Hot As Blazes

by Dani Jace

  “You just did. And came twice. So, who is better?”

  She latched onto a bottle of hair gel sitting on the dresser and zipped toward his head.

  The projectile smacked his broad palm, he snagged it as he used to catch footballs in high school.

  “You’re just pissed because I stopped by the bar on the way home.”

  “I waited to hear from you the entire morning, Jo! Worried about you. You come home smelling like Harley. Plus I caught him kissing you Sunday night.” His nostrils flared “What should I think?”

  “How about asking instead of assuming? Without being a prick, if that’s possible.”

  “Okay, I’m asking.” He shifted his weight to one hip.

  “I asked him to check on something for me. Business stuff.” She slammed her dresser drawer.

  “Yeah, like his business in your business.” He growled looking like a pissed off bear.

  “I’ll talk to whomever I wish, whenever I wish.” She met his glare, sick of his jealous tantrum. “When have I ever searched your calls or questioned you about being late?” Even to her own ears, she sounded guilty.

  He left the room for a second and returned with his phone. “Check the bill, if you think I’ve deleted anything.” He flung the device across the tangle of sheets.

  Ignoring his gesture, she slipped a T-shirt over her head. Waging war in the nude didn’t instill confidence. With shaking hands, she pulled on a pair of shorts. She needed his comfort, not for him to be an accusing dick.

  Just tell him the truth.

  “You’re keeping shit from me, Jo. Why?” His tone rose in anger.

  “You just accused me of cheating. Now you want me to open up to you? What’s the shit between you and him, anyway?”

  “I have my reasons for being suspicious of him.”

  “My attorney left me a message this morning. Vic’s been released on a technicality.”

  He stepped around the bed toward her. “Why didn’t you call me?”

  “You didn’t answer. I called Harley, thinking he might have connections who could track him.”

  He frowned. “Why not Bobby?”

  She held her forehead unable to tell him about Harley’s DEA friends or that Sarah was a suspect in their investigation. “Bobby has a lot on his plate. Plus, if Vic comes for me, he might try to hurt both of you. It’s my problem.”

  “Goddamn it, Jo. Your problems are my problems. We’re planning a future, or at least that’s what I thought. Sounds like our future is limited, at best.” He threw his hands in the air.

  “Because I don’t want my prick ex-boyfriend trying to take you out, we have a limited future?” She rubbed her eyes. Could the day get any fucking worse? “If something happened to you because of me―”

  He stuffed his phone in his short’s pocket and tugged on his T-shirt. “Harley’s not got your back for free. He has dark tastes, like your sweet ass, which I haven’t even sampled.”

  That did it. She marched straight for him and pressed a finger to his chest. “And you never will!”

  Storming from the bedroom with her heart splintering, she wouldn’t let him see her cry.

  Ray caught her at the kitchen door. His large fist covered the knob, averting her escape. “Come clean with me, Jo.”

  “I’ve told you everything.”

  “You don’t want my help then?” His mouth tightened.

  “If accusing me of being a slut is supposed to help, then no.”

  She jerked open the storm door and fled downstairs. Pain gripped her chest like an iron fist. Nausea burned the back of her throat. At the water’s edge, she heaved until there was nothing left. Bitter tears stung her cheeks, leaving her empty and alone.

  She collapsed onto the sand. Alone again, her fault or her choice? The answer didn’t matter. The outcome remained the same.

  Chapter 33

  After what seemed like an hour of sitting on the wet sand, with no sign of Ray, she rose on unsteady legs and started to run. Physical pain numbed the vice that threatened to crush her. Three miles later, she returned to the house and found his truck gone.

  The house sat deadly quiet. She checked her room. His clothes and belongings were gone. He’d even taken his fucking toothbrush.

  The last time she’d felt so helpless, she’d just lost her dad. Even after being framed, she’d had a plan. This is what she’d feared all along. At the first sign of a real storm, he’d jumped ship. She and Jack hit the cubes. Nothing existed until the shrill ring of her phone the next morning.

