Winterfall

by Denise A. Agnew

  She sensed a crisis rising, and knew she needed to make sure he didn’t do something before Mark could arrive.

  “How did you find me? How do you know me?” she asked.

  His smile was slow and almost normal, as if they had all the time in the world to talk. “Your father.”

  Confusion made her hesitate. “My dad?”

  “He told me about you in prison.”

  Dread rose up. Oh. That explained a hell of a lot. “I see. And you wrote me the letters when you got out of prison? How did my father’s prints get on the letters?”

  He sipped his coffee leisurely, not saying a word for the longest time. She waited in the uncomfortable stillness. It was almost as if the room waited with a hush all its own, holding its breath for his next pronouncement.

  “I stole some stationary from him while we were in prison. Easy. Yeah. When he told me about you, I knew you were the perfect woman for me. When I followed you around town and saw you were a firefighter, that was one of the best moments of my life.” He gestured with both hands, his smile betraying excitement. “We’re perfect together. Don’t you see it? That’s why I followed you, because you were fun to watch. I start the fires and you put them out. We’re opposites attracting.”

  Followed her around town? Her skin crawled. She hadn’t guessed, or felt anyone following her. “Why?”

  “Because it was exciting to see the fires and watch you fight them. The police are so damned stupid around here. I was at these fires most of the time and they never saw me. Never noticed I was at most of them.”

  She hadn’t been at all the fires, though she’d worked at many of them. “And you watched me firefighting.”

  “Yes.”

  She hung in limbo and wondered what he’d say next.

  He shook his head and frowned. “That hair, though. I’ve never liked your hair.”

  She touched her hair on impulse but didn’t speak.

  “Why is it that way?” he asked, his tone angry as he frowned.

  “After my roommate in college died in a fire it got these gray streaks. It’s been that way since then.”

  “Huh.” The anger drained from him as quickly as it started. “Yeah. Okay. Well, after we’re married, you’re going to color it. I don’t like it the way it is.”

  His erratic behavior added to the fear already speeding through her like a rollercoaster. She calculated how long it would take Mark to get here. Who knew? If traffic was bad, if the checkpoints along the way slowed him down…Oh, God. She had to rely on herself, because even if she knew deep in her heart Mark would do anything to get to her, that didn’t mean he would arrive on time.

  * * * *

  “Cock sucking, damned fucker—” Profanity spewed forth from Mark as he raced out the back door of Sentry Security with Ian and Adam right behind him. “I never should have left her.”

  Penny and Mally followed the men and added their voices to the worry.

  “Guys, please be careful,” Mally said.

  Mark had already called 911, but he hung up on them after reporting the situation. Ian and Adam had grabbed their gear from the locker/dressing area and they raced out to an SUV. They piled in and buckled up. The automatic gate rolled back as they pulled from the parking area.

  “We gotta get there as fast as we can. Hurry the fuck up,” Mark said as Adam drove them out of the complex.

  Adam didn’t reply, but the grim silence in the SUV told Mark the other men’s determination was just as urgent. Once out on the street, Adam drove as fast as he could without causing an accident. They dodged cars, but going through intersections proved a problem. He couldn’t run red lights without a siren, couldn’t put other people’s lives in danger. Mark’s stomach rolled and pitched. He’d never felt this churning panic inside before.

  “We’ll make it,” Ian said from the back seat.

  “Damn straight.” Mark swallowed hard at the vise closing around his throat.

  He couldn’t lose Juliet.

  They formulated their plan as the SUV hurtled down the roads and through traffic snarls. In the back of his mind he couldn’t hold onto the frosty attitude he needed, the one he’d used on countless missions in the Middle East. He had to find the place inside that would center him in this job as he had on every other. Cool. Calm. Ready. He took off the helmet the General required they all wear these days when going into a hot situation. He knew he couldn’t wear it for this mission because he also couldn’t wear a vest or weapons and pull this off.

  Adam steered the SUV through snarled traffic with precision. “You gotta wear the vest at least.”

