by J. Richards
Part of her wants him to stay…but part of her is afraid of what that will mean. Right now she just can’t handle all the implications, all the stress and sexual electricity between them. Not when she’s so worried about Kane and her world has been turned upside down.
“No, I said I’ll be okay,” she finally answers. “Thank you, but…but I need to be alone.”
For a moment she’s certain he won’t leave her, no matter what she wants. His frown is formidable. Then he finally relents, though it’s clear its killing him to do so.
“I’ll leave my number next to your keys,” he says. “If you need anything, call me.” He looks deep into her eyes and cups her jaw in his big hand. His thumb skims over her lower lip as her head tilts into his palm and she blinks slowly. “Get some sleep.”
He drops one more kiss to her lips and walks away, shutting her door and leaving her all alone.
He leaves her alone…and she already misses him.
CHAPTER TEN
Walking out of Victoria’s house took every last bit of strength Gavin had in his system. If they’d known each other longer, he never would’ve given in. Even now he can feel the Dominant in him wanting to turn around and simply tell her he was going to watch over her whether she liked it or not. Then again, he was practically sleepwalking, and it was easy to dream up fantasies of how he would make himself at home in her inviting house. The log cabin screamed comfort to his overworked brain and body. He conjured images of taking over the kitchen to make her lunch, while she slept off her exhaustion from the crazy morning. After filling her belly, he would have taken her upstairs to her master bath, placing her sweet body into the shower to wash off her helpless feelings and clear her sinuses. Then, with much inner struggle, he’d have tucked her into her bed and slept on the couch, where he had left her instead. But he didn’t, couldn’t. If he stayed he would have stripped her, touched her, and comforted her with his body. Making her forget about her worries and putting her in an orgasm-induced fog that would take days to come out of.
With any other woman there would be no need to keep his control on such a tight leash. Something about Victoria called to his soul. As unexplainable as it is, he wants to protect her from her fears and cuddle her warm body to him. These feelings are either the most intense case of lust he has ever known, or Gavin’s life, as it is, has just bitten the dust. He is afraid he might be falling in love with her.
Thankfully, when he had gotten home he had fallen into his king-size bed and slept deeply until six that evening, his body greedily stealing back the nine hours of sleep he had deprived it of yesterday.
Unfortunately, when he woke up, his cock was harder than a rock. In the shower he had lubed up his thick cock and stroked it to the images of a sweaty Victoria in the gym before he’d had to break up her fight. His fist clutches his shaft and jerks roughly up and down. His thumb presses against the vein in the underside of his dick and follows it up to the base to his head. He uses the web of his hand to stimulate the smooth, swollen crown.
His body twitches and hot, thick ropes of cum shoot out and against the tile of his shower. He leans his back against the wall and continues stroking himself while the aftershocks of release roll through his limbs. He scrubs his body with soap until any evidence of his self-induced passion is gone. Feeling ten times lighter, Gavin steps from the shower and gets ready for the day ahead.
Now he sits in his truck, in the firehouse’s parking lot, dreading the long night ahead. On his way to his shift, he had called Doc to check on Victoria’s dog. The poor thing was hanging on strong. His recovery would take a few more days, but he would be just fine. The news calmed some of his worry for Victoria, but he knew she would still be overcome by the stress of the events.
With a deep breath, he gets out of the truck and starts tackling his shift duties, checking over what feels like miles of hoses, oxygen tanks, and fireproof jackets. The work is tedious, and his brain can’t stay on task. Gavin finally tucks everything back into its place and makes his way to the kitchen. Tonight’s shift is Chief’s turn to cook. He made a huge pot of spaghetti and meatballs. With plates piled high, they crowd around the TV to eat.
The station phone shrieks and every man jumps up, leaving dinner behind. They start scrambling into their gear before the second ring. Each pair of eyes burns into the older man’s back as he speaks to whoever might be on the other line.
“All right, boys,” Chief yells over his shoulder as he hangs up. “It isn’t much, but it’s something.” He shakes his head with a small chuckle. “We’ve got to coax that damn cat from the tree again.”
