35. Ford
FORD
Black plumes of smoke take up most of the skyline when we finally pull up the drive.
After Cobie sent a picture of the fire, along with an SOS, Jagger drove my car like a madman with Violet in the front seat and June beside me in the back.
Hawke took his bike after relaying the photo to Roman, though we haven’t heard back from him yet.
If he was in his room when the fire started, I fucking swear—
My phone lights up, and I bring it to my ear. “Rome?”
“Tell me she wasn’t home,” Roman growls.
“Fuck, man. Where were—”
“I said, tell me she wasn’t home!”
My brows furrow. “What?”
“Cobie isn’t answering her phone—”
“Says the guy who’s been a ghost for the last twenty-seven minutes,” I grit out.
Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate his affinity for looking after Cobie like she’s his own flesh and blood, but the fact that he’s pissed she isn’t answering her phone when he’s been doing the exact same thing since before we left The Body Shop is a bit ironic, if not annoying.
I shift my cell to my opposite ear and wait for whatever bullshit excuse he’s about to give me. “Where the hell were you?” I repeat.
“I was visiting Rafe,” he grunts. Well, all right then.
Since Rafe is in prison, Roman usually leaves his cell in his car during his visits.
Not exactly what I’d call great timing, but at least his excuse is legit.
“Made it to my car and saw your text. Now, I’m calling and driving and trying not to get myself killed, so will you answer the question or not? Where the hell is Cobie?”
“I’m not sure.” I peer out the windshield, watching the black twist into the dark sky and gray out the white clouds covering the full moon.
The tires squeal as Jagger pulls up along the side of the house and shoves my baby into park with the finesse of an elephant before climbing out from the driver’s side without a backward glance.
Violet follows him from the passenger seat, leaving me alone with a quiet June.
She’s stressed. She’s been stressed since the moment Jagger intruded on us at the club.
Or maybe she was stressed before then. Since the moment I ghosted her after I made her come at the carnival.
Not sure it matters. Okay, that’s bullshit.
Of course, it matters. It matters more than I care to admit, let alone divulge to anyone else, including the goddess beside me, but I’m fucked up.
She should know that by now, shouldn’t she?
I’m still surprised she came. I’m not sure why.
It’s not like she really had a choice, since I all but forced her into the car with us.
But she could’ve thrown a fit. Could’ve started a fight.
Could’ve told me she owed me nothing, let alone peace of mind.
She would’ve been right, too. She owes me nothing.
Not one damn thing after the last week of silence.
Instead of leaving with a sore pussy and two middle fingers pointed in my direction, she grabbed my hand and followed me to my car before climbing into the backseat with me and resting her head on my shoulder for the entire drive.
“You’re telling me you don’t know where Cobie is?” Roman continues. Damn, I wonder how long he’s been bitching at me? “What the fuck does that mean? Where were you?”
June offers me a warm smile and reaches for the door handle. “I’ll be outside,” she mouths.
As she climbs out of the car, I shift my cell to my opposite ear. “We were at The Body Shop.”
“Why the fuck were you at The Body Shop?”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I mutter, “It’s a long story.”
“I don’t care how long it is. Where's Cobie?”
With a sigh, I drop my free hand to my lap.
I’m not sure what he wants me to say. I already told him I have no idea where Cobie is.
If she was home. If she was caught in the wreckage.
Okay, that’s a lie. I do know she wasn’t caught in the fire because she’s the one who sent us the photos of the burning building.
That being said, if Roman could take it down a few notches, my pending migraine would appreciate it.
“We just pulled up to the house, but I’m sure she’s here somewhere. ”
“Where is she?” he demands.
The air reeks of smoke as I open the back door. “Calm down. She’s the one who sent the photos. I’m sure she’s fine—”
“Do you see her or not?”
“I’m looking.” The smoky air isn’t surprising, but my nose wrinkles nonetheless.
Squeezing the back of my neck, I begin my search, scanning the premises.
There are at least a dozen people. Most are in firefighting attire.
Then there’s Jagger, Violet, and—there she is.
Across the front lawn, my baby sister clings to our Uncle Judge.
And even though I knew she was fine thanks to our earlier texts, relief still spreads through me.
“She’s out of the house,” I say into my cell.
“You sure?”
“I see her right now, Rome.”
A sigh hits the speaker. “Fuck.” Unlike the last few times he’s used it, the word is filled with relief. Like a breath of fresh air after drowning, or being choked out in a fight. “That’s good.”