  Mark balked. “What if whoever is with Juliet searches me, eh? It’s not an option.”

  “Go ahead and be a dumb shite,” Ian said, his accent thickening. “You won’t be any good to Juliet if you get your head blown off five seconds after getting in the door. You’ve got your sniper rifle with you. Take up position where you can get a bead on the fucker in her house. If you have to blow his head off, then do it.”

  Mark licked his lips, his heart beating too damn fast. “Unless there’s curtains open and they’re in the right position there’s no guarantee that’ll work.”

  “There’s never any guarantee. We’ll have to adjust when we get there,” Adam said with a smooth calmness.

  “You got a death wish, O’Day?” Ian asked.

  “Jesus, I know you’d do the same if that was Mally or Penny in there. You’d do anything for them.” Mark made a chopping motion with one hand. “Anything. If that means dying for them you would.”

  “Yeah,” Adam said. “Of course.”

  “You’re in love with Juliet,” Ian said.

  It hit Mark between the eyes. Was that this feeling? People didn’t fall in love this fast, but then again he’d seen Adam and then Ian fall quickly for their women. Part of him thought his friends had rushed too fast, but the other part had seen what perfect matches Mally and Penny made for his friends. He, too, would do anything to keep Mally and Penny safe from the outside world, the world that had gone bat-shit since January. The thought of anything happening to Juliet made his blood turn to ice, and fear run like fire in his belly.

  “All I know is that if I can’t find a good position outside, I’m going in there and facing whatever and whoever is in there. I don’t care who or what he is. He hurts her, I swear to God I will fucking kill him.” He swallowed convulsively as emotion slammed him, raw and violent.

  “We understand how you feel.” Ian said. “But we can’t go in half-cocked.”

  Mark knew in his gut what he planned to do would work. “The plan isn’t half-cocked. No sniper position for me, I go in face-to-face. I’ve already told you the layout of the house. You know what we’ll need to do from there.”

  Once more the vehicle went silent.

  As they neared the area Adam slowed down. “No police yet.”

  “At least the cops know we’re going to be here,” Ian said. “They won’t start shooting when they see us.”

  “Yeah.” Mark grunted in disbelief. “We’re finishing this shit before they get here.” He cleared his throat, his gaze centering on Adam and Ian. “We’re getting her out alive, no matter what we have to do.”

  The other men nodded. It wasn’t a question. It was fact.

  Chapter 10

  Juliet heard the noise, but didn’t register what it was. She saw Davis’s recognition, and the fact he’d heard it, too. But she still couldn’t decipher the noise. A squeak? Like a door opening?

  “What was that?” he asked.

  “I don’t know.” Even if she’d recognized the noise she wouldn’t tell him. “Probably the wind.”

  He stood slowly and reached for his weapon. He pointed it right at her. She actually felt dizzy for a moment as she stared at that hole in the barrel and sank into it like a well, a pit straight to hell. A hollow feeling made her stomach churn. She blinked and forced her gaze up to his face.

  “Stay here,” he said.


  She wasn’t about to argue with him. He strode around her to the kitchen window over the sink and peered out between the shades, and she shifted in the chair to keep him in sight. He moved to the next window which was part of the door to the side yard. There was no curtain on that window. The doorknob hung loose, the wood splintered from the force of his kick. The door hung up the slightest bit, letting in the cooler air. She didn’t speak, afraid to catch his attention.

  He threw her a glare as he walked by. “Don’t move.”

  He went through the kitchen entry into the living room, and she heard his footsteps thudding across the hardwood floor. From her angle she couldn’t see exactly where he’d gone, but from the muffled footsteps she knew he’d crossed the large rug under the coffee table. Was he going to the front window or the front door? The front drapes were wide open. Her mind raced. She could run to the back door, but she knew he’d give chase and probably shoot. The doorbell rang. She jumped, her heart banging frantically. Davis cursed. Maybe he planned to wait it out and pretend no one was home.

