Scorch (Missoula Smokejumpers Book 6)

by Piper Stone

  “Crap. I hate this job.” Garcia rolled his eyes.

  “Hey, buddy. Hard work is good for you. Need to keep up that strength for your pretty fiancé. When you guys tying the knot anyway?” Stoker teased as he threw his arm around his friend.

  “Uh, do not give Laney any ideas.” Garcia groaned.

  The others grabbed their bags and headed for the outside door, leading to the bus.

  Deputy Worth walked closer, a smile on his face. He made certain no one was within hearing distance before he spoke.

  “Don’t forget you owe me,” Carter said, winking at Sawyer.

  “I remember. Why don’t you go talk to her?” Sawyer nodded toward the captain’s office. “She’s right inside. All alone. Just waiting for her Knight in Shining Armor.”

  “Very funny. Damn adorable girl.”

  Sawyer sighed and pushed Carter’s shoulder. “Go talk to her. The last man she ate alive had it coming to him, so I wouldn’t worry. That is, unless you’re an asshole to her.”

  “Yeah. Well.” He wrinkled his brow and darted another look in Katie’s direction. “You think I should?”

  “Yeah, before you’re old and gray.”

  “Uh, that would be you, Sawyer, buddy.” Carter grinned and took a step back, holding up his hands.

  “I’ve killed for less. Now, go talk to her or I might have to.”

  “Yeah. Okay. You pushed me into it. Wish me luck.”

  “If there’s no bloodshed in a couple minutes, then I’ll know you’re doing just fine.” Sawyer chuckled. A matchmaker he wasn’t.

  Groaning, Carter took tentative steps toward the captain’s office.

  Sawyer hung back, walking closer to Fred, who stood by the captain. There were still too many burning questions in the back of his mind. “Captain. Fred.”

  “Heard what you did last night. You’re living up to the hero standards around here,” Fred teased.

  “Just doing what I was trained to do.” Sawyer glanced at the captain, praying to God this wasn’t breaking some confidence. “Heard there are some budget constraints and at least two of the engine companies could be shut down. Truth? And if so, six and twelve on the list?”

  Captain Phillips sighed but kept a straight face.

  Fred chuckled, patting the captain on the shoulder. “Those secrets I was talking about?”

  “Yeah, not around my team,” the captain huffed.

  “No numbers mentioned that I’m aware of. Granted, the mayor is pretty fired up about this, but I don’t think even she has been made aware. That’s not a decision to be made lightly. My guess is Mayor Falk will fight tooth and nail to keep them open.” Fred laughed. “Tenacious woman, but I admit, I like the hell out of her.”

  Captain Phillips laughed. “Might be time to ask her out, Fred.”

  Fred held up his hands. “Not into politics, plus, the woman might eat me alive.”

  Sawyer thought about his meeting with Mike. The rumor mill could be tearing the man up for no reason. “Thanks for the info.”

  “Something on your mind, Sawyer?” Fred tipped his head.

  “Just worried. We don’t need any additional shit. A quiet season would be nice.” Sawyer gave a waning grin.

  “You’re in the wrong profession, son.” Fred shook his head.

  Yeah, he was certainly beginning to wonder more and more. Yanking his gear into his hand, he trotted outside, heading in Antonio’s direction. “Why did you say interesting timing?”

  “Why? Because a suspicious package was planted at Engine 6, the very engine company that’s on the chopping block.”

  “We don’t know for certain that anyone is on the chopping block,” Sawyer said through gritted teeth.

  “You confirmed it yourself and by the way, where did you get your information?”

  He could hear the confrontational tone in Antonio’s voice. “From the captain as well as a buddy of mine. As the investigator said, nothing has been decided. We’ve been hearing about budget cuts for two solid years. And why does it sound like you’re accusing one of the firefighters of sabotaging their own house?”

  “I’m not accusing anyone of anything. I’m just…” Squinting, Antonio planted his hands on his hips. “Sawyer, I hear a lot of things. I’ve made certain that I stay involved in the scene and some information is troubling. There are good men and women involved in fighting fires. We all live and breathe danger, craving the adrenaline rush, the savior mentality to the point we don’t feel whole unless we’re fighting fires. Some firefighters don’t know how to do anything else.”

