“A stupid love note he wrote me in the seventh grade. I can’t believe I’ve been carrying it around all this time.”
Neither can I.
“I gave him my V-card,” Mel continues. “Little did I know he also took about a dozen other V-cards.” Her eyes darken with a sadness we all understand. “I found out at my high school graduation his goal was to have the highest number of V-cards. Well, he succeeded.”
“Jonas Banner.” Shannon tosses in a zebra-print journal with pink trim and closes her eyes. “This diary is nothing but me writing how much I loved him. Why I’ve kept it this long I have no idea.”
“You don’t have to burn the cover,” Ciara protests and reaches in to retrieve it. Once she has it in her clutches, she then nods for Shannon to continue.
Shannon shakes her head. “Really? My cover means that much to you?”
“You have a thing about zebra print and pink trim. I like it. I told you that when you grabbed it from the dorm.”
Shannon grins and grabs Ciara’s hand. “You’re such a great friend.”
“Getting back to the burning,” Mel blurts out, pulling their attention to the canister.
“Right.” Shannon nods. “I thought Jonas loved me. He even told me he did. Goddamn liar. He swore I was his one and only. He also said the same thing to at least three other girls—at the same time. Like I wouldn’t find out.” She grits her teeth as her tone hardens.
“What about you, Kayla?” Ciara asks. “Who do you want to erase? Aside from Ian, I mean.”
“Bob Hall.” The biggest dick of them all. Not only did he do everything right and make me fall in love with him when I was only a junior in high school, he then kicked my confidence’s ass by breaking up with me, claiming he wanted to see if he could get with someone prettier. Ever since then, I always wonder if the guy I’m with is thinking that same exact thing.
What Ian pulled only reaffirms my self-doubt. Maybe burning something of Bob’s will cleanse me of that doubt. Maybe then I won’t hate my boring brown hair, even more boring brown eyes, and ridiculously average body. Maybe burning Bob will give me my confidence back and then when a guy looks at me, I won’t hide my eyes, embarrassed I don’t look more like my friends instead of the most forgettable person on the planet.
I rush into my room and grab a flower Bob gave me. I dried it out and kept it with me since the junior prom. I run back into the kitchen and toss it into the can before I change my mind.
“That’s it?” Ciara stares at the can.
“Were you expecting more?”
“What about your gorgeous, firefighting neighbor? You’ve tapped that and lived to tell the tale.”
I’d add something to the sacrificial burning if I had something of his to burn. I have to distract them before they all catch on and grill me about Jake. I’ll break under the pressure and tell them everything. “It’s time to set this shit on fire. Here’s to every guy who’s ever screwed us over.”
Mel joins in. “Who’s ever burned us.”
Ciara nods. “It’s time to burn them back.”
“And then we never speak of them again.” Shannon reaches into Ciara’s purse and whips out the lighter. She pulls the trigger and then nods at me. “Kill the light.” I do, and the flame from the lighter glows, surrounding us with dancing shadows. “Are we ready?”
“Wait.” Ciara dumps her drink into the can. “Jack Daniels has screwed me over a few times, too. The dick.”
“Isn’t this Everclear?” Shannon asks.
Ciara shrugs. “Close enough.”
I snort and glance at the others. One by one, they dump their drink in. I offer mine as tribute to the boyfriend bonfire, not wanting to drink any more tonight anyway. Ciara brought it, which is all the more reason to dump it. It tastes like paint thinner. She’s been known to spike her drinks with substances that would make a girl forget her name. After the tequila incident with Jake, I need to keep a clear head and set the empty glass on the counter.
“Ready?” Shannon asks us. We nod and she leans in.
“Wait!” Ciara grabs a paper towel, wrings it into a stick, and hands it to Shannon. “You don’t want to lose your eyebrows, not after how long it took you to pluck them into that shape.”
“Thanks.” Shannon lights the paper towel. Once it’s really going, she tosses it into the can.
We wait.
Nothing happens.
We wait some more.
Still, nothing happens.
