by Piper Stone
“What if it’s true? What if Genevieve has been... well, fucking the mayor?”
I could tell Jake didn’t want to ask the question. I’d debated even telling him but figured he might know someone who could get me into the club. “Then that’s the way it is, but right now, I’m not buying it. He doesn’t think I’ll have the balls to show up.”
“I don’t know. Something smells about this entire thing.” He hunkered down over the bar, swirling his bottle. “Just so you know. After you left, the captain mentioned a mandatory meeting on Monday morning for everyone, including the EMT personnel. Seven-thirty sharp. I have a feeling the ax is going to drop on who’s being let go.”
“Perfect.” I knew the council meeting was at ten. Monday would make for an interesting day. “I’ll be there. Don’t you worry.” I glanced around the bar, eyeing the various firefighters. The mood was somber, as if every one of them knew a shit load of firefighters were getting ready to be canned. I knew without a doubt that Captain Waters had pressure to use me as an example, firing my ass for meddling, so what did I have to lose at this point? Nothing. I’d swing by the club, get in the mayor’s face then find Genevieve. If I knew her, she’d already put the pieces together. If additional information was needed, we’d go back to the burned-out buildings. Whatever it took to nail the bastard.
“Do you want me to go with you?”
“No,” I said and gulped down half the beer.
“You’re on edge, dude. That’s not good for anyone.”
Placing the bottle on the bar, I eased off the barstool. “This is something I need to do alone. All I ever wanted to do was be a firefighter.”
“Because of your sister.” Jake made the words into a statement.
I wasn’t entirely certain what he’d heard, but I figured the rumor would get around sooner or later. “My sister was eight years younger than me. My parents decided to go on the first vacation they’d had in years. She didn’t want to go. My mom asked if I’d stay at the house, just to make certain she didn’t run away or get herself arrested. Maggie was a little troublemaker.” I chuckled at the thought. “The girl hated rules almost as much as I did.”
Jake swallowed hard, trying to smile even though his eyes held sadness.
“Anyway, I reluctantly agreed. Hell, I thought I was this bigshot firefighter, even more so than now. The last thing I wanted to do was take care of my baby sister. I went and for a couple nights, stayed at home with her. I was surprised she didn’t try to sneak out of the house. We actually had fun, just talking. I hadn’t spent any time with her. Too busy with my career. Then my girlfriend started bugging me to come over. She hated being at my parents’ house for some reason. I should have insisted, but I was full of testosterone. You know the drill. I thought Maggie was asleep one night, so I left her alone, safe in her bed. A huge storm was on the horizon, which I also thought would keep her from going anywhere.” I remembered the incident like it had happened yesterday. For a few seconds, I couldn’t speak. I simply stood, twirling the bottle in mindless circles.
“It’s okay, buddy. You don’t have to tell me.”
“Yeah, I do. You need to know the truth before shit is spouted.” I sniffed, pushing away the tears. “I ignored my phone until the third call. The engine company was calling me in. Said there was a huge fire. I just...” I wiped my eyes, but the tears continued to fall. “By that point, it was too late. The propane gas tank at the house exploded. The entire ranch went up in minutes. Maggie was... My baby sister was taken. If I’d only been there, I know I could have saved her. I know it. I was selfish and stupid, and she lost her life because of me.”
The words hung in the air and I couldn’t look my friend in the eye. I knew the man was judging me. Anybody would. “I killed her.”
Jake exhaled before putting his arm around me. “You didn’t kill her, Blaise. What happened was an accident. If you’d been there, it’s likely you would have been killed as well.”
Hanging my head, I allowed the tears to fall. I heard his words, the same ones that everyone had said. Well, almost everyone. “Try telling that to my parents. They never forgave me.”
“Ah, man. You’ve been carrying this shit around all these years? No wonder you left Dallas.”
“No reason to stay. Found a position as far away as I could get. Sure, there was an investigation, fingers pointed, but it was finally ruled an accident. I just left.”
