by Jen Talty
“If you can, get the guns. But if not, just get out and get help.” Brodie shifted his body, but Jonathon had him pinned.
“Harper. Now!” Brodie yelled.
She stood there for a second, blinking. The heat filling the room, choking her more than the smoke. The sound of fabric catching fire filled her ears. The smell of burning flesh tickled her nose as she looked down at her burning arm. Quickly, she took the same pillow and smothered the flames. She found both guns and ran from the house, screaming and searching her back pocket for her cell, which was nowhere to be found. Once across the street, she started banging on Declan’s door.
“What the hell is going… fuck.” Declan held her by the hands. “Is Brodie in there?”
She nodded. “Jonathon too. I must have dropped my phone.”
“Use the landline.” Declan took off running.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m a fireman, where the hell do you think I’m going?”
Brodie did his best to ignore the intense heat as he struggled to get the upper hand. The fire raged around them, and the gas stung his eyes. His ankles were still taped to the sides of the chair legs, though the chair had since shattered to pieces. Brodie managed to pin Jonathon down. He sat on Jonathon’s stomach and held his arms over his head.
The flames roared to the ceiling and sparks flew, snapping at his already burned body. He had to get out, and soon, or they’d both perish.
“I’m letting you go,” he said, easing up on Jonathon’s arms. “You’re not worth dying for.” Brodie jumped to his feet.
“You shouldn’t have let me go. Now I’m going to kill you.” Jonathon slowly stood, an evil smile spreading across his face.
“Come on, you can kill me outside.” Brodie turned and smiled when he saw Declan race through the front door.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Declan said as he stepped over some of the flames, holding a shotgun. “You can come out with us, or you can burn. The choice is yours.”
Brodie glanced over his shoulder as Jonathon tried to run for the back door.
Bang!
Jonathon screamed as he hit the floor, holding his knee.
Declan pointed to Brodie’s arms and side. “You’re burned pretty bad. Get out of here. I’ll handle Jonathon.”
Brodie nodded as he stepped through the front door, keeping an eye on Declan, who dragged Jonathon out by his arms.
“Brodie!” Harper’s voice filled his heart with joy.
He turned and hobbled toward the street. The sound of fire engines echoed in the background. People came out of their houses, asking how they could help, but all Brodie could focus on was putting his arms around Harper.
“Sorry about the house. It’s not going to be livable for a while, but you can stay with me.” He kissed her forehead, but she took a step back.
“What? Too soon to ask you to move in?”
“Those burns are bad. Really bad.”
As the adrenaline wore off, scorching pain hit his mind with the force of a volcano. His knees buckled.
“Lie down,” Harper whispered.
“Here, in the middle of the street? That’s stupid.” But he could no longer hold his own weight. He rested his head in her lap and closed his eyes. People shouted around him. The ground shook as fireman raced past.
“Leave it to one of my men to play hero.”
He could have sworn that was Ace’s voice, but he couldn’t open his eyes to make sure. All he wanted to do was picture his happy place, which was in Harper’s arms. With her, he could do anything, including ignoring the pain.
Someone put something on his body that made him scream like a dying pig. Or at least he thought he had screamed.
He twitched as a needle pricked his arm. Fluid immediately filled his veins and oh, it carried with it a cocktail of I-will-no-longer-give-a-shit painkillers.
His breathing slowed, and he tried to just enjoy the medical high and Harper’s soft hands in his hair.
“I’ve seen worse.”
This time it was Hunter’s voice that filled his ears.
“You’re an ugly asshole,” Brodie said, blinking his eyes open.
“I love you too,” Hunter said with a laugh.
“I think that’s Harper’s line.” Brodie shifted his gaze.
Harper smiled.
That was all he needed.
“I’ve fallen hard for you, Major Harper Dawson.”
“You’re in pain and doped up on drugs.” She bent over and kissed his forehead. “But I’ve fallen even harder for you, Captain Crew Chief Brodie Welch.”
Epilogue
Six months later…
“You didn’t tell me your fiancé was a toddler whisperer.”
Harper laughed at Mozart’s comment as she watched Brodie play in the kiddie pool with April, Mozart’s daughter, who had just turned three and was growing so fast.
“I’d say he’s a keeper,” Summer, Mozart’s wife, said. She pushed back the lounge chair and rested her feet on Mozart’s lap. “Can we get a Brodie? I could use a full-time Brodie.”
“What’s wrong with a full-time me?” Mozart teased.
“That’s the point, honey. Having him around would give us more alone time together.”
“Alone time is what got us April in the first place,” Mozart said with a big smile. “I’m not opposed to another one of those.”
“Get a room.” Harper stared at Brodie. The scars from his burns were healing nicely, though he’d need another surgery after the wedding.