  The doorbell rang again, and she heard Davis fumbling with the door lock. The door opened, and she heard Davis speak.

  “Who the hell are you?” Davis asked.

  “You know who I am. Mark O’Day.”

  Mark’s voice rumbled through the room. A combination of stark fear for Mark and relief filled Juliet as tears came to her eyes. Why had he come in like this? Wasn’t he afraid he’d be shot right here, right now? She quickly brushed away tears, wanting clear vision for whatever came next.

  “You’re the ass that took her affections away from me,” Davis said matter-of-factly.

  No. No. No. The litany ran through her head. Fear paralyzed her into immobility. Stark reality increased. What if Davis shot Mark here and now?

  “I’m her friend, not her boyfriend,” Mark said.

  “Get in here,” Davis said.

  She heard more footsteps and the door closed.

  “What is that gun for?” Mark asked, his voice so calm he might’ve been discussing the weather.

  “What do you think it’s for? Protection. Can’t be too careful these days? Dangerous people out there.”

  A second later she saw something so faintly out of the corner of her eye she thought maybe she’d imagined it. She looked toward the cellar door and realized it was cracked open. She didn’t recall leaving it that way, but maybe Davis had explored the house more extensively than she knew. Movement caught her eye, and the door opened wider. Ian’s face came into view. Her eyes widened, and he put one gloved finger up to his lips in a gesture of silence. He eased the door open, and she thanked the heavens she’d oiled the hinges recently. His footsteps made no sound as he entered the kitchen. He kept to the wall, his weapon steady in front of him.

  Tension almost made her dizzy, and she had to force herself to even out her breathing. Every muscle in her body seemed to tighten.

  “Into the kitchen,” Davis said. “Now.”

  “After you.”

  “Hell, no. Do you think I’m that stupid?”

  “I think you’re a smart guy. How did you get in the house?”

  “The back door. In the kitchen.”

  “Yeah, this house needs some work, doesn’t it?”

  “I’ll help Juliet with that. She’s going to marry me, you know,” Davis said.

  As Mark stepped into the kitchen, his hands held up in surrender, Juliet’s eyes locked with his. Something passed between them she couldn’t define, as if Mark’s arms were around her. In that moment she felt one hundred percent safe.

  Mark smiled, a light in his dark eyes both powerful and determined. She couldn’t make her mouth move to respond. Whatever would happen would occur now. Life teetered, fragile in the moment. She saw it in Mark’s eyes.

  Now.

  Adam appeared behind Davis. Mark, Ian and Adam moved as a unit, lightning fast. Before Davis could make a sound Adam had him in a chokehold, Ian had disarmed the arsonist, and Mark was up in his face. Mark’s fists balled at his side. She saw Mark’s shoulders heave once. Twice. As if he held back a strong emotion. Davis looked flabbergasted, as if the power of the takedown had destroyed his resistance.

  Then Davis’s upper lip curled. “She’s mine. You can’t have her. I burned things for her. She wants to see the fire, she wants to watch it consume just like I do.”

  “Get this piece of filth out of the house,” Mark said.

  Adam maneuvered Davis toward the front door. “With pleasure.”

  Ian followed close behind. Mark heaved another breath and turned toward her. What she saw in his eyes for a few seconds sent a bolt of fear through her. This was the man who’d fought in wars, who might have killed. She took a shuddering breath. His eyes changed, filled with a stark emotion, something honest and desperate.

  Her mind spun, a thousand questions in her thoughts, a thousand words she couldn’t seem to express. Sirens wailed in the distance.

  He took the few steps toward her, and she sprung from the chair. He hauled her into his arms. So warm. So tight and secure. She didn’t cry as she buried her face in his shoulder. His palms smoothed up and down her back.

  He drew back just enough to cup her face between his hands. “Did he hurt you?”

  “No. No.” Her voice cracked.