We remained quiet for a few minutes.
“Do you know where Genevieve lives?”
I nodded over and over again. “Over on Balsom Street. She finally allowed me to come to her house.” I chuckled bitterly at the thought.
“Listen to me. You’re going to take out your phone and you’re going to call her. Then you’re going to her house. Do you hear me? Take my advice on this, buddy. Do it.”
My breathing was ragged, my heart beating so fast I could barely think straight. “Fine. I’ll call her.” I grabbed my phone, wanting nothing more than to hear her voice. When the call went directly to voice mail, a small part of me died inside. “Not answering. This is something I gotta do.”
“Look, I’m going to be right here. Go take a look and when she’s not there, come back. We’ll have another beer then you go to her house. Okay?”
“Yeah, sure. Sounds like a plan.” I started to walk away then gripped his arm. “Thanks. You’re a good friend.”
“I think you need one, Blaise. Get this over with so you can be happy.”
I left the bar, heading up the street. There was no need to drive at this point. I couldn’t stop thinking about the day I saw her go into the club. There was no doubt the beautiful woman was Genevieve. If I’d only asked her about it. If only she’d trusted me enough to tell me the truth. Yeah, the ifs were killing me.
I waited across the street for a few minutes, fingering the card. I wanted to get this over with. I rang the bell and stood back, looking up and down the street. Even from where I stood, I could see the parking lot I hadn’t noticed before. The various expensive cars told their own story.
The door was opened, the obvious bouncer not only checking the card but giving me more than just a once-over. “Two drink limit. Safe words apply. No weapons of any kind.” After checking for the weapons he was concerned about, he finally ushered me inside and even from the shadowed hallway, I was able to see myriad luminescent lights.
The club had kept the warehouse feel, a long bar on one wall that curved to another, a dance floor in the middle. I was able to see two sets of stairs leading up to a second floor. There were various states of dress from business suits to jeans, leather skirts and fancy dresses. I moved through the crowd, scanning faces. Sure, there were several people I recognized, men who were on the who’s who of influence in Charlotte. None of whom I knew personally.
I made a complete circle, finding nothing and certainly not Genevieve. Then I noticed several people heading up the stairs. I followed, uncertain of what I’d find. There were various rooms catering to different fetishes. In every room, there were bystanders, customers watching, enjoying the entertainment. I went inside every sequestered room, getting more than one curious look. I was ready to leave when I noticed another doorway at the end of the hall.
I didn’t hesitate, walking inside. The crowd of people was twice in the other rooms. I heard the sound a whip or flogger would make, cracking. Whooshing. My thoughts drifted to the time spent with Genevieve, her desire for more, to push the limits. She craved pain, enjoyed the implements I’d purchased. I was itching to use them again, to drive her into ecstasy. I’d find a way. Damn it, I would.
I pushed my way through the customers, able to see the top of a St. Andrews cross, steel in design, positioned in the middle of the room. My skin was crawling, my cock aching and as soon as I threaded my way to the front, I was frozen, every cell in my body on fire. There was no doubt of the identity of the woman positioned on the cross.
Genevieve.
And wielding the quirt? M
ayor Zane.
I was unable to move, a fog covering my eyes. I felt like I’d been sucker punched, my gut churning. Everything was in slow motion as I stepped to the side, until I was certain the mayor could see my face.
He had a look that I couldn’t describe, one of utter satisfaction as well as contempt. Fingering the flogger, he stood to his full height before moving toward Genevieve. I shifted my direction, my mind wrapping around the fact she was completely naked, stripes from the quirt on her ass and upper back. I was aware he’d said something to her and as her head turned, her eyes finding mine, I could see the terror in them, the sadness that encompassed my entire being.
Nothing had prepared me for this. Nothing. I slowly turned my gaze back in the mayor’s direction, his look of satisfaction too much to take. At least I knew.
