Page 88 of Burn Protocol

“But sir…” Tommy mutters, but Salisar raises his hand.

“Enough. I heard what you said about women. I will not tolerate such thoughts in my station. Elena and Rosa are just as capable as any other firefighter in this building. I will not have anybody question that and put their lives in danger. You are dismissed.”

I stare at the Chief, who has his chest puffed out and is bristling in his spot. Standing like that, with that fire in his eyes and his hands balled into fists, he is quite intimidating. Even Sanchez and Rodriques are taken aback. Tommy’s mouth is gaping and he’s blinking rapidly. I look at him just in time to see the color drain from his face as the reality sinks in. He looks at me one last time, eyes full of defeat, before his shoulders slump and he trudges outside.

The moment he leaves the room, we all exhale simultaneously. I feel the tension leave my body. There is an empty feeling in my chest, where a big ball of knots used to be. Shouldn’t you feel triumphant? I don’t. There is no feeling at all, really. Tommy brought this upon himself. And now it’s out of my hands. In the end, it’s better for me. The Chief knows how to deal with this. If Tommy comes back, it will be on strict terms. There will be no more gossip. There won’t be any more camps. It’s better this way.

“Chief, wasn’t that a bit harsh?” Sanchez breaks the silence.

Salisar shakes his head. “I had my suspicions about him for a while.” He glances at me briefly. “There have been more incidents that I cannot disclose here. Consider the matter handled.”

He nods and turns around, but halts in the doorway and looks over his shoulder. “Elena, you are expected in my office tomorrow at nine a.m. sharp. Bring Maya. You are meeting with the press officer.”

“Yes, sir.”

Her name alone brings a smile to my face that I can no longer hide. Rodriques grins in reply and pokes his elbow in my ribs. The smirk on his face is undeniable. Sanchez just quirks an eyebrow and shakes his head. But I see the ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. Yeah, today ended well. I just hope that Maya’s meeting was just as fruitful.

Elena’s breath is cold against my lips. She tastes sweet, like the iced tea she just drank. How she can drink that stuff this early in the morning is beyond me, but she doesn’t even bat an eye. Yet she calls my one cup of coffee diabetes in a cup.

Her arms snake behind my neck as she deepens the kiss and I let out a soft whimper. She smiles against my mouth and brushes her thumb over my jaw before breaking away.

“Get some more sleep, querida.”

Her voice is still husky with that early morning gruffness. It makes me want to pull her back into the bed, and cage her in with my legs so they can’t steal her away from me. She must see the glint in my eye because she chuckles and leans back a little further.

“You’re trouble,” she whispers.

I just nod and grab her wrist, tugging at it softly. She doesn’t take much convincing to press her lips against my own again, and when my fingers disappear under the hem of her shirt she growls into my mouth.

“I’ll be late,” she grumbles.

It’s not even a weak protest, but a statement. She already knows she has lost, and I already know I have won. Now it’s my time to smile against her lips, the small movement making her pounce on me. Elena presses her body against mine, pushing me against the mattress. I blink before I let out a nervous chuckle. She nips at my collarbone and looks up at me, eyes filled with heat and tenderness all at once.

“Tú eres una zorrita…” she says in that low voice of hers that promises she will take all control of me.

“Your fox,” I whisper back, running my hands through her hair, tugging slightly.

She moves so fast that I gasp for air when my stomach hits the mattress. Did she just flip you? Her mouth is already on my neck, her hand steadily pressing between my shoulder blades, keeping me in place. Her teeth scrape my skin as she guides my hips up with her other hand.

“Just like that,” she pants against my cheek.

She slides my underwear to the side, the fabric already soaked by my want for her. The sudden morning air is cool against my heated core—an unexpected but very pleasant feeling. Elena lets out an approving hum, like I am some dessert she is about to devour. The sound alone is enough to make me drip even more.

“Eso,” she whispers as she runs her finger through my wetness.

When she suddenly thrusts two fingers inside me, I let out a surprised cry muffled only by the pillow. It doesn’t stop her. If anything it spurs her to thrust deeper, harder, faster. I turn on my cheek, panting now and moaning her name. The sound coming out ragged and distorted by every pump of her fingers inside of me.

“El...e…na…”

It’s nearly a plea and she answers with a moan of her own, stifled only when she bites my shoulder. The sharp edge heightens all my senses and makes me lean into her. The noise coming from Elena is so feral that when it hits my chest it sparks a whole new fire. With her fingers still inside me, she pulls me back up on my knees, riding her while she presses into me from behind. Her free hand snaking up around my throat, holding me steady and in place.

“Mia…” she growls. Mine.

The word sends a jolt of arousal through me that leaves me gasping and panting even harder. But she doesn’t go easy on me. Her fingers curl and I scream her name. It is both a worshipful prayer and plea at the same time.

“Come for me.”

Her voice, so close to my ear, utters the simple command while I feel her everywhere—and it is enough to tip me over the edge. My walls clench around her fingers and my hands grip her thighs, steadying me from behind. My nails dig into her flesh as the first wave crashes over me. Her sharp intake of breath makes me come even harder. Elena keeps the pressure high, making me fall even deeper. My breathing is rapid, my throat hoarse from screaming, my legs are shaking, and her hand is coated with me. But only when the tears roll down my face does Elena slow down.