Page 1 of Turbulent Fires

Prologue

Wolf

I could sit on this deck and gaze out at the painted sky with streaks of orange, crimson, and deep violet bleeding across the horizon all evening. Tragically it lasts for such a short time before the colors seem to drip straight into the calm sea below. How can anyone live in a world without seeing something this spectacular? How sad for them.

I don’t think there’s a better view in all of the land than this one right here on the deck of our family home that sits high on the hills of Avalon on Catalina Island. No matter how many times I see this view, I never tire of it. That’s saying a lot since I’m a pilot and have flown all around the world. Catalina Island always calls me home no matter where I am. It always will. There isn’t much in life that can pull me in, but this island sure can.

“This place smells like home and heartbreak at the same time,” I say as I lean back in my favorite Adirondack chair my father built before... well, before the beautiful sea took him and my mother. How can something so serene become deadly in an instant? I will never have a satisfactory answer.

My fingers curl around the neck of a cold beer, the condensation dripping like sweat in the thick summer heat. The gentle ocean breeze offers enough relief that it feels good instead of oppressive.

My brother Jayden stands beside the grill, a spatula resting comfortably in his hand, his brows drawn tight. “You’re waxing poetic,” he says before flipping a steak. “Are you trying to inspire girly emotions?” He winks at me. My brothers and I have never been good at talking about feelings, which used to drive our mother crazy. She loved all three of us, but I know if she could’ve been guaranteed a girl, she would’ve tried one more time just to have a bit more estrogen in the room.

My other brother, Drake, snorts as he launches a tortilla chip at Jayden’s head from across the large deck. “Wolf doesn’t do poetry. He does, however, wax drunken philosophy when the sun sets just right.”

The three of us are close in age. I’m the oldest at 38, with Drake right behind me at 36, and Jayden, the baby who was quite spoiled when Mom was still here, sitting at 35. I think she thought if they moved up the timetable just a tad with the last child, she might trick her body into giving her a girl. She was clearly wrong. I’m sure if we’d had a little sister, I’d love her to pieces, but I can’t imagine this world without my brothers. We’re very close.

I raise my beer in the air and grin. “Guilty,” I call out.

The reality is, though, that I’m trying to hold on to the moment. I love the three of us being on this island together, which happens less and less with our busy lives. We always say we’re going to take more downtime, but we thrive on high adrenaline and need constant adventure to keep us motivated.

Still, on the island, with fishing poles drying on the side of the house and the scent of grilled meat filling the air, is about as close to heaven as it gets. When you add in the fresh sea air clinging to our clothes, and the wind brushing against us like a whisper from the past, it’s the cherry on top of the sundae.

“What do you think Mom and Dad would think about us today?” I ask. This question quiets both of them. We don’t talk about our parents too often. It hurts. They should be sitting here with us, enjoying life and looking forward to many more years to come. At least they went out the way they’d want, together and at sea, their favorite place to be.

Jayden moves over and sits beside me, setting his beer on the table between us. He gives me a crooked grin that’s melted the hearts of many females. “I think they’d be shocked we’re still alive, wondering when one of us will kill the other.” When things get too emotional for any of us, we try to fill the void with humor. It works more often than not.

Drake shakes his head. “I think they’d be damn proud of what we’re doing in our lives. We might make mistakes, and we’re taking a hell of a long time to grow up, but they’d even be proud of Jay, the grumpy author who thinks a good time is playing with metaphors and drinking whisky alone in his study.”

“This is coming from a man-child who wears board shorts while running a global company like it’s a lemonade stand?” Jayden mocks.

“That company happens to make a lot of money, and who in the hell invented the rule that you had to look like a damn penguin to do your job? I much prefer comfort over style,” Drake unapologetically states.

“I have to agree with you on that. The only thing I hate about flying is the damn uniform I have to wear,” I tell him.

We all chuckle as I let the conversation roll through me, finding comfort in the sound of my brothers’ voices. Catalina Island always brings this out in us, taking away our stress, and letting us feel free. This place, these men, and this life is what it’s all about.

I glance at the cliffs overlooking Avalon Bay. Our family has owned property here for decades, long before the resorts, the ferry lines, the overpriced cocktails... and long before our parent’s boat slammed into the rocks on a foggy night, ripping our world apart. It wasn’t the island’s fault, but we were all angry for a while. Nothing could keep us from this place, though, especially knowing how much joy it always brought our parents. We feel closer to them when we’re here.

“I’m missing them more than usual today,” I admit. They both nod, not knowing what to say. We all miss them, feeling the hole of their absence on a daily basis. Some days truly are harder than others.

A minute of silence passes before Drake launches to his feet. “Okay, enough of this. We’re going to eat these quality steaks we’ve grilled to perfection, then we’re grabbing the poker chips and our wallets and heading to the Marlin.”

I grin, ready to stop the melancholy. “Are you sure you want to lose more money?” I taunt.

“Not going to happen.” His grin grows wider. “I’m simply sick of hanging with you two. I want to flirt with some pretty girls while you guys pout in the corner ’cause you’re too ugly to attract the opposite sex.”

Considering we all look like brothers and no one would call any of us ugly... each standing over six feet with piercing green eyes, dark hair, and pretty defined bodies, not to brag or anything... there’s never a shortage of females vying for all of our attention. Drake is quite smooth, though, and known for leaving women with a smile even when he walks away, which he always does. To be honest, all three of us are terrified of the word commitment. A shudder runs through me even thinking the word.

“I’m surprised you want us there since we’ll attract all the attention,” I taunt.

“You’ve lost some of your moves in your old age. I’m pretty confident,” Drake says. He’s not wrong. I’ve been less flirty than normal. I’m not sure why. Maybe I’m in a funk.

I’ve always been a no-more-than-two-dates rule type of man. That way I won’t get attached. Life’s too short to tie myself down to a woman who will demand all of my time, get ticked if I’m out too late, and try to tell me what to wear and what to eat. No thank you. I want adrenaline, adventure, and short-term flings that don’t ask for anything more of me than a great night or two of sex.ThatI can handle.

Knowing this about myself, I can’t figure out what this strange, restless ache I’ve been feeling is about. It can’t be that I want normalcy. I’ve always been firm in my convictions that normal is boring.

Maybe the fact that Jayden’s been talking more about the future is messing with my head. Maybe it’s how Drake goes oddly quiet when he thinks no one’s watching him. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s me turning 38 and realizing I’ve climbed every mountain I’ve wanted to climb, flown every plane I’ve wanted to fly, kissed every kind of woman I’ve wanted to kiss... and yet I’m feeling like something is still unfinished. What in the hell is wrong with me?

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