Ignite: An Everyday Heroes World Novel (The Everyday Heroes World)

by Kim Loraine

  “Let go, baby. Come all over my cock.” I whisper the words against the shell of her ear and she does as I say. Every muscle tenses, and I feel it down to my bones when she falls over the edge.

  Then, while she’s still in the throes of her release, I push her back to her hands and knees and grab her hips with both hands. I chase my orgasm with the focus of a man about to take first place in the race of his life.

  She whines and moans and rolls her hips, then whispers, “Please, daddy. Fuck me harder.”

  I’m fucking done. Blinding pleasure that curls my toes washes over me, and I’m sure I’ll leave marks on her hips. “Jesus, Lark,” I say on a ragged groan.

  “Wow. That daddy stuff really gets you going.”

  I chuckle, pulling out of her and caressing her back. “You get me going. But, yeah…I guess I really like it.”

  “You’ve got a daddy kink.”

  “Look who’s not so innocent anymore.” I have to tease her to keep the focus off me and how I’m feeling about the whole thing. If I let myself, I’ll go down a path I don’t want to explore right now.

  “I wasn’t that innocent before you fucked my brains out. I read romance. I watch porn.”

  I cock a brow. “Teach me how to give a blowjob?”

  “Look, reading about it and watching it isn’t the same as doing it.”

  “That’s fair. And it was fucking hot.”

  She grins and lets out the sexiest giggle. “It was.”

  “Stay right there. I’ve got to go clean up.”

  Striding into the bathroom, I make quick work of disposing of the condom, and when I return, she’s not where I left her. Instead, she’s standing at the window, looking out over my small backyard bathed in moonlight. A tree with a tire swing in the corner, a couple of Adirondack chairs, the promise of more than a single guy living here.

  I wrap my arms around her and press a kiss to her shoulder. “I said stay in the bed.”

  “I had to move or I was afraid I’d fall asleep.” She leans back against me and sighs.

  “Not that I mind seeing you naked standing at my window.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  I chuckle and trace the circular scar under her collarbone. “Tell me about this.”

  She stiffens, and for a moment, I think she’s not going to say anything. “I got shot.”

  “At your school?”

  “Yeah. It…it happened so fast but also in slow motion. I honestly don’t remember much of it.”

  I turn her in my arms and hold her tight to me. The thought of something happening to her, something like that, something that could take her from me, makes my heart race, and a sick feeling take hold in my gut. Dragging my thumb across her cheek, I stare into dark eyes that swim with emotion. “I’ll never let anything happen to you again.”

  A little furrow appears between her brows and she shakes her head. “You can’t promise that.”

  “I can promise I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

  She buries her face in my chest and hugs me tight. “That’s what you do. You make me feel safe. No one has been able to help me like you have.”

  “I hope one day you get to the point where you feel as safe as you can be in your everyday life. But until then, I’m glad I’m here.”

  My hand in her soft hair, I push away all thoughts of the world outside. Tonight there’s no trauma in her past, no heartbreak in mine, no reason we shouldn’t be together. We’re here, in the dim light of my bedroom, holding each other together with everything in us. And that has to be enough for now.

  12

  Lark

  My heart is racing when I wake up. The scar on my chest aches and burns as my dream…no, my nightmare…fades into the background.

  A warm palm rubs circles on my bare back and Travis’ low voice soothes. “You’re okay, sweetness. It’s all right.”

  Adrenaline has my limbs shaking and my stomach churning, but I take several long breaths and let him pull me back onto the mattress where I snuggle into his arms. “It’s been weeks since I had a nightmare.”

  “Well, we brought it all back to the forefront earlier. I’m sorry.” The low rumble of his voice is warm and covers me like a blanket.

  “I spend a lot of time hiding from it. I need to unpack it better.”

  “You’re doing the work, in therapy.”

  I nod. “Speaking of. I have an appointment today. What time is it?”

