Sizzle and Burn

by Lexie Davis

It was close to six when they arrived back at Autumn’s house, the day spent alone together. The living room was full of Callahan’s, the Major and Nick along with Davis. Nick sat in the recliner dressed in his fatigues shaking, his head at the ever entertaining Davis. The Major stood in the kitchen pulling out brownies he’d just baked.

  “There’s my baby sis.” Nick stood, ignoring Davis, and immediately wrapped his sister in a warm embrace. “You are in so much trouble for not having any of your famous brownies here when I arrived. I had to put Dad up to making them.”

  Autumn smiled at her father over her brother’s shoulder. “Dad’s aren’t as good as mine.”

  Major Eric Callahan hadn’t even changed from his fatigues. He and Nick were both dressed from head to toe in full military regalia, with the personality to match. Autumn pulled away from her brother and walked toward her father.

  “I’ve missed you.”

  Her father nodded toward her and opened his arms. “How are you feeling?”

  “I’m fine.” She hugged him close. “I’m sure Davis made everything up to be a bigger deal that it really is.”

  “Autumn you had—” Davis choked off the words he was about to say, catching Jackson’s look.

  “All right you guys,” she pulled away to face her family, “I’m not a little girl who can’t take care of herself. I have my fair share of problems and I battle them all the Callahan way. I’m just as much as a fighter as any one of you so don’t you dare treat me like the wounded victim.”

  Jackson took a seat next to Davis on the couch, neither one commenting on her remark. Nick remained silent as well, sitting back in the recliner. She glanced over at her father who had yet to take his eyes off Jackson.

  “Autumn.” Her father finally met her eyes. “You are still my little girl and you always will be.”

  “Dad, I’m fine. Jackson and I talked about it, and even though it hurts, we’re okay.” She plopped down on the couch next to the boys. “So drop it.”

  Davis and Jackson raised their eyebrows at her while Nick simply shook his head. No one told the Major to “drop it,” not now, not ever. Eric Callahan, however, was not her drill sergeant or commanding officer. He was her father.

  He took off his hat and threw it on the coffee table, making her flinch. “I promised your mother before she died I would take care of you.”

  “And yet you send Jackson to do your dirty work.” She stood up to face him. “Don’t get me wrong—I love him and I will until the day I die—but you hardly have right to blame him for anything.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Oh, don’t try to deny it. I see the way you’re looking at him. You trusted him to protect me, and he got me knocked up which only resulted in the miscarriage of your grandchild.” Autumn clenched her jaw, surprised by her own anger. “I don’t need a protector, Dad. I never wanted that. I can handle this and Gallagher on my own.”

  He crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at her. “I’m not having this argument with you while you’re in an emotional state.”

  “My emotions are fine.”

  “No they’re not. You’re acting just like—” He shook his head.

  “Just like who?” When he didn’t answer, she pressed him again. “Just like who, Dad?”

  “Your mother. She miscarried three times before she conceived you.” He walked to the loveseat with all eyes in the room on him. “I kept telling her it was okay. That we didn’t need a little girl, that our three boys were what we were destined to have. But she wouldn’t stand for it. It broke my heart each time seeing the pain she went through when the doctor gave her the news. He’d given up on us, too. He asked for me to get her counseling and to try to talk her out of having another child.” Her father’s eyes filled with tears. “I couldn’t. She had all your baby stuff picked out—those cute little pink dresses with matching bows. She wanted a little girl, and I wasn’t about to tell her no.”

  Autumn sank back against the couch, her father’s words hitting her hard. Her mother had gone through the same thing she had? No one ever knew about it. Faye was a private person as far as her personal life went, but she undoubtedly loved each and every one of her kids.

  Autumn stood, unable to deal with it anymore. After all the stuff that happened with Jackson, seeing him finally able to stand at his own mother’s grave and give her flowers only brought the past memories vividly in her mind. She missed her mother. Even after fourteen years of her being gone, she still missed the little things that made Faye Callahan so special. Being there, for one. She walked out of the room and headed for the backyard and some much needed space.

  She stood on the back deck with the slight breeze blowing in her face. She’d cried enough over the past few days and simply refused to cry anymore. She needed to figure out how to get rid of Frank’s threat and get her life back to normal. It wouldn’t be easy with her family breathing down her neck, but it was something she had to do.

  Nick stepped outside and Autumn scowled at him. “Why can’t you just leave me alone?”

  “Because. You’re not the only one that needs fresh air in there.” Nick stood beside her, quiet as he normally was.

  “It’s not fair, you know? I thought my life was pretty great up until now. But then Jackson comes crashing in. Frank decides to destroy my dream. I lose my second baby, although this one I really wanted.” She shook her head. “And I miss Mom now, more than ever.”

