Fire truck!” he said happily. Nora smiled back, lifting him onto her lap.
“Yes, Caleb. West is a firefighter. Maybe we’ll go and see the trucks one day before we go home.”
“Sure thing, little man. Anytime.” He grinned at Hope before turning his attention back to Nora. “So is Gabe with you?” He looked around the diner. “Or Theo?” Theo Barrington had been a good buddy of his for years. They’d met on a retreat West and his brother Bennett had signed up to participate in. Bennett had talked him into it, claiming that a military boot camp would make them the bad asses of the fire house. Theo was in charge of kicking their butts into shape and the three had formed a fast friendship. To the outside world, he’d seemed like a cocky, smart ass guy. But West had recognized the darkness shimmering below the surface of the mask he wore in his day to day life. There were secrets in Theo’s closet, West was sure of it, but he’d never had the opportunity to question him about what those were.
“It’s just us. And Greta,” Nora replied, a hint of sadness in her tone. West narrowed his eyes. There was more to the story there, but he didn’t push.
“Well, ladies. I better get this food back or they’ll have my head on a stick.” He winked at Aubrey, enjoying seeing the warm blush creep across her cheeks. Every reaction from her was so innocent, so damn pure. He wanted to own that blush, to ravish her until she peeled away her reservations and unleashed the passion he’d bet was lying dormant under her prim and proper exterior.
The bell above the door chimed as it swung open and Autumn sauntered in. She was wearing a low cut black top and skinny jeans, her red hair twisted into a braid that hung over her left shoulder. Big sunglasses sat on top of her head. More than one glance turned her way, she had that presence about her that made people stop and stare.
Hurrying up to the counter she barely spared him a glance as she beelined for her sister.
“There’s been another fucking murder!” she burst out, slapping a hand over her mouth when Aubrey glared at her and pointed to the kids.
“Fuck, sorry. Oh, shit. Dammit. Oh Jesus Christ, just listen to me,” she demanded. “They discovered another body just a little while ago. You know out past old man Conroy’s place? Jill told me in the coffee shop that officials just were called out there. Apparently some dude was burned alive in a box. Can you fucking believe that? In a box!” She ignored her sister’s harsh look at her language and continued on.
“I’m telling you, this is getting out of control. They need to do something.” Looking over her shoulder at West, she speared him to the spot with a pointed look. “Well? Do you have anything you can tell us about who this lunatic is?”
West headed back to Aubrey’s side and placed the white paper bags back on the counter. Letting his hand rest on Aubrey’s shoulder, he gave it a gentle squeeze. The look of fear and horror that had flashed in her bright green eyes when Autumn broke the news concerned him. Nora was sitting silent, keeping the kids occupied with straws and broken bits of crayon while the scene unfolded.
“I don’t. But I’ll go back to the station now and see what I can find out. The Fire Marshall is probably already out there, but they may need a couple of extra hands depending on what this asshole left behind for us.” West wasn’t looking forward to witnessing such a heinous act, but if what Autumn said was true; she was right. The situation was out of control and they were going to need some help.
Aubrey looked up at him, her eyes meeting his and he felt something move through him. A piece of his closed off heart snapped open, giving her access to a part of him he’d made permanently unavailable. She looked so vulnerable. He’d do what he could to help put this fucker away and avoid having to see that look of fear in her eyes again. Breaking their connection, he
“Yes, Caleb. West is a firefighter. Maybe we’ll go and see the trucks one day before we go home.”
“Sure thing, little man. Anytime.” He grinned at Hope before turning his attention back to Nora. “So is Gabe with you?” He looked around the diner. “Or Theo?” Theo Barrington had been a good buddy of his for years. They’d met on a retreat West and his brother Bennett had signed up to participate in. Bennett had talked him into it, claiming that a military boot camp would make them the bad asses of the fire house. Theo was in charge of kicking their butts into shape and the three had formed a fast friendship. To the outside world, he’d seemed like a cocky, smart ass guy. But West had recognized the darkness shimmering below the surface of the mask he wore in his day to day life. There were secrets in Theo’s closet, West was sure of it, but he’d never had the opportunity to question him about what those were.
“It’s just us. And Greta,” Nora replied, a hint of sadness in her tone. West narrowed his eyes. There was more to the story there, but he didn’t push.
“Well, ladies. I better get this food back or they’ll have my head on a stick.” He winked at Aubrey, enjoying seeing the warm blush creep across her cheeks. Every reaction from her was so innocent, so damn pure. He wanted to own that blush, to ravish her until she peeled away her reservations and unleashed the passion he’d bet was lying dormant under her prim and proper exterior.
The bell above the door chimed as it swung open and Autumn sauntered in. She was wearing a low cut black top and skinny jeans, her red hair twisted into a braid that hung over her left shoulder. Big sunglasses sat on top of her head. More than one glance turned her way, she had that presence about her that made people stop and stare.
Hurrying up to the counter she barely spared him a glance as she beelined for her sister.
“There’s been another fucking murder!” she burst out, slapping a hand over her mouth when Aubrey glared at her and pointed to the kids.
“Fuck, sorry. Oh, shit. Dammit. Oh Jesus Christ, just listen to me,” she demanded. “They discovered another body just a little while ago. You know out past old man Conroy’s place? Jill told me in the coffee shop that officials just were called out there. Apparently some dude was burned alive in a box. Can you fucking believe that? In a box!” She ignored her sister’s harsh look at her language and continued on.
“I’m telling you, this is getting out of control. They need to do something.” Looking over her shoulder at West, she speared him to the spot with a pointed look. “Well? Do you have anything you can tell us about who this lunatic is?”
West headed back to Aubrey’s side and placed the white paper bags back on the counter. Letting his hand rest on Aubrey’s shoulder, he gave it a gentle squeeze. The look of fear and horror that had flashed in her bright green eyes when Autumn broke the news concerned him. Nora was sitting silent, keeping the kids occupied with straws and broken bits of crayon while the scene unfolded.
“I don’t. But I’ll go back to the station now and see what I can find out. The Fire Marshall is probably already out there, but they may need a couple of extra hands depending on what this asshole left behind for us.” West wasn’t looking forward to witnessing such a heinous act, but if what Autumn said was true; she was right. The situation was out of control and they were going to need some help.
Aubrey looked up at him, her eyes meeting his and he felt something move through him. A piece of his closed off heart snapped open, giving her access to a part of him he’d made permanently unavailable. She looked so vulnerable. He’d do what he could to help put this fucker away and avoid having to see that look of fear in her eyes again. Breaking their connection, he
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