“Yeah,” I confirm. Normally, I’d give him shit for having his panties in a twist, but all things considered, he isn’t the only one heaving a sigh of relief.
Jagger and Violet each give my baby sister a hug before Uncle Judge pulls her into his side like an overprotective papa bear.
My mouth lifts before I sober again. “Drive safe, Rome. All right? We’ll talk more tonight. Right now…”
My gaze lands on June near the firetruck.
And who’s beside her? Fireman Fucking Bryan.
My fingers tighten around my cell. What the hell is he doing here?
And why is she talking to him? Out of all the people on my property, she’s talking to him?
I’ve never had to call the fire department once in my life, and the one time my house catches fire, Fireman Bryan’s on call? What are the fuckin’ odds?
“Hey, you still there?” Roman asks.
“Yeah, sorry.” I shake my head and begin assessing the front of the house. Besides, I don’t care. My cock was inside her less than an hour ago. I have no reason to be jealous. Not one damn reason. So, why is this messing with me? It’s not. I refuse to let it. Re-fucking-fuse.
“Ford?”
“We’ll talk more tonight,” I announce. “Right now, I gotta clear up a few things.”
“See what you can find out,” Roman orders. “I’ll be there soon.”
“See you in a minute.”
The call disconnects, and even though I know he heard my warning about driving safely, I doubt he’ll listen. Harden Estate might not be his official home and shit, but it’s just as much his as it is ours.
So, what the hell happened?
I head toward the cluster of people near the front door.
It seems the actual flames have been put out, since everyone, including Fireman Bryan, is standing around with their thumbs up their asses.
Okay, only Fireman Bryan is standing with his thumb up his ass.
Not literally. That’d be weird. But you get my point.
Maybe I should’ve told June I’d meet her at her place after ironing out the details.
Or maybe I could get my own thumbs out of my ass.
Seriously, what is it with me and thumbs up the ass?
Unless maybe it’s June’s—
Cobie spots me and wiggles out of Judge’s arms. “Ford!” Rushing forward, she tugs me into a hug while simultaneously shoving all thoughts of thumbs in foreign places out of my mind.
I wrap my arms around her and sigh. “You okay?”
She nods against my chest.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know.” She slips out of my embrace and looks over at the house as if replaying the last hour in her mind. “I was doing dishes while listening to music, when all of a sudden...” Her bottom lip trembles, and a glassiness hits her eyes.
With it brings a sucker punch to the gut and a flashback I’d give anything to keep buried.
The night our mom died. The tears. The screaming.
The tires squealing. Fuck, Cobie looks so much like her.
She always has, but now that she’s older, and crying, and shaken up, the resemblance is uncanny.
It messes with my head in a way that should be studied for how fast it knocks me on my ass.
“I started smelling smoke,” Cobie continues, oblivious to the ghost from Christmas past haunting me.
“I thought I forgot to turn off the oven or something, you know? And then, I remembered I had cereal for dinner, and the smoke wasn’t coming from the kitchen, it was coming from the gym, which makes like, zero sense, and… ”
“I’m just glad you’re okay.” My attention drifts to Uncle Judge. He walks closer, leaving everyone else behind him. When he reaches Cobes and me, I ask, “Any idea how it started?”
“They’re thinking it’s, uh…” Arms folded over his broad chest, he gives the group behind us another quick glance. “It’s inconclusive for the time being.”
“Inconclusive? What kind of bullshit answer is that?” I all but snarl. I motion toward the rubble that was once the back of my house. “No one was home but Cobie, and she doesn’t even go in our gym. How the hell would—”
With two deliberate steps, Uncle Judge grabs my arm and gives me a loaded glare. “Keep your voice down, all right?”
“And why would I do that?” I growl. Who the hell does this asshole think he is?
I have every right to be pissed. My house could’ve burned to the ground with my baby sister inside, and the sooner I find out what caused it, the sooner I can call our insurance company or the damn warranty offices or…
fuck, I don’t even know, but there will be consequences.
“I’m, uh, I’m going to call the insurance company,” Cobie decides.
“I can take care of it tomorrow.”
“I want to,” Cobie rushes out. “It’ll help me feel…useful.” She tucks the sleeves of her long-sleeved shirt into her palms and folds her arms. “And besides, I could really use the distraction.”
My head bobs. “Okay, thanks.”
“Sure thing.”