“I don’t care how long it is.Where's Cobie?”
With a sigh, I drop my free hand to my lap.I’m not sure what he wants me to say.I already told him I have no idea where Cobie is.If she was home.If she was caught in the wreckage.Okay, that’s a lie.I do know she wasn’t caught in the fire because she’s the one who sent us the photos of the burning building.That being said, if Roman could take it down a few notches, my pending migraine would appreciate it.“We just pulled up to the house, but I’m sure she’s here somewhere.”
“Where is she?”he demands.
The air reeks of smoke as I open the back door.“Calm down.She’s the one who sent the photos.I’m sure she’s fine?—”
“Do you see her or not?”
“I’m looking.”The smoky air isn’t surprising, but my nose wrinkles nonetheless.Squeezing the back of my neck, I begin my search, scanning the premises.There are at least a dozen people.Most are in firefighting attire.Then there’s Jagger, Violet, and—there she is.Across the front lawn, my baby sister clings to our Uncle Judge.And even though I knew she was fine thanks to our earlier texts, relief still spreads through me.“She’s out of the house,” I say into my cell.
“You sure?”
“I see her right now, Rome.”
A sigh hits the speaker.“Fuck.”Unlike the last few times he’s used it, the word is filled with relief.Like a breath of fresh air after drowning, or being choked out in a fight.“That’s good.”
“Yeah,” I confirm.Normally, I’d give him shit for having his panties in a twist, but all things considered, he isn’t the only one heaving a sigh of relief.Jagger and Violet each give my baby sister a hug before Uncle Judge pulls her into his side like an overprotective papa bear.My mouth lifts before I sober again.“Drive safe, Rome.All right?We’ll talk more tonight.Right now…”
My gaze lands on June near the firetruck.And who’s beside her?Fireman Fucking Bryan.My fingers tighten around my cell.What the hell is he doing here?And why is she talking to him?Out of all the people on my property, she’s talking tohim?I’ve never had to call the fire department once in my life, and the one time my house catches fire, Fireman Bryan’s on call?What are the fuckin’ odds?
“Hey, you still there?”Roman asks.
“Yeah, sorry.”I shake my head and begin assessing the front of the house.Besides, I don’t care.My cock was inside her less than an hour ago.I have no reason to be jealous.Not one damn reason.So, why is this messing with me?It’s not.I refuse to let it.Re-fucking-fuse.
“Ford?”
“We’ll talk more tonight,” I announce.“Right now, I gotta clear up a few things.”
“See what you can find out,” Roman orders.“I’ll be there soon.”
“See you in a minute.”
The call disconnects, and even though I know he heard my warning about driving safely, I doubt he’ll listen.Harden Estate might not be his official home and shit, but it’s just as much his as it is ours.
So, what the hell happened?
I head toward the cluster of people near the front door.It seems the actual flames have been put out, since everyone, including Fireman Bryan, is standing around with their thumbs up their asses.Okay, only Fireman Bryan is standing with his thumb up his ass.Not literally.That’d be weird.But you get my point.Maybe I should’ve told June I’d meet her at her place after ironing out the details.Or maybe I could get my own thumbs out of my ass.
Seriously, what is it with me and thumbs up the ass?
Unless maybe it’s June’s?—
Cobie spots me and wiggles out of Judge’s arms.“Ford!”Rushing forward, she tugs me into a hug while simultaneously shoving all thoughts of thumbs in foreign places out of my mind.
I wrap my arms around her and sigh.“You okay?”
She nods against my chest.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know.”She slips out of my embrace and looks over at the house as if replaying the last hour in her mind.“I was doing dishes while listening to music, when all of a sudden...”Her bottom lip trembles, and a glassiness hits her eyes.
With it brings a sucker punch to the gut and a flashback I’d give anything to keep buried.The night our mom died.The tears.The screaming.The tires squealing.Fuck, Cobie looks so much like her.She always has, but now that she’s older, and crying, and shaken up, the resemblance is uncanny.It messes with my head in a way that should be studied for how fast it knocks me on my ass.
“I started smelling smoke,” Cobie continues, oblivious to the ghost from Christmas past haunting me.“I thought I forgot to turn off the oven or something, you know?And then, I remembered I had cereal for dinner, and the smoke wasn’t coming from the kitchen, it was coming from the gym, which makes like, zero sense, and…”
“I’m just glad you’re okay.”My attention drifts to Uncle Judge.He walks closer, leaving everyone else behind him.When he reaches Cobes and me, I ask, “Any idea how it started?”