Marriage.
She couldn’t believe how quickly her life had changed. For the better. “You should see him around his sister’s kids. They all think he’s the best thing since sliced bread.”
“He’s pretty damn close,” Mozart said. “The General told me how that man saved his life.”
“Brodie plays it down. He plays everything he’s ever done down, like it’s just another day.”
“It is for him, you know that,” Mozart said.
She nodded. She understood that Brodie, or men like him and Mozart, didn’t like to wear their jobs on their sleeves. They chose their careers because they couldn’t imagine doing anything else. It wasn’t an obligation.
It was a way of life.
One she accepted.
Her eyes welled with tears. “He doesn’t even remember that when he came out of that house, his body was on fire.”
“You need to stop dwelling on that.” Mozart patted her knee.
“I almost said no to his proposal,” she admitted.
“Well, don’t tell him I told you this, but he called when you asked if you could think about it,” Mozart said as he blew a kiss to his little girl, who blew one back, then started begging Brodie to do the same.
“He looked so heartbroken, but the whole things scares me. Everyone I’ve ever loved has—”
“You really need to knock that off,” Mozart said with a fatherly tone. “Because I love you, and I don’t plan on going anywhere.”
“Me too,” Summer said, poking Harper in the side with her big toe. “April loves you even more.”
“I know. That’s why I said yes two hours later. I’ve been trying to make it up to him ever since.”
“I’m sure he understands,” Summer said. She always had a way of making Harper feel better about anything and everything.
“Daddy!” April yelled as she ran across the grass. “Why can’t I marry Brodie?” she asked with big tears rolling down her cheeks.
“I didn’t handle that one too well, now did I?” Brodie tapped Harper on the shoulder, motioning for her to inch forward. He straddled the lounge chair and eased in behind her, pulling her back to his chest.
Mozart kissed April’s forehead as he smoothed down her hair. “Same reason you can’t marry Daddy.”
“Oh,” April said, her little lip quivering.
“Now, I know how to deal with that question, if it every happens again,” Brodie said, holdi
ng up his bottle of beer. “Did you ask him yet?”
“No,” Harper said, glancing over her shoulder, giving him the evil eye. She didn’t know why she struggled with this question, but she worried it would be awkward for Mozart. Or his family.
“Ask me what?” Mozart asked.
“Well, for starters, we were hoping you’d let April be the flower girl in our wedding.” Harper took Brodie’s beer, but then thought better of it and handed it back. He gave her an odd look, but then shrugged and went back to sipping the brew.
“You’ve set a date?” Summer asked, her feet hitting the ground as she sat up straight.
“You didn’t tell them that either?” Brodie massaged her neck with his long fingers. “Well, I’ve give you some slack since we just decided a few days ago.”
“Awe, thanks honey,” she said not hiding her sarcasm.
He kissed her nose playfully.
“Don’t leave us hanging. When is the big day?” Mozart asked.
“This Saturday, May 2nd, at eleven in the morning, on the beach, just family,” Harper said, choking on the sob that threatened to escape. Brodie had been so wonderful about the date and time, and even now, he told her if she ever changed her mind, even the day of the wedding, he’d understand. But she wanted to make her sister’s death and her father’s suicide mean something special. She wanted to change the dread of that day, into the promise of something wonderful.
Something forever.
Mozart cleared this throat. “I think that’s the perfect day for the joyous event. Lucky for you we planned on staying for the weekend.”
Brodie nudged her in the back.
“Mozart?” she started, her voice thick with emotion. “I was hoping…we were hoping …you’d give me away.” She bit down on her lower lip. Tears, not unlike April’s, dotted her cheeks. Damn hormones.
His hand ran up and down his daughter’s back. His eyes glazed over as the corners of his mouth turned upward. “I’d be honored.”
“Thank you,” she said softly as she wiped the tears away. “And Summer, I’d be thrilled if you’d be the maid of honor.”
“Absolutely,” Summer said. “Anything for you. So, what handsome fireman do I get to walk the beach aisle with?
Harper groaned. “We need to talk my future husband out of this one.”
“Hell no,” Brodie said. “You picked just about everything. I get this one thing.”
“What’s wrong with the best man?” Summer asked.
“Nothing. My twin sister is amazing, and we made a promise to each other years ago to stand up for each other.”
Mozart broke out laughing so badly he started coughing.
“It’s not that funny,” Brodie said with a scowl. “She’s my best friend. We’ve been through a lot together.”
“It’s not that, son,” Mozart said. “I’m all about family, but what happens when she gets married? I mean, I’m trying really hard not to picture you in a pink taffeta bridesmaid dress.”
“Oh my God. That’s quite the visual,” Harper said, covering her mouth.
