Page 50 of Burn

Finn, who’s standing next to me with a halligan in hand and eyes wide looks from me to someone standing behind me.

I don’t have to turn around to know who’s standing behind me.

It’s the football player, who’s basically hovering over us, overhears what I said and starts threatening that he’s going to sue me and some shit about going to the fire marshal and chief for my remarks. I don’t give a fuck.

For one, neither would my grandfather who’s the fire marshal, and last time I checked, I’m broke. I’m sure that hasn’t changed. Suing me would do this joker no good.

I’m not sure what his intention is, or he’s just a fuckin’ dick, but the football player picks up one of the trophies and throws it at me. He nails me in the head with it and knocks my helmet off.

Unfortunately for him, it does nothing but piss me off.

Kicking my helmet aside, I grab him by his shirt and toss him into a closet next to the front door.

I slam the closet door shut, smoke filtering up from underneath the door. There’s no fire in there, but there’s enough residual smoke in there he’s probably having some trouble breathing.

He pounds on the door, coughing and screaming like a bitch. “Let me out!”

Casually, I lean into the door and position my foot so he can’t open it. “Settle the fuck down and I’ll let you out.”

The guys find me. With wide-eyes, Finn glances from me to Owen like he can control me. “What the fuck is he doing?”

Owen shrugs beside me, leaning into the other side of the closet with his shoulder. “Who’s in there?”

The football player slams his fist into the door. “Let me out!”

I smile. “That guy. He hit me with a trophy. He needs a timeout to think about assaulting the men who just saved his home from burning to the ground.”

“Caleb,” Evan warns, coming around the corner. “Don’t do that. Open the door. You just got off probation for threatening to shove a halligan up Cap’s ass two weeks ago.”

“No one can prove I actually said that.” Aside from Cap because I did say it, but I never like to admit when I’m wrong. I knock on the door with my knuckles. “Hey, asshole, how’s the heat?”

“Caleb,” Evan warns again. “Come on, open the door.”

“Oh fine.” I open the door. “I was only kidding.”

The football player rushes outside, screaming at me and anyone else who will listen when Cap gives me a pointed glare. “What’s he talking about, Caleb?”

Removing my mask and SCBA pack, I shrug. “He hit me in the back of the head with a trophy. I was only trying to calm him down.”

Cap sighs and crosses his burly arms over his chest, eyes narrowing at me. “Listen, I don’t like this guy any more than you do, but we can’t do shit like this. I know what you witnessed before this . . . but I don’t ever want to seethiskind of behavior again.”

I stare at the ground, his words hovering over me like a dense fog. Does he know what I witnessed? Sure. He was there but does he know the images I’m focusing on now? The ones of the boy I pulled from the SUV covered in blood only to have him take his last breath in my arms?

I don’t think he does because he saw all that from a distance.

“I THOUGHT FOR sure Caleb was going to get himself arrested today.” Jay stretches as we all step out of the truck.

“It wasn’t as bad as the time he almost threw that guy out the window when he wouldn’t go down the ladder with him.” Owen laughs, rousing me with ribbing to my side.

“He had it coming.” I shrug, carrying SCBA tanks across the apparatus bays.

“You need to keep your anger in check,” Evan tells me as he’s unloading the truck with the help of two other guys. “You’re gonna get hurt out there.”

Evan tolerates nothing. He can be the biggest asshole you’ll ever meet, but on the job, he’s precise, never messes up and does everything exactly by the book. No hero bullshit. He makes moves and only the ones he knows the outcome of.

Me, I’m the complete opposite. If I think there’s a chance, I try it even if the outcome won’t be in my favor. I’m not going to risk my life if I think it will kill me or someone else. I’m not into dying. But I’ll definitely push the lines when it comes to firefighting.

“Whatever.” And when I begin to walk away, Evan sidesteps and stops me, his hands on my shoulders.

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