Taking the Heat

by Samantha Long

  Chief parked the fire truck and they hopped out, putting on air-masks and pairing up. "Finn, Caleb-in the building. Check to see if there are survivors."

  Finn hustled toward the building, hearing the Chief assign other tasks to the rest of the firemen. Within seconds the Chief's voice was drowned out by the roar of the fire, the crackle and groan of wood. Flames danced across the ceiling and along the walls as they stepped through the doorway. Even through his gear, he felt the heat press against him. Acrid smoke blew around them, making visibility close to zero.

  Caleb tapped him on the shoulder, drawing his attention to the right. That was where the main room was, where Chief said the volunteers were most likely to be. Finn heard nothing but the fire around him and he hoped that was only because it was so loud, not because the volunteers were already dead.

  He stayed close behind Caleb, dodging falling pieces of the ceiling. This fire was hot, very hot, and a trickle of unease ran down his spine. How had the fire gotten this hot so quickly? Something was wrong, he could feel it and it had something to do with the text the anonymous bastard sent him. The main room of the center was engulfed in flames, and they could tell this room was the point of origin but the arson investigators would decide for sure.

  With decreased visibility, Finn felt along the wall and floor, holding his breath to listen for sounds other than the fire. Someone screaming, ragged breathing, painful moans and groans.

  There. He turned his head to the left and strained to hear. There it was again, a moan. Moving slowly, he headed in that direction. Every few steps he stopped and listened to make sure he was still moving in the right direction. The toe of his boot hit something--or someone--and he immediately crouched down.

  What the fuck? Finn reached out and assessed the woman's body. She was naked, blood running down her stomach. Anger coursed through his veins to rival the heat of the fire. This hadn't been an accident, someone had hurt this woman, possibly the other woman with her, and set this fire to either cover it up or finish the job.

  Carefully he put an arm under her neck and the other under her knees. Her eyelids fluttered but didn't open. Finn didn't like the ragged sound of her breathing, knew that the smoke inhalation might kill her. He moved back in the direction of the door, almost ran into Caleb.

  "What the hell is this?" Caleb shook his head. He held another naked woman in his arms, blood running down her side.

  "Don't know," Finn said as they moved toward the entrance.

  Paramedics met them a few feet from the door and took the women to stretchers near the ambulances. Finn grit his teeth, his mind reeling. This was a small town, murder didn't just happen. He'd checked when his sisters moved here, Sanctuary Bay was supposed to have one of the lowest crime rates. Something about the pattern the blood on the women made teased at his mind, but he ignored it to start fighting the fire.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Addie

  Sunday nights always irritated her. It meant the weekend was over, but more than that this time. Her weekend with Finn was over. She didn't know how he'd felt about what happened between them, he'd kept that hidden well.

  "Addie, hellooo?" Autumn snapped her fingers in front of Addie's face.

  Addie blinked, then gave Autumn a smile of apology. "Sorry, spaced out for a sec. What were you saying?"

  Gemma rolled her eyes. "Addie's probably rehashing her sexy weekend with Finn."

  Autumn's brow rose. "Oh? Here I am fighting with Caleb and you two get to have fun, sexy weekends? Not fair." Her smile took the sting out of the words. She sipped her rum and Coke. "I don't even know what we were arguing about, but I wasn't driving hours in a car with him. Talk about awkward."

  "I thought you didn't want to see him anymore," Gemma pointed out.

  "He wanted to take me to dinner, I didn't want to say no to free food and a good time." She shook her head when both girls laughed. "Free food is a good thing."

  "You sure it wasn't because you wanted a piece of him again?" Addie smirked. "I think you're hooked on him."

  "What about you and Finn?" Autumn fired back, teasing Addie.

  What about her and Finn? Addie didn't want to consider how bad she wanted to have him over tonight. Technically it was still the weekend, right? She could count it as a weekend fling. Tomorrow she could really start distancing herself from him.

  "There she goes again." Gemma waved her hand in front of Addie's face. "Addie."

