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The scene in front of us was utter chaos, another firefighter unit attempting to use the passageway to gain access. The private road I shared with Douglas certainly didn’t seem to be a secret any longer. Or maybe they’d been prepared for the fact a portion of my winery would catch fire.
“You don’t have to worry about me, Aspen. You’re going to learn that following my rules is in your best interest.”
“Jesus Christ. I’m not a child,” she spat in return.
“Then don’t act like one. You need a hard spanking for being so damn impetuous.” I paced the ground, uncertain what the hell to do with the woman. However, guilt remained just below the surface. I was the one who’d made the stupid decision to take her with me. I was the one who’d placed her in harm’s way. I couldn’t the thought of losing anyone else I… cared about. The reality was something I could no longer avoid. While every part of me had wanted to save the Kingstons, I’d placed her life in jeopardy. What the fuck was wrong with me?
You’re an asshole, a selfish prick who deserves to be alone for the rest of your life.
My inner voice wasn’t lying. Fuck. Fuck! I wiped soot from my face, taking several scattered breaths. I barely knew anything about the woman, yet my heart ached for and because of her.
“You have to be kidding me.”
Hissing, I looked away, shaking my head. I could sense her fury, which was almost as great as mine. “You worried me. Okay? You could have been seriously hurt or even killed.”
“Yeah? Well, that didn’t seem to bother you before,” she scoffed.
“That’s not true. I didn’t think you’d be so… rebellious to follow me. Whether you understand or not, I had to make certain the family was safe. It was important to me. Can’t you understand that?”
She sagged against me. “Of course I can. Maybe better than anyone else around you, but what you did was careless. I’m worry. I just wanted to help.”
Yeah, tell me something I didn’t know. “I can do what is necessary, Aspen, but you aren’t trained for fighting fires.”
“And neither are you.” Recoiling, she lowered her head, her breathing ragged. “I’m sorry, Montgomery. I know what you went through was horrific. I can’t imagine it, but I can take care of myself. I don’t need you telling me what to do.” Another moment of quiet tension settled between us. “We’re both rattled. Okay? What’s going to happen to the family?” She leaned back, studying my face. “They need help.”
I looked down into her eyes. The worry and anxiety she expressed were things I wasn’t used to. She truly cared about people she’d never met before. There was also something else. The woman was falling for me. Me. Maybe I should push her away. Maybe I should send her packing. That would be the right thing to do, although I knew there was no way I could ever let her go. “I’m certain they have insurance. That’s a requirement for the lenders.” And the Kingstons were in way over their heads from what Douglas had told me a couple of months before. No wonder Prescott had targeted his winery.
“They have no place to go, nothing to their name. You know that. You need to help them. You can help them. You have all the space in the world. You could give them a place to live until they figure out what to do. Hell, give them my villa! What do I need with such a huge place?”
Her kindness was something I could learn from. Exhaling, I noticed the sheriff’s car moving closer. I would know his blue flashing lights anywhere. Bristling, I kissed her forehead then pushed her aside. “Stay with the family. There’s something I need to do. Okay? Can you do that for me?” Her continued defiance irritated the hell out of me. She had no idea how close she’d come to losing her life. I was shaken to the core at the thought. I also felt an incredible warmth like I’d never experienced before.
“Okay.” Aspen shifted her gaze toward the oncoming car. “But you need to promise me that you will help them.” She shifted the flashlight from one hand to the other, following my gaze. “Who is that?”
“A pain in my ass and I know what to do, Aspen. Just trust me.” I eased away from her, moving directly in Bryce Sanchez’s direction. I’d gone through several caustic discussions with the sheriff over the last two years, two of which had almost come to blows. Robert grabbed my arm before I could get near the man.
“Don’t do anything rash, Montgomery.”
I glared at Robert, shaking my head. “Why would that bother you at this point, my friend? You know exactly who was behind this. You should be incensed. Instead, it would appear you’re just sizing up the damage for another reason.”
It took a few seconds for him to process what I was saying. Then he took a single step away, his expression filled with as much rage as continued to rush through my system. “How fucking dare you. Do you think I have anything to do with this tragedy?”
“What I think is that you know more than you’re telling me. There was a padlock on the gate, a new one. That meant someone was on this property preparing to torch them out. What I think is that you’ve forgotten about loyalties. Don’t I pay you well enough? Don’t I make certain that you have cart blanche with my estate when needed? If I didn’t know better, I’d think your loyalty has shifted.”
He pursed his mouth, his entire body shaking. Then he pointed his finger in my face. “You’ve been like a son to me, although you haven’t cared about anyone but yourself for years. You’ve tossed your brother aside, as if he meant nothing to you. He’s your blood yet you told him that you never wanted to see him again. I’m disgusted with you. I’ve had it, Montgomery. You’ve gone too far.”
His statement told me one thing in particular. He’d recently had a conversation with Jackson since my exclamation of never wanting to see my brother again had come just a few hours earlier. I shook my head then walked away, finding the sheriff talking to a group of reporters who’d appeared out of nowhere.
“Unfortunately, the road leading to the Kingston winery is blocked. We won’t know the extent of the damage until the firefighters have completed their work. That’s going to take some time. The fire has yet to be contained.” The sheriff was in his element, pontificating to the group of men and women, a huge smile on his face.
I wanted nothing more than to wipe it off.
He noticed me as I approached, his smile turning smug. The reporters paid little attention to my arrival, acting as if they weren’t the ones trespassing on my property.
“Can you tell us how the fire started?” one reporter asked.
“Was the entire vineyard destroyed?” another demanded, shoving a microphone into the sheriff’s face.
He returned his attention to the group of them, waving his hands. “I can’t tell you anything definitive at this point; however, from what little I heard from the captain of the fire department, it appears to be accidental.”
