Chapter 22
Vulcan
Being away from work is a blessing and a curse.
I miss my team and the rush of calls, but I’ve gotten to know Karina on a deeper, more personal level, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Things are going great, but I don’t know how long it’ll last. I’ve yet to tell Karina about the meeting I had with her mother two weeks ago, and then Minji called this morning to remind me that she needs to sign the prenup before the wedding.
I took the opportunity to let her know about the changes I wanted implemented.
Changes that would set Karina up for life.
After our arrangement comes to an end, I want her to get a one-time payout of five million dollars and the London property.
I want her to maintain the lifestyle I’ll provide for her while we’re together.
I don’t want to give her the world and then take it away when all’s said and done.
I just pray she doesn’t read the gesture wrong and call off the wedding. And speaking of weddings, I still need to purchase rings. I have less than a month; my fortieth birthday is approaching faster than I would like.
“It’s good to have you back, Cap,” Ramirez calls out as I stride down the hall, and I dip my chin in greeting.
I step into my office to see Harry lounging on the sofa. I see he’s been taking full advantage of the vacant space.
“What the hell?” He gives me a puzzled look. “Aren’t you supposed to be off for another two months?”
I drop my bag by the desk, collapse in my chair, and power up my computer. “I’m only here to check up on things.” Karina would kill me if she found out I was here to do anything other than desk work. I explained I had to stay on top of things since our station is still short-staffed.
“Yeah, but we do have an acting captain, remember?”
“One who doesn’t like to do paperwork, and where is he? I didn’t see him when I walked in.”
“He was needed at his station today.”
“Right, so good thing Karina let me come in for a few hours.”
I had been counting on my lieutenant to be back, but his damn ankle is taking longer to heal because he doesn’t know how to sit his ass down.
“The doctor has you on a tight leash,” Harry observes, his tone teasing.
“Depends on which doctor you’re referring to.
My PT says things are going great. I see him three days a week instead of the two days every other week, thanks to Karina.
She’s more worried and concerned about my shoulder than I am.
But it’s all good, and—I’m rambling.” I drag a hand down my face. “Stop me.”
“I see Karina has you opening up more. It’s a good look on you, Vul. So, ramble on.”
I chuckle. “Wedding preparations are piling up. You know how it is. And Karina is either too busy to help or not interested, probably both, so it’s on me.”
“Can’t say that I do know how it is, but I’ll take your word for it.”
“And I need to get rings.” I rub my temples.
“You’re serious about this? I know you said she’s different, but don’t you think it’s a bit too fast?” Harry doesn’t know the motivations behind our arrangement, so his concerns are valid.
“I care about her,” I say.
“Caring about someone and loving someone are two different things. I know you aren’t getting any younger, but think this through. I don’t want you to make a rash decision, all because I nagged you about finding someone.”
These past couple of weeks with Karina have shown me it’s a lot more real than I’m even letting on with Harry. As cliché as it sounds, I can now relate to what a fucking Prince Charming goes through emotionally when they see their true love.
“I know, man. It’s just—I love her,” I admit. I love Karina.
Harry raises an eyebrow and leans back against the sofa, running a hand through his tousled hair, the corners of his mouth twitching as if trying to decide whether to laugh or interrogate me further. “That’s a big word, buddy. Especially for you.”
“I know it sounds crazy, but when I’m with her, everything just feels…
right. She feels like my other half. No, she is my other half.
All I do is think about how I can make her life less stressful—how I can make her happy.
It’s crazy that I go to sleep thinking ‘did I do enough throughout the day to make her happy?’ Then I wake up thinking ‘what can I do today to make her happy?’”
“Just be careful,” he finally says. “Marriage is a huge deal, obviously, and it means forever.” He shudders.
I laugh. “Forever is a long time, huh? But I don’t mind when it comes to her.”
“It’s the biggest commitment you can make. Just make sure you’re both on the same page.”
“I know. Don’t worry, Harry. Karina and I are great. Hell, we’re more than great.”
“All right, I hear you. I’m just looking out for you.” He chuckles, raising his hands in mock surrender. “But seriously. I’ve never seen you like this before. It’s… different. You’re different.”
I nod, my mind drifting to Karina. Her smile, her laugh, the way she looks at me like I’m the only person in the world. “She’s different,” I say softly, then sit forward and shuffle some papers around on my desk. “So, how has work been without me?”
“Oh, you know, chaos as usual. But manageable. They’ve sent us some new recruits. All have potential but dive headfirst into everything without looking.”
“Sounds like you’ve got your hands full.”
“Always do.” He grins. “But hey, someone’s gotta keep these young guns from burning down the city before they save it.”
