Flash Point

by Diane Benefiel

  Brad pitched his voice low even though the place was so noisy no one more than a foot away could possibly hear. “Let me know when it goes down. You’ll have backup from my team.”

  Logan nodded and spoke, also keeping his voice down. “I know you’ve got my back. Right now I’m the only Fed here and I’m moving carefully. I don’t want to make any mistakes.” Then he grinned, that lightning flash that had made the girls of Loss High giddy. “Looks like you’re not moving fast enough, pal.”

  “What do you mean? Shit.” Brad surged to his feet.

  Emma had moved to the bar with her empty glass, and one of the college boys decided it was time to make his play. The idiot probably thought he had smooth moves, the way he edged up to her, put a hand on her hip.

  He’d better keep his hands off, or he’ll find himself face down on the floor.

  “Easy.”

  Brad ignored Logan’s warning and pushed back from the bar. He got to Emma in time to see the guy lean forward to whisper in her ear while his hand crept toward her butt. That Emma intercepted that hand with a firm grip didn’t even begin to check his temper.

  “You’ll want to take your hands off the lady.”

  Emma jolted in surprise and released her grip while college boy turned with a sneer. “Go away. I saw her first.”

  “Both of you go away.” Emma turned back to the table but the kid made another idiotic move and grabbed her arm.

  “Does stupidity run in your family, son?” Brad asked, an edge to his tone. Emma wrenched her arm free and shoved past both men.

  College boy was drunk enough to be brainless. “Hey, honey, don’t you wanna go party?”

  In a split second, Brad had him by the shirtfront and shoved back against the bar. College boy’s friend took a hasty step back.

  “She doesn’t want to party, dumbass. And you’ll stay far, far away from her if you want to keep those fine, white teeth of yours straight.”

  “Dude. Take it easy.” Brad twisted the collar tight against the kid’s throat and had the young man babbling, eyes panicked “Didn’t know I was poaching. Put a ring on her so a dude knows.”

  Brad took a steadying breath and loosened his grip.

  Logan walked lazily to stand beside him. “Did you tell this worthless bastard you’re a cop? Even these two idiots should be able to figure out that means they’re fucked.”

  The bravado seeped out of the college boys as their eyes tracked between him and Logan.

  “No. Sometimes hauling their asses to the police station is just too much damn work. Easier just to persuade them it’s in their best interest to back off.”

  Logan laughed. “Oh, you mean beat the crap out of them. Break a few bones.”

  Brad kept a straight face as Logan laid it on thick. “Now you know I’m a peace-loving man. I treat all citizens with dignity and respect.” He backed up a step so the kid could stand.

  “That never stopped you before, bro.”

  College boy had evidently heard enough and held up his hands, palms out. “Dude. Take it easy. I didn’t know she was taken.”

  “Yeah. How’s a guy supposed to know?” his friend added.

  Brad gave them both a hard look. “Regardless of who she is, you keep your hands off women you don’t know. Show some respect.”

  The two looked at each other, shrugged, then moved away from the bar, keeping a watchful eye on Brad.

  Brad looked around and found the women’s table abandoned. He glanced at the entrance and caught the swing of Dory’s long hair before the door shut. She must have trailed the other two out. Suddenly fed up, he followed his friend back to their seats at opposite end of the bar. Emma was likely mad at him. He’d let her cool off then drop by to see her later.

  Ordering another beer, he settled in to watch the rest of the ballgame.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Emma seethed. Idiots. Men were idiots, Bradley Gallagher included. She could have handled the kid. She had been handling him, until the big bad cop muscled his way in.

  Maddy eyed her as they made their way toward her car. “There was no way Brad could ignore that, you know.”

  “I was taking care of it. I know how to make a guy back off.”

  “I’m sure you do. I’m just saying when a half-drunk jerk makes a crude pass at a woman, and Brad being Brad, he simply isn’t capable of letting it go. It’s who he is.”

  “I know you’re right, but that doesn’t make me less mad at him for interfering.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Where’s Dory?”

  Both women turned to look back toward the pub. “She was right behind us,” Maddy said, voice tinged with worry. They retraced their steps, looking down the lines of cars for a sign of their friend.

