Rekindle The Flames (The Men of CLE-FD Book 4)

by Toye Lawson Brown

“He knew the drill. There are people you are curious about and he never was that person for me. I tried to set him up with dates.”

  Ryan chuckled. “Believe it or not, I understand his position. You are the love of his life. He did what he felt he had to do to be happy.”

  Tears slid off the side of Megan’s face to hit the pillow. She knew he was trying to make her feel better. She even agreed with what he was saying, but it didn’t stop the guilt. Her picture-perfect childhood now was tainted with shame and humiliation. Her father, which she idolized and did no wrong in her eyes, was having an affair. Her mother wasn’t the adorable mom her friends wished they had. She was a money-grubbing woman that held nothing valuable and would put a price tag on anything. It didn’t matter whether she birthed it or not.

  Ryan wiped away her tears with the back of his hand. For a man with big hands, she felt his touch was light as a feather. He was tender with her. If anyone one should be bitter about their childhood, it should be him. But he didn’t say anything against her parents or bad mouth how deceitful parents could be to their kids. He just let her talk. And hopefully lift the heavy burdens from her chest.

  She licked her dry lips and said, “Emin is not dumb. He knew a marriage between us would never happen no matter what went down. Why did he let it go this far, Ryan? It’s out of his character. She had something over him.”

  “What do you think it could be? If she did have something, it had to be devastating enough that he didn’t want his parents to find out about it.”

  She squirmed under his weight. “I don’t know. We lost contact after he went off to grad school. But, I do know, $3,000,000 is not enough to keep Mom set for life. She loves spending money. She would have found a way to keep seeping money from him. He usually gives up easily. He should have just walked away from Mom and none of this would be happening.”

  “Not necessarily, Megan. Maybe he had built enough confidence in himself to believe he could pull it off. He didn’t care the love would have been one-sided or, maybe he felt he could whisk you away to Armenia where you would be dependent on him for everything. Eventually, his plan would be to make you fall in love with him.”

  Her heavy eyelids closed as she murmured against his shoulder. “I love you too much to ever want another man. There is so much that could have happened in the park that day. I really thought you would retrieve Sparky and go about your way, but you didn’t.”

  “I noticed you in the park before that day and I also saw you checking me out even though you were pretending to be reading. I’m not dumb either,” he said nuzzling her nose with his.

  She tightened her arms around his back and hugged him closer to her chest. “I want us to stay in bed like this all day today. Do you think that’s possible?”

  “Other than me crushing you,” he said rolling off of her. He pulled the cover up around them, “I don’t see why we can’t.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  The violent thunderstorm had almost shut down the city. High winds, several tornados had been spotted and people scurrying to find safety on higher ground had the fire department jumping from call to call. The calls ranged from minor flooding of streams to major rivers overflowing and preventing residents from evacuating their homes.

  Ryan walked into the emergency room dressed in full gear. He was hoping to speak to Megan. He walked up to the desk. “Hi, is Megan Tisdale around?”

  The older woman sitting behind the desk was not dressed in hospital scrubs but a business suit. She looked up from the computer to address him. “Yes, she’s here. I’ll get her for you if you can wait one second.”

  “Sure, no problem,” he replied. He looked around the ER it was as busy as the fire department. He was there because they followed an ambulance that didn’t have enough room to transport the victims of a car accident. They transported the victim that had non-life threatening injuries.

  Megan emerged from a back room with an armful of medical supplies. “Hey, what are you doing here,” she smiled.

  “We transported a car accident victim. Today is going to be a busy one,” he said as he gave her a kiss on the lips. The act drew giggles from the nurses behind the desk.

  Megan turned around and stuck out her tongue playfully at the women. “Don’t you all just hate my husband is a hunky firefighter?”

  The giggles were met with a few comments that had Ryan blushing. “Anyhow,” he said removing the grin from his face. “I wanted to see how you’re doing.”