  “Me too, Autumn. Me, too.” Nick leaned against the side railing. “I’ve been on active duty since as long as I can remember, and I still keep Mom’s notes she wrote to me when I first joined the Marines. She wrote one for each day to help me overcome the stupid shit I had to go through in boot camp. She even wrote a few poems and stuff, Mom did that all the time to make me laugh or remind me of home when I was away. Of course, I hid them from the guys because they would have crucified me if they knew my mom wrote me notes, but I miss that about her. She was always there even when you didn’t think you needed her to be.”

  Autumn sighed. “When all this is over, I want us to visit her grave as a family. I haven’t been since her birthday, and I think we all need to make the time to go as a complete family, just the five of us.”

  Nick nodded and turned toward her. “Are you really okay, sis?”

  “I’m doing what I’ve done since I left home. I’m surviving.”

  * * * *

  Frank Gallagher smiled as his plans slowly unfurled. One by one, the incidents he created in Autumn’s life happened like clockwork. She didn’t take to the bomb he had planted so he vandalized the property. Autumn knew it was him, no point in denying that much, yet the police didn’t need to know that tidbit of information.

  Ever since Autumn graduated, she’d been recognized for being at the top of her game. She had the personality that went with the job, the ability to make friends and explain dire circumstances to unsuspecting clients. She cared, which was usually long forgotten by the time you receive your diploma and are on your own.

  Frank hated how much his parents liked her. He hated how much they wanted him to be like her. He never wanted to be a veterinarian, yet his inheritance would be cut short should he choose to go a separate way. Now he was stuck in a dead-end job that did absolutely nothing for him and he was still being compared to Autumn Callahan, the woman he should have married.

  He tipped his glass to his lips and let the soothing whiskey slowly burn its way to the pit of his stomach. Nothing had worked so far and he was about to take matters into his own hands. He turned in his chair and reached for the bottom drawer of his desk. Inside was a 9 mm handgun that fit perfectly in his hand.

  Soon. He rubbed the barrel of the gun against his thigh, almost in a caress. If Autumn couldn’t take his blatant hints, he’d have to put an end to her “good” charade once and for all.

  * * * *

  “That was Summer.” Autumn threw the phone down on the bed and stared at Jackson, who arched his eyebrow at her. “Gallagher’
s got all my patient referrals. He’s even running some kind of deal where my patients get a discount for coming to see him. Can you believe that?”

  “He’s just a dickwad, Autumn. Don’t let him get to you.”

  “Why aren’t you getting mad? Normally, you’re the one I have to hold back and you’re sitting there placid as can be.”

  Jackson rolled his neck. “I think you have a little bit of anger to unleash.”

  “A little bit?” Autumn started pacing. “He’s taken everything from me. My name, my clinic, my damn career. Now he has my patients and is offering a damn discount for the referral. I’m not angry. I’m pissed.”

  He nodded. “You have every right to be.”

  “Stop being nice! Get angry or something.”

  Jackson chuckled and stood. He pulled his bag out and grabbed his gun from the side pocket. “Let’s go kick some ass.”

  Autumn stared at him, a few seconds passing before she finally smiled. “I swear I’m so pissed off and you have me smiling. What the hell is with that?”

  “It’s my charm.” He replaced the gun in his bag.

  “Maybe.”

  “Autumn”—the Major appeared in the doorway—“this just arrived.”

  He handed her a package and waited patiently for her to open it. Davis and Nick crowded around the door. Autumn looked at the writing, noting immediately it was Frank’s. What does he want now?

  Inside was a note, a newspaper and some photos. Autumn chose the note first.

  Your days are over. Pack your bags and get out of the city.

  She sat the note on the bed and reached inside the envelope for the newspaper. The front page had her picture on it with a needle in her hand the day she sedated Dodo. Down below it, there was a white pit bull—obviously not Dodo—lying in a puddle of blood. The headline read: Trusted family vet killed beloved pet.

  She threw the newspaper aside and pulled out the photos, gasping at what she saw. Pictures of her and Jackson every time they were together. Intimate pictures, naked pictures, on the couch, at the motel, in the cemetery, in her bed—she flipped through them all and even spotted some at the hospital and in the park.

  “Sweetheart, what is it?” Jackson asked after a while.

  “I’m going to kill him!” She shoved all the stuff back in the envelope and pushed past her father and brothers with a harsh, “Move!”

  How dare he. Tears of rage formed in her eyes. After all I’ve done for him. After all the hell I’ve put up with from him, he treats me like this.

  “What was in the package?” Jackson followed behind Autumn, the Major, Davis, and Nick on his heels.

  “He just made this little battle a full-fledged war.” She sat on the couch to lace up her tennis shoes. “I’m ending this today.”

  “You’re not going to see him alone, Autumn. No negotiations.” Jackson crossed his arms, standing firm.

  “Excuse me? What did you say to me?” She grabbed her purse and slung the strap over her shoulder.

  “You’re not going by yourself.” Jackson narrowed his eyes. “And you’re going to tell me what was in the envelope.”

