The light came on upstairs, beckoning him closer. He burst into the bunkroom and slid to a stop.
Aaron had Kelsey tied to the bed in only her bra and panties. Blood ran down her sides from where Aaron had started on his tattoo. Her eyes, wide with fear and pain, set off the paleness of her skin, and from where he stood Finn could see her body vibrating. His fists clenched at his sides, and his jaw clenched so hard he thought he might chip his teeth.
“I thought you’d never get here.” Aaron's lips twisted into a macabre grin.
“What the fuck is your problem?” Finn forced himself to stay where he was. A knife dangled from Aaron’s fingertips and at the manic look in his eyes, he wouldn’t hesitate to use it if Finn moved.
“What do you mean?” Aaron twirled the knife over Kelsey’s body and she whimpered.
Finn met her terrified gaze and tried to show his determination to get her safe. He was getting her out of this no matter the cost to himself. Seeing her, seeing the blood, brought back sharp memories of the war that he fought to keep in check. Now was not the time to lose his head to flashbacks. He had to get her out of here.
“Why are you attacking me? Why my sister?”
“Oh,” Aaron glanced down at Kelsey. “She’s very pretty and you annoy the hell out of me.” He returned his attention to Finn, eyes hard and blazing with jealousy.
That shocked Finn. Why would anyone be jealous of him? He was a broken mess and he never bothered anyone. “Why? I’ve never done anything to you.”
The sirens sounded closer now and stopped whenever the police pulled into the parking lot. It didn’t seem to faze Aaron, he kept his eyes on Finn.
“You have always been in the way. Always.” Aaron gestured with the knife. Kelsey flinched.
Finn breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth, trying to stay calm. He had to keep Aaron’s focus on him.
“All she can see is you,” Aaron rambled on. “Just you. She lusts after you.”
Finn’s brows drew inward. This guy really was crazy. Addie didn’t mention anything about him, and he wondered if Aaron had ever approached her. “Let my sister go. This is between you and me.”
“No.” He shook his head violently, bringing the knife up. “No. I’m going to kill her.”
“No!” Finn roared, jumping across the room as Aaron brought the knife down.
A gunshot tore through the air behind him and Aaron jerked back. The knife dropped on Kelsey’s side, nicking her. She screamed, long and loud, as Aaron’s body fell to the floor beside the bed.
Finn rushed to her, trying to undo the knots at her wrists with shaking hands. Finally he picked up the knife and cut through the rope at her wrists and ankles. She shot up, crushing him in a hug, shaking against him. “It’s okay, you’re okay,” He murmured into her hair as he rocked her. He repeated it over and over, trying to convince them both.
“Finn, we need to examine her. The paramedics are close.” Krakowski touched Finn’s shoulder.
Finn nodded, not wanting to let her go yet. Jesus Christ, he wouldn’t have survived watching her die, too. When he heard the ambulance sirens, he picked Kelsey up, cradling her to his chest, and made his way down the stairs. The officers came behind him.
The paramedics turned the lights on and he followed them to the ambulance. His legs were weak but he made it until he laid her on the stretcher, then he sank down on the edge of the ambulance and heaved in a deep breath.
Krakowski watched him for a minute before speaking. “What you did was reckless and stupid.”
Finn shot him a dark glare.
“I’m not going to press charges for impeding an investigation and your sister is okay. We’re going to have to get her statement though, and yours, about what happened in there.” Krakowski’s face softened. “She’s very lucky to have a brother like you.”
Finn nodded. He couldn’t manage much more now that the adrenaline had worn off and shock replaced it. He still couldn’t understand why Aaron had hated him, had been jealous of him and the sick, twisted crush Aaron had on Addie. When he saw her, he’d have to question Addie and see if she’d ever run into him.
Krakowski took their statements, Kelsey’s taking longer since she had to pause every few seconds to get the words out. They’d given her something to calm her down, but the fear was still clear in her eyes. Finn couldn't stand to see her like that.