  “I know that, Antonio. We all know that. What aren’t you telling me?”

  “If the engine houses close, there’s a good chance every single firefighter will lose their pensions. If they’re torched, insurance will take over and from what I understand, the payouts will be significant. That’s what I’m saying.”

  “My brother is going to get me out, you know. He’s a dangerous, cunning man and you should be very afraid.”

  Dangerous. Cunning. The words continued to ring in Reese’s mind. The meeting with Katrina Dreyfus had been interesting to say the least. The woman had firmly decided she was pleading not guilty to all charges and from what Reese could tell, the bleach blonde was certainly conniving enough to have engineered everything that happened to Stasha, Boone and everyone else in town. That would mean plea bargains. She’d bet on it. Groaning, she pushed the file aside and had no desire to explain to her friend that she was actually defending the woman.

  When she’d pressed Katrina on her brother’s whereabouts, she’d simply given a sly smile. Reese had seen and even worked on cases like this before. Everyone thought they had a savior. Like what, Bo was going to come out of hiding and confess to the various crimes. She snickered at the thought.

  Not if hell froze over twice.

  At this point, she had absolutely no idea how she was going to defend the girl. First, to get through the pleadings. Hearing her cell phone, she allowed a momentary wish that Sawyer was calling her, giving some mandate about time for their date or even something more delicious. Instructions about what to wear or what not to wear. Her nipples hardened just thinking about the man.

  Grabbing her phone, she smiled when she noticed Stasha’s number. The girl would no doubt want all the sinful details. “Hi ya.”

  “You’re in a better mood than I thought you’d be,” Stasha said as she chuckled.

  “I’m all right. What’s up?” Out of the corner of her eye, she could swear she noticed Christopher. Not now. She didn’t want to deal with his ass. She clamored to get out of her chair and close her office door, slinking behind it and out of sight.

  “Well, I’m coming to your condo and I won’t take no for an answer.”

  “Is something wrong?”

  “No, goofy. I knew you’d be in a rough state of mind so a few of the girls are going to accomplish two things. Well, maybe three. One, drink copious amounts of alcohol; two, plan this surprise party for Shannon; and three, drive you bat shit crazy asking probing questions about Sawyer. Inquiring and very naughty minds want to know.”

  Reese laughed then clamped her hand over her mouth. She could still feel Christopher’s presence. “I have a date tonight, thank you very much.”

  “Oh, come on. We’ll bring the liquor,” Stasha begged. “Sawyer can stay. We won’t mind some fresh eye candy to play with.”

  “Aren’t you engaged or something?”

  “Uh. No. I don’t think Boone is that kind of guy. Besides, we like having our freedom. For now.”

  “Whatever you say, but I’ve seen the way Boone looks at you.” She wouldn’t mind spending time with the girls, but she had other things on her mind.

  “You have to say yes. I already kinda told the girls where you live and to be at your house by six.”

  “You didn’t!” Reese exclaimed. “You’re bad. Terrible.”

  “I knew it was the only way to get you to agree. I’ll make a deal with you.”
/>
  Snorting, she stole a look out her office window then closed her blinds. “You’re in no position to make said deal. You have violated all friend rights; therefore, you need a hard spanking. My next call? Boone Martin.”

  “You’re doing no such thing, or I’ll have another conversation with Sawyer and tell him everything. You. Crave.”

  “You should work in law, girlfriend. Either that or become a mastermind criminal.”

  Stasha made several grunting noises. “And you know I’ve had enough criminal activity to last a lifetime.”

  A sickening feeling pooled into the pit of her stomach. She was a louse. A terrible person. Disgusting. Maybe quitting her job was the best thing to do. She could become a bartender. Right. And what did she know how to pour? Bourbon and beer. Perfect. “Teasing.”

  “I know. Just say yes. When you have to leave for a meeting with that hot man of yours, I’ll kick them out. Granted, we might be too drunk to leave, but I promise we’ll clean up after ourselves,” Stasha cooed.

