HERO (The Complete Series)

by Bella Love-Wins

  “How come?” he asked, concerned.

  “The knee’s better, but it won’t stand up to the rigors of fighting fires anymore. At least not right now. The doctor won’t clear me, and my boss won’t take the risk. I guess I don’t blame either of them. In any case, I’ll be in a desk job with some field work involved, and it’s a promotion too, so I’m not complaining. I was worried they wouldn’t have me back at all.”

  “Well that’s good news, Sebastian. I’m happy it all worked out. I’m sure rushing into my place to help me and Alexandra out of the house when that fire broke out didn’t help, did it?”

  Sebastian shrugged his shoulder. “There’s no way to tell, and I’d do it all over again if it came down to it, so don’t feel bad.”

  “We appreciate it, that’s for sure.” Maxwell took a bite of his omelet and turned back to his newspaper for a moment. “Do you read this crap?” He gruffly rattled the paper again for effect before rolling it up and setting it aside, seeming annoyed.

  “The newspaper?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow. “Well, yes, occasionally. What were you reading about?”

  “I’m addicted to the news—the news channel, newspapers, news radio, online news, the whole lot of it. It’s a terrible vice, but I suppose someone has to contribute to the ratings. I should draw the line at the entertainment section, though. I haven’t learned my lesson there yet. I just read a piece on my daughter. Damned unsettling to have a celebrity as your offspring.”

  “I can only imagine.”

  “It takes everything in me to bite my tongue sometimes at the crap they print. Back when I was sick, it was the bull about her vacationing out of country and neglecting me. Did you see any of that?” He continued on without giving Bash a chance to respond. “Now this.” He tapped his finger heavily on the paper. “Take the article I just read, for instance. Everyone’s buzzing with excitement over her getting back together with that country singing bozo, Wilfred what’s-his-name. I happen to know she has her heart set on someone else.”

  If Maxwell didn’t have Bash’s attention before, he had it now. Full on. “Is that so?”

  “Absolutely.” Maxwell looked over at him and grinned. “You.” Bash faced forward and took a gulp of coffee as the older man continued. “Don’t look so detached, son. I know they keep going on about Wilkes, but she has her eye on you. She’s a clever little thing, but sometimes she’s terrible at leaving things behind. Like that flashy country boy. I’m just glad she canned his sorry ass after he pulled this last stunt.” He turned in the swivel barstool and stared at Bash, studying him. “You can’t tell me you didn’t know about the lengths that boy would go to make it in the music world? Wait.” He raised the rolled up newspaper in his arm. “You believe this stuff?”

  “Ummm…we haven’t talked about what she may or may not have done at her front door with Wilkes.” Bash nodded at the waitress who brought over his omelet. He was not prepared to have this conversation with Alexandra’s father. How much could he know about the situation?

  “You do believe it.” Maxwell shook his head.

  Shrugging, Bash replied. “I just want her to be happy. If they’re together, I wish them the best.” He was lying. He didn’t want her to be happy with Wilkes.

  “Listen to me. They are not together. This business about her being back in a relationship doesn’t read like my child at all. She just fired him. It has to be a publicity stunt created in Wilkes’ camp. He stands to gain the most, because trust me, Alexandra does not need him.”

  Bash took another bite of the omelet. It smelled and tasted amazing, but only this conversation registered fully with him.

  A publicity stunt. Suddenly several things occurred to him. He had heard what sounded like a very emotional Alexandra over the phone last night when Kennedy accidentally dialed her number. She sounded as though she had been crying, although Bash had no way of telling what about. Now her own father had just made it clear the stories were false, or a publicity stunt.

  “Excuse me,” Maxwell murmured apologies as he shifted in his chair to reach into his pocket. “This darned phone. Um, if you’ll forgive me, I should take this.”

  Bash nodded and looked down at his plate, suddenly aware that he should have at least let her explain, and he should not have cancelled his weekend trip to Los Angeles to see her.

  Maybe there’s still time to reschedule it.