  He kissed her, and it was desperate, rough at first. She clutched at his sweater, holding on for dear life as they took the embrace deep. When he drew back a moment later he pecked her nose, his hands gentle on her face.

  He pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. “Jesus, that scared the shit out of me.”

  “Me, too. But I knew you’d come for me. I just knew.”

  “Anytime. Anywhere.” His voice was hoarse. “Always.”

  * * * *

  Juliet woke with a start, a cry slipping from her throat.

  “Shhh.” Mark’s deep, soft voice reassured her, as his strong arm tightened around her midsection. “It’s just a dream.”

  She took a deep breath and drew in Mark’s warm, clean male scent and nervousness eased. Only the night light in the bathroom illuminated the room. He kissed her ear, and comfort and safety surrounded her. Her mind went back to what had happened after the guys had rescued her. Mark had held her for what seemed a long time. Soon the police arrived and they went out to meet them. What followed was hours of questions, investigation, and more questions. Detective Morrison was there, of course, and more than once Mark looked as if he wanted to throttle the man. She learned that her father remained unconscious and no one knew yet if he’d survive. Finally, she packed another bag and piled into the SUV with Mark, Adam and Ian. There was no way she’d stay in the house that night. Maybe not for many nights to come. But right now she was warm and safe. She turned toward Mark, and his palm rested on her stomach. The sweet intimacy of his closeness reassured and stimulated, making her body respond immediately with sensual awareness. She lay under the covers in a long nightshirt, while he lay on the bed on top of the covers. He wore only jeans, and she could see the carved perfection of his chest in the dim light.

  “All right now?” he asked.

  She laid her hand over his and savored the warmth. “Yes.”

  “Bad dream?”

  “I don’t remember.” She shifted away from the idea.

  “Want to go back to sleep?”

  “What time is it?”

  He looked over at the bedside clock. “Eight.”

  “Oh, God. I’ve slept that many hours?”

  “It’s okay. You needed the rest.”

  “What about you?” she asked.

  “I’ve been downstairs until two hours ago. The General was briefing us on a new contract coming up next week.”

  Right. Their lives would return to normal. At least as normal as things could become under this new, sometimes more violent world.

  “Sorry I was presumptuous,” he said.

  She frowned. “About what?”

  “Crawling into your be
d.”

  She caressed his hand. “You’re mostly clothed and not even under the covers. You were a gentleman.”

  He grinned. “I try.”

  A wealth of need rose into her body, surging desire she wanted to act upon here. Now. She licked her lips. “Where do we go from here?”

  His mouth kicked up into a cocky smile. “Anywhere you want. The General said you’re welcome to stay in this apartment for as long as you wish.”

  Did she want to stay here? “I don’t think I could go back to my house for a while.” She shivered. “But I need to go back to work…my volunteer work with the fire department. Soon. And my accounting work.”

  When the fire chief learned what happened, he’d said she should take as much time away as she needed.

  He traced her jaw with a soft touch of his index finger. “Don’t push yourself.”

  “Yes, sir.” She teased him, touching his hand and keeping it in place, warm along her cheek.

  “Shh.” His voice eased over her in a deep, sensual tone. He stroked her neck, his thumb teasing her. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you take the time off when your body and mind require it.”

  He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. The touch of his lips made her shiver in delight. “Mark.”

  “Mmm?”

  Heat worked its way into her body, demanding attention. Yet she couldn’t assume what relationship he wanted. If she wanted to know, she had to ask and couldn’t put it off.

  “Should I stay at Sentry Security? I don’t want to assume anything…anything about…us,” she asked.

  He rolled away from her to sit on the edge of the bed and for a second a sharp panic spiked. But he switched on the bedside lamp and then returned to her side. In the full light she could finally see the serious, heated expression in his eyes. He leaned in closer, his body so hard and protective she felt every delicious pulse of energy between them.

  “Assume this,” he said. “I want you in my life. When I realized that asshole Davis had you, I was terrified and angry. I’ve never been that scared in my life.”

  She was floored. “You’ve been through wars…”