As I walked out, taking my time, I heard her calling my name. I wanted to gather her into my arms, take her out of here, but she’d made her choice.
And I wasn’t on that list.
* * *
I’d locked myself in the house, keeping every light off but one, a drink in my hand. I planned on having several of them tonight. I was already on my fourth, so at this point everything was a blur. All I could think about was her face, the way her eyes penetrated into mine. She’d found a place in my heart then ripped it away. I was still shaking, partly from anger. The other? I don’t know. Maybe I was actually numb inside, incapable of expressing my feelings. The liquor had consumed me, taking me to dark and horrific places.
I had the back door open, my gaze locked on the moon. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see headlights approaching the house. I’d left Jake in the lurch, turning off my phone, hiding. Yeah, I was going to do a lot of that in the next few days. I pulled the drink to my head, appreciating the cool glass, listening to the way the ice clinked. Then I heard the sharp knock on the door.
I found myself heading in the direction of the entrance, staggering as the darkness and shadows enveloped me. I stopped cold when I heard her voice.
“Blaise. It’s Genevieve. Please open the door. Let me explain.”
I opened my mouth, ready to call out, one foot inching closer. I just couldn’t do this.
“What you saw means nothing. I’m not sleeping with that pig. I never did. I told you I had a daddy dom and I was stupid enough to get involved with him, but only for punishment. He was... Please open the door. Please.”
She pounded again, anguish in her voice. I closed my eyes, wavering back and forth. I wanted to see her, to talk to her, but what the hell could I say?
“Blaise. Listen. If you won’t talk to me about tonight, you need to listen to me about some evidence I found. It’s important. You need to know this. Okay? You might not want to see me again, but you need to listen to me about what I found. I, um... I told Joseph that I didn’t care about what happened to me but that I was never going to see him again. I’m leaving the job, but not until after Monday. Okay? Please. Can we talk?”
I moved to the door, placing my hand on the wood. A full minute ticked by.
“Well, I understand. I’m going home; if you want to talk tomorrow, I’ll be there. Please? And Blaise? I love you. You might not believe me, but I love you.”
I heard her footsteps as the anger boiled, swirling as thoughts about how much I adored her, how much I loved her rushed into my mind. This wasn’t going to end like this. She was far too important to me. Coward. You’re a fucking coward.
I threw open the door, but she was already gone.
“Fuck. Fuck!” I stood on the porch, glaring in the direction of the driveway. Maybe karma was kicking us both once again. Right now, nothing would make any sense. But I would see her tomorrow. I would talk to her. I would make this right. Grabbing my phone, I dialed her number. “Damn it.” Voice mail. “Genevieve. I do want to talk to you. Let’s go somewhere tomorrow away from here, just to talk. I need... Well, I love you too.”
I closed the door and placed the half empty drink on the table, moving to turn off the light, shutting the back door. As I walked upstairs, my feet heavy, I made a promise to myself that I’d fight for her no matter what happened.
After all, this was the woman I loved.
As I laid my head down on my pillow, closing my eyes, tears slipped against the pillow.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Jerking up, I blinked several times, disoriented in the darkness. “What?” My mouth was dry, a nasty taste spilling out of my throat. I glanced at the clock, wincing in order to see the dial. It was almost four-thirty. I must have been dreaming.
Bam! Bam!
The sound was definitely coming from the front door. At this time of night, my hackles were raised. I struggled to get out of bed, my head pounding. I slapped on every light I could find in my effort to get downstairs. “What?”
“Jesus Christ. You can’t turn your damn phone off.”
“Jake?” I opened the door, turning on the outside light. He was antsy, moving from foot to foot. “What’s going on?”
“You need to get your ass in gear. We have a fire.”
“Let the others take this one,” I hissed and rubbed the sleep from my eyes.
“Listen to me.” He gripped my arm, his fingers digging in. “You need to hear what I’m saying. There is a fire on Balsom Street. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
It took a few seconds for the information to sink in. Then I knew. The bastard had taken his ultimate revenge. “Genevieve. Get me there. Now!”