  He looked over at Maxwell and saw the color drain from the old man’s face. “What?” Maxwell shouted into the phone and jumped out of his barstool. “Which hospital?” This sounded serious. “I’ll be right there.” Maxwell reached into his wallet and dug out some bills. “Sorry to cut this short, but we have to go now, Sebastian.”

  Sebastian stood up and found his wallet to pay. “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s Alexandra. She and Eva were in a car accident this morning.”

  “What? Where?”

  “Just about forty-five minutes outside of town.”

  “But I just spoke to her last night. She didn’t say anything about being out here.”

  “We can get the details at the hospital.”

  Maxwell hurried out of the diner, followed by Sebastian, who told him, “I’ll drive.”

  Chapter 23

  ALEXANDRA woke up in a blur. She was not sure where she was at first, but after her eyes could focus again, she looked around and slowly she remembered. Eva. The car accident. The sirens. Paramedics. The helicopter. She was airlifted to an urgent care hospital somewhere. Boy, did the back of her head hurt right now.

  Bash.

  She had to phone him. Looking around again, she noticed she was the only one in her room. The door to the hallway was on the left, and two people were speaking outside, but she could only make out the backs of their heads. She wondered where her purse was so she could phone her father, and definitely call Bash. First, she needed to find out how Eva was doing.

  She searched around her bed for the patient help button, pressing down on it twice to get someone quickly. A nurse popped her head in the door after a few minutes.

  “Everything all right, ma’am?” the nurse asked.

  “I wanted to know about the woman who was admitted with me. Is she here at this hospital?”

  The nurse stepped inside and came over to the foot of Alexandra’s bed. “I can check for you.” She pulled a tablet from a pouch at her side and scanned the bar code of the hospital tag on Alexandra’s wrist. “What’s your name, ma’am?” she asked, coming around the side of the bed to check Alexandra’s vitals on the monitors.

  “Alexandra Storme.”

  “Good. Is your vision blurred in any way?”

  “No. I’m fine. How long was I out?”

  The nurse looked at her watch. “Not long. It’s just after ten in the morning, and your admission records say you arrived after seven. Are you feeling dizzy or nauseous?”

  “Not at all. I feel fine. Why? Is something wrong?”

  “I have to ask, ma’am. You may have had some head trauma. The attending physician will explain in more detail, but we’re going to get you in for an MRI and keep you for observation for a day or two.”

  “Well, all right.”

  “Any head, neck or back pain?”

  “Actually yes. The back of my head, right above my neck.”

  “What’s your friend’s name?” she asked, taking notes in her tablet. “I’ll check on her while you wait for the doctor.”

  “Evangeline Reese.”

  “Okay. I’ll be back.”

  “Thanks. Miss, did anyone contact my father?”

  “Let me check,” she answered, scrolling through her tablet. “Yes. Mr. Maxwell Storme was noted as your next of kin in some documents the air ambulance paramedics must have found in your vehicle. He was contacted about forty minutes ago.”

  “So they’ll send him in when he arrives? Wait, where am I?”

  “Next Care Urgent Care Hospital, ma’am.”

  “In what city? You said I w
as airlifted here?”

  “Yes. You’re in Tucson, just northwest of the city near Casas Adobes.”

  Relieved, she relaxed in the hospital bed again. She did not want her father to have to drive for hours to see her. “Great. Thank you for your help.”

  “You’re welcome, ma’am. I’ll be back.”

  Alexandra nodded as the woman returned her tablet to her pouch and left. Before the door swung closed, someone else held it to come in. It was her father. God, was she happy to see him.

  “Hi Daddy. Before you start worrying, I’m fine.”

  He said nothing as he stepped inside, arms outstretched, followed by…Bash?

  “Bash? Why are you…I mean how did you…” She couldn’t come up with the right question now that her father had his arms wrapped around her tightly, so she finished with, “Hi.”

  Dad ran his hand through her hair, and Bash hung back a few steps away, smiling warmly when their eyes locked.