“I guess I hadn’t thought that one through.” Brodie took another beer from the cooler. “But you can’t talk me out of this one. It’s one of those weird twin things.”
“Do twins run in the family?” Summer asked.
“They do. Mostly paternal, but I do have one set of cousins that are identical.”
The idea of one baby was enough to make Harper run for the hills, but two? What the hell had she gotten herself into?
“So, there is a good chance you guys could have twins, then.” Summer’s wide smile was all-knowing.
“I suppose, but we’re a long way from that happening.” Brodie took another swig of his beer.
“Not to be rude, but your bride to be is—”
“Summer, can I get you a drink?”
“No, honey, and it’s never a good idea to avoid or keep things from your husband. Take it from someone who’s been married for a bit.”
“Oh my. Really? You’re—”
“Don’t say it,” Harper said, interrupting Mozart. The cat was halfway out of the bag, but she had to be the one to blurt out the words.
“I’m seriously lost on this conversation,” Brodie said.
She turned in the chair so they could be face to face. “I’ve been trying to find the right time and right words to tell you this for the last two days, but we’ve had company, and now the wedding, and honestly, I have no idea how you’re going to take the news.”
“You really enjoy freaking me out, don’t you?”
“It’s not intentional but yeah, I do.”
“She also likes avoiding things,” Mozart said.
“That too, but I can’t avoid this.” She took his hand and placed it over her belly.
Brodie glanced down, then back up.
He repeated the head nod five times as the knowledge of what it meant slowly made its way to his brain. His eyes went wide. “No way,” he said. His fingers gently dug into her muscles. “You can’t be. We always use… oh, wait, we didn’t that one time.”
“Children in the house,” Mozart said, laughing as he set April down. She’d become bored with the adult conversation and waddled back to the baby pool where she climbed in to play with her barbies.
“One time is all it takes to make a baby, but in your case, it might have made two,” Summer said as she stood, holding her hand out to Mozart. “Let’s give the two lovebirds a minute alone.”
“Yes, dear.”
Harper waited until Mozart and Summer settled in the grass near their daughter. “You okay? I know this wasn’t planned and probably way too soon, but—”
Brodie pressed his index finger against her lips. “The best things in life are unexpected. Like falling in love with you and this.” He patted her stomach. “I love everything about you, Harper, and I can’t wait to start a family with you.”
The End
More Books by Jen Talty
About the Author
Jen Talty is an award-winning author of Romantic Suspense. Dark Water hit #10 in Barnes and Noble and her books have been in the top 50 on Amazon. Jennifer grew up in Rochester, New York. She recently retired from being a full-time hockey mom as her children hung up their skates. She and her husband still live in Rochester while her children travel globe. Jen was the co-founder of Cool Gus Publishing with NY Times Bestselling Author Bob Mayer.
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Also by Jen Talty
The New York State Trooper Series
In Two Weeks
Dark Water
Deadly Secrets
Murder in Paradise Bay
To Protect His Own
Deadly Seduction
When a Stranger Calls
Federal Investigator Series
Jane Doe’s Return
The Butterfly Murders
THE MEN OF THEIF LAKE
Rekindled
THE OMEGA TEAM: THE SARICH BROTHERS
The Lighthouse
Her Last Hope
The Last Flight
Coming Soon:
The Return Home
The Phoenix Agency: The Raven Sisters
The Lost Sister
The Lost Solider
Coming Soon:
The Lost Soul
The Lost Connection
SPECIAL FORCES: FIRE PROTECTION SPECIALISTS
Burning Desire
Burning Kiss
Burning Skies
Burning Lies
Coming soon:
Burning Heart
Burning Bed
Burning Oath
Burning River
The Brotherhood Protectors: Out Of The Wild
Rough Justice
Coming Soon:
Rough Around the Edges
Rough Ride
As you know, this book included at least one character from Susan Stoker’s books. To check out more, see below.
Delta Force Heroes Series
Rescuing Rayne (FREE!)
Rescuing Aimee
Rescuing Emily
Rescuing Harley
Marrying Emily
Rescuing Kassie
Rescuing Bryn
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Rescuing Sadie
Rescuing Wendy
Rescuing Mary (Oct 2018)
Rescuing Macie (April 2019)
Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes Series
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Justice for Corrie
Justice for Laine (novella)
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Justice for Hope (Sept 2018)
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Shelter for Penelope (TBA)
SEAL of Protection Series
Protecting Caroline (FREE!)
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Protecting Kiera (novella)
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New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author Susan Stoker has a heart as big as the state of Texas where she lives, but this all American girl has also spent the last fourteen years living in Missouri, California, Colorado, and Indiana. She’s married to a retired Army man who now gets to follow her around the country.
