Ryan shrugged his shoulders. “So what happened? Iona refused you custody, so you took Megan to live with you?”
“Not exactly. Clarisse’s husband was deployed again, and she went with him. I had no idea where she went or what happened to my baby. I did everything in my power to find her. With no leads on where she was, I had to give up looking for her to take care of my son and my growing business. One day Iona called me at work hysterical. She said there were people from family services there and for me to come home. I get home and there she is my tiny infant daughter asleep in the arms of a female social service worker. I thought I’d lost her forever. She had me wrapped around her finger the minute I held her.”
Jon leaned against the wall. “Why didn’t you tell Megan about her birth mother instead of hiding it all these years?”
James sighed. “It’s a long story but to sum it up nicely, it had to do with Iona’s pride and my stupidity to go along with her. I believed Iona wanted to raise Megan as her own. As the years moved along, she slowly started to show resentment for Megan. Connor noticed it first and protected Megan as best as he could. I did the rest. This was the last straw. Iona will pay dearly for this.”
Ryan pounded his fist on the wall almost putting a hole in it. “I should have taken care of her when I had the chance,” he fumed.
“Remember what I said about vengeance, Ryan. Keep your hands clean. What I want you to do is to take Megan away for a while until Iona is caught.”
Ryan declined the request saying, “I just can’t pack up and leave, Mr. Jones. I have responsibilities at work.”
“Hold up, Ryan. You can take family leave since Megan will require care,” Jon said. “I can get you at least two weeks off with pay.”
James turned to Jon. “That will be enough time. How soon can you arrange it?”
Jon shrugged his shoulder. “A day or two at most. He has to check with his lieutenant and the B-Chief which shouldn’t be a problem.”
Ryan threw up his hands. “I’m standing right here! Will you two stop making plans for me like I’m invisible?” They gave him a dismissive wave. He sighed and decided to let them have their fun.
Opening the bedroom door, he slipped inside. Megan stirred on the bed restlessly. Ryan kicked off his shoes and laid on the bed behind her pulling her gently into his arms and Megan moaned. “Did I wake you?”
“Unfortunately, there isn’t a tranquilizer in the world strong enough to keep me asleep.”
“Want me to sing you a lullaby?”
“I love you, baby, but please don’t; I’m in enough pain,” she joked in a raspy voice.
Ryan gave her a gentle squeeze. “I’m offended but will let it slide since you’re making jokes. Megan, if you want to talk, I’m listening. There are probably a million things running through your head right now.”
“The normal questions are there, but I know I won’t get any answers. My father will find a way to justify keeping this from me and expect me to accept it. Mom...I mean Iona; I already know where she stands. Ryan, I kicked her. I feel awful for hitting her. Kids aren’t supposed to hit their parents.”
Ryan heard her sniff; she was crying. He gently turned Megan on her back so he could see her face where new scars replaced the healed one. He wiped her tears away. “Technically, Iona isn’t your mother. You didn’t do anything wrong, and no one is looking at you funny because you fought to save your life.”
“I loved her with all my heart and to think that from day one she despised me. She’s probably been plotting for years how to get rid of me only Dad was around to stop her.”
“You don’t have to think about that now. Iona is out of our life, and you’re safe.”
“Yeah, she has to stay on the run to avoid Emin. He’s going to want his money since I didn’t marry him.”
“I still can’t believe she sold you for money. What parent would do that to their child?”
“I’m not her child,” Megan said wincing as she stretched her body to get comfortable. “I wonder who and where is my birth mother today?”
Ryan cringed. He knew the wheels inside her head were turning. If Megan decided get on that bandwagon, it would open more wounds and possibly put additional strain on their relationship. As it was, their issues had yet to be addressed and resolved entirely.
“Is that something you’re going to want to pursue, Megan?”
“Not right now. My priority is for us to work on our marriage and not let petty issues come between us again. Ryan, I fully support your decision to be a firefighter. You saved my life. I can honestly say you were born to do that job.”