When they finished, Finn rode to the hospital, Kelsey’s hand grasping his tight. He brushed her hair back and kissed her forehead. She was going to have trouble with this, but he’d be there to help her through it.
Chapter Thirty-One
Addie
Having Jenna in her apartment was really, really weird. Thank God Gemma was there, or it would’ve been unbearable. Gemma served as a barrier, getting Jenna a glass of wine while Addie grabbed her a blanket to ward off the chill of shock. Seeing the girl sitting on her couch made Addie feel like she was betraying Halle in the worst way, but she couldn’t just leave her there. She owed Finn that much at least.
Her phone chimed and she snatched it off the bar. It was a text from Finn.
Finn: Kelsey safe, at hospital. Do you know where Jenna is?
Relief rushed over her in wave after wave and she sank onto a stool at the bar. Thank God they were both safe.
Addie: She’s here with me. Do you want me to bring her up there?
Finn: Please. Thank you for taking care of her. I know how hard that had to be.
Addie: YW. See you in a bit. Gemma will be with me.
“Kelsey and Finn are at the hospital,” Addie announced. Gemma and Jenna both looked at her. “I’m going to take you up there. He said that they are both fine, but Kelsey has some injuries the doctor needs to look at.”
They climbed back into her car and this time she headed toward the hospital. She wanted to rush to Finn and make sure he was truly okay. Her heart wouldn’t settle down until she did.
She parked quickly, if a little recklessly, in the vast lot of the hospital. They got out, each running to the entrance. This night had been beyond weird, with Kelsey being kidnapped and her taking care of Jenna. It was like another freaking dimension, where everything was turned upside down.
They entered the hospital.
"Addie."
She sighed as she turned and saw Halle running toward her.
Halle faltered when she saw Jenna, then straightened her shoulders. “I saw Finn come in with his sister. I’ll take you up to her room, the doctor’s looking her over now.”
Addie put an arm through Halle’s as they walked to the elevators. An already awkward situation just got down right unbearable, even with Gemma there. Halle squeezed her hand, looking at her with understanding, and Addie’s stomach settled a little. The elevator came fast and they stepped on. Addie and Gemma made sure to stand in between Jenna and Halle. For Jenna’s part, she huddled into the hoodie Addie had loaned her and kept her eyes straight ahead.
Halle led them down the hall on the fifth floor. Addie remembered coming up here, heart in throat, when Helena was in the car accident with her friend. She didn’t feel that different now, and that made her pause. Did she feel the same about Finn that she did about Helena? As in love?
Addie stopped in the middle of the hallway.
Halle noticed and looked back at her. "Addie?"
She swallowed, catching up to her sister. When Halle raised her brows, Addie shook her head. Now wasn’t the time to talk about her realization.
Halle knocked on room 545.
"Come in." Finn's rough voice called.
Her heart thudded in her chest, but she let Jenna go in before her. Addie saw Kelsey first, lying in the hospital bed, face as pale as her blonde hair. Her eyes darted around the room and then settled on Addie and Jenna.
“I’m going to wait in the hall.” Gemma whispered to Addie, then stepped outside with Halle.
Addie nodded, her eyes locked on Finn. He sat next to his sister, face haggard, eyes tired. A
ddie’s heart went out to him. She stood by the door, unsure if she had a place in this family reunion.
Jenna rushed to the bed and hugged Kelsey tight. “God, Kelsey. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there.” She sobbed, arms wrapping tighter.
“It’s okay. There was nothing you could do.” Kelsey stroked her sister’s hair. “He may have hurt you, too.”
Jenna kept sobbing. Finn placed a hand on her back and Addie really felt awkward. She turned to go.
“Addie?”
Her hand gripped the doorknob but stopped at the sound of his voice.
“Please, stay.” His words, the despair, crashed into her.
She spun around and walked toward him. He moved his hands from Jenna and Kelsey and wrapped his arms around her as she pulled him close. “I was so worried about you,” she said into his hair. His head was pressed against her heart.
“You’re heart is beating fast,” he said, “Just like mine.”