  “Let go.” The cry came from several rows over. Emma whirled toward Maddy.

  “She’s in trouble. Go get Brad, I’ll help her.”

  She was off in a flash, running mostly on her toes in the impossible shoes. Luckily the lot was well lit. Emma neared the place where she’d heard Dory’s voice, but couldn’t spot her. Then there was a muffled thud and the sound of a car door opening. She changed course, racing between pickups and SUVs until she saw the dome light of an extended-cab truck flash on.

  A large man grasped a struggling Dory in a tight hold, attempting to shove her into the vehicle. Emma charged toward them and saw Dory kick back against his shin. The sharp heel must have hurt because he grunted and then, with seeming calm, pulled her head back by the hair, raised a large fist, and clipped her jaw. Fury swelled, fury so blinding Emma launched herself against him with all the anger and rage she’d pent up for fifteen years.

  Her momentum forced him to loosen his hold on Dory and stumble back against the truck.

  “Emma, get away. He’ll kill you.”

  Emma ignored Dory’s panicked plea. But while she had anger carrying her, the big man likely outweighed her by over a hundred pounds. Her self-defense classes would only take her so far against the much-larger opponent. He pushed off against the truck and swung. She didn’t even feel the ham fist that skidded across her forehead. She rammed a knee into his groin, doubling him over. When he straightened, breath heaving, she aimed the heel of her hand at his nose. He ducked and wrapped both arms around her, using his weight to carry her down.

  Emma’s entire body felt the jarring shock. She hit the side of a car with her shoulder, then crashed down, head hitting the ground and gravel digging into her back. He fell on top of her, knocking the breath from her lungs. Before she could get her bearings, Dory leapt onto his back.

  “Leave her alone, Rod.” At her frantic plea, he pushed up to his knees, shaking to try to dislodge her.

  Emma squirmed out from under him, struggling to rise to her feet. She’d somehow lost her shoes. She sucked in a deep breath and prepared to rejoin the battle to protect Dory. Before she could move, a strong arm encircled her shoulders.

  “Stay back.” Brad pushed Emma behind him, not even looking at her, his attention focused on Rodrigo and Dory.

  Emma’s vision finally cleared enough to take in the wider scene. Maddy, eyes wide, stood behind Logan as he gripped Dory’s waist to haul her off her soon-to-be-ex-husband.

  The big man, blood streaming from a cut above his left eye, turned on Brad, the snarl on his face ugly under the harsh lights. “C’mon, Gallagher. I’ve been wanting a piece of you since high school. Looks like I’m finally getting the chance to whip your ass.”

  “Go for it, you bastard. Or do you only beat up on women?”

  Emma watched in fascination as Brad rolled his shoulders, clenching his fists in anticipation. A crowd had gathered, and she wondered who broke it up when the police chief got in a fight.

  Rodrigo wasn’t waiting. Head lowered, he charged. He had size and weight on his side, but Brad used that to his advantage. The big man surged forward, hands fisted. Brad ducked a swing and pivoted, plowing a fist into Rodrigo’s gut.

  He tackled Brad, slamming him hard against th
e truck. Brad’s head snapped back when he took an uppercut to the jaw, staggering before he shoved back, delivering quick jabs that bloodied Rodrigo’s nose.

  With an arm around Dory’s shoulders and Maddy standing at his side, Logan looked unconcerned. “You got this, Brad? I don’t like missing all the fun.”

  Brad didn’t take his attention off his opponent. “Don’t trouble yourself. This is almost over.”

  And it was. Rodrigo rushed forward, and with a quick move, Brad grabbed his arm and pulled it up behind his back, shoving him face down across the hood of a car.

  “Let me go, Brad,” Rodrigo growled. “You didn’t need to get involved. This is a disagreement between me and my wife.”

  “You know I can’t do that, Rod. It went beyond a disagreement between a man and his wife the first time you hit her.” Breathing heavily, Brad brought his other hand behind his back and cuffed him before doing a pat down.

  Pulling Rodrigo upright, Brad leaned forward. Emma caught the low tone as he spoke. “And guess what, you bastard. That other woman you were tangling with? She’s mine. I’d take you down just for touching her.”