“I would have done it if I weren’t a firefighter.” He traced a finger down her cheek. “If you want to find your birth mother, I’m here to help. I also want you to know the love I have for you has not changed. You are mine, forever. I don’t care if you’re bi-racial, black, white, yellow or orange. Do you understand me?”
A giddy grin, at least that’s what Ryan thought he saw spread on Megan’s face as she said, “I understand perfectly by your words and reaction.”
“Nothing you didn’t cause.”
“Um, I’m innocent, I haven’t touched you.”
“No, but you don’t have to touch me to set me on fire.”
“Baby, as much as I want to make love to you, I can’t. There isn’t a place on me that doesn’t hurt or could sustain the stamina.”
“No worries. I’m a patient man. When the time is right for us to be together, it will happen, and I will need your body completely healed in order to handle me.”
Her hand reached down and folded around Ryan’s hard erection. She let a small moan escape her lips. “Do you think it’s appropriate I’m thinking about having sex with you in light of what happened today?”
He moved against her hand, feeling the flowing blood engorge him to a rock hard erection. He removed her hand from around him and held onto it instead. “Maybe you want to block out what happened today with something pleasurable, which is understandable. And I’m sure I could make that happen for you without hurting you. However, with Jon and your father in the next room it would be too awkward. I wouldn’t want your father to get the wrong idea if he heard me commanding you to do something.”
“Right. I wish we could disappear for a few days, Ryan. Just the two of us with no phones, email, or contact of any kind with the outside world.”
“We can do that. I’ll talk to the chief and my lieutenant about taking a furlough to care for you.”
“You’re too good to me, you know that?”
“Nothing is too good for you.” He leaned over into her neck and kissed her ear. “Keep my spot warm while I put our guests out of the house.”
Chapter Twenty Two
Two Months Later
Megan finished restocking the supplies in an empty exam room and moved to the next one. She’d been back at work a few weeks, and it felt good to have her mind on something other than her dysfunctional life. The relationship between her and James had taken on a bit of a strain, but he was relentless and wouldn’t let her cut him from his life.
He explained his reasons for lying and she could do nothing but accept it. Hell, what good would it do for her to have a breakdown over something she had no control over anyhow? She looked at it as another mother not wanting anything to do with her, and she refused to look for a person that didn’t bother to look for her first.
While recovering from her injuries, she and Ryan took a week to visit Connor and his family. He admitted he knew she was his half-sister but didn’t think of her that way. She was his sister period. Connor and his wife entertained Ryan and Megan, taking them sightseeing around Miami. They promised to return and hit the night life once Megan had healed, and they had more time to spend in Miami.
Megan also met James’ current love interest, Vicky. The woman was extremely friendly and made her and Ryan feel at home. She was the complete opposite of Iona. Megan had to question her father’s sanity for dumping this
loving and tolerant woman for Iona. A small part of Megan wished she had been raised by Vicky instead.
A week of relaxation in Miami did both Megan and Ryan a world of good. She was able to relax and not look over her shoulder and reconnected with Ryan on a higher level. They were deeper in love now than ever before. They’d even discussed starting a family. Megan wanted to get pregnant as soon as possible.
Stooping down to stock clean gowns in the drawer, Megan concentrated on what she was doing and didn’t hear the door close. A hand touched her on the shoulder, and she jumped, letting the folded gowns she was holding go flying over the room.
“Hey, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Ryan laughed.
“You scared the crap out of me!” Megan fussed. “Why didn’t you say something when you came in?”
“I did. You were too deep in your work to notice me.”
She scoffed. “You probably whispered my name. You know you don’t raise your voice for anything. What are you doing at the hospital?”
“Another run. Thought I’d pop in to say hi to the love of my life,” he said as he wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her tight to him.
Megan melted. This was home. In his arms, she was home. Nothing could change what they shared. Not her newly found identity or that Iona was still on the loose and could be waiting to strike again. Megan felt that was probably unlikely but made it a habit to look over her shoulder when alone, and never to let her guard down.