She didn’t care that his sisters witnessed this, didn’t care that it might be shown as a weakness. He was here and he was alive.
“Thank you for taking care of Jenna for me.”
“Sure. I wasn’t going to leave her there alone.” Addie moved back, looked over at his sisters. “Hi, Kelsey. It’s nice to meet you.”
Kelsey smiled at her, and it lit up her face. She almost looked rejuvenated. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
“Ha, all bad?” Addie winked at Finn.
Kelsey laughed, then winced. “Sorry, hurts to laugh.”
Finn cast a worried look over her.
“I’m fine, honestly. Just sore. I’m just glad you were there to save me.” She touched Finn’s cheek. “Big brother to the rescue.”
Addie stood at Finn’s side, letting her love for him wash over her, eroding all her reasons that she wanted to stay out of a relationship. This was the man for her, and God help him, he wasn’t getting rid of her.
“When are they letting you go?” Jenna sat on the edge of the hospital bed, her hand covering Kelsey’s.
“They said they wanted to watch me overnight. Make sure nothing else is wrong, but that I can most likely go home in the morning. Addie, your sister is my nurse tonight. She’s been so helpful. I’ve never met a sweeter person.”
Addie wasn’t sure, but she thought she saw Jenna flinch when Kelsey said it. “She is. You couldn’t be in better hands.”
They stayed for a little longer, until the medicine had Kelsey falling asleep. Jenna glanced over at her brother and Addie. “I’ll stay with her. You should go home with Addie.”
“I can stay, Jenna."
Jenna waved a hand at him. “I’m sure Addie was worried about you, too. Kelsey’s just going to sleep, and I’d rather be here than at home alone.”
Finn was silent for a minute, then said, “Okay. I’ll pick the two of you up in the morning. Just call me, okay? If you need anything.”
“I will.” She smiled at Addie. “I want to thank you, too. I know that what I did to your sister was wrong, and I can’t do enough to make that up to her. That you took me into your home, even with what I did, says so much about you and your family.”
Addie nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She wasn’t sure that she should forgive Jenna, even after that pretty speech. She’d have to warn Halle that Jenna was staying with Kelsey.
Finn kissed both his sisters on the cheek, repeated that Jenna needed to call him if they needed anything. Halle stood by the nurses' station, speaking with Gemma in soft tones.
“Jenna is going to stay with Kelsey,” Addie warned her sister.
Halle nodded, a bleak look on her face. But being the person she was, she’d be professional.
“Carter, Caleb, and the Chief are down the hall with Nate and Noah. We should drop in and say hey,” Gemma told them.
“That’s a good idea,” Addie said, even though she was about to pass out with exhaustion. Tomorrow she was going to sleep for hours.
Chief waved them into the room that held both Noah and Nate. An older woman stood in between their beds, worry plain on her face.
Carter put an arm around Gemma’s waist and she leaned into him.
“Are they okay?” Finn asked.
“Yes,” the Chief swallowed. “Aaron hit them both on the head with a flashlight. They both have concussions but will be fine.”
Finn sighed beside her and Addie knew he was blaming himself for this.
“Aaron never showed any signs of this, but I should’ve seen it.” Chief rubbed a hand down his face. His shoulders drooped.
“It’s no one's fault but Aaron’s. He was crazy.” Addie spoke softly. “There was nothing anyone could’ve done.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Finn
The evening ran through his mind as he drove. Addie had taken him to get his truck from the fire house, and they headed to her apartment. His body ached and exhaustion had settled in, and he forced his eyes to stay open as he drove. What Aaron said kept turning over and over in his mind, and when he woke up in the morning, he’d have to ask Addie about it.
They both took the stairs to her apartment slowly and made it inside. Harlow meowed crazily until Addie picked her up. Neither was awake enough for a shower, so they collapsed on the bed, Harlow winding between them. Finally, at four in the morning, they were ready to sink into sleep.
Finn pulled Addie to him, his chest to her back, and sighed into her hair. She settled against him, matching her breathing to his. Harlow curled up in a ball at their knees, nuzzling his legs. Now that his sister was safe, Finn focused on Addie. On the feel of her curled into him, of her smell and the sound of her breathing.
