Page 18 of The Fire We Crave

“Both.” I’m done risking others’ lives, whether it’s in a forest or a burning building.

Atom places a hand on my shoulder and squeezes firmly. “That feels like a rushed decision, brother. You need to give yourself a little time and space to deal with your injuries and shit. Think it through when your head is a little clearer.”

“My head’s never been clearer. Hey, what happened to Quinn while I was away? I mean, I know the broad strokes, but what are the details?”

If Atom notices my sudden change of subject, he doesn’t say anything. Okay, maybe there’s the slight raise of an eyebrow, but he keeps his opinion to himself.

“Quinn got visited for the first time the same night as Ember and Margie were.”

“Wraith’s mother-in-law got hit too?”

Atom nods. “Yeah. The diner. The bar. The bakery. One of the clothing stores. The fuckers mostly chose businesses that were ran by either women or older men, like the Dobsons’ hardware store.”

“Fucking cowards.”

“Not gonna disagree with you there. The first night, I guess it was the same as for Ember. The two men told her what the terms were going to be. How much she owed. And to have the cash ready. Told her she better be ready to pay. The second time, they broke a window at the rear of the store but also had a guy out front.”

“They trapped her in the bakery?”

Atom nods. “Yeah, she had no way out. That dog of hers was upstairs in the apartment, unable to help. She had the cash ready for them. We told her not to pay, but I think she had the foresight to know if they came to her when she was alone, she wouldn’t be able to defend herself. Thought the money might save her, but they told her next time they’d want more. She told them she didn’t have that kind of cash, so they tied her up and trashed part of the bakery. Told her she better get with the program.”

I think about what Atom is telling me.

“So, both times, they came at night, when she was alone?”

Atom nods. “Yeah. Like I said. Cowards. Really shook all the women up. Although, Ember got it worse in the end.”

Sometimes the past collides with our present whether we want it to or not. “It’s worse for Quinn. Out of all of them, it had to affect her long-term the most.”

Wrinkles form on Atom’s brow. “How do you figure that? Ember’s bar was set on fire. Her business, her source of income, was gone in a heartbeat.”

I nod. “I know. And it’s fucking awful for Ember. But don’t forget, Quinn was only thirteen when someone broke into herhouse in the middle of the night and took her sister. I can imagine she was already traumatized by shit happening at night. That nighttime is unsafe. That kind of trauma is going to leave a mark.”

“Fuck,” Atom curses. “Never thought about it like that. Butcher put someone on her, though. And now she has you.”

I shake my head. “Don’t want her to have me.”

Atom chuckles. “From that tone, am I to assume things aren’t going well at Casa Smoke?”

“What do you think? The woman hates me, and she’s suddenly living under my roof.”

“Funny, because I caught a vibe that she doesn’t hate you anymore.”

I glare at my friend for a second. “You’re seeing things that aren’t there.”

“I can call Ember, tell her to ask Quinn to come stay with us. We got a spare bedroom. It’s not big, but we’ll make it work.”

For all the reasons that might make more sense than her staying at my house, something deep inside me revolts at the idea. “I’ll figure it out. She has every right to be suspicious of me, of what happened back then. If being at my house for a little while longer makes her feel safe, then she should just stay.”

“Smoke, you’re back,” Isla says, appearing behind the bar. Her thick blonde hair is up in a high ponytail, and the smile on her face says she did it that way for me. A long ponytail gives you something to wrap your fist around.

Or in the rare times a little humiliation or punishment is needed, it can also serve as a leash to lead a naughty pet along by.

Unbidden, the thought of Quinn on her knees, naked apart from those sparkling fucking heels I was dreaming about earlier, comes to mind. She’s wearing a thin collar that matches them.

And my fist is in her hair, pulling it taut, making her crawl ahead of me.

That familiar feeling of my cock pushing against denim is back.

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