  She put the supplies on the desk. “I’m okay. I haven’t had time to think about much today, but I’m working through it. She pulled Ryan away from the desk and to a corner to talk. “My dad sent me a text. It was a little cryptic, but I’m assuming it meant he got my mother to sign the divorce papers.” She removed the phone from her smock and showed it to him.

  Ryan nodded and grinned. “Yup, that’s what it means. That also means she doesn’t know about Emin. Baby, if you talk to her, just play it cool. We can’t let her know anything yet.”

  Megan rolled her eyes upward. “She called me already. She wants to look at wedding dresses later this week. There is no way I’ll be able to do that, Ryan. She’ll see right through me.”

  “You can do it. Pick out a dress you like, and let her buy it. We’ll take a cruise and renew our vows in a tropical paradise. It’ll be the rekindling of the flames of our love for each other.”

  A slow grin spread across her face. “You are such a romantic at heart. While I’m choosing the dress for her to buy, she can also pay for our second honeymoon. For once she should pay for something with her own money. Will there be a way for Emin to recover his money?”

  Ryan shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t know. If they did cash, it wouldn't be a way to prove he gave it to her unless he had her sign something.”

  “Cash would make it easier for Mom to hide the money from Dad. She could’ve opened up accounts with numerous banks to hide her stash.”

  His radio went off. “Hey, I have to go. I’ll call you tonight when you get home. Be careful driving okay?” He blew her a kiss and trotted through the hallways of the hospital to meet up with his crew. The thought of renewing their vows was something he said as a joke, but now it was something he wanted.

  Their wedding was held in a church with only his brother and sister in attendance for him. Megan’s family filled the church and the reception hall. Everyone was so happy for them but once the scandal hit, claws and true colors came out. Even when he was acquitted, the whispers were still there when he attended family functions with her. Finally, he quit going to anything family related to ease the embarrassment of her having to explain.

  He jumped on the squad and looked back at the hospital as it faded from his view. Yep, a few days away from the rat race will do both of us some good, he thought to himself.

  Later at the firehouse the calls had quieted as the storm eased. There was another round of storms in the forecast, but so far skies remained cloudy but rainless. Ryan drummed his fingers on the table annoyed. “Come on, Nick, make a move. You’ve been looking at the board like something is going to change.”

  “Damn, man, I was sleep! This damn game is boring me to death! How do you play chess and stay awake?” Nick fussed as he finally made a move.

  Ryan grinned. “It’s a mind game. You have to wait out the opponent. Sweat him until he makes the wrong move then go in for the kill.” He did just that as he overpowered Nick’s move to claim the win. “See, that’s how you do it.”

  Nick got up from the table. “Whatever. It’s more exciting watching my twins play with their food and my baby girl blow spit bubbles. Anyhow, how did you get interested in chess? Was that something the intelligent teachers did in the teacher’s lounge?”

  Ryan propped his feet on the edge of the table. “Yeah, we did. We also bitched about our sorry pay, bad ass kids and parents that didn’t give a damn if their kids learned anything or not, but we did it with love.”

  “Being a teacher is a thankl
ess job. But now you have the best job in the world. You couldn’t pay me do anything else,” Nick said taking a sip of water.

  “Molding minds that are eager to learn gave me a good feeling at the end of the day. But, you’re right. This is where I belong and I don’t see myself doing anything different.”

  “Megan is okay with this now? All her fears are gone?”

  “She’ll always worry I’ll get hurt. With her being so busy at the hospital, she doesn’t have time to dwell on it. Not to mention the other shit that went down recently, me being a firefighter has taken two steps back in line,” he said lacing his finger behind his head.

  “What about counseling? Are you going to do that or say fuck it and just live life now that that asshole is out of the picture.”

  “She hasn’t mentioned it anymore. You know I’m hoping she’ll let it go and we’ll work out our difference on our own. I’m thinking about taking her on a romantic cruise.”

  Nick laughed. “I did that and Lincoln came home pregnant. Those damn cruises make a man more potent; so be careful.”

