12-Alarm Cowboys (6 page)

She shook her head. “Chris never touched me—not until last week. He wanted money, not sex. He got that elsewhere.”

Adam couldn’t keep up. “Are you telling me your marriage hasn’t been consummated?”

“No, it hasn’t. And in twenty-four hours I plan to file for an annulment. I’m pretty sure Chris knows that, and what’s more—I think he wants to file for alimony. I’ve been supporting him for five years. That isn’t enough for him, though. I don’t know if he thinks sleeping with me will prove we’re really man and wife, or if he just wants to eke every last bit he can out of the situation.”

Hope swirled through Adam’s chest. Brynn hadn’t slept with Chris. Her marriage was a sham. In less than a day she’d be free from the shackles that had tied her to him.

But first they had to get through the next twenty-four hours. “Let me guess, if you don’t come home soon, he’s going to spill the beans to someone, isn’t he?”

Brynn nodded.

“So we have to get you back there, but we have to keep him from touching you, too. Do I have that right?”

She nodded again. “He’s not going to take no for an answer—not today. And the second he thinks we’re trying to get one over on him, he’ll make that phone call.”

“You’re only with him because you had to be?”

“Do you think I’d be with him for any other reason? Adam—” She bit back whatever she’d meant to say, but Adam felt another surge of hope. Maybe he had a chance with her after all.

He tapped his finger on the wheel. “Here’s what we’re going to do.”

She wasn’t in
the house more than ten minutes before Chris made his move. She had started to scrub down the counters in the little kitchen, nervous energy keeping her moving. She hoped that if she kept up her pace he would keep away from her, but that wasn’t how it worked out. Instead, he came up behind her, slid his hands into her back pockets and squeezed her ass.

“You’re never going to get away from me, Brynn. It’s you and me forever, you know that, right?”

“Of course I know that,” she forced herself to say.

“So why don’t you get off your high horse and admit you want this, too. There’s no reason for you to go without for so long when I’m right here ready and willing to take care of you.”

She made a face. She couldn’t help herself. “I’m the one who takes care of everything.”

“I’m the one who keeps his mouth shut.” He yanked her back against him, pulled his hands out of her pockets and grabbed her hips. He ground against her as he spoke, leaving her no doubt of what he was after. “I could be charged as an accessory to a crime for keeping quiet.”

“I appreciate what you’ve done for me. I just wish you’d show some appreciation for all I’ve done for you over the years.” Maybe she could start a fight and get his mind off of sex.

“I appreciate you, baby. Let me show you how much.” He reached around, undid the button of her jeans and unzipped the fly. Brynn tried to pull away from him, but he easily held her in place.

“Damn it, Chris! Turn out the lights if you’re going to molest me in the kitchen. The whole county can see what you’re doing.”

His laughter in her ear sparked a wave of revulsion in her. “What’s wrong with giving the neighbors a show?”

“Chris!”

“All right, all right. Don’t get your panties in a wad.” He reached over and flicked the light out, then bumped her over toward the sink with his hip, his hands still worrying her waistband. “Bend over.”

She braced her hands on the edge of the sink, praying Adam would see her signal. Praying their plan would work. She bit back the scream that gathered in her throat as Chris slid his hands under her waistband, tugging her jeans and panties down.

His phone shrilled a strident heavy metal tune. “Goddamn it.”

“Aren’t you going to answer it?”

“I’ve got better things to do right now.” He grabbed the phone from his pocket and tossed it onto the counter to her right. It went quiet. A moment later it shrilled again.

“Just answer the phone! What if it’s Danny?” She knew it wasn’t, but Chris never skipped a message from Danny—his source for all things pharmaceutical.

“Fine. Damn, girl. Anyone would think you didn’t want to get fucked.” Chris let go of her and she turned around, taking the opportunity to zip and button her pants again. Chris noticed and scowled, but with the phone in his hand he could only tug at her waistband angrily. “Hello?”

She heard a woman’s voice on the line and sighed with relief. Turning to look out the window, she caught sight of flames in the neighbor’s yard and had to fight back a smile. Adam had pulled it off. She didn’t know how, but he had.

“Damn it,” Chris said, shoving the phone in his back pocket. “Alma Henderson’s shed’s on fire. It’s caught the back fence and it’s headed our way.”

“Why doesn’t she call the police?” Brynn pretended to just catch sight of the flames. “Oh my God—she’s right! We better go help!”

She ran for the door to the backyard, Chris’s swearing telling her he was hot on her heels. A fence made of vertical boards bordered most of the houses in this neighborhood, built decades ago when the neat, small lots were first laid out. Since then the area had fallen on hard times. Most of the fences were grey with age, their own included. The Henderson’s lot was kitty-corner to theirs, with the Douglas’s right behind them. Flames shot out of Alma’s ancient shed when they reached the back end of their yard. Vern Douglas was aiming his hose at the structure from the adjacent yard, but this far from the house his water pressure was minimal and the stream barely wet the east wall. Chris vaulted the fence into the Douglas’s yard and then vaulted the next one into the Henderson’s. Soon he had another stream of water aimed at the structure.

“Come on, Brynn. Get a move on!” She could hear his voice, but she couldn’t see him.

“I can’t get over.”

More cursing emanated from his direction. “Go around, then.”

She glanced at her watch in the light of the fire. It was past midnight. With any luck, she could stretch this crisis out overnight. After all, Alma would need comforting. She could spend most of the day here tomorrow, too—cleaning up the aftermath.