  He reaches for his phone and chuckles. “I left everything on the floor in the bathroom. Give me a minute.”

  The man slides out of bed, his naked body on full, gorgeous display, and he gives me an over the shoulder wink as he strides into the bathroom. My limbs aren’t trembling anymore, the churning in my stomach is gone, and all I can think of is how much I want to stay in this bed with him and never leave.

  His muffled voice carries through the closed bathroom door, low and frustrated. I get to my feet and snag a t-shirt out of his dresser drawer. It must be one of his old uniform shirts because it’s faded and soft and says Sunrise Fire on the front. Slipping it over my head, I grin when the hem hits me at the tops of my thighs. I’m covered just enough to keep my decency, but that’s about it.

  “Dammit, Gina. I told you already. No, I don’t want to see you. If I never see you again it’ll be too soon.”

  Ouch. That’s harsher than I’ve heard him speak. I feel weird being present for this conversation, even if I’m not in the same room.

  “Do whatever you want. Sell the damn house. I just want to be done with this.”

  The bathroom door swings open and there he is, a scowl on his handsome face. I stand with my fingers laced, trying to figure out the best thing to say in this situation. I’ve never been through divorce, I mean…I barely went through much of a break up.

  “You okay?” I finally manage.

  He drags a hand through his hair and mutters, “It’s 8:45.”

  Okay, then. I guess we’re not going to talk about it. “My appointment is at ten. I should probably go.”

  He nods. “I’ll drive you home.”

  “You probably shouldn’t. My dad will be home.”

  “Fuck, you’re right.”

  “I’ll just call a car. It’s not a big deal.”

  “I hate that I can’t do something as simple as drive you home.”

  I take his hand, press a kiss to his knuckles and look him in the eye. “We can tell him. But if we tell him, that means this is more than having sex a few times.” My stomach flutters. I want this to be more. I want to have as much of him as he’ll give me. “But I don’t think you’re ready for that. You’ve still got a lot to figure out with your divorce, not to mention my dad being your chief. So if I only get you by sneaking out of your house the morning after and keeping things under wraps, that’s fine.”

  He doesn’t argue, doesn’t tell me he wants it all with me too, and that hurts a little, but I also knew it was true before I said it. Insta-love isn’t real. Insta-lust? Totally. But what we have already is more than simple lust. We’re live wires, connecting and causing a spark. We just need time to figure out if we’re going to burn.

  I collect my clothes and dress, leaving his shirt folded on his bed. I should have put it away, but part of me wanted him to see it and remember how I looked in it.

  “Car will be here in five minutes.” I tuck my hair behind my ear and stare at him. He’s wearing his jeans from last night and a black T-shirt. He looks so good, even rumpled from sleep. “Thanks for a great night.”

  I turn and head for the front door, fighting the wave of sadness that he hasn’t done a damn thing to show me he wants more. But then he grabs me and spins me around, crushing his lips to mine in a fierce kiss that leaves me breathless.

  “When can I see you again?”

  Excitement thrums through my veins. “Text me.”

  I nod and he finally releases me before opening the door and watching me walk out to the car that’s already
idling in the driveway. He doesn’t close the door until I’m safely settled in the backseat.

  I heave a sigh and wait for the driver to back up. But he doesn’t. The man turns around and says, “Bloody hell, Lark. What the fuck are you doing at Ryker’s house this early in the morning?”

  My stomach drops. Declan Byrne stares at me with absolute shock on his face. “Declan?”

  Travis

  I finish my fifth mile on the treadmill at the station as Byrne comes in, slamming the door behind him.

  “You okay, man?” I ask, wiping the sweat from my brow with a gym towel.

  He grabs a set of dumbbells and begins doing bicep curls, brow furrowed and focus on the mat in front of him.

  “Guess not.” I drop the towel in the laundry hamper before walking past him.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Declan’s voice is harsh.

  “Excuse me?”

  “With Lark. What are you doing with her?”