  Addie sighed. "It was amazing. Not what I was expecting at all."

  "A guy surprised you? You, who usually gets so bored with them after one or two nights?" Autumn leaned on the counter, eyeing Addie. "Intriguing. Could he be The One?"

  "Shut up." Addie couldn't help but smile at Autumn's sarcasm. "No one's speaking of The One." She waved a hand in the air. "So, are you and Caleb for real over or what?"

  "Nice deflection." Gemma looked to Autumn, "Are you?"

  "I think so. He called me too complicated. Said he was looking for something simpler, that a relationship with me would be too confusing."

  "Did you junk punch him?" Addie asked. "You should've junk punched him. All women are complicated, and he should know that."

  "I think it's because I wouldn’t agree to meet his parents."

  "Parents? He's already throwing that into the mix? What does he expect from only a few weeks?" Gemma scratched Harlow behind the ears when she rubbed against her ankle.

  "It's your fault, you know. You went to meet Carter's sister and that gave Caleb the idea." Autumn frowned. "But you and Caleb are different. Made for each other."

  "Thanks." Gemma beamed at her. "I feel that way, too."

  "Rub it in." Addie laughed. "You and your perfect man."

  "You're damn right." Gemma swallowed the rest of her wine and looked at her watch. "I've got to get home and unpack."

  "Yeah, I've got to do some laundry before tomorrow. I haven't done it in like a week. This was literally all I had to wear." Autumn gestured to her yoga pants and holey t-shirt.

  "Nothing wrong with yoga pants." Addie called as they left. She sat in the silence for a minute, going over the weekend in her mind. After Friday night, she hadn't been able to keep her hands off of Finn every time they were alone. Never had she craved a man like that, having to feel his lips on hers, his hands running over her body. It's like she was born again into the sex life.

  It didn't mean anything though. She'd push those cravings down, deep down underneath so they wouldn't surface again. Getting stuck in a relationship was not something she wanted to do. Ever. She preferred to be free to do what she wanted, when she wanted. No man was going to ruin her life like men had ruined her sisters'. No way was she going to go through that. Watching her sisters' lives crumble around them, the heartbreak that devastated them, had made up Addie's mind.

  No relationships. That's why she avoided them like low-fat food. Neither interested her.

  §§

  Just as she was about to order Chinese, someone knocked on her apartment door. She looked at Harlow, who sat at her feet. "Who could that be?"

  Harlow blinked at her sleepily. She smiled to herself and went to open the door. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Finn standing there, in jeans and a t-shirt, but covered in ash and soot, smelling of acrid smoke. His eyes were solemn and she saw the anguish in them and the shadows under his eyes.

  "Come in." She stepped back, let him in--in more ways than one. He carried a bag in his hand and stood in the entry way, looking lost. "Why don't you take a shower?"

  He nodded and she took his hand, pulling him toward her bathroom.

  "I only have girly smelling stuff." She brought out a towel and washcloth from the little closet. She waited for him to start pulling off clothes before going back into the living room. When she picked up Harlow--wanting to snuggle with something--she noticed her hands shook. Seeing him like that, lost and forlorn, had affected her much more than she thought it would.

  Within fifteen minutes he appeared at the
end of the hallway, looking into the living room, in a different pair of jeans and white t-shirt. She stood from the couch and moved to stand beside him. He watched her, face intense, and she saw the tension in his body. Like he was holding himself back from something.

  "Finn." She whispered his name as she put her hands on his forearms where they were crossed over his chest. "Finn," she repeated.

  "They're dead." His voice cracked and her heart plummeted.

  "Who is dead?" Her mind raced, immediately thinking of her family, then his sisters, or Gemma and Autumn.

  "The women from the fire. They died." He swallowed.

  She had no idea what he was talking about, but pulled him to her room anyway. He was pale and it scared her, she wanted him to lie down. With robotic movements he stretched out on her bed, and she laid down next to him, both on their sides facing each other. His eyes were squeezed shut and his lips were in a hard line. Addie wanted to stroke a hand over his face, but was afraid of what that caring gesture meant.

