second and maybe you would have been careful. Maybe he wouldn’t have hurt you.”

  Grant squeezed her hand. “Even if you’d called me, I wouldn’t have been looking for him at a scene. Especially since it was the bar and we were all worked up about it, plus Tommy having a heart attack. It wouldn’t have changed anything that happened.”

  “I knew he’d hurt you. That’s why I left the first time.” She could hear the rising panic in her voice, but she couldn’t do anything to control it. Ben had hurt Grant just like he’d hurt Alex, and he wouldn’t hesitate to hurt anybody else in this room.

  “Wren, you need to stop,” he said quietly. “We’ll figure this out.”

  “I can’t stay here anymore.” It was the only coherent thought she had. “I have to go.”

  “You need to slow down and take a deep breath,” Patty told her. “You’re not going anywhere until we’ve talked about this.”

  “There’s nothing to talk about.” She jerked her hand free and left the kitchen. “I have to go before he hurts you, too.”

  * * *

  Grant followed Wren up the stairs because he knew she wasn’t thinking clearly. She was being driven by blind fear, and as soon as she got in that room, she was probably going to start packing her stuff. Or maybe she’d just leave it. She’d take her keys, her purse and her phone and go.

  He wasn’t going to let her do that. Not again.

  Once they were in her room, though, she stopped and just stood there. He closed the door softly behind them and walked around her until he could see her face. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

  “Wren, you’re safe. Everybody’s safe right now and you need to take a few minutes and then we’ll figure out what to do next.”

  “He hurt Tommy. He hurt you, so don’t try to tell me he won’t hurt Patty or Carter or anybody else.” She looked as if she was struggling to breathe and he knew he needed to calm her down somehow. “What if he knows we went to New Hampshire, Grant? Your parents...”

  “I called Dad already. I told him everything and he’ll tell Mom and my brother. It’s very unlikely Mitchell will leave Boston as long as we’re here, but they’ll be vigilant, just in case.”

  “I didn’t want this.” She could barely get the words out, and it was starting to scare him. “This is what I didn’t want to happen. This is why I ran.”

  “This is not your fault. None of this is your fault and you are not alone. Do you understand me?” When she didn’t answer, he tipped her chin up so she looked at him. “You’re not alone. You’re not going to be alone because you’re not going to run. We’ll get through this together.”

  “I’m so scared, Grant.”

  He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair. “I’m not going to let him hurt you. Or anybody else.”

  She stilled for a moment, and then she spoke. And when she did, her voice was clear. “You can’t stop him.”

  Her certainty chilled him. “The police are looking for him. We’re all going to be watching for him now that we know he might not be in Virginia.”

  “If he’d caught you alone, you might have ended up like Alex.”

  “No, I wouldn’t, because I’m not that easy to take in a fair fight. He sucker-punched me, basically, but he won’t get the drop on me again.” She was trembling, but at least her breathing had slowed. “Why don’t you grab some things and come home with me tonight?”

  “What about Patty and Carter?”

  “The police will be patrolling this area and her neighbors are nosy as hell. This isn’t an easy neighborhood to be sneaky in. And to be honest, he’s a coward, Wren. He couldn’t even confront me face-to-face. And he didn’t go in the salon. He just kept calling.”

  “But Alex...”

  “I’m going to take a wild guess here. Alex has your build and isn’t really a tough guy?”

  “No, he’s not, but—”

  “I think he wants to control you and I think he wanted to hurt me because I replaced him, but I don’t think he’s going to go after other people.” He kissed the top of her head. “Why don’t you pack up some things? We’ll go to my place, lock the door and get some rest. You belong with me, anyway.”

  “No.” She pulled away from him. “No, that’s not how I want my things to end up at your place, Grant.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I don’t want to just bring my things to your apartment because I need a place to stay and then just not leave. That’s not how I want this to happen.”

  “Wren, now is not the time for this.”

  “It is the time because I spend half my time at your apartment anyway. What do you think’s going to happen if I bring my things there with me? I don’t want to live with you because you thought it was a good way to make me feel safe. I want it to be because it’s what we want.”

  “I had your ring picked out,” he said in a quiet voice. He was tired of pretending this newly dating thing was ever going to work. They had a history and it wasn’t going away.

  The color drained from her already pale face. “What?”

  “I had your ring picked out and I was only a paycheck or two away from having enough saved to buy it when you told me we were done.” He h
ad to stop and clear his throat. “We’re not a new couple, Wren. We’re not just getting to know each other. I was going to ask you to be my wife.”

  She pressed her fingertips to her mouth as tears ran down her cheeks.

  “I’m sorry that hurts you,” he continued. “It hurt me, too. And it hurts me when you stand here and make it sound like you spending the night at my place is some kind of shortcut, because I was at that place. I was ready. But if it makes you feel better, just shove a pair of clean underwear in your pocket and grab your toothbrush. Leave the rest here.”

  “I don’t know what to do,” she said, her voice so small he had to strain to hear it. He was surprised he could hear anything, really, with the way his heart was thumping in his chest.

  “You’re not going to be alone tonight, Wren. The people who care about you—because I’m only one of them—are not going to let you do that to yourself. You can stay here, you can stay with Gavin and Cait, or you can come home with me.”

  Her indecision was painfully clear in the way she chewed at her lip and clenched her fists.

  “I want you with me,” he said softly. “You don’t have to bring your stuff if it’s too much right now. I just want to know you’re okay. But it’s up to you.”

  “I want to be with you.”

  “Good.” He smiled and smoothed her hair back. “Get whatever you need and then we’ll go. But you’re going to have to drive.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Wren woke with a start, her heart racing and her hairline damp with sweat. It was dark and Grant was snoring softly next to her. He shifted a little when she sat upright, but he didn’t wake up.

  She was surprised she’d even fallen asleep. Long after Grant had drifted off, she’d lain awake and tried in vain not to think about Ben out there somewhere, looking for her.

  He could be standing out front right now, watching their window. Waiting.

  She thought about Tommy Kincaid, having a heart attack while trying to put out a fire Ben had started just to get to Grant. She worried about the women at the salon. The thought of Mr. and Mrs. Belostotsky being in danger made her stomach hurt. Patty. Carter. Anybody connected to her.