  My gut twisted. I had to have heard him wrong. “I’m—“

  “Don’t fucking lie to me. You’re new here, but you know enough to know she’s half your age, man, and the chief’s daughter.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  He drops his weights and gets to his feet, striding toward me in large steps. “I saw you. I picked her up at your house yesterday fucking morning.”

  Fuck. Since when is he working a second job?

  “It just…happened.”

  “Don’t try and tell me she just tumbled onto your dick. How did it just happen? Birdie is special. She’s been through a lot. She doesn’t need some Wrangler-wearing arsehole coming in here and messing with her head.”

  How can I explain this in a way he’ll understand? I don’t even really know what’s going on between us. Aside from the fact that I want to have her again…and again.

  “I didn’t know who she was the first time.”

  His eyes widen. “The first time? There’s been more than one?”

  “Before she came to the station. We had a run-in, spent the day together, something…clicked. Once I realized who she was, I tried to put a stop to it. But I can’t. I want to be with her and when I’m not, I think about her.”

  He backs down, sighing and rolling his gaze up to the ceiling. “Fuck, man. Are you serious?”

  “As a heart attack.”

  “You’re twice her age. Does the chief know?”

  My chest tightens. “No. We’re seeing how things go before we have that talk with him. It’s still new.”

  Brow cocked, he crosses his arms over his chest. “New enough she stayed the night at your place.”

  “I don’t have to justify our choices to you, Dec.”

  Holding up both hands, he shakes his head. “You’re right, but shit, Ryker, this could get really messy. Aren’t you still married?”

  “No. That’s over. Been over for months now.”

  “Then why is she calling you all the time?”

  Shaking my head, I fight the wave of frustration building. “She likes to torment me. Gets off on it.”

  “If she can still get to you, then it’s not over.” His shrewd gaze locks on mine. “Birdie deserves better than a guy who carries a torch for another woman.”

  Why is he so defensive about Lark? Did they have something between them? Anger burns in my gut. She’s not his.

  “There is no one else.”

  “Are you in love with her?”

  That strikes something in me. Love? I don’t know if I’ll ever be in love again. Or if I ever really was before. “Why do you care?”

  “Because that girl has been through enough. She doesn’t need to be your rebound shag.”

  “She’s not.” I drag a hand over the back of my neck and sigh. “I don’t know what we are, but she’s more than a rebound.”

  “Why shouldn’t I tell the chief?”

  “Because Lark is a grown woman who can make her own choices.”

  He cocks a brow. “And she’s choosing you?”

  “If she is, it’s her call. Not yours.”

  The look on his face says I’ve got him there. Lark might be young, but she’s old enough to decide what she wants.

  “Fine. I won’t say anything because from the look on her face when she was leaving your place, she was happy. But if you do a single thing to hurt her, I’ll throw you under the bus so fast you won’t know what hit you.”

  Instead of balking at the threat, I take all the good I can get from this situation. “Thank you.”

  “Don’t mention it.” Declan stares me down. “You know he’ll kill you if he finds out, right?”

  I sigh. “I figured as much.” I remember very clearly the time one of our guys in Sunrise had an affair with the lieutenant’s wife. He was transferred because none of the crew could trust him again. Ostracized. His career tanked. I can’t afford to have that happen. I’m just starting out here. It’s already hard enough moving to a new station with all new people. I can’t do it again.

  Opening the door that leads out into the hall, I look back over my shoulder at the man who could ruin everything for me.

  “Don’t worry, mate. I’ve still got your back.” His jaw is set, deadly serious. “Two in, two out.”

  My chest loosens a little at those words, but I still have to tread carefully. It could all fall apart with one word from him. With a curt nod, I leave the gym and head to the kitchen for another cup of coffee.

  “Breathe, Birdie, it’s okay. You can try again.” My heart lurches at the sound of Chief Long talking to Lark. Is she here? God, I want her to be here as much as I don’t.

  When I pass his office door, I catch sight of him pacing while talking on his phone. What happened? Fuck, is she okay? Has she had another panic attack? I should be with her.