“Finn?” Addie spoke sleepily.
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
He stiffened, a wave of shock hitting him. A slow smile spread across his face. “Thank God.”
“Thank God?” She shifted to look at him in the near darkness. “Wow.”
He laughed softly, hoping she could see his smile. “I was wondering how long I was going to have to fight for that.” He nuzzled her neck, kissed up to her jaw. “I love you, too.”
She sighed happily. “Thank God.”
They both fell asleep, smiling, relaxed against each other.
§§
Finn woke up first the next day, the sun glaring into the room, and glanced at his phone. It was 1:00pm. He shot up in the bed, seeing that he'd missed a call from Jenna. He dialed her number fast.
“Hey, sleepyhead.” Jenna sang into the phone.
“I didn’t mean to sleep this long.” He saw Addie shift beside him. She looked up at him questioningly. He mouthed ‘Jenna’ and she nodded.
“It’s okay. Trevor brought me my car this morning, and I took Kelsey home. She’s passed out right now. Carter, Gemma, Caleb and Autumn cleaned up the house this morning before we got home. All we have to do is paint the wall where the bastard put the tattoo up.”
“I’ll be over in a few minutes.” He moved to get off the bed.
“No, Finn. Honestly, she’s going to sleep a while and I’m ready to crash. Trevor is here, and I made sure all the doors are locked,” Jenna told him.
Didn’t Jenna understand that having Trevor there didn’t make Finn feel like they were any safer? “Jenna, I can come over.”
“Finn, stop. You need a day off, some rest. I’m going to take care of Kelsey. I owe her that for not being there, okay? You did your rescuing last night. It’s my turn.”
He sighed, “Fine. Damn it. But call me if you need me. I mean it.”
“I will, big brother.”
He heard the smile in her voice and hung up, lying back down beside Addie. Her eyes were still slumberous as she smiled at him.
“She wants you to stay.” She leaned closer.
“Yeah, Kelsey’s asleep anyway and Trevor’s there. Although, that doesn’t make me happy.” He trailed a hand down her arm.
“I understand that. He cheated a ton, but was never physically
violent toward Halle, so your sister is safe from that part.” Addie pressed a kiss to his lips, sinking into his arms.
“Hmm, I think we may need a shower.” Finn spoke against her lips. “We both stink.”
She hit him in the arm, laughing, before she slid out of the bed. “And I’m starving. We can go get something to eat when we’re done.” She waggled her eyebrows at him and he followed her into the bathroom.
He took his time in the shower, washing her hair and body, pressing tender kisses along her skin. He wanted to show her how much she meant to him, to prove how deep he loved her. Her expression mirrored his own and his heart swelled. Love like this was something he'd thought was a myth. But it existed, with her. Their touches became more urgent, more heated, until they were moving together, hot and slick.
After their shower, they dressed comfortably and headed to his truck. The weather was cool, but bright, a direct opposite from the events of last night. He tried not to let it darken his thoughts and focused on Addie instead. On her finally admitting that she loved him. It was freedom to admit the same thing to her. He just didn’t know where they went from here.
They picked a fast food restaurant, grabbing burgers, drinks, and fries, before heading back to the apartment. Addie fed Harlow while Finn placed everything out on the bar.
“You know, we need to look at a place where we actually have a kitchen table,” he murmured around the burger.
Addie jumped beside him, mouth open. “Wha-?”
“Close your mouth.” He nonchalantly bit into his burger, chewed, and swallowed. She stared at him until he spoke again. “It makes sense.”
“It does, does it?” Her lips twitched and he guessed the shock passed. “We’re just going to move in together? Just like that?”
“Sure.” Finn grinned. “Don’t you want to?”
“I still have six months left on my lease.” She watched him closely.
“Good, it’ll take us at least that long to find the right house.” Finn’s face turned serious. “But only if this is what you want. I don’t want you to do it unless you’re absolutely sure.”
Taking the Heat Page 15