Groans fill the air as the men climb onto the truck. Gavin, however, can’t help but smile. Ms. Aldridge lives on the same road Victoria does. Perhaps he might able to sneak away and check on her while the others wrestle the evil feline.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Vicki’s eyes open slowly, swollen from crying and her incessant rubbing her tears away. She tries to roll over, to snuggle into the back of her couch, but her arm is caught above her head. Another tug proves she can’t move either of her arms at all. Looking up the length of her arms, she sees brightly colored ropes tied tightly around her wrists and secured over the arm of the couch, bound to the leg. A deep male laugh sounds from the other side of the room. Her head snaps in that direction, and her stomach jumps into her throat.
Dave is standing in her living room, watching her as she struggles, a sick sneer on his ugly face. Chills of dread spiral down Vicki’s spine.
“Why are you here? What the fuck are you doing?” she screams at Dave, yanking at the ropes but unable to pull free.
“Not so feisty now, are you, little bitch?” He smiles and steps up beside the couch. Vicki does her best to shrink away from him as he comes closer, but the ropes keep her in place. His big hand runs up her thigh, continues until he is holding the left side of her ribs. “We could have had a lot of fun together, you know?” He looks up and down her body as he speaks. “But no!” he yells at her.
She tries to swallow her panic. “Dave.” She speaks his name slowly to avoid angering him further. “What are you talking about?”
“Us! You idiot! I saw you look at me and I know you wanted me, but no!” His voice is a screech that no one would ever guess possible from such a large man. “Instead you cheated on me with fucking Gavin!” His hand gropes her left tit and he squeezes until tears form in her eyes. “Is this why you wanna be with Gavin? Huh? You fucking like it when guys hurt you? You know he is some sick, twisted man? He has to beat his women to get off!” Dave lets go of her and steps back. His face twists in disgust. “I could have fucked you real good.” He pauses. “But that time has passed, and now your hero will get here just in time to watch your bitch ass burn.”
Dave picks up her cell phone and dials nine-one-one. While waiting for the operator, he starts pouring gasoline around the couch, over her TV, and through the kitchen. He isn’t hurrying or seem to care that he’s about to send her into a living hell.
With all her strength, Vicki fights the ropes around her wrists. The fire department is fifteen minutes away from the house, at least. There is no way on earth Gavin or anyone else could get to her in time.
“Yeah, hey,” Dave speaks into the phone. He leans against the kitchen counter and winks at her. “I’d like to report a fire.”
Vicki’s brain shuts off with fear. No one will save her. She is going to die. Right here, right on her couch, and it will be Gavin who finds her. Tears stream down her face but she doesn’t even feel them. Her wrists are numb from yanking against the ropes, and her shoulders burn from the odd angle Dave has her arms stretched. None of these things will matter in a few minutes.
Dave hangs up the phone and looks at his watch. A twisted smile breaks over his face, and he laughs, long and loud.
“Anything you wanna say before I drop the match on you?” He cocks his head to the side, and Vicki’s stomach tries to empty. Having eaten nothing all day, her body struggle
s through the strong dry heaves. Saliva runs down her jaw and mixes with her tears.
“Please, Dave, please don’t do this!” she pleads.
“I want Gavin to hear your screams! So, we are going to wait. Give those lazy assholes time to get here.”
Dave’s words stab her heart. Gavin, who held her before he even knew what was wrong, who defended her honor and kicked Dave out of the gym. How would he take her death?
Would he blame himself for not arriving sooner? Or regret his decision to revoke Dave’s membership? Closing her eyes, she sends up a silent prayer that Gavin will know none of this is his fault.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The fire engine jounces down the curvy dirt road. The guys are yelling to each other over the sounds of the truck as they make their way to rescue the cat. Gavin presses his head back into the seat rest, trying to find a way to handle all of these new emotions he has begun to feel.
“Hold on, guys!” Chief yells from the passenger side. He has the radio mic up to his mouth and his friendly face has gone slack. “We just turned down that road.” He says into the tiny black box before hanging up. He turns in his seat to address his crew. “We got a fire, boys! 1206, this road!”
