Page 5 of The Haunting Plot

“You’re the last person I need or want.”

“I think the lady doth protest too much.” I want to wink at her, but I’m not sure it’d go over well.

If it were possible for steam to billow out of her ears, it would. “Are you fucking kidding me right now?”

A shit-eating grin lights up my face. I’m an instigator, and I know I’m pushing all the right buttons on her. It’s almost too easy. “You kiss all the boys with that mouth? Cuz I’d like a turn.”

She throws back her head and lets out a maniacal laugh. “You? You’re the person everyone looked at and decided, ‘Let’s elect this guy our chief’? Are you kidding me?”

“Gonna stop you there. That’s not remotely how it works.” I may be terrible at knowing when to shut up, but if there’s one thing I’m an expert on, it’s fires. “I have a bachelor’s in fire science, dozens of advanced certifications, and years of experience moving up the ranks. I put in the work to get where I am. No one handed me anything. And I’m the guy leading the crew who kept your house from being a total loss, so a ‘thank you’ would be nice.”

Damn. I shouldn’t let her get under my skin. I hope that didn’t come across as mean as it sounded.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she gives me a once-over, her eyes lingering below my belt a hair too long. “Ooh, hit a nerve, eh? Do you have to list out all your accomplishments like that to overcompensate for other shortcomings?”

“Are you trying to turn me on, sweetheart? If you want, I can show you exactly how wrong you are.”

What has gotten into me? And why does it feel like my brain is buzzing with excitement right now?

She huffs, snapping her mouth shut, so I take a step closer to her. Big mistake. Her vanilla and amber scent hits me, and I cross my hands over my crotch to hide the evidence of her effect on me.

“Raven! I came as soon as I heard it on the scanner,” yells RJ, a rookie at my station, as he runs up to us. He hugs her, and I’m instantly hit with a pang of jealousy.

She pats him awkwardly before practically shoving him off her. “Don’t be an idiot. I’m fine.”

Gripping her shoulders, he looks her over. “Where are the kids?”

He knows her kids, and she’s calling him names. Why does that rile me up so much? I’m about to give the rookie a hard time when Jonah comes running up. “Uncle RJ!”

Uncle. Releasing a relieved breath, I look at RJ. How did I forget he had a sister? I know everything about my crew. Birthdays. Partners’ and kids’ names. Their favorite candy. I’m a thoughtful motherfucker. I’m old, but not old enough to forget him mentioning a sister. “This is your sister? How come you never mentioned her?”

“It never came up?” RJ shrugs as he drops to his knee in front of Jonah. “What happened, little man?”

“I started a fire.” RJ’s head whips to Raven’s, and a contentious silent conversation passes between them.

“I hate to be that guy, but if this is your family, you know you can’t be here.” I may be a fun and carefree guy, but I take protocol seriously when it comes to my team, especially after RJ disobeyed orders recently.

RJ pulls his shirt off one-handed and tosses it to Raven, who swats it away. “Put your clothes on, idiot.”

He looks at me. “I’m still on desk duty, and my shift was almost over. I’m not here officially, just heard it on the radio and came to check on my family. I’m here as a civilian.”

“You’re already on thin ice, rookie. Don’t push it.” My tone is stern, but the slight smile on my face lets him know that I’m teasing. “He started a small fire on the porch swing. The rest was in the back part of the house, probably started by a candle.”

“I must’ve knocked over my candle on my race out of the room. Shit,” Raven mutters.

“Shit, shit, shit,” Jonah parrots as he runs back over to the swing.

Raven drops her head in her hands. “I’ve got to watch my language.” She looks exasperated, as though there’s more exhausting her than this situation.

“Eh, don’t be so hard on yourself.” I take a step toward her, fighting the urge to touch her shoulder. “Everyone makes mistakes.”

“Yeah, but not everyone has a child whose stim is repeating words he hears.”

“Stim?”

“It’s when someone makes a repetitive noise or movement. Sometimes it helps regulate emotions or soothe sensory-seeking behaviors,” RJ says before Raven can open her mouth.

I scratch my jaw. “I didn’t know there was a name for that.”