On cue, the station alarm goes off, and Harry jumps up. I almost do the same.
“Gotta run. Duty calls!” he says, already halfway to the door.
I wave him off, settling back into my chair as the sound of sirens fades into the distance.
I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the quiet of the firehouse, but I know better than to head out before being cleared.
Instead, I will stick to my fire captain’s responsibilities and bury myself in almost four weeks’ worth of piled-up work.
My phone vibrates against the desk, and I check the caller, quickly sliding my finger across the screen.
“Hey,” Karina greets. “Just checking in. How’s your day going?”
“Confined to a desk is boring as shit, to be honest.”
She laughs, a sound that makes everything seem momentarily lighter. “It’s for the best. I hope you get everything done today because you won’t be going back in. You still have two months of LOA,” she says, as if I need reminding. “And they’ll be spent away from Station 112.”
“We’re short-staffed.”
“But not anymore. I heard from one of the nurses that they saw a few new firefighters at Riley’s. So, no excuses, Vulcan. You’re staying home after today, and that’s final.”
“Bossy much?”
“You say bossy, I say tough love.”
I hum in response. She still hasn’t given me a reason for why she called, and I know it wasn’t to ask me about the new additions to my crew. I stay quiet until she clears her throat.
“So, I spoke to Minji today. She asked me if I would make time in my schedule to come in with you to sign another document. I thought I’d already signed everything. Do you know what this could be about?” she probes.
Shit.
Minji’s feeding me to the wolves. I was planning on getting to it. “Ah, that.” I shift uncomfortably in my chair. “It’s—how about we discuss it tonight? I’ll leave soon and cook us dinner.”
“I’m working all night, sorry.” She pauses. “Can you not just tell me now?”
“I’d rather not.”
“We won’t see much of each other this week. I’m working doubles, remember?” She’s persistent, I’ll give her that. I don’t feel like this is a conversation to be had over the phone. But there’s no way around it; she’s not going to let this go until she gets some answers.
“Promise you won’t get mad.”
Karina sighs on the other end of the line. “Okay,” she says, her tone softening. “I won’t get mad. Just tell me what’s going on.”
I take a deep breath and slump back in my chair, tension knotting in my shoulders.
“The contract… It’s sort of a prenup,” I begin cautiously.
“It states that if—when—we go through with this marriage, and if, um, when it ends after three years, you will receive a payout of five million dollars and the London property.”
The pause that follows feels longer than it actually is.
I can almost hear her processing the information, weighing her thoughts before speaking.
Karina never rushes to anger, never lets it burst out the way others might.
I want to reach through the call and smooth her hair and say none of this matters, not if hurts you. But I can’t.
A second passes and then another.
“Why would you do that?” she asks, confused, but there doesn’t seem to be anger.
“Because it’s fair,” I explain slowly. “It’s to ensure you’re looked after, no matter what happens. This isn’t just a marriage of convenience for me, Karina. I… I care about you. More than I thought possible in such a short time. I want you to have the world while you’re with me and after.”
“Hiciste esto porque mi mama te dijo?”
Slipping into her native tongue is something she does when either passionate or pissed about something. And right now, it’s the latter.
“What was that, babe?”
“Are you doing this because of my mother? And don’t ask me what I mean because you know exactly what I mean.
I don’t want you to pity me. I hate it when people pity me.
I agreed to marry you for the three hundred thousand, nothing more.
Once I get the money and give it to my mother, I’ll be free and it’ll all be worth it. ”
I rub the back of my neck, trying to loosen the sudden stiffness. “Karina,” I begin, my voice firmer. “It’s not pity. I respect you, and yes, I’m concerned about you and how things might be for you after the divorce.” If there is one. Which I pray there isn’t.
There’s a brief pause, during which I hear her take a deep breath, and when she speaks again, her voice is softer. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply… It’s just hard for me to accept that someone might actually want to look out for me without expecting something in return.”
How do I get her to see that this is about something other than transactions or deals? My feelings for her are genuine and have been growing stronger each day. Maybe she doesn’t feel the same way about me. But why should she? She’s younger and, like she said, only doing this for the money.
“I understand, it’s fine. I should get going.” I can feel myself detaching from this conversation. “I’ll leave you a plate of food in the fridge, all right?”
I hang up, tossing my phone across the desk.
I know she’s been through a lot, and her past has shaped her into the fiercely independent—if untrusting—woman she is today. But I also know that no matter how tough or self-reliant she appears, everyone needs someone they can lean on. Someone who genuinely cares.
I want to be that person for her. I want to be her rock.
I don’t think she wants me to be that person.