Everyone begins tugging on their helmets, but Gavin only stares at the Chief.
“Victoria’s house?” he asks. He had to have heard the address wrong.
“Yeah, that’s the one. The call came in just a second ago. Operator said the caller was calm, but she could hear a woman screaming in the background.”
Everyone clutches the seats as Smith slams his foot harder on the accelerator, the cat’s predicament long forgotten with human lives at stake.
Smith makes a sharp turn down Victoria’s long driveway, and the house appears fine. No smoke, no flames. All of the men jump from the truck, and Gavin rushes to the door. He uses the back of his hand to test the temperature of the doorknob and finds it cool to the touch. He turns the knob and discovers it’s unlocked. He carefully pushes the door inward while staying clear of any fire flash up or back draft. The sight in the living room confuses him.
“Dave?” Gavin steps closer.
“How’d you get here so fast?” Dave begins fumbling with a box of matches in his hand, and Gavin realizes the smell of gasoline is incredibly strong. Looking around, he sees everything is coated in a slick, shimmering layer. He spots Victoria on the couch, her hands tied tight. He instantly goes cold as fear rushes through him.
“Whoa, easy, Dave!” He holds his hands up but still takes a hesitant step closer. “You don’t want to do that.”
“I wanna watch her burn like my lust does for her. Watch it take her breath away like she does to me every time she shakes her ass at the gym.” Dave is yelling and backs up to the door in the kitchen. “She’s a slut, Gavin. You just can’t see it because you’re as fucked up as she is!”
Dave opens the door and steps beyond the threshold. He finally manages to get a match out.
Gavin takes another step closer to Victoria. She has stopped screaming and it appears she has stopped fighting altogether.
“Did you poison her dog, Dave?”
“Had to! The big dick wouldn’t let me get to her last night.” Dave strikes the match on the side of the box. Gavin reaches under his thick jacket for the utility belt around his hips. He unbuckles the folding knife but keeps his hand under the jacket’s flaps. He takes another big step closer to the couch. Two more steps will bring him to Victoria’s side.
Dave doesn’t give him the time. He throws the match toward them.
The vapor in the air ignites before the match hits the floor. The world erupts in a blue flash, the hottest part of the flame licking over the first floor before the yellow flames come to life and begin eating everything in the place.
Gavin dives for the couch, cutting through Victoria’s bonds with his knife. He picks her up and tucks her against his chest, trying to use the sleeves of his jacket to keep her skin safe. The house looks like what he imagines living on the sun would feel like. There is no air to breathe. What seemed like a few feet to the front door has turned into a trek across a new, undiscovered hell.
His boots slip in the spilled gasoline. His knees hit the wood floor hard and send shocks of pain through his system. Ignoring them, he pushes to his feet and runs for the door. Just outside the door frame is another world to fight. The boys have turned on the hose and are dousing the house to save it. It’s like pushing through a waterfall to get to the fresh air on the other side.
Smith is there, with open arms and a shock blanket. He passes Victoria over to the other man. Once his arms are free, he begins ripping his jacket off. He needs to check her body. Did Dave pour it on her? Did he get to her in time?
“How far out is the ambulance?” Gavin yells over the roaring of the fire and the rushing sound of the hose. They hustle her to the other side of the fire engine, letting its bulky body block the heat of the flames.
“Ten minutes,” Smith answers, waiting for Gavin to sit in the dirt. He places Victoria over Gavin’s lap. Both of them carefully unfold the blanket they wrapped her in. Gavin touches her jaw, turning her to face him. Her eyes are open but they aren’t tracking anything. She is panting in quick, shallow breaths.
Smith runs his hands over her arms, down her legs, and grabs her hands. “She’s cold and showing signs of delayed capillary refill. She’s in shock, but I think you pulled her out in time. I don’t see any signs of any actual burns.” Smith rewraps the blanket around her body and claps Gavin on the shoulder. “Keep her warm till the ambulance arrives. Good job, man.”
