TORCHED (The Wild Flames #2)

by Bella Love-Wins

  He was beaming. “I passed!”

  She shrieked, throwing her arms around him and peppering him with kisses. “That is amazing, babe,” she said softly, against his lips. “I knew you could do it.” She pulled away, massaging the nape of his neck. The loving way she looked at him made his body react. His bulge hardened, and he yearned for her. He was ready to forget Thanksgiving dinner and drag her off to his bedroom.

  “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

  It was the truth. She was there for him, and that meant so much more than the stellar grade.

  “Wait. Wasn’t you mom coming?” he asked.

  A gleam shone in her eyes as she looked around the foyer. “I was right. She’s on a date with a guy she’s been seeing. She wanted me to go to his place with her, but she understood when I told her I wanted to be with you.”

  “Wow. Well, are you happy?”

  “Yes, of course. Let’s talk about it later. Where’re your parents?”

  “Mom’s in the kitchen and Dad’s out back preparing for the game.”

  “Game?” she asked.

  “I told him we shouldn’t bother with it, but he wants to make this Thanksgiving as normal as any other.”

  “What game?” she asked again.

  “I forgot you aren’t familiar with the Crawford Family Thanksgiving Foot-Brawl.” He chuckled, motioning with his finger, directing her to follow him. “Come on back and you shall see.”

  She followed him down the hallway and peered out the back door.

  “Football?”

  “No. Foot-Brawl. Like football but with a whole lot of throwing down. Every Thanksgiving, we would have a less than friendly game of football. It can be pretty vicious, so I hope you have good running shoes.”

  He enjoyed seeing her squirm, and this new information didn’t disappoint.

  “Um...I’m not playing,” she said. “You go ahead and have a fun game with your parents. I’m not up for throwing down with you.”

  She started to turn around, but he stopped her.

  “Wait. We need you. With Jake gone, if you back out, someone will have to play alone. You don’t want that someone to be me, do you?” He pouted, hoping it would change her mind.

  She opened her mouth in objection, scrambling for words.

  “I don’t play games. Come on, Kevin, you know I’m a total klutz when it comes to sports. I’d much rather watch.”

  He continued to pout. She averted her eyes, but he didn’t let up.

  “Kev, you’re killing me here.” She groaned. “Fine. I’ll play, but I’m going to be on your team and you can’t blame me if we lose horribly.”

  “I swear I won’t blame you.”

  “When will we have the honor of getting crushed in your family Foot-Brawl?” The sarcasm was thick in her voice.

  He hid his smile. “After lunch,” he replied.

  “Great, can’t wait,” she mumbled under her breath.

  Kevin heard her, but pretended not to notice.

  “The food should be ready soon. Let’s go see if Mom needs help.” He grabbed her hand and headed toward the kitchen.

  Chapter 12

  Tara ate quietly. She was enjoying herself just sitting and listening to the friendly banter between Kevin and his parents. It was true, they did seem to be getting along better than she had remembered.

  “So, Tara...what are your plans for the future?” Kevin’s mother asked her.

  She searched for the right answer, uncertain if she meant her life with Kevin, or her professional career. She chose to discuss her career. “Well, once I complete the master’s program, I’d like to find a job where I can work in wildlife preservation. Mainly with animal extinction.”

  “That is an admirable profession,” his father commented. “Do you foresee incorporating family life into your career aspirations?”

  “Dad,” Kevin scolded.

  Tara glanced at Kevin. He appeared dumbfounded and embarrassed his father would ask such a direct question about their relationship. Tara thought it was cute that he didn’t want to put her on the spot.

  “It’s okay, Kev. I don’t mind. I’d like a family one day. A husband...couple of kids...and maybe a golden retriever.”

  Everyone laughed, lightening the mood. Kevin looked relieved as they all went back to their meal. A heart-felt happiness swept over Tara. She couldn’t imagine the day going any better than it was. Because of the holiday, she thought of her own mother. She wished she could have had a day like this with her, but knew it would take time for her mother to open up to her and be old herself again.

  When Kevin’s mother started to clear the dishes, Tara excused herself.

  “Where are you going?” he asked, stopping her.

  “There’s something I need to do. I won’t be long.”

  She left the kitchen and disappeared upstairs to Kevin’s room. She dialed her mom’s phone number and waited for her to answer. It continued to ring, until it finally went to her voicemail. She waited for her mom’s voice to cut off, and the beep to sound on the phone, then left her message. “Hi, Mom. I just wanted to call and wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you’re enjoying your day. I hope we can get together soon and catch up on how your day went. I love you.” She disconnected the call, and sat on his bed for a moment. She missed how things were when her dad was still alive. It was simpler then.

  She heard Kevin open the door.

  “Tara?” He popped his head in.

  “Yeah, I’m coming.”

  “Are you sure everything’s all right?”

  “Positive.” She moved past him and went to the kitchen, where his mom was washing the dishes. “Can I help you with something, Mrs. Crawford?”

  “First of all, it’s Janine. Secondly, thanks for the offer, but you just relax and enjoy yourself,” she replied with an endearing smile.

