by Stone, Piper
“Heard you were in 9/11 .”
The words, the basic statement seemed to float toward him, echoing and leaving a ringing in his ears. Blinking several times, he twisted his body in Riker’s direction. “What the fuck? Does everyone know my business? Is that what this team is all about ?”
“I make it my business to know who’s standing beside me,” Riker countered, taking a long stride closer .
Incensed, Landen closed the distance, until he was only two feet in front of the man. “Do you want to know about 9/11? Do you?” When Riker remained quiet, he shook his head, rage furrowing into his system. “Fine. Let me tell you.” His body shaking, he took a step back, clenching his fist. “I was standing in a meeting in the fire station the moment the first bomb went off, but we were close, close enough the entire building shook. As you can imagine, we raced outside. The sight of smoke coming from the tower was horrific. A gnawing hits your gut, a knowing. All you can think of is getting to the scene, helping anyone caught in the fire .
“We were already on our way when the second bomb hit. By that point, every member of my team knew exactly what was going on. There was no talking. No need. We remained quiet, sickened as the news began to pour in. There wasn’t a firefighter on or off duty that day who didn’t respond. We all went in droves. Then the first building started to crumble.” Landen looked toward the water, reliving every damning moment as if the tragedy had just occurred .
Riker remained quiet .
“Our engine company had just arrived on the scene. There is no way to describe the morbid feeling or hearing the screams coming from every corner. Then there was a rumble, the ground beneath us shaking to the point we weren’t able to stand up straight. Within seconds the building was in ruins, smoke, ash and debris everywhere. The collapse happened within seconds, not minutes, but every single tick of the clock, every breath I took, I could feel and see what was happening. I knew those people were dying. Dying! They were either burned or crushed to death in the blink of an eye. Hundreds of people died in seconds. Do you hear me?” Landen demanded as he glared at Riker, his breath sounds catching in his throat .
“I…” Riker started then looked down .
“You couldn’t understand unless you were there. Every other scrap of sound was absorbed by the blast and I’ll never forget the screeching of metal, the booming sounds of the building caving in or the windows exploding. Then there was nothing. Nothing at all. Such quiet, such eerie quiet unlike you can imagine. Then the screams and the sirens began as everything burned.” He pressed the back of his hand across his mouth as tears slipped down his cheeks. Wiping them away, he glared up at the sun. “I don’t remember every detail after that or for at least two days, but I reacted as required. Every member of my squad did their jobs. We fought to put out the raging fires while emergency workers arrived on the scene. Then the digging began. The search for survivors. Do you have any idea what it’s like to search for any sign of life? You know in your gut there’s no one left. No one. Then a single survivor is found, bloodied and unconscious, their bodies scored or ripped apart. But. They. Are. Alive .”
Riker’s breathing was ragged, his chest heaving .
“There was no way out of the nightmare. Everyone wanted answers. So much screaming. So many dead. And we worked. Day and night, we worked. My God. To think that any concept of humanity was left was too unthinkable. We wanted to hunt them down, slaughter every one of those bastards. Instead, we faced a sea of death and despair. There was no way to get the stench off our clothing, our skin. I burned everything I could just to get rid of the smell. And still, there was more. So much more.” He waited for a full minute before lowering his voice. “That’s what 9/11 was like.” He closed his eyes as visions swept through the back of his mind, rolling in a continuous stream of horrors. He heard Riker inching closer, could even sense the heat of the man’s body, but he remained unable to look him in the eyes .
“Time for you to move on, let the demons rest .”
The sentiment said by a stranger, by a man who had no idea of the horrors instantly blinded him with fury. Jerking up his head, he glared at his teammate just a split second before he cold cocked him .
Wham!
Teetering backward, Riker managed to remain standing. He grabbed his jaw and snarled. Then he took a swing. They tumbled to the ground rolling, as punches were thrown .
Landen no longer cared what would happen. He just wanted the wretched pain to go away. “Fuck you!” Tossed to the side, he struggled to his feet then lunged .