  “You think you can make me?”

  “If I have to handcuff you to the bed again, I will.”

  Davis snickered behind them, being the only one in the room that knew what he was talking about.

  “Don’t push me, Jackson. I’m already pissed off as it is.”

  “Tough.” He grabbed the envelope from her hands. She screamed at him and tried to get it back. Jackson opened it and pulled out a couple of pictures.

  “Son of a bitch.” He flipped through them before turning back to Autumn. “How were these taken? This one is in your home? How the fuck did he get pictures of us in your home?”

  “I don’t know.” And she didn’t. Anyone of them could have been taken through the window she supposed, but most of the blinds were down and the curtains pulled at all times. Especially at intimate times.

  “The motel, too?” Jackson asked outraged. “The cemetery. The park. The clinic. Your bedroom. The only one he’s missing is our time spent in the fucking bathroom!”

  “You didn’t read the paper.” Autumn pointed to the envelope. “He sent a note and a newspaper along with the pictures.”

  She glanced over at her family and blushed at the hard looks on each one of their faces. She wasn’t about to let her family see pictures of her and Jackson and really didn’t want to show them to the police.

  Jackson shifted, pulling the paper from the envelope. After reading the headlines he threw it at the couch. He grabbed the note next and crumbled it in his hand.

  “You’re staying here, Autumn.” He looked up at Davis. “Nick, Davis, let’s go.”

  The two men moved forward, not bothering to ask questions. Autumn stared, jaw dropped. “No. I’m going to take care of my problem.”

  Jackson eyes narrowed, his jaw hardening. “No. You’re going to sit your ass on that couch”—he pointed—“and let us handle this.”

  Autumn fumed. “You are not going to tell me what to do.”

  Jackson grabbed the newspaper and the crunched note and shoved them back in the envelope. “I just did.”

  Autumn glanced over at her father. He simply stood there watching the three men pack up to leave. “Be sure to call Jeffery so you have the law on your side.”

  “Doing it right now, Dad.” Davis punched the number in his cell phone and stepped outside on the porch.

  “What are you going to do?” Autumn grabbed Jackson’s arm. When he didn’t stop, she followed him in her bedroom stopping in the middle of the room while he rummaged through his bag. “Answer me, Jackson. What are you going to do?”

  He grabbed his gun and checked the ammunition. “I’m ending it.”

  Her eyes widened. “I told you I can handle it.”

  “And I’ve stepped aside for the most part and watched you ‘handle’ it the entire time I’ve been here.” He shoved the bag down and pushed the gun in the small of his back. “I’m not handling it, Autumn. I’m ending it. There’s a difference.”

  “Don’t do this.”

  “Too late.” Jackson moved past her and she grabbed his arm again. This time he stopped. They stared at each other, both refusing to give an inch.

  “Jackson,” she pleaded, hoping he’d back down.

  “I love you.” He moved toward her and leaned down to kiss her. “But please, just for once, listen to me. I don’t need to worry about you, okay? Just stay here with your father and play card games or watch movies.”

  “Jackson—”

  “Don’t wait up.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  With Nick behind the wheel and Davis in the back of Autumn’s SUV, Jackson climbed in the passenger seat. “We all know she’ll escape your father’s hold so one of us needs to be on the look out for her and her protection.”

  “I will,” Nick said. “Where are we going? To crash the dog fighting party?”

  “Yeah. Davis has been watching them and said it was set for tonight. What a perfect way to end all this bullshit and get him out of all our lives.” Jackson still couldn’t understand how he got the pictures of them. “You’d better not leave me alone with the bastard either because right now I could kill him and not think twice.”

  “Calm down, Jack.” Davis stuffed his phone back in his pocket. “Autumn doesn’t want conjugal prison visits for the rest of her life over something as stupid as that. Just suck it up and at most blacken his eye or break his jaw.”

  Nick snorted. “Is Jeff on his way?”

  “Yeah. He’s meeting us there.” Davis leaned forward. “There’s also some special news. Kristin is pregnant.”

  Jackson thumped his head against the head rest on his seat. “Don’t tell your sister.”

  “She’s not okay, is she?” Davis asked.

  “She’s tough. That’s about all I can say.” Jackson rubbed his eyes. “She feels guilty about not wanting the baby she miscarried with G
allagher and is grieving for this one.”

  “Gallagher knocked her up?” Davis asked. “When did this happen?”

  “A few years back. That’s what made her have the whole emotional thing when your father said your mother miscarried.” Jackson glanced out the window. “She’ll be fine though. She just needs to get her life back on track and Gallagher isn’t helping matters any.”

  They rode in silence the rest of the way to Gallagher’s compound, talking only about their plan for when they got there. Jackson knew he was reacting based on his own emotions and the need to protect Autumn but he would see that Gallagher’s taunting ended tonight. Serious consequences or not.