  “Sebastian was with me at breakfast when the hospital phoned, honey,” Dad told her, making her that much more confused. “He wanted to be here for you. Actually, he drove us up here. I phoned Rosa on our way. She’s coming from across town so she’ll be a while. Never mind all that. How are you feeling?”

  “Fine, Dad. They’re just keeping me for observation.”

  “How did this happen?”

  “I slowed down to make a left, and I guess someone in a pickup truck rear ended me.”

  “That must have hurt.”

  “Yes. I’m waiting to find out about Eva. I just woke up, so I haven’t spoken to her since the crash. Do you have your phone with you? I want to phone Rick.”

  “I’ve called him already. He said not to worry about anything. It’s all under control, honey.”

  Alexandra really wanted to speak with Bash, but someone else propped the door open. Eva stuck her head in this time. There was a bandage above her left eye.

  Hi Lex!” she called out. She stepped inside, wearing two hospital gowns and her stiletto heels. “I checked on you a couple of times, but you were unconscious. How are you doing?”

  “I’m okay. How about you?”

  “Fine. They’re releasing me in a few hours.” She looked over at Bash with an eyebrow raised, then greeted Dad. “Hi Mr. Storme. Hi Sebastian.” Looking back at Alexandra, she told her, “I have to wear two of these dreadful gowns until the doctor lets me out of here. One’s tied forward, and other has to go on the other way to cover me up. I swear they make these pastel floral prints so patients will be in a hurry to get released.” She looked down at the gown and smoothed out the fabric. “And God, do they ever clash with my skin.”

  Alexandra smiled. “You look great. I’m surprised we’ve been here for hours and the paparazzi hasn’t clued in yet.”

  “Count your blessings for small miracles, dear.”

  Dad turned to her. “Let’s all hope they stay in the dark until you’re both released, or you’ll need guards at your doors.” He noticed Bash in the background and straightened up. “Eva, how about you show the old man where to find a vending machine? I’m parched from the drive.”

  Catching the hint, Eva nodded and came over to Alexandra. “I’ll be back, love,” she told her, bending to kiss her forehead, which was when she whispered, “Claim your man! Brand his ass. The hotter the better.” She smiled and turned to Dad. Hooking her arm in his, she told him, “Let’s go round up some fluids, Mr. Storme.”

  SEBASTIAN stood facing Alexandra’s hospital bed. His heart thundered beneath his rib cage, his palms were sweaty. For a few moments, he had no words, and neither did Alexandra. He took a step forward and forced himself to speak. “How are you feeling?” he managed.

  “I’m okay. Just a bit of pain at the back of my head.”

  He nodded, and took another step forward. “Suspected head trauma. Is that what they told you?”

  “Yes. I have to do an MRI soon.”

  He was standing here, looking down at Alexandra in that hospital bed, and had no idea what to say.

  “I’m sorry,” Alexandra told him first. “For hurting you the way I did. For betraying your trust with Wilkes…although you need to know nothing happened, except for—”

  “It’s okay,” he said, taking the final step that closed the distance between them. He covered her hands with one of his, and ran the other one through her hair. “None of that matters. Besides, I owe you an apology too.”

  “For the pretty redhead?”

  “Yes. Nothing happened. Wait, how do you know she’s a redhead?”

  She looked away for a moment and seemed to force down a smile. “Never mind that. It’s fine. You’re right that it doesn’t matter. What matters is, do you forgive me? Is there still a chance for us?”

  He leaned down to the side of her face, kissed her cheek and placed her hands over his heart, whispering, “You’ve been in here since we were teenagers. One kiss from your ex is not going to get you out of it overnight.”

  Alexandra pulled her hands free and reached them around his chest, burying her head into the crook of his neck for a while before she spoke. “I’m so glad to hear that.”

  “It was only a kiss, right?” Sebastian asked.

  Alexandra pulled back slightly and looked at him coyly. “More or less,” she said with hesitation.