Bam! Pop !
They wrestled, both men swinging and connecting. Riker grabbed him around the throat, pitching him to the ground. Grunting, he struggled but managed to pin down Landen’s arms and wrestled his way on top. “Jesus! Stop .”
“Fuck you!” Outweighed and out maneuvered, he struggled briefly until a moment of absurdity rushed into his system. Every muscle tense, aching from the solid punches, he gave up, opening his hands as he panted .
Riker coughed and licked blood from his lip before shaking his head. “Damn it, Landen. Damn it.” Rolling off, he rose to his feet and walked toward the water, hunkering down and tossing water into his face .
Landen managed to sit up and winced. The intense anger flowed away, followed by a bone chilling cold. He touched his cracked and swollen lip and exhaled. “Fantastic .”
Riker shot him a look then rose to his full height. Using long strides, he held out his hand, nodding in encouragement .
He grabbed onto Riker’s arm and was hoisted to his feet. An awkward silence settled in. Holding his stomach, he doubled over and realized he hadn’t told anyone so many vivid details in a hell of a long time. He felt as if a tremendous weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He coughed several times and spit out strings of blood. What the hell was he supposed to say? When he was able to breathe without wheezing, he straightened up and sniffed .
Giving Landen a harsh glare, Riker rubbed dirt from his jeans. “I came here to tell you Shannon isn’t working today. Thought you might need her address so you can get that dog .”
Nodding, Landen tried to issue a smile, but wasn’t in the mood. “Yeah .”
“I’ll give it to you but if you hurt her in any way, I’ll hunt you down, a member of my team or not. You got it ?”
“Understood.”
Landen half listened as Riker gave him the address and basic directions. When Riker said nothing else and walked back toward the forest, he took two difficult steps toward the man. “Why did you really come here? You found out about my past, so you certainly could have gotten my cell phone number .”
Riker snorted and stopped but didn’t turn around. “Because I figured you were in a bad way and I have some idea of what you went through. Felt I should tell you. Offer something .”
He took another step closer, trying to comprehend what the man was telling him. “How could you know? How could you have any idea of the kind of horrors I went through. I might be a rookie and have no clue, but no fire in the forest could ever be the same .”
The large man made no sound for a full minute. When he spoke, the tone was husky, laced with a hollow and haunting sound. “How could I know?” He tipped his head, so he could look Landen directly in the eyes. “I lost my wife and little girl in a fire that I could have stopped. I could have saved their lives, but I wasn’t there because I was doing my duty. They died because I worked a double shift by choice. So, yeah, I do get it .”
As Riker walked away, trudging through the underbrush, Landen heard a single moan, the most wretched sound he’d ever heard. He’d also seen something in the man’s eyes, his blackened soul .
Chapter 6
S hannon had every door and window locked, even though she adored the fresh air and sunshine. She’d checked the front light. The slightly unscrewed bulb was the answer, although her mind had conjured up various alternatives. She stood at her back window, admiring her meager attempts at a garden and watched the setting sun. T
he colors were dazzling, creating a vibrant rainbow of colors. She gripped the glass of wine with taut fingers, hissing every few seconds. The asshole had gotten to her. There hadn’t been an overt threat, but she read men pretty well. He wasn’t going to lose, no matter who he had to hurt including her .
The sound of the dog’s thumping tail drew her attention. Chuckling, she looked down at his empty bowl of dog food and smiled. She’d gotten a few provisions on her way home, before slip sliding into her own padlocked prison. This wasn’t like her. Then again, no one in Missoula had challenged her in this egregious of a manner before. “You ate well, Jace .”
Woof!
When Jace padded closer, rubbing his face against her leg, she knew he liked the name. Now, she only hoped Landen would. Exhaling, she shook her head as she thought about the sexy man. There was no harm indulging in a fantasy or two. She absently swirled the tip of her index finger around the rim of her glass as she envisioned his carved face and dancing eyes. The way he looked in blue jeans and boots reminded her of why she adored a working man or working a man, giving him a long, hard ride. The thought leaving her mouth dry, she took another sip. One night couldn’t hurt. Right ?