  "There was a fire at the community center earlier," he began, and Addie's heart started racing again. Sanctuary Bay was a small town, she'd most likely know who the two women were. "It was a large fire, and it took us forever to get it out. Caleb and I found the women in the main room." His breath shuddered and Addie prepared herself for whatever came next. "They had my tattoo carved into their stomachs. Somehow this is my fault, and I don't know why."

  Addie tried not to think of the implications of that. "Which tattoo?"

  "This one." He pointed to the tattoo she'd asked about the first night she met him. "My best friend, Isaac, talked me into getting it. He died in Afghanistan."

  "God, Finn." Addie brought her hands up to his face this time, pressed a soft kiss to his lips. She wanted to erase the pain off his face, even if it was in the only way she knew how. She deepened the kiss, stroking her tongue over his lips and pulled him under with her.

  Chapter Twenty

  Finn

  Dusk was beginning to brighten the room around him and he shifted in the bed. Addie was curled next to him, a leg slung over his. He didn't feel as claustrophobic as he thought he would, sleeping next to someone. Didn't feel as if some unknown enemy was going to kill him in his sleep. Maybe he was growing out of the feeling, or maybe it was because it was Addie lying next to him.

  He'd had a new version of nightmares, the two women beseeching him as a dark shadow carved his tattoo in their stomach, fire and smoke twisting around them. The arsonist had hit close to home, and with that and the tattoo, it had to be someone he knew. Or maybe someone that knew of him. Whoever it was liked to taunt him with calls and texts. He turned it over and over in his mind, and he suddenly wondered if the beach house fire a few weeks ago had anything to do with this. He needed to talk to Chief and find out.

  If it did have something to do with this, what would he do? It's not like he was a detective, although he could investigate if he needed. If it was someone who had a grudge against him, were his sisters in trouble? Was Addie? His fingers brushed the dark hair that touched his arm.

  Relationships were complicated, even with what he and Addie shared. Not really a relationship, not really friends.

  Addie stirred, running a hand up his chest. His thoughts instantly scattered and then focused on her warm body against his. "You have got to stop frowning." She pushed up on an elbow and kissed his jaw. "You were murmuring in your sleep. Nightmares?"

  He sat up, an ice cold shiver running through him, shattering all thoughts of sex. People knowing about his nightmares was a weakness. They could use it to hurt him. Addie would look at him with pity, maybe even revulsion, if she knew. "No." His answer was curt and cold.

  Addie sat up, too, cocking her head to the side. The fire in her eyes burned him, along with the quick flash of hurt. "What the hell?"

  "It's nothing." He stood and shoved his jeans on. Not looking her in the eyes, he pulled his shirt and boots on. "I've got to go."

  "Fine." Addie brushed her hair off her shoulder and he almost gave in to the desire to stay. She was a beautiful mess that he wanted to fall into.

  Finn didn't look back as he left. Spending the night had shaken him, finding those women even more so. Addie's angry stare burned into his back but he ignored it, forced himself to forget it, as he climbed into his truck. He needed to speak with the Chief, needed to see the pictures from that first beach house fire. Something teased the back of his mind, an instinct honed from his time in war, and he knew something wasn't right.

  When he pulled into the fire station, he saw the Chief's red pick-up truck. Good, he wouldn't have to have this conversation over the phone. It would make this already horrible situation a little easier.

  "Hey, Finn." Aaron's red hair stuck up all over the place like he'd just woken up. "Heard about the fire last night. Hate I missed it."

  "Yeah." Finn brushed by Aaron, telling himself he'd apologize for it later. Aaron didn't know he was in a hurry and was just trying to be friendly.

  He found the Chief in his office, on the phone. Chief held up a finger and Finn sat in the chair across from his desk.

  After a few minutes, Chief hung up. "The mayor."

  Finn nodded, tapping his fingers on the wooden arm of the chair.