  Harley’s voice boomed. “No bookings under his name for a flight out of Florida. I’ll check every day, but it doesn’t mean he won’t have a fake ID and pay cash. I’m getting your gun today.”

  “What day is it?”

  “Had a good night, did ya?” He laughed.

  She grunted and rolled from the bed.

  “What caliber do you want?”

  “A small one I can slip into my pocket. Holding her head, she walked to the kitchen and sucked down some water.

  “I like nine mils. But if you load a twenty-two semiautomatic with hollow points, he’ll go down and won’t get up. Ever.”

  With shaking fingers, she worked off the top of the pain reliever bottle. “That sounds good.”

  “You don’t. Where’s Ray?”

  “Bugged out yesterday after you called. Took his toothbrush.” Her voice broke.

  “Did you tell him?”

  “I messed up. Lied and said Tami and I had beers. He smelled your aftershave on me. He thinks we’re fucking.” Her stomach tested her resolve as she swallowed two pills.

  “Well, I wouldn’t turn you down, but that’s not what this is about.”

  Okay, maybe Ray had a reason to be suspicious of him. The pain behind her eyes almost matched her cleaved heart. “I’m only asking for your help because you know your shit.”

  Harley grunted. “He’s just pissed because you came to me for help. Alpha male thing. He’ll come around. You can stay at my place if you don’t feel safe at the beach house or with Bobby and Sarah.”

  Jesus, she didn’t even know if Bobby was still staying at Sarah’s. In twenty-four hours, everything had gone to…“Shit. My life is shit.”

  “Make sure you keep the gun I loaned you with you until I can get yours. I’ll call you when the panic pager comes in. Then we’ll get you set up and on the grid ASAP. Until then, be careful. Give me a call if something spooks you.”

  * * * *

  After arriving at Sarah’s, Jo checked her phone. Each hour without a call from Ray confirmed her fear. He wasn’t coming back. She’d figured her troubles would eventually follow her home. Now they threatened her family and the man she loved.

  How could he not understand she didn’t want him and Bobby in the line of fire? She’d taken the job at Papagayos in part because she thought she might need someone with killer instincts.

  There was major history between them and she’d caused a big dog pissing match. Ray’s accusation shocked and hurt, but his comment regarding her ass had her mad as hell.

  If he’d just call and apologize. Who was she kidding, he’d just find another reason to leave. This was his easy way out.

  She stepped inside the house and found Bobby sunken in the couch staring at the TV.

  “Where’s Sarah?”

  “Weeding the flowerbed out back. Avoiding me.” He sported a two-day old beard, and his eyes were bloodshot and hollow. “I’m assuming you passed the test yesterday.”

  “Yeah. Sorry I didn’t call.” She explained that Vic had been released and what happened with Ray.

  He roughed his hands over his face in exasperation. “Damn if we’re not a fucking pair. I’m trying, Jo. She swears that she didn’t send those e-mails, but what am I supposed to think? You’re theory is possible, but who would want to set me up beside her?”

  Until now, she’d been quiet like Harley asked, but things we
re unraveling at the seams. “I don’t know, but it’s ironic that someone tried to implicate me when I first returned home. Now, DEA has found evidence against you. I think someone is fucking with you to get to me. The fact that Vic’s out because evidence tampering makes me believe he’s involved in this, too.”

  “How do you know they were checking you?” His brows furrowed.

  “Sorry, can’t say, but what I just said must stay between us.”

  Bobby sighed and muted the TV. “I should stay at the beach house and keep an eye on you.”

  “Don’t run away from the problem like him.” She didn’t want her brother hurt because her past.

  “He didn’t run. You said you didn’t want him involved. He’s wrong in accusing you, but you shouldn’t have lied. He took a bullet in Iraq, surrounded by the enemy. You think he’s the least bit intimidated by your drug running ex-boyfriend?”

  Nor by fire or Harley.

