Page 55 of Ink and Ashes
That hasn’t stopped me from keeping an eye out for anything that seems out of the ordinary, though. Almost the entire town is here, which means there’s a very real possibility that whoever is behind the fires is too.
“Looking for something?” Newman asks from beside me. I’m manning the burger station with him, Finn, and Monroe. But judging from the line of people standing in front of our booth, I’ve been preoccupied.
“Or someone,” Monroe teases, shooting me a knowing look.
“Sorry,” I say as I begin serving people their burgers again. The crowd disperses pretty quickly, and once it does, they turn to look at me.
“You good, boss?” Finn asks, returning from showing a bunch of kids the engine. “You have seemed distracted today.”
I blow out a breath. The three firefighters beside me are some of the most trusted on the team, which is why I don’t hesitate to lower my voice and tell them, “Just keeping an eye on things.”
“You still think an arsonist is behind the fires? Even after that article?” Newman asks.
Not only did said article spark fear in the entire town, it forced Dom and me to fill in the rest of the team on Holland’sinvestigation. We didn’t tell them everything, but they now know that there’s a strong possibility that this is more than just a theory.
“Yeah. The article was reckless, but there are signs that suggest someone is setting these intentionally.”
“And what if we don’t get called to a wildfire today?”
I grind my teeth together. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”
The three volunteers beside me nod, but before any of them can ask more questions, a group of women begins walking toward us.
“Uh oh,” Monroe groans. “Here comes trouble.”
I glance up to find Marcy Blake and her band of fireflies—AKA women who would andhaveintentionally put themselves in the line of fire just for a chance to sleep with one of us—approaching the table.
“Buckle up, Lieutenant,” Finn says. They’ve all been around the station for years, meaning they were around during the time I was at my lowest. Which was also the time that I decided to give Marcy a chance.
It was only one night, and I made it clear then that I wasn’t looking for a relationship. At the time, it was true. I was single for the first time in years and looking for a way to blow off some steam. Even though I haven’t slept around since then, Marcy hasn’t stopped trying to get back into my bed.
“Fuck off,” I mutter just as the girls approach.
“Hi, Lieutenant,” Marcy croons, her eyelashes fluttering. I recoil at the way she calls meLieutenant. The title coming from her lips sounds like nails on a chalkboard—especially compared to the softness of it on Holland’s tongue.
That thought has me snapping my attention back to the woman standing in front of me.Why the fuck am I thinking about Holland right now?
“Marcy,” I say dryly.
“How are you?” she asks, her eyes raking over my body.
“Busy,” is all I say back. She doesn’t know how to take a fucking hint. “Can I get you something to eat?”
Her eyes trail over me again, holding on my crotch.
She smirks, pulling her lower lip between her teeth. “I can think of something.”
I cock a brow and open my mouth to respond, but before I get a chance, Monroe bursts out laughing.
“Girl, give it up. You look embarrassingly desperate. It’s been four fucking years—if he hasn’t caved by now, he’s not going to. Move the hell on.”
Marcy scoffs and begins her retort, but I tune out the sound of her voice when my phone rings. I pull it out of my pocket, surprised to see it’s Holland calling. Brows furrowed, I look back up at my crew.
“I gotta take this.” I turn to Marcy and smile politely. “Nice talking to you.”
She pouts, but I pay her no mind as I walk away from the tent. Once I’m out of earshot from the rest of the crew, I swipe my thumb along the bottom of thescreen to answer.
“He—” I start, but before I can finish, she interrupts me.
