Page 59 of Her Silver Fox Firefighters
“Yep,” Carlos concludes. “Kinda shady, but yes.”
“In the meantime, we need to carry on with our lives. Act normal, continue to do our everyday routines,” Dax adds. “Our shifts at the firehouse, taking care of Luke.”
“I’ll continue my shifts at the diner,” I say.
“While keeping a low profile,” Carlos reminds me, “which means you keep casual conversations to a minimum.”
I offer a shrug in return. “It’s what I do anyway. Coming to Ember Ridge didn’t mean Marcus would stop looking for me. I was aware of that from day one.”
“You could just stay home and not work at all,” Leo offers. “You’d be well taken care of, Olivia.”
Chloe snorts before I can even muster a reply. “In your dreams, buddy. My girl is independent. Pretty sure her hair would fall out if she were to let a man take care of her, financially speaking.”
“It might not seem like the healthiest mindset,” I say, taking over, “but Marcus used his financial support as a way to keep me dependent on him for a long time. I can’t let that happen ever again. And it’s not about you guys at all.”
“I know that,” Dax sighs, “though it bugs me that we’re dealing with that asshole’s shortcomings.”
“We’ll fix that once said asshole is in prison, where he belongs,” Beck replies with a broad, confident, and downright charming grin. “Until then, it sounds like we’ve got some kind of a plan going.”
Dax nods. “I’m adding cameras and motion sensors to the security system here,” he says.
“While you’re at it, have the alarm company connect it to the 911 dispatch for rapid response,” Carlos suggests.
“What about Luke? Should we send him away with Chloe?” I ask. I loathe to think of him being in danger after he’s already been through so much.
Leo shakes his head. “No, my boy stays with me, where he’ll be the safest. Unless that changes somehow, he stays put.”
I feel as though we’re bracing for some kind of war, even though Marcus hasn’t been anywhere near Ember Ridge, as far as we know. Our enemy plays dirty and breaks all the rules, while we try to keep our hands clean and not dance with the devil for too long. Whatever comes next, I feel better with Leo, Dax, and Beck by my side. Hiding in that cabin with Chloe would keep me away from them, even if just for a short time.
Still unacceptable to me.
I’m staying right here, and I will fight Marcus with everything I’ve got.
“Can I hang out with Olivia for a little while longer before we go?” Chloe innocently asks. She gives Carlos a solid puppy-dog-eye look for good measure.
And it works.
“Of course. Take all the time you need,” he says. “We’ll head out when you’re ready.”
Chloe clutchesher mug of tea with both hands as she brings it up to her lips. We’re huddled close together on the sofa, catching up, while Carlos and my men discuss the arson cases in the kitchen.
I overhear bits and pieces of the conversation, but I stay focused mostly on my best friend, simply thankful to have her back and alive.
“I cannot believe what you went through, Chloe.”
“Me neither. Looking back now, it feels like a bad dream.”
“But you survived.”
“So did you. And look at us now.” She laughs lightly, then glances down at my belly. I’m not showing yet, but I know what has her attention. “Don’t you think this happened a little too fast?”
I nod in agreement. “It did happen fast, but it feels right, Chloe. It felt right from the first kiss, from the first night we spent together. I’m safe with them, happy, content. I’ve found something here, something I wasn’t sure I’d ever have, let alone deserve.”
“Are you kidding me, Olivia? You deserve the world!”
“I have my fair share of sins.”
“Don’t we all?” she snorts. “None of us are saints. There are things we did or didn’t do because we were afraid, angry, or insecure. It’s okay. It’s what makes us human. What makes us better humans is acknowledging our shortcomings and working on making sure we don’t fall into the same pattern again. And you, girl, get the top prize for that.”