She backtracked and began a slow jog around the block. She was almost to Alma’s before she heard the sirens. As she approached the house a firetruck pulled into the driveway. Jacob and the others poured out of it, but she noticed Adam came out of Alma’s house to greet them. Like he’d promised Brynn earlier, he had started the fire when he’d seen her kitchen light go out, their pre-arranged signal. Given that it hadn’t spread to any of the fences, he’d done a good job arranging a controlled burn. She had no doubt he had enough equipment hidden away in Alma’s place to handle the blaze if it got out of hand, too.

In the end it was nearly noon the following day before she let herself back into her own home. Alma had kept up a spate of hysterics that lasted into the wee hours, until Brynn had started to wonder if she was in on the scheme or if she actually thought the fire had been real. Chris had wanted to go home after the blaze was put out, disgusted by Alma’s tears and shrieks, and Brynn had feigned helplessness. “I can’t leave her like this.”

“Get home as soon as the old bat settles down.”

She’d shared a small smile with him, as if they were on the same side of this equation. “If she ever calms down.”

He’d begrudged her a chuckle. “Yeah, she’s a mess.”

She shut the door behind her now, hoping against hope that Chris was still sleeping off the previous night’s excitement.

Twelve hours to go and this would all be over.

‡

“I
don’t suppose
you know how that fire started in Alma Henderson’s shed.” Ed laced his hands behind his neck, sat back in his office chair and waited for an answer.

“She asked me to dismantle it for her. Things got out of hand.” Adam didn’t like lying to his chief, but he didn’t have a choice today. Not if he wanted to keep Brynn safe from Chris—and her sister out of jail. He figured any chance he’d have with Brynn would go up in smoke if Netta had to pay for her crime. He still remembered what Brynn had said to him on their one date: “No one can save me.” Brynn had gone it alone all these years and he meant to show her she didn’t have to anymore.

“Out of hand.” Ed cleared his throat. “Arson carries a stiff sentence, as I’m sure you’re well aware.”

“Yep. That’s why it’s a good thing it was an accident.” Alma had played her part well—almost too well. She’d asked him over a month ago to help her take down the shed. Luckily, he hadn’t made it a priority. When he’d told her he might need to set the small building on fire in order to help Brynn, he was surprised how quickly she agreed to go along with it.

“I’ve been watching those two ever since she moved in with the bastard,” she’d said. At his shocked expression, she added, “Don’t be such a fuddy-duddy, Adam. The man deserves the name.”

She was right; Chris did. He was glad he’d managed to give Brynn a reprieve from whatever Chris had planned. He checked his watch.

Ed sighed. “It’s Thursday. I suppose I should expect trouble at the Price’s place today?”

“I hope not.”

“You hope not.”

“That’s right.” Adam stared his boss down.

Ed shook his head. “Just don’t get caught doing whatever the hell it is you’re doing.”

“I’m not doing anything, chief.” He stood up. Prepared to leave.

“Glad to hear it. I’ve got big plans for you.”

“Do they include a vacation to the Bahamas?” He’d always wanted to see the Bahamas.

“Can’t say that they do.”

“Then they’re not big enough.”

“Are you okay?
What’s going on?” Netta asked when Brynn answered her cell phone just minutes after she made it home.

“Are you kidding? You can’t call me,” Brynn hissed and edged into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. Chris was in the living room waiting for her. She’d told him she needed to freshen up before she joined him there. She knew he wouldn’t wait long.

“But—”

“I’m fine. I just have to get through a few more hours and this will all be over. Sit tight and keep quiet, okay?” She cut the call, and stared at herself in the mirror. Strain had washed out her complexion. Her eyes looked too big for her face. She hadn’t been eating well—hadn’t eaten much at all lately, actually. She couldn’t force anything down when she thought of what Chris wanted to do.

A sudden pounding at the bathroom door made her jump. “Hurry up in there.”

“Be right out.”

His footsteps trailed away. She waited until she knew he’d gone back to the living room before she opened the door.

To her shock, Chris stood directly outside. He grabbed the phone from her hand. “Thought so! Who are you calling, your fireman friend? I’ve got news for you; he’s not going to save you this time!”

Brynn tried to get the phone back but he captured her wrists in one hand and searched her call history with his other.

“Who the fuck is this?” He clicked on the last call—Netta’s number. Luckily the phone didn’t display her name.

“Stop it!” Brynn kicked him, but he just laughed.

“Bet your boyfriend will be surprised to hear from me.” He tapped the number and held the phone to his ear.

“Hello?”

Chris frowned at the female voice who answered. “Who is this?”

“Brynn?”

“Who is this?”

“Don’t answer him!” Brynn screamed. “Hang up!”

Comprehension dawned on Chris’s face. “Netta? Is that you? The arsonist returns, huh?”

Brynn heard Netta gasp. She must have hung up because Chris shook the phone. “Hello? Hello?” He tossed it aside and slammed Brynn against the wall. “This is priceless. She’s here, isn’t she? She’s in town. And you’re still trying to protect her. So what are you going to do, Brynn? Tell me how far you’ll go to keep her safe.” He pushed her down until she knelt before him, her back to the wall. Still holding her wrists above her head, he unzipped his jeans, tugged them down, and lifted himself free. He was hard and ready for her. Brynn turned her head aside. She couldn’t—she just couldn’t—

Her hand slipped free of his grasp. She had no room to pull her arm back and punch him, so she tightened her fingers into a fist and slammed it into his balls from underneath. Chris howled and doubled over in pain. He reached for her as she sprung up and away from him, his fingers tangling in her hair for a second before she pulled free. She grabbed her phone from the floor and dashed out the front door.

And stopped.

She couldn’t let Chris call in the arson. She couldn’t leave.

She turned around and walked back into the house.

‡