  Tara felt awkward at first, but Janine put her at ease. She mentioned how much she was looking forward to playing their family game. Tara put on her game face. She had a Foot-Brawl to lose.

  ***

  Jake crouched down at the edge of the backyard fence, looking at Tara and his mom through the kitchen window. From the smile on Tara’s face, he could tell she was having a good time. She was with Kevin, and his family didn’t even care Jake wasn’t there. He had watched them during supper, and missed being with them. Knocking on the door and showing his face was something he considered, but it would only make matters worse. Instead, he continued to watch them, gawking and wishing he was inside.

  The only regret he had about everything that had happened over the course of several weeks was it ultimately kept him from his family. He looked back to the window, where Tara and his mom had disappeared from the kitchen. The sound of the back door opening was his signal to bolt. He couldn’t get caught. He slipped out behind the gate and peeped through an opening, watching them take their places in the back yard.

  Sorrow and a sense of abandonment washed over him. He was supposed to be in the yard with his family, too. They would play football, a tradition they’d had since he was only five years old. Thanksgiving was one of his favorite holidays, because it meant his parents actually spent time with them. There were no out of town meetings or late nights at the office.

  His family was moving on without him, and every part of him screamed that it wasn’t right. He glared at his brother.

  Kevin needed to pay. He needed to lose everything he loved, just as Jake had.

  ***

  Tara hovered next to Kevin. It was obvious to him that she was insecure about being there. Some proximity to him would ease her fears.

  “Let’s play men versus women,” his mom suggested, seeming eager to get started.

  That wouldn’t work. He’d made a promise to Tara that they would be on the same team. “Actually, let’s play old against young.”

  “Hey...watch it,” his mom warned, throwing the football toward him and nearly hitting him.

  He laughed, sidesteppin
g the ball. “I just meant, mature against more mature.”

  She snickered. “That’s better.”

  “I like your mom’s suggestion better,” his dad replied. “Kevin and me against Tara and Janine.”

  Tara groaned beside him and tensed up.

  “But...” Kevin argued.

  “Kevin, dear, are you afraid of getting whooped by two females?”

  He had never thought he’d hear his mom say whooped, but that had nothing to do with it.

  “I just thought this way it would be more even.”

  His mother rolled her eyes. “That’s a copout and you know it. Tara, let’s show these boys how females can dominate.”

  He shot a look at Tara, but her fearful expression was replaced with a smile. “You’re on,” she said, high-fiving his mother.

  Kevin shook his head. It would be a game to remember.

  “You know the rules,” his dad started. “There are no rules. Just have fun and score as many touchdowns as you can. The game is over when the losing team forfeits. Or when the first bone is broken.”

  Tara flinched in surprise.

  “Just kidding!” He pulled a coin from his pocket. “Heads or tails, Tara?”

  “Heads,” she said.

  He caught the coin and removed his hand to see the women had the advantage. Again, Tara and his mom high-fived each other.

  “Don’t get too excited. You’re going down,” Kevin warned in a light-hearted tone. The game was on.

  ***

  Tara caught the ball Janine tossed. She cradled it in her arms and carefully ran down the length of the yard, dodging Kevin and his father. It was getting dark, and she was about to claim her sixth touchdown. The game had gone better than she ever could have expected. She was close to the goal, but then felt two arms around her waist, and next thing she knew, she was on the ground. She went flying face-first, and had the wind knocked out of her as the hard body landed on top of her. She rolled over, breathlessly laughing.

  “Kevin, you really wanted to stop me from getting that goal. Geez!”

  “Are you all right?”

  She knew he hadn’t meant to be so forceful, but she had to tease him anyway.

  “I don’t know. I might’ve bruised something,” she replied, groaning.

  “I might have to check you out from head to toe,” he joked.

  He leaned down to kiss her, just as she pictured his parents watching them. “Your parents...” she whispered.

  His eyes widened and he jumped up, pulling her to her feet. She turned to them to find they were intently gazing at their son and Tara’s interaction.

  “Um...” Kevin began, but then his parents started laughing.

  “I say the game’s over,” his dad commented. “We lost, son...badly.”

  “Who’s brawling now, boys?” his mom shouted.

  Tara was giddy. She couldn’t wait until their next family Foot-Brawl. She and Kevin went inside, leaving his parents out in the backyard.

  “And you were so reluctant about playing.” He snickered. “You killed it out there.”

  He sat down on the couch and pulled her onto his lap.

  “Chalk it up to beginner’s luck.”

  “Right!” He gently massaged the back of her neck with his thumb. “You were amazing. Now let’s go up to my room for a quickie before the folks come back inside.”

  ***

  Jake moved away from his hiding spot at the tree line beside the fence. Watching their two hour game had irritated him even more. With the game over, he raised his hoodie and snuck around to the front of the house under the cover of darkness, walking back to the car he’d hot-wired from a parking lot at the edge of town earlier that week. It was the perfect time of year to borrow a vehicle. He could get it back to the lot before anyone noticed it was gone, because everyone was traveling or celebrating with family. Everyone except him.

  From his parked car up the street, he turned back to look at the house. In all his years, he couldn’t remember seeing his family cultivating such a deep bond.