  "What’s on your mind? You shot out of here last night before I could talk to you. Are you doing okay after finding the two women?" Chief leaned forward, eyes intent.

  "That's what I wanted to talk to you about." Finn sighed, decided that just getting it over with would be better. "Those women had my tattoo carved into their stomachs."

  Chief slowly sat back, steepled his fingers. His brows furrowed as he watched Finn closely. "I know you didn't murder them. You were riding back with Carter and two women."

  "Thanks for the vote of confidence." Finn ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know why that happened or what's going on, but I'd like to look through the photos from the beach house fire a few weeks ago."

  "Do you think it's connected?" Chief asked.

  "I've got a feeling they are, but like I said, I have no idea why. No one comes to mind, no one jumps out at me." Finn sighed. "Do you still have the photos here?"

  Chief opened a drawer, pulled out a manila file. He held onto it for a moment before passing it to Finn. "These are everything the arson investigators had on it. If you see a connection to the fire last night, they need to know. The police are already involved. You'll need to give them a statement."

  Finn nodded and opened the file. Pictures of burnt furniture, ashes, and walls assaulted him. It wasn't until the middle of the pictures that the chill ran down his spine and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. "Shit."

  "Did you find something?"

  "Yeah." Finn took the picture out, laid it on the Chief's desk. It was a picture of the living room. It was faint, but carved into the coffee table was his tattoo. "It was easy to miss, because it's so faint. You had to know what you were looking for."

  Chief looked at him. "And you don't have any idea who would want to do this?"

  "No, but I've been getting hang-up calls, once the person threatened me, and a text before the fire that said things were going to heat up."

  "Shit," Chief echoed. "When you give your statement, make sure you mention that."

  Finn nodded and left the office, and since it was his day off, he thought he'd drop by the gym, do a little boxing, and maybe while he was doing that his brain would connect the dots. Addie kept popping up in his mind as he drove to the gym. He felt terrible for how he'd treated her, but it wasn't safe for her to be close to him. Not when he couldn't control his nightmares. He didn't want to hurt her.

  After he went inside the gym, he changed his clothes in the locker room, locked up his wallet and casual clothes, and found an empty punching bag. Some of the guys were in the ring, but he wasn't in a mood to take it easy on someone. If he entered that ring, the other guy might not exit it breathing.

  The punches felt good, like he was doing
something--anything--even if it was stationary. He had to clear his mind, figure out what the hell was going on before more people were hurt, or worse, murdered. Black despair squeezed him when he thought about the women dying because someone had a grudge against him. But who could it be? He'd left the military behind and his friends had been sad to see him go. It had to be someone from the military though, because that's the only place his tattoo had been prominent, along with Isaac's. Was someone other than himself blaming him for Isaac's death? For the other members of the unit that had died that day?

  Later today he'd have to get in touch with his old buddies, see if they've heard anything, whispers, angry comments.

  Finn stayed at the gym until he couldn't see from the sweat that poured down his face and his shirt and shorts were soaked. He'd burnt off most of the frustration, but some of it still hummed underneath his skin. It only got worse every time Addie drifted into his thoughts. The look in her eyes when he'd brushed off her concern this morning pierced him every time he recalled it. He just didn’t know what he'd do about it.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Addie

  How was she supposed to just roll over and forget Finn, even if he was being such an asshole? She saw the agony and despair in his eyes and body whenever she'd asked him about the nightmares he was obviously having. She had a feeling that he wasn't reacting that way to hurt her, but as some misguided way to protect her, or even himself. It wasn't like she couldn’t understand the need to build walls. Hell, she had plenty of them herself.

  She shut her car door and walked up the sidewalk to Victoria's. She was babysitting her nieces so that Victoria and Nick could have a date night. They were just going to dinner, so she'd get back at her apartment to feed Harlow on time.

  "Hey!" Lucia opened the door. She was smiling again, and Addie couldn't help but wonder if Lucia had taken her advice about not sleeping with her boyfriend.