  Rodrigo turned, dark color staining his cheeks as his gaze shifted from Dory to Emma. He’d been beaten by women. Dory had fought back, probably for the first time. Despite the fact that Brad had ended it, Rodrigo had been defeated by women. For someone driven to dominate and abuse, Emma figured Rodrigo found the situation humiliating.

  Brad continued to speak in his calm voice. He read Rodrigo his rights, and suddenly the fight seemed to go out of him. His shoulders slumped and he hung his head.

  Jack Morgan pulled up in a patrol car. When he got out, his eyes immediately sought out Dory, then turned to Brad.

  “Jack, take him in and put him in a cell. Let him make his phone call.” When Jack took Rodrigo’s arm, Brad spoke to his officer in a low voice. “You good with taking him in? You two were tight.”

  “That’s long over. I can do my job.” Face grim, he placed Rodrigo in the back of the police cruiser and drove out of the parking lot.

  Watching Rodrigo being taken away, Emma had never seen a more dejected-looking man. The creep deserved it, she thought resolutely, once again tugging down her skirt, her hands shaking with reaction. She found her shoes, one heel broken. The skirt was dirty on one side and her tights had a shredded hole where she’d gotten a scrape above her knee. She hadn’t even felt it before that moment but now it throbbed painfully.

  At a murmured sound, she looked over to see Maddy wrap Dory in a hug. Emma hobbled over, wincing as rocks bit into her feet. Arms reached out and drew her into the circle.

  “You’re coming home with me.”

  ***

  Emma sat in Brad’s truck, the engine idling quietly. She nearly hissed in frustration. “I told you, I can take care of myself. Just drop me off at my cabin.”

  “Do you even have first-aid supplies? That gash on your leg needs attention.”

  “I have Band-Aids.” At least the little ones for paper cuts.

  “Emmaline.” She could hear the effort he put into being patient.

  “Look, Brad. I can take care of myself. I’ve done it for a long time now. Drop me off and I’ll manage.”

  He stared out the front windshield before turning his head, his dark gaze inscrutable. “Then you’ll just have to suck it up. You either come to my house and I’ll patch you up, or I wake up Sue Ellsworth who’s an RN, and she does the first aid.” He waited a beat. “What’s it going to be?”

  “Damn it, Brad.” She wasn’t even sure why she was arguing with him. Her entire body felt like one throbbing ache. She leaned back against the headrest and said, “Okay. You win. We’ll go use your first-aid supplies.”

  Without another word, he put the truck in gear and headed toward the highway.

  Emma closed her eyes and let the quiet of the drive soothe her. Like after the fire, the adrenaline crash left her feeling shaky. Even now an occasional shudder ran through her body. Brad had dealt with the details of Rodrigo’s arrest, and then had taken Dory aside to speak quietly with her. She’d been bruised but luckily hadn’t needed medical treatment. A call to her parents had assured Dory that Adrian was safe and Rodrigo hadn’t bothered them. She knew Brad needed to get to the police station but here he was, taking her to his house to bandage her leg.

  Opening her eyes, she turned toward him. “Why don’t you take me to the station? You must have first-aid supplies there and I know you have to deal with Rodrigo. And won’t I have to give a statement?”

  The look he sent her had her mouth snapping closed with a click. In the parking lot he’d been calm, completely in control. Not anymore. Once again, those strapped-down emotions were testing their bonds. The turbulence roiling beneath the surface looked ready to erupt. Emma wasn’t sure whether the passions were directed at her, but she suddenly thought it wise to keep her mouth shut.

  The highway wound past her cabins and Emma peered through the trees. The lights she’d left on still burned brightly and everything seemed quiet. Within moments Brad turned onto the road to his house and pulled in front of his garage.

  “I’ll help you out.”

  “I can get out on my own.” But she was talking to herself because Brad was already out of the cab and circling the front of the truck. Emma opened her door, swung her legs gingerly to the side, and slid out. When her feet hit the ground she gave a groan as the movement jarred her aching muscles. The useless shoes dangled from her fingers.

  “Damn it, Emma. Don’t you dare move.”

