Page 36 of Burn With Me

“What? No, sorry, I was…anyway, what did you say?”

“I said you’ve never been annoyed by a girl not calling you. In fact, you’re kind of the king at walking away and never looking back. I envy the shit out of you for that. The point is that maybe you feel this way because you don’t just want the whole ‘get on your knees and suck my cock,’ routine.”

My eyebrow lifted at him. “It’s not quite like that.”

He waved his hand at me. “I know. It was for dramatic effect.”

I shook my head. That was the most ridiculous thing I’d ever heard…or was it?

“Damn, is that her,” Wheels asked, his eyes now focused on the screen and the image of Vi on it. I’d managed to snap a photo of her when we were at the lagoon as she playfully smiled at the camera. I got it at just the right time because the next moment, she disappeared under the water again. The woman was like a freaking fish.

“Yeah, that’s her.” Wheels moved closer to the screen, his mouth hanging open. “Don’t fucking drool on my screen.”

“Fuck me! How do you get all these smokin’ hot girls? I’m mean, Ash, she is on fire. Like wow.”

I glared at the back of my friend’s head. “As you can see, I don’t exactly have her, do I? She won’t return my messages.”

He looked over his shoulder at me. “You’ve sent her more than one message? Damn, you really do have it bad. Not that I blame you. If I even thought I might have a chance with a woman like that, I’d fucking put a collar on and crawl around behind her all day.” Of course, he turned back to the screen and zoomed in to make the image larger. “Fuck and look at her ink? Damn, this girl is sic. Smokin’ and sic. If she doesn’t answer you, can I have her number? I’d so tap that.”

“Fuck you,” I growled out.

My hand flexed at the thought of Wheels touching her. Hell, anyone else touching her had my blood boiling. Wheels snorted with amusement as he stood and stepped out of the room.

“So…how exactly did you screw things up?” I opened my mouth, and he held up a finger. “Don’t bother lying to me. How did you mess up?”

“Britnay found me on our date the other day, and she was… unpleasant. Even though I managed to keep the situation civil, Vi said she didn’t want any drama in her life. Also, I don’t think she was interested in me being part of the lifestyle.”

Wheels rubbed his chin. “Huh.”

“Huh?”

“Did she throw a huge fit? Vi, I mean.”

“No, why?” I said, and Wheels smiled.

“Don’t you see?” I shook my head no. “Dude, she is you but much better looking.”

I glared at him, but he shrugged it off.

“You don’t see the irony here, do you? Her attitude is how you normally are to everyone else. She’s the type that isn’t going to beg, not unless you give her something to beg for, but simply dropping to her knees and wanting you…to be you…It’s not enough. Find out what motivates her, and you’ll find the key to unlock her.”

“Every now and then, you sound intelligent, and it’s creepy as fuck.”

“It’s a gift I like to keep hidden.” Wheels tapped the side of his head. “That way, people don’t expect much from me. You coming down for some lunch? Have to eat while we can. With this arsonist still out there, who knows how soon it will be until the next fire.”

Wheels started to walk away and then stopped.

“For what it’s worth, I’d find a way to get her to listen and change her mind about you. Any girl that can tie the great Asher West up in knots is worth the effort.”

As Wheels disappeared down the hallway, whistling as he went, I couldn’t help wondering if he was right. I glanced at the computer and the smiling face looking back at me. I pulled out my phone.

“Okay, Vi, you won’t answer my messages. Let’s see if I can get your attention another way.”

* * *

Violet

I was wiped. Not just tired but full-on wiped out. I sat on the ceramic tiled edge of a decorative planter that held a tree and held my head in my hands and rested my elbows on my knees. I couldn’t tell if this arsonist was purposely trying to run me ragged or if he was simply this hungry to kill. He was more active than any other serial arsonist I’ve come across in my career or read about in any book—seven fires in six days and ten deaths. None of the scenes had a single piece of useful evidence, and I’d literally gone from one scene to the next to check. I was really getting sick of the cops groaning when I walked in and their shitty coffee. What was it that not one precinct could make a decent pot of coffee? It all tasted like dirty mud water.