Burning For Claire (The O'Connell Family Book 2) by C.M. Steele Page B

while.
    As I tried to think about what I was going to do, he told me to contact my parents. It was something I didn’t want to do. I spent the last ten years trying to be the perfect child like my brothers. They were always supportive, but I wanted to show them that even though I wasn’t a boy I could still be successful. My parents were proud, and I wanted to keep it that way.
    I dialed their number, knowing that they would be worried. It was too early to be calling them. It was only four in the morning.
    My father sleepily answered, “Hello?”
    “Dad?”
    “Baby girl, what’s wrong?” he asked in a panic. I could hear my mother behind him, asking what’s going on. I could tell he put it on speakerphone.
    “There was a fire at the salon. I’m outside of the salon right now calling you. I’ve lost everything, but my life.”
    “Thank God. We can get everything else back. You we can’t replace.”
    “I wanted to let you know before you saw it on the news,” I admitted.
    “Don’t worry you still have clothes here, and your room was just like you left it on Thursday. We’ll be right there to pick you up,” my mom said in rush.
    I tried to calm her and stop them from coming. “I have a ride, Mama.”
    “They’re dropping you off here? I’ll start some coffee.”
    “No, Mama. I’m going to stay with a friend.” I wasn’t going to tell them it was a boyfriend.
    Just as I said that, Travis walked up and snatched the phone out of my hand. I looked at him like he was crazy. My father didn’t like him. I didn’t think it was the right time for them to meet him or for my parents to learn of our relationship.
    “Mr. and Mrs. O’Connell, this is Williams. I’ll be taking Claire to your home. It’ll be safer there,” he stated.
    “What the hell are you doing with my daughter?!” my father shouted.
    “It’s not really your concern, but we’ll be on our way soon.”
    He hung up on them, and I wanted to bite him. I wasn’t ashamed of him at all, but I never introduced my parents to my boyfriends, least of all one they’d already met and didn’t like.
    “Why would you do that?” I yelled.
    “Do what? Tell your parents that I’m taking you home?” he asked like he was oblivious to the problem.
    “Talking to them in the first place.”
    “Sorry, sweetheart, but you better get used to it. I’m not going anywhere, and I’m not going to be hiding in the shadows.”
    I just gave him a glare and asked, “So when can we leave? I don’t want to stare at this anymore.”
    “Let’s ask the chief if we can go.” He grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze.
    I looked around at the scene before us. It was busy and chaotic. The fire was almost out with all the firefighters fighting the blaze at once. It had been considered a four-alarm, and the news crews just started to arrive. 
    We walked to the chief who was talking to some of the investigators and waited until he was done to ask. “Chief, we don’t mean to interrupt, but I’d like to take Miss O’Connell to get some rest.”
    “That’s fine. The investigators will want to talk to you, Miss O’Connell. We’ll find out who did this,” he promised me.
    “Thank you,” I whispered. I wasn’t willing to consider who was so evil to do this to me. One thing after another today. The only thing good was the hot-tempered, bossy, sexy cowboy who was holding me tight as he walked me to his pickup truck.
    He strapped me in like I was a little kid, but the kiss he gave me was anything but innocent. The drive to my parents seemed to fly by. We didn’t speak much because there was too much to say. I just asked that he not fight with my father about me.
    He chuckled, “I’ll do my best, but you’re asking a lot.”
    “Just chill, okay. You saved my life, but that doesn’t mean that we are really a couple.”
    “Do you normally ask men to spend the night?” he asked angrily. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly and his jaw