Page 68 of The Night Belongs To Fireman

“Save it, Stud. I see what’s going on here. Now that the girls are all over you, you’re getting greedy. Protecting your turf. You’re like the lion chasing off the other lions. Or maybe Acie’s a gazelle and you’re about to rip the hide off him. Pull out his guts with your bare teeth.”

“Vader, just get out of the way.” Fred’s vision swam red. Vader had a way of needling him that got under his skin every time.

“Peace, brother, peace.” Vader squeezed his shoulder, making him wince. That degree of muscle-power ought to require a weapon license. “I get it, bro. I know what you’re going through. Chicks will make you crazy if you let them. And you have to let them, because what choice do you have unless you want to be a sad and lonely lion who isn’t getting any gorgeous, fake-cousin pus—”

Fred lunged at him. Vader not only outweighed him by a lot, but he was a dedicated bodybuilder. Fred had seen guys back off at the mere flexing of one of Vader’s pecs. It wouldn’t take much for Vader to smash his face in. But at that moment, he didn’t care. He dove under Vader’s arm, yanked his shoulder forward, flipped him over so he spun in the air, then swiped his feet from under him. Vader landed with a thunderous thud on the lawn.

Voices shouted, footsteps pounded across the lawn, but to Fred it was all a vague buzz. He flew through the air, using his momentum to pin Vader’s legs to the ground. When Vader tried to swat at him, he caught his arm and bent it backward until Vader swore.

“Holy Mother Mary,” said Double D, who was suddenly next to them, staring down. “Freddie took down Vader.”

“Damn it, Fred,” said Mulligan. “What about my fight club bets? You just blew the whole thing.”

“You got some crazy-ass skills, Freddie.” Vader struggled to sit up. “What were you doing, saving them for a rainy day? How come you never beat my ass before?” Fred shifted to let him up. He blinked at his captain, the red haze clearing from his vision. What the hell had he just done?

“Sorry, Vader,” he muttered. “I don’t know what … I shouldn’t have …”

Vader gave a tiny shake of his head, indicating something behind him. Fred looked over his shoulder to see Rachel, wearing a horrified expression, drop to her knees next to him.

“Are you okay, Fred?” Fluttering like an anxious dove, she patted his arms and back.

“Shouldn’t you be asking me that?” Wounded, Vader brushed himself off. “I’m the one who got dropped.”

“Right. Of course.” She switched her gaze ever so briefly to Vader. “Are you okay?” At the same time she reached for Fred’s hand and cuddled it in both of hers. The lump in his chest, the tension that had made him explode, dissolved at her touch.

“No, I’m not okay,” said Vader. “Your ‘cousin’ attacked me for no reason.”

Rachel turned on him, violet eyes firing sparks in that way Fred knew so well. “Don’t be ridiculous. You must have done something to deserve it. Everyone knows Fred wouldn’t attack someone out of nowhere.”

“Sure he would,” said Mulligan promptly. “Did it to me once.”

Rachel’s glare swerved to land on Mulligan. “I’m sure you deserved it. You probably always deserve it.”

“True, that.” Mulligan clapped Fred on the back. “Freddie, I approve of your cousin. But don’t attack me for it,” he added quickly. “I know you can beat me.”

“That was awesome. How’d you do that?” Ace crouched next to Rachel. Too close to Rachel. Fred felt his hackles rise again.

“Keep it up, Acie, and you’ll see firsthand.” Vader gestured at his position right next to Rachel.

“What?” The kid looked completely confused, as did Rachel. Frowning, she looked from one to the other of them, as if trying to decipher a foreign language. Slowly the truth seemed to dawn, and she yanked her hands away from Fred’s.

Vader smirked. “You guys have an interesting family.”

“Shut up, Vader,” Fred growled. He flipped to his feet in a jujitsu move that had taken two years to master and faced the small crowd of his fellow firefighters. He loved them like brothers, but right now he had to take a stand. Too bad if it caused problems. He could handle problems. But he couldn’t handle anyone putting the moves on Rachel.

He raised his voice so everyone could hear. “For the record, Rachel isn’t my cousin. But she is with me. We’re together. And that’s all either of us is going to say on that subject. Any questions?”

Mulligan raised his hand mockingly. “Just one. Isn’t she the one from the City Lights Grill? And the limo?”

Rachel went pale. Fred had been sure Mulligan wouldn’t recognize Rachel, since he’d been crushing on her friend Feather. Damn. He had to do something, fast.

“Yes,” he said simply, meeting everyone’s eyes, one by one. “But now Rachel is under my protection. No one outside of this group needs to know she was ever here. If you’re not cool with that, tell me now.”

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