Warnings and Wildfires

I’m not a bruised, terrified boy covering for my mother this time either.

Everything around me slowly comes back into focus. Jake’s standing next to me calmly answering more questions. He’s safe. Not bloody from another beating at the hands of his father. My mother’s safe at home. Probably still on the phone with Maddy.

My gaze falls on the stuff strewn around. The equipment I haven’t even started making payments on yet. The mirrors Jake and I installed by ourselves. Everything I did on my own or with Jake’s help.

But it’s just stuff.

Things that can eventually be replaced. It’s the hard work I put into the place that hurts the most. The reputation I’ve built. Who wants to take self-defense classes from someone who can’t keep his own business safe?

“Fuck,” I mutter.

Brady walks away to take a phone call and Jake shoves me into my office.

“You all right?” he asks.

“No.”

He crosses his arms over his chest and cocks his head. “You’re an asshole.”

“I know.”

“Go fix it and make sure she’s okay.” He nods to the door. “I can handle this right now.”

“Did Celia tell you anything?”

He shakes his head. “Just to go fuck myself.” His lips quirk into a completely inappropriate smirk. “Christ, she’s fucking hot when she’s pissed.”

One stupid comment from Jake actually makes me laugh. “Dick.”

He drops the smile. “I don’t know what this was about. We can both stand here and make guesses all day long. Won’t fix a damn thing. What I do know is that girl cares about you a lot. Cares about this place probably as much as we do.”

“I know.”

“Then get out of here and go grovel your ass off.” His hard tone softens to something almost compassionate. “For once, let your little brother handle things. I’m not completely useless.”

“You’re not useless. A pain in my ass, yeah, but never useless.”

Instead of laughing, he nods to the door. “Go on.”

My tears dry as I spill my whole miserable story to Bree. Liam stayed for some of it, then left to take a phone call.

“Oh, Aubrey. No wonder you don’t like dredging this up.” She tilts her head and the sympathy in her eyes doesn’t feel as awful as I thought it would. “I can’t believe they let him out of prison. The justice system really is messed up.”

I feel terrible dumping this on Bree after everything she’s been through, but she and Liam didn’t hesitate to take me in when I called.

“You’ll be safe here,” Liam assured me.

At my feet, their Rottweiler, Kimber, stretches and rolls to her back, showing off her belly.

“Hussy,” Bree teases, reaching down to rub the contented pooch. Kimber sneezes and sits up, leaning most of her weight against my leg as if petting her is my new full-time job.

Heck, it might as well be.

“I should’ve told Sully sooner. Warned him.”

“How could you know? This isn’t your fault, Aubrey.”

“He came to see me at the coffee shop the day before. I should’ve told Sully after his daughter went home.”

My cheeks heat up, we’d gotten carried away, and I wanted to avoid sharing this painfully embarrassing story just a little longer.

Bree’s thoughtful as she chooses her next words. “The only thing a guy like Sully’s going to be upset about is that he wants to be the one to protect you and he can’t do that if he doesn’t know.”

Petting Kimber seems to ease some of my anxiety and while I’m scratching behind her ears, she turns to look at me, tongue hanging out as if to say “Told ya.”

A car door slams outside and Liam’s tense voice can be heard, as well as another angrier voice.

My heart slams against my ribcage. Is nowhere safe?

Kimber’s ears perk up and she stares at the front door. Her lip curls in a low snarl.

“Relax, Kimber,” Bree orders.

She drops her ears but keeps her eyes trained on the front door.

Each time I call Aubrey’s phone, it goes straight to voicemail. Not a surprise.

I head right to her apartment, prepared to do some serious groveling.

Judging by the look on Celia’s face, she’s not at all happy to see me on her doorstep.

“What do you want?” she asks, leaning against the doorframe to make it clear I’m not invited inside.

“I need to talk to Aubrey.”

“She’s not here.”

Cold fear knifes through me. I shouldn’t have let her leave before. “Where is she?”

The tone of my voice changes her demeanor quickly. She drops the hostile posture and motions for me inside. “She’s somewhere safe.”

Christ, how bad is this?

Pretty fucking bad, asshole. You saw what this guy did to the gym.

“Where?”

She sighs and shakes her head. “I shouldn’t tell you.”

“Yes, you should.”

She continues to stare at me, trying to make up her mind. “He knows where we live.”

I fight the urge to ask who, but seeing Aubrey is the only thing that matters right now.

“I took her to Bree’s place. Liam will keep her safe.”

Shit, that stings.

“I’ll keep her safe.”

“You better.”

On my way out, Celia stops me. “I called the sheriff’s department to let them know who to look for. Aubrey’s planning to go to them in the morning and give a full statement.”

“Thank you for doing that. But all I’m worried about right now is Aubrey.”

“Good.”

Liam’s outside watering the lawn, washing his car, or some other typical outdoor chore when I pull up in front of his house.

I jump out and storm over his crisp, precision-cut green grass while Liam watches with a crooked smile.

“Where is she?” I bark out.

He answers with a blast of ice-cold water to my chest, soaking me from the chin down.

“Motherfucker! Seriously?” I sputter and shake off as much as I can, but my shirt and shorts remain glued to my skin.

He drops the hose and shrugs. “You looked like you needed to cool off.”

“Fuck you. Where is she?”

The hosing might have seemed like a prank, but as Liam stalks closer, it’s clear he’s actually pissed.

“What did I tell you?”

“Trust me, there’s nothing mixed-up about how I feel about her,” I answer, remembering exactly what conversation he’s referring to.

He cocks his head and studies me for a few beats. “She’s inside with Bree.”

Since I’m soaking wet, courtesy of him, I don’t bother with a thank you.

“Don’t get water all over my living room!” he shouts after me.

I glance at him over my shoulder. “Guess you should’ve thought about that before hosing me.”

Without giving thought to the Rottweiler Liam and Bree recently adopted, I throw the front door open.

A hundred pounds of muscle covered in black and tan fur comes hurtling toward me.

“Kimber, no!” Bree shouts.

“Shit!” I stop and stand still, holding up my hands. “It’s okay. Good girl.”

Kimber stops. Thank God. The danger of having my face eaten off has been subdued thanks to Bree’s command. The Rottie still gives me a thorough sniffing before returning to Aubrey’s side.

“Sorry,” Bree says. “She’s—”

“Just doing her job.”

Liam comes up behind me. “Oops.”

“You’re a dick,” I growl over my shoulder.

“She wouldn’t hurt you.” He chuckles. “She will make you piss your pants though,” he says a little louder while glancing down at my shorts.

“You asshole.” I lift my chin at Bree. “Your fiancé hosed me down outside.”

“Sounds kinky. Should we leav

e you boys alone?” she deadpans.

Aubrey ducks her head and a small smile flickers over her lips. The only good thing about this whole adventure.

“Aubrey,” I say, begging her with my voice to at least look at me.

Bree stands and hooks her fingers in Kimber’s collar. “Come on, girl. Daddy’s going to take you for a walk.”

“I am?” Liam asks.

“Yup.” She hustles him out the door and they close it behind them.

I rush over to Aubrey and kneel down in front of her.

She bursts into tears. “I’m so sorry.”

“Shhh.” I take her hands in mine. “Aubrey, look at me. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”

“But it is my fault.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Your whole…everything…”