Page 45 of Flame's Fight

“Of course not. I’ve been thinking of getting a roommate, so this will be a trial run. My place is near the hospital, so it’s close to work. If it works out, we could be roommates!”

“I’d like that. It would make it easier than storing my stuff and looking for a place.” Tanya says. “Thank you.”

“How do we want to do this?” Ghost asks. “Axel has one of the SUVs. I can call Cole and have him bring another. Will that be enough?” He asks Tanya.

She nods. “Plenty. I don’t have too much, but I would like to get everything out tonight, so I don’t have to go back.”

“I have furniture in all the rooms, even in your room. I can put clean sheets on the bed for tonight if you don’t want to move the heavy stuff right away. But you’re welcome to bring anything that you want from your place.” I tell her. “You can bring just what you need for now and store the rest. Then later we can compare our stuff and make some changes.”

“Sounds good. I don’t really need any of my furniture. I’ll store everything but my clothes.” Tanya says. “But I need to find a storage unit.”

“You can use a unit at Styx.” Ghost says. “No charge.”

“You’re tired.” Flame says to me. “Do want to go with us and sleep in the SUV?”

“I’d rather go home and take a nap. Plus, I have a few things to take out of Tanya’s room before she arrives. Can you drop me off at my apartment?”

Flame frowns. “I don’t know if I like you being alone.” He says.

“I should be fine. Deion and his men are in jail and so is Younger. So I’m not in any immediate danger. My apartment is safe and I’ll lock the door.” I assure him.

“Maybe I should stay with you.” Flame says. “They don’t need me. It isn’t like I can carry much using a cane.”

“That’s up to you. But I promise I’ll be fine. Besides, they can use your eyes. Deion’s in jail, but that doesn’t mean he won’t have eyes on Tanya’s place. You want to make certain no one follows you back to my place.” I remind him.

“Which makes me hesitate to leave you alone.” He insists.

I roll my eyes. “It isn’t the same. Deion has more to worry about than me. If he has resources, he’s more likely to use them to track Tanya than me. I’m not a threat to him.”

I can tell Flame is unsure. “If you let me take a nap, I’ll have more energy later.” I tease him, leaning toward him to nibble on his jaw. I know I have him when he growls and pulls me closer so he can capture my mouth with his. He kisses me until I’m dizzy.

“Ok, we won’t be long. Take a nap so I can wear you out again.” He grins.

I follow him to the SUV so he and Axel can drop me off before they head to Tanya’s apartment. Once inside my place, I go straight to the second bedroom and haul out the few boxes I have stored in there. I give the room a good cleaning and put fresh sheets on the bed, just in case. As I’m putting away the vacuum cleaner, my phone rings.

“Gina. Are you at work?” I ask her, hearing the familiar sounds over the line.

“I’m on my break. I wanted to check in with you and see how you’re doing?”

“I’m ok. Grateful I’m off for the next couple of days. I take it you heard what happened?”

“Yes, and I’m not happy with you for not calling me and telling me you were ok.” She chides me.

“I’m sorry. Flame assured me they told you when they rescued me. He said you and Curt were a tremendous help. So thank you.”

“No problem. What an asshole. I never liked Tony, but I didn’t imagine he was that big of a creep.” Gina continues. “Although, speaking of creeps, the cop that is working the case is just as bad as Tony.”

“Detective Billings?” I ask her. When she says yes, I give her a summary of our interview.

“He honestly thinks you’re making this all up?” She asks and I hear the disbelief in her tone.

“I don’t know. I think so. He’s an ass. He almost made me question myself, simply because he was right. I didn’t see Tony’s face after he chloroformed me.” I admit. “But he was wearing the same clothes on the boat, and I know it was him.”

“It was him. Curt showed Detective Harding, the video of Tony coming out of his office dressed all in black and wearing a baseball cap. He went out the side door just before you arrived. He stepped back in and grabbed you. No way it could have been anyone but him.” Gina insists.

“Did they both see the video?” I ask her.

“Just Harding, as far as I know.” Gina says. “Curt showed it to him and gave him details about how he worked with Flame and Reaper to find you. Curt also told him about how Tony coerced you into meeting him in his office. I told Billings about it, but he only focused on the fact you agreed to have dinner with him. Even though it was a working dinner and he gave you no actual choice.”

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