  * * * *

  Jo took a long run along the beach. The dune grasses swayed in the spring breeze. Without a single word or a text from Ray since he left, she debated messaging him. Maybe try to explain her reasons for her concern over him and Bobby.

  He was stubborn to a fault. Then again, so was she. She’d taken the weekend shifts at the bar rather than being home alone. After a swig from her water bottle, she gargled and spit. Then puked.

  She’d hardly eaten. She returned to the house and brushed her teeth. Terror struck when she opened the medicine cabinet for some mouthwash. Her birth control pills sat on in the shelf untouched in the last few days. She hadn’t taken a one since the evening Bobby called her to the police station. Then she and Ray and made love the next afternoon. She should be starting the next package. Oh, God…

  Her phone tingled at her hip as she left the bathroom, planning to head to the store for a pregnancy test. She prayed it was Ray. Instead, she read a volunteer callout. Now that she’d passed the academy, she needed all the brownie points she could earn to be assigned to a nearby station.

  Chapter 34

  She snatched her keys and hopped in the truck with her hands shaking. Her stomach lurched again as she neared the scene―the intersection where her dad had been killed.

  A gorgeous day with clear conditions, how could three vehicles become so mangled? Physics was a science that didn’t lie about weight verses mass. Add speed and disaster could happen in milliseconds.

  Two engines and three ambulances were already on scene. One ambulance displayed Roanoke Island’s logo. Jo hustled over to the two captains. Brody from Ray’s station stood talking to Grady, the one she’d met at the sailboat fire last fall.

  “Mercer.” Grady motioned her over.

  Captain Brody cut his eyes at her and rubbed his chin.

  “You didn’t know she is Cappy’s daughter?” Grady asked.

  Brody shook his head. “Should have guessed from the name. See if the EMTs need help. Later, we’ll need you on clean up.”

  The first ambulance left with sirens blaring. An EMT and firefighter were accessing a victim as she stepped up. Outwardly, the woman seemed to have only sustained a few cuts. Any other contusions remained hidden under her clothing. Jo learned in training that looks could be deceiving. Kneeling, she asked if she could help.

  Georgia turned to her. “Hey Jo. Can you get me a c-collar off our rescue unit? Check the right bin door, at the end.”

  The other firefighter had been at the Fourth of July beach party. He nodded to Jo. “You got Georgia? They’re going to need some help getting the other two victims free.”

  “Go ahead.” She fought another wave of nausea and rushed to the ambulance. After returning, she started to hand Georgia the collar.

  “You collar her.” She held the woman’s neck.

  Jo had secured the Velcro when a saw engine fired up. It was bad when they used the blades.

  “You should go over.” Georgia nodded with a determined look. “I’m good here. If you can’t take it, you should know now.”

  No point putting herself through more torture if she couldn’t hang. Her father had returned from every fire. Fire she could deal with, but this… Slowly, she walked over with a blade of fear lodged in her chest.

  Both vehicles were still mated by mangled metal. One firefighter stood at the driver’s door of a small SUV, and the other at the rear passenger door of a small Toyota.

  Ray.

  Shit.

  How had she missed seeing him when she arrived? Captain Brody waved to her. Fuck.

  “Everyone’s busy, Mercer. Help Andrews and Myers.”

  “Yes, sir.” She ran over.

  The vehicle’s dash was nearly in the driver’s lap. He couldn’t have been much younger than she.

  She tried to sound calm and reassuring. “They’re going to get you out. Just got to do a little trim work on your car.”

  “Can you get in the space behind him while we make a third door.” Ray had already pried the metal away from the door hinges so they could be snipped.

  She’d learned the term during vehicle extrication instruction. The man was large and they needed to cut an opening larger than the driver’s door because of the way he was sandwiched in the sedan. From the passenger’s side, she cleared the broken glass around the window then crawled through squeezing into what was left of the compact’s backseat.

  Myers handed her a c-collar.

  She slid it behind the man’s head, careful not to move him. “Just a precaution.”