  She looked up to find Brad glowering at her. “Why?”

  “I told you I’d help you out.”

  She spoke carefully, not wanting to light the fuse. “Okay.”

  She wasn’t sure what he intended when he angrily reached for her. But the anger didn’t transfer to his actions. He bent to scoop her up in his arms, gently cradling her against his chest. Instinctively, she wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

  She eyed his profile with caution. “Hmm. This is nice but, I have to say, unnecessary. I can walk on my own.”

  “Shut up, Emmaline.”

  He ignored her frown, managing to free his keys and still hold onto her. He shouldered open the back door to his house, then stepped through to kick it shut.

  A light in the kitchen cast enough of a glow to see by as he headed for the stairs.

  “Um, Brad. Why are we going upstairs?”

  Not answering, he reached the landing, turned right, and stepped through a bathroom doorway. He carefully set her on her feet before flicking on the light. They stared at each other for a long silent moment, then he pulled her into him and wrapped his arms around her. Emma closed her eyes and inhaled a shaky breath as he held her.

  He shifted to rest his back against the wall, feet spread. She leaned into him and he buried his face in her hair.

  Emma gave a muffled sigh. “Brad.”

  He shook his head. “Give me a minute here, Emmaline. I need to hold you.”

  Emma felt the residual anxiety from her confrontation with Rodrigo seeping away. She rubbed her cheek against Brad’s chest, smooth cotton over hard muscle. He smelled faintly of aftershave, soap, and him. The feeling of being protected soothed her. After a long minute, he loosened his hold and Emma took a step back.

  Voice low, he said, “You should have waited for me and Logan before going after Rodrigo.”

  “He was trying to force Dory into the truck. I had to stop him.”

  He released a pent-up sigh. “I can’t stand to see you hurt.”

  Emma lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “I can’t say I like it either, but we’re all okay and Rodrigo is in jail.”

  He turned her face to the light. Soft lips whispered across her bruised right temple. Another long moment passed before he pulled back. “Let’s take a look at your leg.”

  “I need a minute, then.”

  When he raised an eyebrow, she lifted the corner of her mouth in a half smile. “Br
ad, I have to take off these tights. I won’t run away.”

  He left the bathroom and Emma shut the door. She turned to the mirror, wincing when she caught her reflection. Her hair had come out of its barrette and her eyes looked big enough to swallow her face. The bruise along her temple was turning an angry purple.

  She bent to peer at her leg. The long, shallow scrape had stopped oozing blood but fabric from her tights stuck to it. She eased them down and carefully pulled the material from the wound. Once they were off she threw the shredded tights in the waste bin in the corner. She tugged down the hem of the miniskirt and put down the lid to sit on the toilet. A sharp knock sounded at the door.

  “Okay, you can come in.”

  Brad entered, gave her a quick once-over, and began rummaging in the medicine cabinet. Setting his supplies on the counter, he turned toward her with gauze in one hand and antiseptic in the other.

  Emma eyed him warily. “Let me do that.”

  He knelt in front of her. “Shut up, Emmaline.”

  “Tell me to ‘shut up’ one more time and I’ll have to hurt you.”

  He gave her a look that said he wasn’t intimidated. “You keep telling me you don’t need me and can do everything on your own and we probably will come to blows.”

  She frowned at him. “It’s not that I don’t need you. It’s that I have to do things for myself.”

  He remained silent as he carefully cleaned the wound, attention focused, warm hands competent. He spread antibiotic ointment and then carefully pressed on a bandage. “It’s not deep, but you’ll need to keep it clean and bandaged for a couple of days.”

  Still on one knee in front of her, he paused, hands resting against her legs. “Do you know what I think, Emmaline?” Emma stared at him warily. “I think you’re afraid, or maybe even terrified, to let anyone do anything for you.”

  Emma frowned at him, distracted as much by the dark hair falling across his forehead as by his intensity. “That’s silly. Who would be afraid of getting help? I’m independent. It’s how I’ve always been.”

  He stood, pulling her to her feet with him. Strong fingers entwined in hers. “You are afraid. You’re afraid if you let me do anything for you, I’ll let you down.”