“Maybe we should—” The canister smolders for an instant before flames explode out the top. They’re so high they touch the ceiling, immediately staining it black. No, not staining it. Burning it like a marshmallow. “Oh, shit. Get some water!” I yell at Mel.
“How? I can’t see anything. It’s dark and the flash from the fire… I can’t see.”
I reach for the wall and flick the switch. Nothing happens. The flames are now melting the lights. A light bulb explodes. We scream and run for cover. I dive behind the couch just as the second light bulb bursts.
Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit. What do I do? I rush into the kitchen to get to the sink. There’s a dirty pot full of water. I grab it and toss it on the canister, succeeding in knocking over the can, sending all the flaming contents flying onto my carpet. And, of course, setting it on fire. “Jesus Christ! Now what?”
Shannon stomps on the flames. Mel joins in. I turn on the faucet and nothing happens. The super must be working on the pipes again. Ciara runs to the front door and throws it open. I want to scream at her to come back and help us before we burn down the entire building, but she disappears.
Oh, hell no. I’m going to kill her if she went to get my sexy, firefighting neighbor.
7
{Kayla}
When the flames make it to my couch, I really start to panic. I have to call 911. Why hasn’t the fire alarm gone off? The super was just in my apartment to replace the batteries when we had to change our clocks for Daylight Savings Time.
“It’s this way,” Ciara says right before she runs into my apartment with an enormous shadow behind her.
Shit. I know that shadow and am now pissed. The burn of mortification mixes with the flames already heating me.
“Stand back,” Jake orders. We comply. He then sprays the fire with a gigantic extinguisher I didn’t see until now. After several blasts, he has the fire out. Thank God. Now everything is covered in a thick white powder. I cough as the smell of baking soda and chemicals kick up into my senses to mix with the singed carpet. And furniture. Oh, and let’s not forget the melted plastic light fixture.
“Thank you,” I say, relief hitting me so hard I collapse against him as the fear racing through me makes it to my knees, robbing them of strength. For the life of me, I can’t stand under my own power. I know from experience Jake has enough strength for the both of us.
“Is everyone okay?” he asks in a velvety voice that melts into my ears. I love me a deep, deep voice. I hate how fast I go from hating him to wanting him to love me forever. It makes no sense, and it shouldn’t. Damn him. I shouldn’t be lusting after the guy, period. I shouldn’t be ready to run away with him even though he didn’t ask. But I am.
No, Kayla. Down.
We both decided not to take it to the proverbial third tap. After three, things get weird in casual sex relationships. Besides, I’m just another notch in his belt, which is fine. He was my lonely booty call the first time and my rebound sex the second time. I don’t want to be part of that revolving door of women coming and going out of his place all the time.
The heat from his breath brushes along my neck, and my hairs stand on end. Just being near him has always sent my entire body into quivers that center between my legs. Too bad we’ve already tapped out.
I come to my senses and push him away. Thank God it’s dark and my friends can’t see how I practically jumped into his arms. I’d have to explain why. They’d see right through whatever stupid lie I attempt and find out about our second tap.
“We’re fine.”
“Do you want to hit the lights?”
I already know the kitchen lights are scorched, so I flip on the lamp in my living room. Of course, it doesn’t work. The fire probably tripped a breaker. Great. The creepy super should be arriving any time.
And, as if this wonderful evening couldn’t possibly get worse, the distant cry of sirens fills the night. I race to my sliding glass door and push it open. It’s broken so I have to put all my weight on it just to get it to budge.
Sure enough, the steady red lights head right to my building. The sirens silence and in no time, my tiny apartment is filled with at least five firemen, all of them just as gorgeous as Jake. Is looking that good a prerequisite for working for the Bainbridge Island Fire Department? Or at least the station that serves Bainbridge University. My senses are in overload from seeing them all at once.
I snap out of my daze when I realize how much trouble I could be in because of this. It was just a little boyfriend burning. Why the hell would that be reason to call out the entire BIFD?
“Hey, Swanson. Thanks for the call.”