As he held her close, she felt his need pressing into her stomach. “Behave yourself, Ryan.” She playfully teased him grinding into him. “I’m at work and you’re in uniform.” She ran her hands over his chest. “You look so damn handsome in it too.”
“I’m trying to behave.” He looked around. “The ER is slow Megan, give me five minutes,” he begged pouting his lower lip. “You know you want to. Every couple wants to do it on their job at least once.”
She rolled her eyes. “We could get caught. I could lose my job fooling around with you when I should be working. What are you going to do if you get a call? Zip up and leave me hanging?”
Ryan ran a hand through his short hair releasing an unhappy breath. “You got me there. Just once, I want us to live outside the box and be wild. I think we could both use that bit of adventure.”
“You naughty boy,” Megan teased. “I like this side of you and I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us.”
His radio went off. “Dammit! Okay, I will think of something and let you know. I’ll see you later, baby—love you.”
“I love you too.” Megan picked up the gowns she’d dropped on the floor and dumped them in the laundry basket. She smiled thinking not all was bad in her life. Ryan Tisdale was the best thing to happen to her.
*****
Ryan sat at the table counting down the final hours of his shift. He’d come up with a way to be spontaneous and couldn’t wait to get home. He’d put himself into further debt by purchasing Megan a new wedding ring. Nick plopped down in the chair, and Orlando sauntered into the breakroom waiting on his shift to start.
Ryan looked up at both and gave them a head-nod. “What’s up?”
Nick grinned. “What the hell is up with you lately? You’re always smiling these days.”
“I’m just happy, man. Ain’t nothing wrong with that is it?”
Orlando poured a cup of coffee and sat at the table with them. “Ryan, it’s hard to believe you used to be a teacher and use that type of language. I think we’re a bad influence on you,” he joked.
Ryan folded the newspaper in half and tossed in the middle of the table. “I was a history teacher, not English, so I can slip a zinger or two and not get slapped on the knuckles with a ruler.”
“It’s great to see him smiling instead of seeing that face of worry, man. That means the turbulence is over, and the ride is now smooth.” Nick arched a brow. “But I want to know if all the rides are smooth?”
Ryan laughed out loud. “Everything is back to the way it should be and that’s all I’m saying. You can take that for what it’s worth.”
“Our boy is back in the saddle again,” Nick roared slapping hands with Orlando. “I swear when the bedroom is out of whack, don’t nothing work right.”
Orlando chimed in, “Well enjoy it while it lasts. I’m here to tell you when the baby comes along, that the bed won’t be used for shit but sleeping. My kid seems to know when Regan and I are about to get it on. I’m looking forward to this wedding so we can have some alone time.”
“You got a babysitter?” Nick asked.
“Yep. My mother is keeping Miguel while we’re away. I’ll have Regan all to myself for once.”
“Cut it out, Orlando,” Ryan smirked. “It can’t be that bad. I mean the kid does sleep and takes naps, right?”
“He does sleep when I’m not home, or we aren’t in a romantic mood. Geez, I swear no sooner than I get the panties off he gets up, and when I get him down again, Regan is fast asleep. I can’t win. I know you’re trying to have a baby, Ryan, and don’t let what I’m saying discourage you, but be prepared to see a decline in your sex life.”
Ryan turned to Nick. “Man, is that true?”
Nick nodded. “To an extent it is. We have three kids that cause a lot of interruptions. So it is hard to get that alone time, but I have a mother willing to keep the grandkids whenever we want to have a date night. It balances out if you have the right people willing to help you out once in a while.”
Ryan grew quiet. “Damn, I know she wants a baby, but Megan and I don’t have that type of support system. We should probably rethink having kids.”
“You have a support system, Ryan; you got us,” Nick said in a friendly tone. “Hell, one more kid spending the night wouldn’t matter to me.”
Orlando raised a puzzled brow at Nick. “Damn, I have to pinch myself when I hear you talk like that.”
“What can I say, I grew up,” Nick winked.