  The alarm blares, lights flashing as we’re called to action. Chief Long hangs up and catches my eye. I swallow hard and make for the garage bay and my waiting turnouts. As soon as I’m done with this call, I have to talk to Lark. Make sure she’s okay.

  Nearly an hour later, we’re pulling back into the garage bay and I’m itching to call Lark. I almost asked the chief if she was all right twice but ended up holding my tongue. It isn’t my business. Not as far as he’s concerned. But fuck, I’m anxious about her.

  Pulling my phone from my pocket, I type a quick text.

  Everything okay?

  I wait. And wait. Where the fuck is she? Why isn’t she answering?

  Pacing in front of the open garage bay, I stare down at my phone with my brows pulled together in a scowl.

  “I’m fine.” Her voice catches me off guard, soft and sweet, and completely welcome.

  I snap my gaze to where she’s standing. On the walkway that leads from the visitor parking lot to the main door. She’s wearing a pair of white shorts that showcase her long, shapely legs and a casual red tank top. Her dark hair and olive toned skin are only accented by what she’s wearing. Beautiful. Striking. Fucking devastating.

  “What are you doing here?”

  She looks around, relaxing when she realizes I’m the only one out here right now. “I wanted to see you. I needed a reason.”

  It’s all I can do not to take a step closer and pull her against me. “Are you trying to torture me?”

  “Maybe it’s you who’s torturing me. Do you know how hot you look in those turnouts?”

  I chuckle. “I thought it was cowboys you liked, not firefighters.”

  “Can’t I like both?”

  She toys with the end of her hair and a wary look passes over her face.

  “Lark, I heard your dad on the phone with you. What happened?”

  Shrugging, she looks away. “I tried to go register for classes again. And panicked…again.”

  “It’s okay. You’ll get there. You can go online.”

  Tears fill her eyes. “I know.” She brushes them away angrily. “God, I’m just…I’m so frustrated. I want to be normal again. I want to do all the t
hings I was supposed to do before that asshole stole my life from me. I can’t even handle fireworks on the Fourth of July.”

  Motioning to the back of the engine, I take a seat on the big silver bumper and wait for her to join me. “Tell me what happened.”

  She sighs. “I told you…I don’t remember much.”

  “Just tell me what you can remember.”

  Taking a deep breath, she closes her eyes. For a minute I think she’s not going to say another word, that I’ve lost her, but then she starts talking.

  “It was cold. January, right after we all came back from winter break. I was walking with my friend Ami. We were headed to poli-sci, wanted to get a good seat. The professor was hot.”

  I bristle a little at the idea of her finding another guy hot, but stop myself and focus on her, on her story.

  “There were so many of us crossing the quad. The pops didn’t sound real. And people just started falling. I saw him walk out of the library and…” Her voice wobbles, and I take her hand as she goes quiet.

  “He aimed the gun at Ami and I just…moved in front of her.” Her hand goes to her collarbone where her scar is hidden under the strap of her tank top. “I don’t remember anything else. But I have nightmares about his cold, dull eyes. Like a shark. Like he wasn’t human anymore.”

  I squeeze her hand tight.

  “He killed twenty people and himself. I had never met him before, but he tried to kill me.”

  A tear trails down her cheek, and I want nothing more than to wipe it away, but the sound of a throat clearing behind us stops me. My heart lurches as Chief Long comes into view, his jaw set and eyes hard. I drop her hand like it’s on fire.

  “Birdie, what’s going on?” he asks.

  She sniffles and wipes her face. “I came to see if you wanted lunch. Travis and I started talking.”

  “I…uh, I heard. Come on, honey. I’m sure Travis has some work to do.”

  Hopping down from the back of the truck, she strides toward him, one tender look thrown over her shoulder at me.

  When she’s out of sight, I close my eyes and lean my head back until it rests on the cold, hard surface of the engine. Shit, that was close.