I whip around and glare at Jake. “You called the fire department?”
“It’s protocol. Any fire in a structure like this requires a call. Your fire alarm was supposed to go off and immediately alert dispatch.”
I glance at the now melted smoke detector. Someone sends a flashlight beam to it. The tallest of the firemen walks over, reaches up, and removes the cover. My jaw drops when I see the spot for the battery empty. In place of it, a little device with a blinking red light.
“What is that?” I ask. My friends all surround me and lean in to catch a glimpse of the device.
“That,” the fireman answers as he holds it up, “is a camera.” He moves it this way and that. “I’m sorry to say, miss. Someone has been spying on you.” He grabs a radio mic on his shoulder. “Dispatch, can we get some brass up here?”
Just then the super walks in. “What the fuck is going on?”
Jake rips the camera out of his colleague’s hand and charges the super. “Did you put this in her apartment?” When the super doesn’t answer, instead eyeballing the device in clear shock, Jake grabs the fat man’s dirty collar and gets in his face. “Answer me!”
“It’s called a security camera, idiot. I have every right to put them where I want.”
“The hell you do.” Jake shakes him. “You can’t install surveillance cameras inside a person’s dwelling without their consent, asshole.”
It takes two other firemen to pull him off the super. One of them pushes him even more. “Back off, Swanson.”
The four of us girls huddle together as chaos erupts around us. Something crashes inside Jake’s apartment. He glances at me and shakes his head before running out. After a few seconds, he yells, “Goddamn it! McElroy, bring that extinguisher!”
One of the firemen grabs the fire extinguisher and runs out of the apartment, two more men on his heels. The super watches them go and then spins around to nail me with a look that scrapes across my body and makes me want to take a shower. Just not in this apartment, not knowing where else he hid cameras to watch me. “What’d you do?”
“It was an accident.”
“I’ll see you’re arrested for this! I want to press charges.”
The tall fireman pushes me behind him. “Sir, I’m going to need you to calm down.”
“The fuck I will. She tried to burn down my building.”
“I’m going to kill him,” Jake growls from outside my apartment. He then comes storming in and heads right for the super. “You son of a bitch. You were spying on me, too?” He holds up the incriminating evidence. The super simply shrugs, like voyeurism is no big deal.
It sinks in. He’s seen me do things I’d never admit to anyone, not even my BFFs. I’ve danced around my apartment in nothing but a bra and panties, singing into my hairbrush. God only knows what he did as he watched me. Now I want to kill him as well and jump at him. I have my nails drawn and take a swipe just as Jake hooks an arm around my waist, saving the disgusting super from scratches worthy of Wolverine.
“He’s not worth it.” Jake holds me back. I push against him, but it’s futile. The guy is a head taller than me and has a hell of a lot of muscle. He doesn’t even have to try as he holds me back. I feel stupid as I finally stop struggling. I’m still pissed as hell and want to kill the super with my bare hands, but Jake is right. It’s not worth an assault charge. I’m probably already facing arson charges.
“Wiring is faulty, Captain.” The fireman who grabbed the extinguisher nods at the tall one. “The heat in here carried through the ceiling and shorted out one of Swanson’s lights, causing it to explode. It sent sparks down and caught some papers on his kitchen counter on fire. The resident across the hall came running into the hall. When we checked her apartment, two of her ceiling fixtures had melted and charred the paint. This place is one big fire hazard. We have to get these people out of here so we can tear into the ceiling before the whole place turns to ash.”
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.” The captain shakes his head. “Okay, boys. It’s time to do a knock and talk. Get the people out. Bust into the ceiling. Contain whatever hazards you find before this place goes up. I’ll get more bodies to help evacuate the building.”
“What?” The super and I exclaim in unison. He continues. “You can’t do that. This is my building.”
“You have wires shorting out and sparking as we speak. We have to get these people out of here before someone is hurt. Swanson, get these ladies out of here.”
“Is there extra turnout gear on the truck? I could get suited up and—”
“You’re not on duty, cadet. Unless I up the alarms—and right now I see no reason to—you’re a civilian. Understood?”