We said nothing as he drove, heading to the scene of the fire. By the time we pulled up, two ladder companies had responded, ours and 24. I rushed out of Jake’s car, racing toward the scene, pushing my way through the crowd that stood gawking. “No. No!” Genevieve’s house was fully engulfed, pandemonium everywhere. “Is the owner out of the house?”
“Blaise. Calm down.” Wally moved in my direction. “There’s no one inside.”
“Yes, there is.” I heard him calling for me as I raced toward the engine, grabbing gear, anything I could find. I knew she was inside and there was no way I was going to allow her to die. Grabbing an ax, I headed toward the front door.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Jake yanked my arm, huffing, his eyes roaming mine.
“I’m going to save her.”
“If she’s in there, we’ll find her. Let the firefighters do their job. You’re in no shape.”
I took a quick glance at the roof, my instinct kicking in. “The roof is going to give. I’m going to save her.”
“No. Not something I’ll let you do.”
“And you’re not in charge here!” My finger in his face, I clipped down the mask, backing away. Before he could stop me, I rushed forward, smacking the blade of the ax on the door then kicking it in.
“Blaise. Stop!”
There was no stopping me. My adrenaline kicked in as I entered the building. The smoke was thick, flames licking up every wall, crawling across the ceiling. The creaking sounds indicated I was right. The ceiling and roof would cave in at any moment. “Genevieve.” My call was swallowed up by the hissing fire. I moved methodically through the downstairs, cognizant of the direction the fire was moving. I also heard distant cries, knew other firefighters were all around me. Water poured in from every direction, but the fire was blazing hot, eating everything in its path. I had to find her.
I would find her.
Stumbling and jumping past falling beams, I headed toward the stairs, going by instinct instead of sight. Everything was crumbling around me as I made my way into the darkness, smoke so thick even the flashlight on my helmet could make out little other than shadows. The flames were burning so hot they were blue as crashing sounds happened all around me. I pressed on, panting as I jumped over remnants of wallboard. She had to be in her bedroom. I called again, praying to some God above. She had to be saved. I couldn’t lose her.
A booming sound crashed around me, as if the fire was following me, determined to cut my path, keeping
me from her. I swung the ax, moving through the debris until I reached her bedroom. “Genevieve!” Blinking several times as I took long strides, I could just make out a form on the bed. Oh, fucking God. She was here. I had no way of telling if she was breathing. There was no time but to react.
Covering her in the comforter, I gathered her into my arms, dropping the ax and lumbering toward the hallway. With every step, another section of the ceiling caved in. Move. Move! The voice inside my head kept me going as I ventured forward, keeping her close to my chest. When my hand hit the railing of her stairs, another boom occurred, pitching us both forward. Another powerful instinct took hold. I was losing my grip on the railing, my fingers slipping. “Hold on. Hold me tight.”
I couldn’t tell if she heard me. There was no movement, no cry or movement of any type. I took a leap of faith and as all time stopped, flames closing in, I jumped and rolled.
Then everything turned to black.
Chapter Thirteen
Genevieve
“Genevieve. Wake up. Come on, honey. Wake up.”
I heard the voice, a distant calling as if from far away. I tried to open my eyes, but everything seemed heavy. “Mmm... What?”
“Thank God.”
“Blaise. Come on, let the paramedics in.”
“Shut up. I need to make certain she’s okay. Honey, open your eyes for me. Come on.”
“Blaise?” I knew I’d asked the question, was comforted by the sound of his voice. Blinking several times, I tried to focus. Then his face came into view. “What... What happened?”
“A fire. You’re safe. You’re all right.” He said the words as if convincing himself.
My arm shaking, I touched his face, my fingers tingling as I brushed them across his cheek. “You saved me.” I heard the sound of people, others surrounding us, but at this moment I only wanted to see the man I loved. “I don’t...”