Page 6 of Shadow

She blinked her eyes repeatedly and wiped at her nose with her sleeve. “Behind the bar. I was working and talking to my bar manager when we smelled smoke.”

Ripley looked around. “Where’s your staff?”

She shook her head. “I sent them out of here as soon as we realized what was happening. They’re across the street.”

“Jesus Christ, Olivia. How long has it been burning? Why isn’t the fire department here yet?”

“I didn’t exactly start a fucking stopwatch, Cannon.” She knew he hated being called by his first name, but he was pissing her off so he could deal with it.

“I’m not in the mood for your sarcasm. Take a guess.”

“Maybe ten minutes. Probably less.” As if on cue, the sound of sirens filled the air just before two fire trucks blared into the parking lot.

Cannon Ripley morphed into the stone-cold soldier and operative she knew he was, as firefighters descended on her bar. One of them broke away from the group and came to meet them.

“Who’s in charge here?” he asked as he approached.

“Cannon Ripley. This is my girl, Olivia Harrigan. She owns the place.”

“I’m not your girl.”

The firefighter held up his hands. “I’m not here to get involved in your relationship. I just need to know the situation so I can inform my captain.”

Ripley stepped back and let Olivia take the lead on the conversation, which she appreciated even if she was mad at him.

“I was at the bar working on my laptop when one of my staff smelled smoke. I ran to check on it. Something had caught fire in my storage room. I tried to put it out with my extinguisher, but I couldn’t, so I got everyone out.”

“You did good. Is the rest of your staff around?”

Olivia nodded towards the spot she’d sent them. “I told them to go wait in that parking lot over there while I pulled more stuff out.”

The firefighter raised an eyebrow. “You went back in the building? Ma’am that was dangerous.”

“Only the back room was burning. I was hoping to save some of my investment.”

She could practically feel the daggers from Ripley behind her.

“I’ll be back for statements from you and the rest of your people. Did any of the customers stick around?”

She nodded. “A couple tried to help me, but I wouldn’t let them.”

The firefighter shook his head, and Olivia knew he had to be thinking she was an idiot. In hindsight, going back in wasn’t the smartest thing she’d ever done.

“Let us do our jobs and then we’ll talk.”

He walked away, and Cannon stepped up to her and took her hand. The next thing she knew he was pulling her along with him as he headed for a nearby alley.

“What are you doing?” she hissed as he jerked her into the alley and pushed her face first against the wall of the building.

His hand cracked into her ass, and she yelped.

“Quiet!”

His hand landed again, and she squirmed and tried to get away. “Stop it, Ripley. What are you doing?”

“I’m giving you a small taste of the spanking you deserve.”

His hand landed three more times, and she sagged against the wall. The swats kept coming, and she couldn’t bring herself to fight it. She cursed her body once again for liking it.

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