Jake stiffens and squares his shoulders. “Yes, sir.”
The captain grabs the mic on his shoulder. “Dispatch, we need to evacuate this building. Get ahold of some of the hotels on the island and see which ones have rooms available. Better check the homeless shelters in Seattle for anyone who can’t afford a room. We’ll need to put these people up somewhere if they don’t have someone to stay with.” He drops the mic away from his mouth and addresses the rest of the firemen. “Move.”
The men scramble, leaving the captain, the super, Jake, and my friends in my apartment. My heart sinks to the bottom of my soul and twists. I can’t afford a hotel room for more than a few nights. Even that will drain my savings. Something tells me the building won’t be habitable for a long time, if ever again.
I turn to Shannon, the only other speaker of the group. Mel prefers to be seen and not heard. Ciara’s wild side has disappeared as she studies her shoes. But Shannon is silent and simply shakes her head. Shit. Ciara and Shannon barely have room for each other in their dorm. Mel lives with four other roommates in a two-bedroom house. I have nowhere to go.
“Come on, ladies.” Jake motions for the door. “Grab your stuff and let’s go.”
“But this is everything I have,” I whimper and reach for my grandmother’s necklace—the only thing that brings me comfort when I’m ready to stroke out.
“And we’ll do our best to save it.”
“I’m not leaving.”
“I’m not asking, now get your ass moving.”
“Swanson,” the captain growls. “You know I don’t approve of my guys talking like that in front of the ladies. It’s disrespectful.”
“Sorry, Cap.”
“I’m not the one you should be apologizing to, son.”
Jake nods. He then regards me and even forces a smile, but his jaw is white with how hard he’s clenching his teeth. “I’m sorry. Will you please evacuate the building?”
He can apologize all he wants. I’m not leaving without all my stuff. “Jake, you can’t—”
“Kayla!” When he yells, I suck in a breath and fall silent. “This is not up for discussion. I’m trying to help you. Would you please stop arguing wit
h me long enough for me to get you to safety? You can bite my head off once we’re outside and you’re out of danger. Now move.”
My friends and the super do exactly as instructed and hurry out of the apartment. They clearly know better than to push him when he’s in fireman mode. I, however, don’t and race into my bedroom against his protests, grab the bag holding my laptop and schoolwork, and then stuff a few of my belongings inside. Anything that will fit. I have a sinking feeling whatever I leave will be ruined. Tears sting my eyes as I take a final look at what I can’t carry. My emotions are tight in my throat, making it hard to swallow.
A noise behind me catches my attention. Jake has my duffle bag open and is clearing out my dresser. He doesn’t say a word as he shoves as much as he can inside before zipping it closed. When he catches me watching him, he hesitates. He then reaches for me.
“Come on,” he says in a gentle voice, shocking me at his sudden change. He takes my hand to lead me out. “We’ll come back for the rest once they give the okay.”
“We?”
“I’ll come with you. I promise.” His gaze holds mine and warms me. It’s like a mental hug and is exactly what I need.
“What if they don’t give the okay?”
“You can always buy new stuff.”
“I can’t, Jake. I barely make enough to pay rent. I can’t afford to buy all new stuff. My renter’s insurance will take weeks, maybe months to pay out.”
“Nothing is worth your life. Trust me on that one. People run inside their burning house to save something, only to never come back out. I won’t let that happen to you. Not when I can do something about it.”
“But…” I glance around the apartment, at the singed carpet and back of my little loveseat, the charcoaled ceiling, the powdery stuff from the extinguisher now covering everything. “You put it out.”
“The danger isn’t the fire you can see,” he recites and tugs on my hand. “Please, Kayla. We’ll hit every thrift store and garage sale on the island if we have to. We’ll get you back on your feet.”
“Thank you, Jake. I don’t know why you’re being so nice and right now, I don’t care. I’m just glad you’re here.”
The Heat Is On (TREX Rookies Book 2) Page 7