  “How much more?”

  “Not much more. Not as far as you think. It won’t happen again. Ever. Besides, what you told me the first time we were together was true.”

  “What’s that?”

  She batted her eyes at him. “That after I’m with you, I’ll never want another man’s hands on me. It’s really true. I don’t want anyone else, Bash. I meant it when I said I love you. I only want you.”

  Sebastian smiled. That was all he needed to hear. “I love you, Alexandra.”

  “Kiss me, firefighter,” she added, “so I can brand you with my tongue.”

  Cradling her back and neck gently, Sebastian drew her in for a soft, yet heated and hungry kiss, one that left her breathless and panting by the time he pulled away. That was when his mind registered she said something about branding. “Wait. What was that last part?” he whispered.

  “I love you?”

  “No. That wasn’t it.”

  “Kiss me, firefighter?”

  “Nope, but on that note, remind me to update you on my job.”

  “Tell me now.”

  “Not so fast. We’ll talk all about it later on. I think I want to know what you said. It was something along the lines of branding me with your tongue.”

  “Uh, that was nothing,” she said, biting down on her bottom lip, barely able to keep herself from giggling. “Probably from my suspected head trauma. Kiss me again, like you mean it this time,” she teased.

  Epilogue

  Three Months Later

  ALEXANDRA was close to wrapping up after her first official day working at her new office at the Tucson, Arizona branch of Purple Blaze Entertainment. Formerly known as Alpha Country Records, it was now simply called Purple Blaze, Tucson. With the tour behind her, and album sales astronomical since her record was released, she was satisfied. Purple Blaze Entertainment was the breakout success story of the year, her father was healthy again, she had moved back to Tucson, and Sebastian was all hers.

  Finally ready to leave, she reached for her handbag to head out, but heard a light knock on the door.

  “Come in,” she called out.

  Sebastian came in through the door. “Hi sexy.”

  “Hi baby. Come on in.”

  He stepped inside and looked around the large corner office. “Nice digs.”

  “Yes. I like it a lot more now that we got rid of the nineties decor. The renovation worked out much better than I thought.”

  “Glad to hear it.” He walked to the floor to ceiling glass windows. “That’s a stunning view of the city you’ve got here. Do you think you’ll get any work done?”

  “I’ll get used to it. How was the media
outside?”

  “The usual. They want pics of us together. Probably in compromising positions, as they’ve not had much scandal since they figured out we’re together.”

  “They’ll never be satisfied.”

  “So, did you miss me at all?” he asked, walking over to her desk.

  “Plenty,” she whispered, reaching her arms up around his neck. She looked up at his face. “What about you?”

  “Lots.” He wrapped his arms around her waist, and leaned down to kiss her lips. “That’s why I’m here. I figured as you’re back in town, we could take my car to get you home tonight. You can leave your car here at work, in case you need it, or on days you have to work late.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  “Ready to go?”

  “Pretty much. I should be home before Rick tracks me down for our evening teleconference. Oh, before I forget, he thinks he can convince you to let him arrange a sit-down press conference for the two of us, about our relationship.”

  “Tell him to think again. Actually, let me talk to him when he calls and I’ll remind him of my no interviews rule.”

  “I will. Bash?”

  “Yes.”

  “I thought you came by for something else.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Take a guess,” she told him, pulling him with her as she stepped backwards to the side of her desk. She kissed him again, this time with a fierceness that she hoped would tell him exactly what she wanted to do right now. He returned the intensity in kind, ravishing her mouth, running his hands down her back and pressing her tightly into his chest. Her leg ran up and down the side of his slacks, hips pressing forward for more contact.

  Sebastian slowly pulled away. “Ahhh. A little office-warming party, is that what you had in mind?” She nodded. He tilted his head and ran his hand through her hair, pushing it aside to kiss her neck gently. “A nice…” he kissed her collarbone, “private…” he undid the top three buttons of her shirt, “impromptu…” he moved down to her rise of her breasts, “celebration.”