  They’ve forgotten about you! The other voice in his head called out as he sat in the car.

  He closed his eyes. “That isn’t true,” he muttered. “They love me, and this is the only way they can move on. Deep down they’re an emotional mess.”

  The voice laughed, taunting him. You are a loser and they’re better off without you.

  “Stop it!” he moaned, holding his temples and urging the words to vanish.

  He jumped out of the car, trying to escape the voices locked inside his head. As he bolted farther away from the house, he collided into a man walking his dog.

  “Excuse you,” the man said gruffly.

  He almost fumbled, but then turned around and looked at the man walking away. Are you going to let him get away with that? Another voice chimed in his head.

  He shook his head. There was no way he would stand back and let someone else walk all over him. He mattered, and everyone needed to realize that. He threw up his hoodie and went after the man, following him until he passed a thick grove of trees.

  “I matter,” he mumbled.

  It was about time people knew not to mess with him.

  Chapter 13

  Kevin jerked out of a peaceful sleep. They had fallen asleep upstairs, after the game with his parents. He woke up to the wail of sirens approaching.

  “Tara...” He shook her, but the only sound she made was a soft moan. “Tara...wake up,” he said a little louder.

  The sounds of an emergency vehicle grew closer, and then died out somewhere near their house. She opened her eyes, disoriented from being pulled out of such a deep sleep.

  “Something’s going on,” he said.

  She sat up, accepting his outstretched hand so they could check it out. They went downstairs and out the front door to find three police cars, an EMS van, and a coroner’s vehicle parked at the opposite end of their street.

  “What’s that about?” she asked, looking at the commotion and the growing crowd.

  “Wait here,” he mumbled.

  He walked up the street, forging through the darkness, not realizing he’d left his coat behind. When he reached the small crowd gathered at the caution tape, he saw a gurney with a body being carried out of the woods. A black sheet covered the body as it was lifted into the back of the coroner’s van. He saw Mr. Johnson, an elderly widower who lived in one of the houses near the woods, and approached him.

  “Hi, Mr. Johnson. Do you know what’s going on?” he asked.

  “Two teenagers took a shortcut through the woods and discovered a body. I’m not sure exactly what happened, or what they saw, but they came screaming out of there. I was in my backyard cleaning up the barbecue from our Thanksgiving dinner, and I called the police. That’s all I know.”

  “Okay. Thanks, sir.” He spotted Officer Jessup. She didn’t notice him, so he hurried back to his house.

  Unease was written all over Tara’s face. He closed the door and glanced at her, not prepared to tell her what he had discovered.

  “So, what’s going on?” she inquired.

  “Another body.”

  “Jake?” Her voice was barely a whisper, and her eyes were wide with fright.

  He couldn’t bring himself to tell her Officer Jessup was at the scene. It seemed clear the murders were related, but the less he said...the better. He didn’t want her to worry about anything else.

  “We’ll have to wait to find out.”

  Thankfully, the ruckus hadn’t roused his parents, who had fallen asleep cuddling in the living room. He grabbed Tara’s hand and led her back upstairs. He wasn’t going to let her go home alone until morning. It wasn’t safe anymore.

  ***

  Kevin didn’t sleep much, his mind racing with what might happen next. He saw Tara stirring next to him and glanced at her. She’d finally fallen back asleep after one in the morning. He hoped she’d had enough sleep.

  “Good morning,” he said.

 
“Good morning. What time is it?”

  He glanced at the clock. “After nine. Did you get much sleep?”

  “As much as I could,” she answered, pulling herself up. “I couldn’t stop thinking about it.”

  He felt the same way. “I wish we could go back in time and pass that stupid Zoology class. You have no idea how much I keep wishing for that...for us.”

  “I keep thinking this will all be a nightmare,” she admitted. “I’ll wake up and discover none of it really happened. Then, I’m hit with reality. This is real and we’re living it and—”

  “It’s all my fault,” Kevin told her.

  “We’ve been through this before, Kev. It’s not, and I don’t blame you.”

  “You should,” he whispered. “If we weren’t here, maybe none of this would have happened. And we wouldn’t be stuck in this hell.”

  “Kevin. That if is a big one. We don’t know what would or wouldn’t happen given different circumstances, and I’m willing to take my chances, because I love you.”

  She ran her hand over his cheek and smiled. It seemed genuine, but he had a hard time believing there was not even the least bit of doubt in her words.

  “Let’s go find some breakfast. I’m starved.”

  Before they could get to the bottom of the stairs, there was a loud knock on the front door.

  “Want to put the kettle on?” he asked, heading down the hall. “I’ll get the door.”

  He swung it open and was not surprised to see Jessup and Grayson.

  “Hello. Come on in,” he said, ushering them inside.

  It was only a matter of time before they showed up, but he had not expected it to be the very next day.

  “Good morning,” Officer Jessup replied, then turned to Tara and nodded in greeting. “Are your parents at home?”

  Kevin walked to the foot of the steps and called up to them.

  “Mom...Dad...you have company.” He went back to where the police officers were waiting. “What’s this about?”

  “We’ll explain when your parents get down here,” Officer Grayson answered.