  “That’s good.” Ray lowered the face shield of her helmet and then bent to pick up the cutters. “Keep him still.”

  “You trust him?” The victim’s voice rose to a panic as the pneumatic blades worked on the car. The background noise of the saw being used elsewhere on scene only added to the terrifying situation.

  “With my life,” She attempted to calm him as well as her own nerves. She kept a hand on his shoulder.

  “The next one is trickier.” Ray moved to the post behind the driver.

  “Man, you’re inches from my head.” The driver started to fidget.

  “And the reason you can’t move.” Ray took off his coat and handed it to her. “Cover his face, Jo.”

  She glanced at Ray.

  He nodded. “Only a few more minutes, then you’re free.”

  She covered the patient and kept his neck steady, hoping he didn’t feel her hands trembling from the adrenaline pumping through her system.

  “So you like this work?” he asked from beneath the coast.

  “So far. I’m just a volly.” She laughed.

  “What’s that?”

  “Firefighter’s term for a volunteer.” She lightly squeezed his arm reassuringly.

  “And the big son of a bitch who’s attempting to decapitate me?”

  “Ray’s been around for a while. He’s bench press champ at his station. Lots of arm strength. Good for controlling the shears.”

  “Hope you’re right.”

  The scene quieted as the saw quit. About the time, Ray and the other firefighter peeled back the vehicle metal.

  “Now for the fun part.”

  “What now?” the driver asked.

  “They’re going to pop your seat back.”

  Ray angled the shears at the seat bolt. After a short squeal of the blades, the seat dropped in her lap. Waiting EMTs put him on a backboard.

  “Thanks.” The patient waved as they hauled him out.

  Ray pushed the seat forward and held out his hand for her. After helping her out, he disappeared amongst a sea of yellow coats.

  She helped the other volunteers spread clay granule onto oil puddles. Along the way, she gathered bits of car parts and tossed them from the roadway. Two vehicles had already been towed off when a third tow truck arrived for her patient’s newly carved compact.

  Jo latched on to Georgia as she closed the bins on the ambulance. “Hey, thanks. You were right.”

  “You
didn’t think you could do it?” She raised a brow and gave her a toothy smile.

  “Did you?”

  “Yes. But you needed to know. It’ll get easier.” She patted her shoulder. “Now what’s going on with you two?” She nodded toward Ray who stood across the road.

  Jo shrugged, wondering if it was that obvious or only to Georgia. He seemed to be her favorite on the crew.

  “Is he being a dick? You want me to give him a talking to?”

  “We just have a difference of opinion. Don’t bring it up, okay?”

  “Yeah, no problem.” Georgia turned for the driver’s door. “Work it out. I like Ray and I like you. You’re good for each other.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” She headed for her truck parked at a nearby fast food franchise. A recently washed black Hummer sat a few spaces from hers. Its gleaming chrome made her truck look old. She nearly tripped over the curb. Of course, he had to be standing at his door. God, she hated clunky boots.

  He maintained a stern expression through her clumsiness.

  “You got called?” Why wasn’t he on the rig with his crew? Tomorrow began their four days off.

  He leaned against his truck, having already shed his gear. His faded jeans hugged his lean hips and the blue firefighter’s T-shirt strained at the shoulders and chest. With his shades perched on top of his head, he gauged her with icy blue eyes.

  “I’d already planned to take today off.” He glanced at his watch. “We would’ve been in Myrtle Beach by now. A few days to celebrate you passing the academy.”

  She avoided his stare, the full weight of their relationship suddenly on her shoulders. “I’m sorry―”

  He waved her off. “You held it together back there. I’m impressed.”

  “It was a messy scene.” Like them. Yet he’d been her source of strength to get through it. He’d always been her tower of power, even in California. Just hearing his voice on the phone used to fortify her. When he’d been shipped to Iraq, she’d missed him more than she’d missed her father. She swallowed salty tears. “They were lucky. No one died. The guy freaked a little while you snipped the post, but I told him he could trust you.”