Her little voice pounded inside her head, a dulling reminder of reasons she couldn’t get involved. But… She would have to see him again and likely not just at the restaurant. He had no idea where she lived, and would no doubt try and find her at Ziggy’s. Well, Jace was certainly welcome for one more night. Truth be told, she was glad to have another warm body here, at least for the time being. Scared? Maybe. Another glass of wine would help .
As she was about to pour, she heard a solid two raps on her door. Jumping, an instant prickling sense of dread rushed into her core. She gripped the counter as Jace went wild, racing toward the door, his bark menacing. Owning a gun had seemed like a ridiculous concept. Now? She took her time, taking a gulp of wine and selecting a very sharp knife before heading toward the door, whistling along with her music of choice. There was nothing like a metal band to brighten her mood. However, at this point she could only think of various disturbing activities .
She peered outside and was unable to see a vehicle of any kind. The dog continued to go wild, sitting back on his haunches and barking nonstop. “Jace. Shush.” After a few seconds, he whined but obeyed. She reached out, touching the lock then pulling away. No, some two-bit cowboy dominator wasn’t going to stop her from living. When she opened the door, the visitor was standing on the bottom step, peering up at the mountains .
Woof. Woof !
Jace rushed out and the instant he was beside the stranger, he stopped barking, but his face was turned up, a slight whine coming from deep in his belly .
“Hey, little fella. How ya doin’?” Bending over, Landen used both hands, rubbing Jace’s head vigorously. He was nose to snout with the dog, allowing licks to be spread all over his face. “You’re all clean .”
“Yeah, he was filthy.” A smile curling across her lips, she leaned against the doorjamb, watching the way Landen lit up around the dog, a huge grin on his face, his expression as well as his hands animated. Jace squirmed and whined, pawing and wiggling until he finally jumped up, placing both paws on Landen’s shoulders. Dogs had an innate sense of weeding out the jerks from the good guys. The difference in Jace’s reaction to Montgomery versus Landen was, of course, telling .
“Howdy, cowboy. How was your first rodeo?” she asked .
Landen exhaled and continued rubbing the dog. He said nothing, as if he hadn’t heard her question .
She cleared her throat and started to repeat. “So, how was — ”
“I heard you. I just didn’t know how to answer.” He turned his head, his eyes darting back and forth across hers .
It was so obvious he was waiting for a snotty comeback. Even in the dimming light, she could see the fat lip and what would be a dark eye soon enough. “I hope the other guy looks worse .”
Shrugging, he offered a short grin then pushed Jace down. “It’s okay, boy.” When Jace was settled, he rubbed the scruff of the dog’s neck and wrinkled his brow, groaning from the action. “Riker looks about the same .”
“Riker? What the hell happened out there ?”
“Not what happened out there. Just a tedious story .”
She breathed in, her inner voice screaming to invite him in. Kicking her boot against the threshold, she tried to find reasons to push him away before making a decision. “Sounds like one to be told over a cold beer or a glass of wine. If you’re game.” At that point, she realized she still had the knife in her hand and was waving the implement of death around as she talked .
He opened his eyes wide then grinned before holding up his arms. “Promise. No funny business .”
“You should have seen the last guy who said that. Come on in. I think I need to get you some ice as well.” She didn’t wait for him to follow and muttered to herself as she walked into the kitchen, carefully placing the knife on the counter. “Do you prefer beer or…” She turned mid-sentence, expecting Landen to be right behind her. Neither the man or the dog was anywhere close. “Cowboys. Jesus Christ. Jace. Landen. I’m in here .”
Shannon grabbed a Ziploc bag and yanked open the freezer door, dumping in handfuls of ice. The approaching man caught her attention and she burst into laughter seeing almost a full case of wine in his arms. “Are we having a party ?”
“I don’t know. Are we? Who’s Jace, your boyfriend?” Landen asked, remaining in the doorway .