  “First of all, I’ve seen your cleaning attempts. And… He’s coming to my house.” I think so anyway.

  Stasha squealed. “Even better. See you at six.”

  “Wait… Crap.” Grousing, she had no doubt Stasha would tease Sawyer relentlessly. Maybe a fun-filled evening would do her soul some good. How would Sawyer react to an audience? Another round of salacious thoughts crossed her mind. Maybe they could all convince him to try stripping for the bachelorette party. Then again, maybe she would receive one hundred lashes for her thoughts alone. “Oh!”

  She glanced at her watch. There was just enough time to finalize the documents for the morning, but a phone call was in order. Finding Sawyer’s contact, she hit call and slipped her finger into her mouth, chewing on the end nervously. There was no reason to be apprehensive. Well, he was commanding and wanted things his way. There was that, but… Rolling her eyes, she prayed she wouldn’t get voice mail.

  “Hello, sunshine. Ready for me?” Sawyer’s voice was deep, filled with a sexual husk.

  “Mmm… For almost anything. How would you feel about a lot of women fawning over your sexy, masculine body?” The hesitation screamed his answer.

  “Do I dare even ask?”

  “A few of the girls are coming over for a little while. Not long. An hour. Tops.”

  “Uh-huh,” he murmured. “Spill it or face my wrath.”

  As she filled him in, she walked toward the window overlooking the parking lot, peering outside. For whatever reason Christopher had stopped by, she wasn’t the reason. Breathing a sigh of relief, she eased down into her chair. “Please say yes.”

  “Hmmm… You’re going to have to make this up to me.”

  “Let me count the ways,” she whispered. “One, a cold drink the moment you walk in the door. Two, I’ll wear something incredibly sexy. Three, you’re going to get the longest, wettest and hottest blow job of your life.” She held her breath.

  “And four, you’re going to strip naked, ready for a hard spanking. Deal?” Sawyer chortled. “Those are my rules, sunshine.”

  “Fine, snookums. You can have whatever you want.”

  “Be careful what you promise. See you later.”

  “Absolutely.” She held the phone to her head, closing her eyes. Sawyer was unlike any man she’d ever dated. Fun loving. Kind. Yet, embracing a taste of the kind of darkness she craved. The perfect man.”

  Bing!

  An entire night’s worth of shivers slipped directly into her pussy and she answered the phone, her eyes still closed, visions of his naked body swimming in her mind. “Did you forget something, lover?”

  “How quickly you forget.”

  Click!

  “What?” Terror replaced any concept of lust and she jerked to her feet, shaking. She quickly glanced at the phone then flipped to the recent calls. Unknown. What in the hell had the caller said? She pressed her fingers against her head until the words filtered into her mind. Tossing her phone, she rubbed her hand before struggling to remember where she’d placed the note.

  Her purse. Yes. Folding her arms, she paced her office before finding the courage to shove her hand inside, wrapping her fingers around the paper.

  If I can’t have you, no one will…

  Reese wasn’t able to move fast enough into the parking lot. Yes, if she followed protocol, she’d call the sheriff’s office, providing every detail of the threats. However, what could she actually tell them? A typed note left on her car and she doubted there would be any fingerprints on the plain jane paper. A phone call from an unknown phone number, that she would bet was made from a burner phone. There’d been no actual threats of bodily harm, just a creepiness surrounding the words. Hell, the note could have been left from Christopher. He was certainly overt in his possessiveness, even though he ended the relationship.

  She refused to succumb to her fear as she pressed the unlock button on her key fob. She’d forget about the day, the week, even the last few months for at least one night.

  “Reese.”

  Christopher. She struggled with her emotions before turning around. A part of her knew that he’d be waiting in the parking lot, his obsession with kink required to be fulfilled on a regular basis. But she was no longer his play toy. “Christopher. I can’t say I’m surprised.”

  His laugh was throaty, light. “And why is that?”

  She finally turned around, studying his eyes. There was no malice, no sign of contempt. “I noticed you in the office. A meeting with Roger?”

  “You say that as if I have no business being in the hallowed halls of Roger Gant, attorney at law.” Christopher kept his distance, his smile far too alluring.

