Page 20 of Burn for Me
Their rage knewno bounds now as they watched the lights go out in her apartment. They were beyond rage. Ungrateful whore! They’d waited for her to realise she was theirs. They’d been patient. Courted her in their own way, the only way they knew how. Put themselves in danger for her. And this was the thanks they got? They couldn’t believe their beloved was just like every other woman. Nothing but a common whore!
Sobbing out their hurt and rage, they threw things around the room. Taking a red marker, they began to draw crosses over her face. Methodically, they worked their way around the room. Over the years, they’d lovingly collected thousands of photos. But now, that love was gone. She’d killed it. Systematically, they worked to destroy all the photos, just as she’d destroyed their love for her. She would have to pay, and they knew exactly what needed to be done. They would make her very sorry she’d given the love that was their due to another.
Chapter Eight
Gray rooted blindlyaround the pedestal next to the bed for his ringing phone. Squinting against the glare of the screen, he noted Kyle’s number on its display.
“This better be good, Ace. What the hell time is it anyway?”
“Hey, Gray, sorry to wake you, man. It’s almost a quarter to two. Are you bunked down somewhere here at the station?” Kyle queried.
“No, I didn’t sleep at the station last night. I’ll meet you there. What’s the address?”
Kyle’s momentary silence had the tiny hairs on the back of his neck rising. “I’m sorry, bud, I hate to be the one to tell you, but it’s that fancy bakery place that belongs to your new girlfriend.”
“Are you sure? No, don’t bother answering that. Of course you’re sure. Jesus.” Running a hand over his face he continued, “Give me a bit of time. I’ll meet you there.”
He felt a heavy weight settle over him as he hung up. Sighing, he rolled to his back and beat his head against his pillow once as he tried to figure out how to tell her. Thankfully, his gear was still in his truck from the day before so he could head straight out to the scene.
Reaching out, he turned the side lamp on before rolling onto his side. He tucked himself in behind Kitty’s sleeping form. He was glad she’d slept through the call. Knowing he was about to devastate her, he wished he could be anywhere else right now, doing anything other than having to wake her. Shaking her gently, he braced himself.
“Hmmmph,” came the very disgruntled objection.
“Kitty, I need you to wake up, baby. I need to talk to you.”
“’Sa time?”
Smiling despite being about to crush her, he placed soft kisses on her temple. Apparently, Kitty didn’t do well being woken up.
“Just a little before two.”
Rolling towards Gray, she opened a squinty eye.
“In the morning?”
His woman definitely didn’t seem to do mornings. Something he best make a mental note of for future reference. But right now, there was a more pressing matter he needed to attend to.
“Are you with me, honey? I need you to focus on what I’m about to tell you.”
Something in his tone must have penetrated the sleep fog in her brain. She rolled all the way over, facing him, both eyes now open.
“Baby, I don’t know how to tell you this, but I have some bad news.”
“Just say it, Gray.”
Taking a deep breath, he said, “My guys are responding to a call out. I need to... ah shit, Kitty, I’m sorry baby. The call is for Decadence. They’re responding to a fire at Decadence. I’m so sorry, baby.”
Gray watched as all the colour leached out of Kitty’s face. As crappy as he felt in that moment, having to be the one to tell her, he could only imagine what she was feeling right then. She had put her heart and soul into building Decadence up, and to have someone maliciously burn that hard work to the ground had to hurt.
“What?What? Decadence is burning? Are you sure?” If it wasn’t so sad, Gray would have laughed as Kitty repeated his words to Kyle minutes earlier. “Of course you are. Oh God.”
Gray watched as she drew her knees up to her chest, a purely instinctive measure of protection against further hurts. Knowing there was nothing he could do or say to make her feel better, he vowed to find the person responsible and get justice for her. He would find them, he silently vowed to Kitty. Getting out of bed, he urged her to do the same.
“Come on, honey. We need to get going.”
Without another word, she suddenly dashed out of the bed and started getting dressed. Gray followed suit, pulling on his own clothes. Watching her get dressed, he was worried by the grey hue of her skin.
She almost looked ill. He could see the emotional pain she was suffering in her eyes, almost as if it had been a physical blow. He went to her and drew her into his arms, tucking her head under his chin and resting it on top of her head; he rubbed soothing strokes up and down her back.