  “Must be the fresh sea air,” Ryan replied with a chuckle of his own. “All kidding aside, Nick, I’m ready to be a dad. I think the timing is perfect for me and Megan to have a baby and get that house in the suburbs.”

  Nick pointed a finger in Ryan’s direction. “You’d be a great dad, Ryan. You’d be able to help your kid with homework and actually understand that shit.”

  “Hey,” he frowned.

  “I’m kidding. You and Megan will be great parents and I hope it happens for you soon.”

  “Not too soon. There are still a few hurdles to clear before we start planning a family.”

  *****

  Megan waited outside for Iona. The ER was busy and she didn’t have time to take a lunch break, but Iona insisted and to keep the farce up, Megan had to agree to meet with her. The rain started to fall again. The huge drops had her seeking shelter by the emergency room doors. A car drove slowly around the curve and stopped in front of her. The window lowered and Iona’s stone-gray eyes looked up at her.

  Damn, a new BMW. The woman has no shame whatsoever. “Mom, whose car are you driving?”

  “Mine. Do you like it? Your father surprised me with it. Hop in; I know you are pressed for time. I thought we would go to that new Sushi place around the corner.”

  Megan took a giant step backward in case lightening came down and struck her mother where she sat. She didn’t want to be caught in the cross-fire. “That was generous of Dad. When I talked to him, he didn’t mention getting you a gift. He usually runs gifts he wants to buy, by me first. To get my opinion since we have similar taste,” she said choking down the bile rising in her throat.

  The new car smell was strong as Megan got in and closed the door. She could barely hear the air conditioner running and the soft opera music drifting from the radio had a crisp sound. It was as if the aria being sung was coming from a soloist sitting in the back seat.

  Megan wanted to plug her ears. She hated opera. Iona only played it when she wanted to impress someone. Usually one of her father’s clients or members of some society club she wished to join. She remembered how Iona would dress her in frilly lace dresses, gloves, and matching hats and drag her to mother and daughter tea socials. To this day, she can’t stand tea. Having the bitter flavors of different teas poured down her throat at age five didn’t sit well on her underdeveloped palate. Iona would shoot her a death ray look when she wouldn’t swallow.

  At one tea social, Megan recalled she couldn’t swallow a certain black tea blend that was being served. She held the vanilla laced poison in her mouth refusing to let it go down her throat. Iona was livid and patted her on the back on the sly hoping to make her swallow. Instead, she choked and tea flew out of her mouth, splattering the front of her white lace dress and staining everything else it touched.

  Iona was horrified and they left the tea house. Once they were home, she was given a spanking and sent to bed without dinner. Megan remembers her father checking on her later that night and she told him what happened. He left her bedroom only to return with a peanut butter sandwich, two chocolate chip cookies and a glass of chocolate milk. He also told her she would never have to attend another tea social. And she never did. Her father never revealed what he said to make Iona stop parading her around. She and Connor never heard them argue or heard their father raise his voice in anger. But, apparently he held the power in the family and he knew when to use it.

  Well, it all made sense why Iona was submissive; James Jones wasn’t worth enough back then. She would have to play his game until he hit millionaire status. The sparse settlement she would have received if she had divorced him before his business evolved wouldn’t allow her to sit at home and play hostess. She would have to work for a living plus share custody of the kids that most likely she would have gotten stuck with.

  The hard rain pounding on the windshield brought Megan to the present. The powerful car handled the slick, wet roads beautifully. She looked out the window. The dark tint on the windows made the night sky seem darker and eerier. “Mom, maybe we should do this when the weather is not so bad.”

  “We’re almost there. Besides, we have to get this wedding planning done. I have a wedding planner coming over Saturday so make sure your schedule is clear. Also, when is Emin coming home?”

  Megan’s blood ran hot and she shuddered. “What? Oh, I don’t know.”

  “How long does a funeral last in Armenia?”

  “I don’t know, Mom. I don’t know anything about that culture,” she said rubbing her forehead. A headache was quickly spreading from temple to temple.