Ryan got up from the table. “Thanks for the advice, fellas. I’m about to hit the road. See you in 72-hours.”
“Wrong,” Nick shouted. “My house tomorrow night—remember the six of us are getting together for some adult fun.”
“Oh yeah; we’ll be there.” Ryan’s cell phone rang as he stepped outside the firehouse. “Hello”
“Ryan, this is James Jones. I need to see you right away. Will it be possible for you to stop by my office on your way home?”
Ryan felt a chill run through his body. “Sure. Mr. Jones, is Megan in any danger?”
“Not as long as I’m alive. I’ll fill you in when you get here.”
He shook his head looking up at the sky. He had to wonder if Station 30 was the only firehouse in the city cursed with so much drama.
James’ assistant escorted Ryan to his office. The office reeked of wealth and success as it was decorated in dark mahogany wood with cream colored walls. He walked over to a matching set of leather plush chairs that were in front of the large executive desk. He noticed the desk was free of any paper clutter, and the computer was turned off.
There were pictures that graced the desk. A gold frame had a picture of Megan and Connor at an early. Another frame was a picture of Vicky posing in a rose garden. He didn’t see any pictures of Iona.
“I’m sorry to keep you waiting,” James apologized as he entered his office. “I had a board meeting that ran later than I expected.”
“That’s okay, I haven’t been here long,” Ryan answered. “So what is so urgent that you wanted me to stop by?”
James sat behind his desk. “I have something for you.” He opened a drawer and flipped through it.
“Is Iona stuffed in there somewhere,” Ryan joked.
“Ha, I wouldn’t let her body soil my expensive desk. What I have for you is a gift.” He handed over an envelope.
Ryan opened the envelope and removed two first-class plane tickets to the British Virgin Isles. His eyes popped. “Whoa, what is this for?”
&n
bsp; “Megan mentioned you two wanted to renew your wedding vows someplace secluded and with just the two of you. Those are open tickets, Ryan. Whenever you’re ready to go, you can.”
“Mr. Jones, this is very generous of you, but I can’t accept….”
They were interrupted by the door opening. “Boss, I got a lead…Ryan?”
Ryan’s mouth dropped open when he saw Eddie. “Boss? You work for Mr. Jones?”
Eddie shoved his hands in the pocket of his trousers. “Yeah, I do.”
“Doing what, Eddie? Because when I think of what you do I see the words henchman, strong-arm security or something along those lines? I don’t see you working behind a desk doing actual work.”
Eddie folded his arms across his chest. “Ryan, what I do for Mr. Jones is not for you to know. All you should know is that I keep my eye on you and Megan.”
“This explains how you knew about Emin.” Ryan let his gaze bounce between Eddie and James. He threw up his hands. “I don’t want to know a damn thing that either of you are doing. As far as I’m concerned, Mr. Jones is in the consulting business, and you are a messenger or errand boy that works for him. With that said, I’m out of here.” He tossed the tickets on the desk and headed for the door.
“It’s not like that, Ryan. This job took me off the street and got me clean! I owe Mr. Jones for saving my life.”
“What exactly are you doing, Eddie? Are you doing legitimate work here or will I have to go to the morgue to claim your body if a turf war goes bad?”
“It’s not like that. I’m not a gangster, and Mr. Jones is not a warlord. His businesses are legit.”
Ryan nodded. “Whatever, it’s your life and I can’t tell you how to live it.”
Eddie frowned. “It is my life and it’s a hell of a lot better than the one I had growing up. I shouldn’t have to tell you; you were there.”
“Ryan, listen to your brother. I’m not dirty dealing; I just take care of my family. Plus, you don’t have to give back the tickets. I got those as a gift for you and Megan,” James said.
“No offense, Mr. Jones, but I don’t want the tickets. I’ll pay for me and my wife to have a dream vacation when I can afford it. You’ve done enough for us, and I don’t want to take advantage of your kindness.”
Rekindle The Flames (The Men of CLE-FD Book 4) Page 20