  “And what business would you have?”

  “Merely finishing details on the Tatum case. Nothing clandestine. I assure you.”

  “Okay then. I’ve had a long day. Good to see you.” She slapped her hand against the handle. Seeing him gave her a slight haze, a feeling of disgust and she hated pushing what they’d shared into a basket of items she should never have gotten herself in the middle of. Derailing her career was the least of her anxiety.

  He dropped his gaze before taking a decided step toward her. “I’m already missing you. I just… I know now that I shouldn’t have broken off our relationship.”

  “Christopher. We didn’t have a relationship. We fucked. We shared our co-desire for kink. Nothing more. We both knew it was just a matter of time before it ended.”

  “It. I hate that word. We shared passion. Didn’t you feel the intense vibes the way I did?” Reaching out, he ran a single finger down her arm.

  Swallowing back bile, she wanted to react in a rather violent manner, but not here. Not in front of so many plate glass windows. “We had a good time, but now we’re over. You have Marcy, and everything is back to the way fate intended.”

  “Fate?” He burst into laughter. “Marcy is my wife and I suppose I do love her in a certain way. But you are my life. We can still share so much together, exploring our hungers. You won’t be satisfied with anything else.”

  Anger finally flashed. How in the hell did he think he had any inkling of what she could or would be satisfied with? “Oh, no. I was never your life. We didn’t talk. We didn’t share intimate secrets like real couples do. You kept what we shared locked down and now I understand why. You didn’t want to ruin your career or your reputation. Imagine what those conservative folks in your office would think if they knew you enjoyed binding and flogging women?”

  A look of rage crossed his face as he shook his head. “Are you threatening me, Reese? Because if you are, you’re trying to intimidate the wrong man. There are aspects about your past that others would find very interesting. Fascinating in fact.”

  Reese kept her cool as she clenched her fist yet smiled. She’d known all along what kind of man he truly was, but to go to this level was beyond comprehension. “I don’t threaten, Christopher. There is no need to.”

  He sniffed and rubbed his ja
w. “I’m glad to hear it. I wanted to see you again just to tell you how much I miss you, not argue.”

  Oh, they weren’t arguing. “I can’t go down this road again.” The seconds that passed between them were some of the most uncomfortable in her life. Even a trickle of perspiration had found its way into her blouse, tickling against her chest.

  “What if I tell you that I want more?” He crowded even closer. “What if I tell you that I want everything. Absolute togetherness.”

  Reese narrowed her eyes, unsure of whether to laugh or cry. “No. I’ve moved on.” She managed to open her car door and toss her briefcase into the back.

  Slapping his hand on the top of the door, he eased in front of her. “You mean with some two-bit smokejumper with a questionable past?”

  A shiver cascaded down her spine and she snorted. “You’ve been spying on me.”

  “Spying?” He inhaled and pushed the strand of falling hair behind her ear.

  She shook her head and pulled back, pressing her hand against his chest. “Christopher. I think you need to leave. No, I know that you do. What we shared was a lovely distraction to an otherwise disturbing life, but we are done. So done. I’d appreciate it if you’d move on as I have.” The gall of this man following her, watching her.

  If I can’t have you, no one will…

  The words burned in the back of her mind. “I’m leaving.”

  “I won’t accept that we’re finished,” he said through clenched teeth.

  “You’re going to have to.” Somehow, she dropped into the driver’s seat and slammed the door, immediately starting the engine.

  And the man was still standing there.

  As soon as she jammed the gear into drive, she heard the comforting sounds of all four doors locking. Breathing out, she refused to look in his direction as she pulled out of the parking space. She’d recognized the tone in his voice, the blatant dominating aspect. And she knew. Dear God, she knew.

  This wasn’t over.

  Sawyer shook his head as he eased out of the Bronco. The brownstone style condominium was located in what some would consider a hip area of town. Everything was fashionable in the renovation endeavors and while there were few tenants in the surrounding buildings, the plan was set in motion. This would be the creative artsy district, filled with bistros and art galleries, wine shops and expensive jewelry.