“The dog, yes, he needed a name and I meant because of the wine. Granted, I love wine maybe more than I should but a case? That’s sweet of you, I mean if you’re bringing that all to me, which you might not be, and that’s just fine.” She bit her lip and shut down her prattled conversation. “I talk a lot when I get nervous .”
“I make you nervous?” Landen asked as he took several steps into the kitchen, sliding the box down on her kitchen table .
“Well, no. Yes. Maybe .”
“You were the one with the knife in your hand. That the way you greet all your visitors?” His eyes twinkling, he eased just his thumbs inside the front pockets of his jeans .
Shannon smirked and poured some water into her sink. Oh no, she refused to allow her hands to shake, or any other body part for that matter. “I thought my visitor was someone else. Nasty man .”
“We have a special way of dealing with assholes back in New York City. Trust me. They never act like assholes again .”
She wasn’t entirely certain he was kidding. “What about in Montana ?”
He furrowed his brow then winced and shook his head, as if trying to shake off the pain. “I’ll figure something out .”
Inhaling, she had to look away before zipping the bag. His scent was woodsy, clean and so very masculine. “I appreciate the wine .”
“Least I could do. You don’t know me or my dog and allowed my boy to stay with you. I appreciate it more than you know. Didn’t know if you liked red or white so…” His words trailing off, he gazed down the length of her as she walked closer .
“Both. I like both.” Her answer was barely a whisper. She held up the ice toward his eye. “Riker has a hard, right hook .”
“Tell me about it. I deserved the hard punch though .”
The moment she touched the ice to his eye, he flinched and wrapped his hand around her wrist. The touch was electric, driving her up onto her toes and forcing her nipples to harden. “Oh…” She gently placed the bag against his skin, keeping her hand in place .
Landen grunted and let go, albeit not immediately. His fingers lingered, the tips brushing softly against her skin. “Thank you. I really don’t deserve much kindness after what I did .”
“Okay, now you have me intrigued. We’re gonna talk. Wine or beer?” She pulled his hand up toward the bag, forcing him to hold it in place. The touch was the same and she could tell he was looking down at her chest, studying her hardened buds. She swore to herself for having worn a lace bra an
d a thin tee shirt .
“Not much of a wine drinker, but I’ll try if you’re having a glass.” His voice was husky and deep .
She waited until she turned to roll her eyes. Damn if the man wasn’t turning her on. “You can cut the routine .”
“What routine ?”
Darting a look over her shoulder, she had to admit the sheepish expression did look good on the man. “The sad-sack ‘woe is me’ routine. Hardheaded suits your personality better .”
Grinning, he moved the ice to his lip. “Truth is, I deserved the punches since I started the damn fight.” When he spoke, the sound was muffled .
“I don’t know Riker that well, but I do know he keeps to himself. What in God’s name did he say or do to piss you off ?”
“Got into my past, not one I’m ready to talk about at this point.” Landen held the bag into the light .
“Uh-huh. Another brooding silent type. What is it with the smokejumpers? You all have some secretive or difficult past, thrive on danger and refuse to take no for an answer. I’ve seen the guys race into a fire without a second thought. I honestly don’t understand it.” She poured a second glass of wine, pushing it in his direction .
Landen hesitated before taking a contemplative sip then a gulp of wine, nodding in appreciation before he answered. “We’re adrenaline junkies. There’s no doubt and I know given my brothers in New York, we all have various but distinct and vital reasons we joined the fire department. Funny thing is, not me. I never really wanted to be a fire fighter, not at first anyway .”
“Then why’d you join ?”
“My dad. He’s was pretty insistent I join. He said I had no backbone, no sense or understanding of the future and zero drive. Said I’d end up in prison if I didn’t join the Marines or the firefighters. I couldn’t have made it in the Marines, so I took the lesser of the two evils .”
“Wow. What a choice your dad gave you .”
“I used to hate the man, loathe in fact, but he was right. I was on a one-way ticket straight to Hell .”