  “You need to learn, Megan. You have to get involved with his family and learn their ways now that you will be marrying Emin. He is heir to their fortune, and that means you will be a very rich woman one day.”

  “I don’t care about his money. Dad has money and I don’t make a big deal out of that. I’m starting to think you only want me to marry Emin because he is rich. Is that what you want, Mom? Do you want to have the pleasure of saying your daughter is married to a freaking billionaire?”

  Iona glared at her. “I thought we were past the bickering and working towards a better relationship, Megan.”

  “Would you watch the road please?”

  “You don’t appreciate anything I have ever done for you! I am trying to secure you a future and ensure you have what I didn’t have. Connor is satisfied doing enough to get by. I want more for you.”

  “Mom, will you slow down!” Megan held onto the strap of the seatbelt as the car sped through the rain-slicked streets.

  “Connor loathes me. Did you know that Megan? He hates the ground I walk on thanks to your father bad-mouthing me.”

  “Neither Dad nor Connor has ever said anything bad about you to me. Connor is being himself. He has always done his own thing. You know that.”

  “Oh please! I know about your father’s mistress, Megan. They have been together for over ten years. She has a mansion in Florida with a staff to wait on her hand and foot. She is living my life, but it won’t last. I’m divorcing James and will get every dime he has including that damn company I helped him build. He and that bitch will be living on the street or maybe with Connor since he is so taken with her.”

  The lightening streaked across the sky as the rain fell harder. Megan’s heart rate increased as Iona fussed. She didn’t hear her mother yelling. She was too busy holding on for dear life as Iona zipped in and around traffic that slowed her down. The trip that was only two minutes from the hospital turned into the trip to hell as Iona accelerated and the car’s massive engine thrust them into traffic on I-90.

  “Pull the damn car over and let me out!” Megan demanded banging on the dashboard.

  “I want to show you I have evidence against your father, Megan. You and Connor worship the ground he walks on. I want to show you he isn’t a god.”

  “Mom, I believe you. Please, just slow down or stop the
car.”

  “Once I get home, I will.”

  Megan hands trembled as she searched in her purse for her phone. She slid the phone open to dial Ryan when suddenly the phone went flying out of her hands and everything went dark.

  *****

  Ladder 30, Engine 30, Rescue Squad 1, Battalion 6; report to the scene of an auto accident with injuries. Time out 17:00 hours.

  The crews jumped up and were on their way within seconds of the alarm sounding. Ryan buttoned his turnout and put on his helmet. “I knew this weather would bring a busy night,” he said to Otto.

  Otto replied, “I hope you’re ready to be hands on tonight, Ryan. With the rivers swelling and spilling over, I’m sure this is just the beginning of a very long night.”

  They pulled up to a small black car—with custom rims dangling dangerously over a riverbank with smoke pouring from the under the hood. From the position of the car, it appeared it had broken through the barrier and had driven at least fifty feet down the path before hitting a rail, smashing partially through it. The car was mangled and teetering by a thread. The high winds from the storm could possibly knock it over and into the water below if firefighters didn’t work quickly.

  “Let’s get a preliminary check before we touch it, “the chief ordered. “If no one is inside the vehicle, we’re knocking it over.”

  Checking the driver’s side, the glass was broken and inside, Ryan could see that the airbags had deployed and a woman’s head was leaning against it. The smell of rubber burning and smoke filled the car. He makes a quick first assessment and reports to the B-Chief. “The driver is a female victim.” He took off his glove to check for a pulse. She was alive and released a sharp scream. He tilted back the head of the woman in the front seat. The driver was—Iona. She was turning her head. Her eyes were wide with confusion.

  Ryan swallowed. “Iona?”

  She coughed and blood ran from her mouth. “Megan, you have to help Megan.”

  Shocked, Ryan looked first at the passenger’s seat, it was empty. He leaned over and looked in the back seat and yelled. “Megan! Megan!” She was lying on the floor on her back. Her body covered by the broken seat of the car and other debris.