He can only nod because his relief is so overwhelming he doesn’t trust himself to answer. Smith walks away to help the others extinguish the flames.
Gavin pulls Victoria to his chest while he murmurs against her temple. “I got you, baby. You are safe. I got you.”
Victoria doesn’t respond. That only makes him hold her tighter, as if he could protect her against every danger in the world.
“I got you.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Sirens blare in the distance, and a shiver takes over Vicki’s body. She keeps her eyes squeezed shut and tries to sit up. The confining space makes her feel like a butterfly in a cocoon. Fear swells back into her brain, and she starts screaming. Screaming and pushing. Why is she cold and trapped instead of burned and dead?
“Take a deep breath, Victoria. It’s only a blanket. Don’t struggle.” The voice in her head is deep and soothing. She does as she is told, pulling air into her sore lungs. “Good girl. It’s OK now.”
Hands that must belong to the voice begin to unwrap the blanket from around her shoulders. She forces her eyes open, blinking rapidly. When her sight clears, Gavin’s face is above her.
“G-Gavin?” she stutters.
“Yes, baby girl, it’s me.” His long finger strokes her cheek. Those deep chocolate eyes lock on hers, and her fears melt away.
“How?” she breathes.
“We were on another call. That cat was trapped in the tree again. We were already on this road when Dave called nine-one-one.” He pulls her even closer and speaks into her hair. “Thank God for that damn cat. I’ll be sending him a gift basket of catnip and anchovies for this one.”
“Dave. Did someone stop him?”
Gavin blows out an angry sigh. “No, Victoria. I’m so sorry.” He brushes her hair back, and she can see his emotions swirl and twist in his eyes as he looks down at her. “The guys were trying to…”
He closes his eyes, and she knows now why he is stalling. Her Daddy’s house. It must be ruined. A single tear rolls down her face.
Gavin gently brushes the tear away. “They were trying to save the house. Dave disappeared into the woods. The police are searching now. They’ve called in the county department to bring their K-9s.” His hand cups her cheek and his thumb skims over her lower lip. “We’ll get him. I promise.”
She nods and closes her eyes.
“Gavin, bri
ng her over,” Smith yells from across the driveway. He is standing at the back of the ambulance that has just arrived. He’s talking to the technicians as they open the back door and wait for Vicki.
He lifts her in his arms and carries her over. She peeks over his shoulder to see her home. Small spirals of smoke roll out of the front door, but it looks as if the rescuers have the fire out. A few men step from the door and catch her eye. Their faces are a mask, not revealing anything they are thinking. She presses her chin against Gavin’s shoulder. His strong arms wrap around her tighter.
“I’m going to set you down.” His hand soothes up and down her back. “But I will not leave your side.”
He lowers her onto the stretcher inside the ambulance. The warm blanket is removed. The EMTs touch her arms, down her legs, testing for injuries.
“Does anything hurt, ma’am?” The technician’s face is so young. Light blue eyes search her face.
“No,” she tries to answer but her throat is scratchy. She places her fingers against her neck. “Actually, just my throat.”
He nods and continues to look her over. “It appears they got you out before any damage was done. Smith said you’d been screaming, though, so I imagine you’ve irritated your throat. There’s some minor abrasions on your wrists, but nothing serious. You got really lucky, ma’am. I wouldn’t suggest you be alone, but you don’t have to go to the hospital unless you want to.” He places a reassuring hand on her shoulder and looks up at Gavin. They exchange a look, and the tech exits the ambulance.
Gavin gets down to his knees in front of her. Her lip quivers, and she sinks her teeth into it, trying to make it stop. She looks down into her lap, shoulders hunching forward. He gradually tangles his fingers in hers and lifts them to his lips.
“You can stay with me until the smoke damage company is able to clean up.” He keeps his voice steady, and his lips brush against her hands as he speaks. “Smith says it was more of a flash fire because we were here and able to get it out so quickly. Your furniture and décor will need to be replaced, probably the wood floors as well, but other than that it’s just smoke damage.”
