Chapter 28
Tyler blinked awake, a slow, contented smile curving his lips as he lay still, savoring the moment. Justice’s warm body was curled against him, her back nestled perfectly into his front, their legs tangled beneath the rumpled sheets.
They had fallen asleep facing each other, but sometime in the night, she had shifted, and he had instinctively molded himself around her.
It had been years since he’d spent a full night with someone, the occasional meaningless hookup never offering the comfort or connection he felt now.
Those nights were about release, not intimacy. Not trust.
But Justice... she was anything but casual. She was rapidly becoming everything.
Was it happening too fast? He huffed a quiet snort against her hair. Instinct had never failed him… not on missions, not behind the scope of a sniper rifle, and not when life and death balanced on a single breath. His gut was telling him now that this was real. This was right.
The depth of what was building between them wasn’t measured in time but in truth. In the undeniable, soul-deep pull he felt every time he touched her, heard her laughter, and watched her fight for the people she loved.
When she’d whispered last night that she’d felt fireworks, his chest had nearly burst with pride, but also with a profound, aching recognition. He’d felt them, too. And nothing from his past even came close.
Shifting slightly, his eyes drifted to the mirror perched atop the old wooden dresser across the room. The antique piece was sturdy but outdated. Another item he had planned to replace when he continued to fix up the house.
But a flicker in the mirror cut through his contented haze. A flash of movement. His senses sharpened instantly. That sliver of light reflection was not something he’d seen on any night before.
Carefully, he slid his arm from beneath Justice, easing away from her sleeping form.
She murmured but didn’t wake. Keeping one eye on the mirror, he padded to the window, heart thudding low and heavy in his chest. The curtains were half drawn, and through the narrow gap, a strange glow was seen in the backyard. He pulled the curtain aside.
Flames clawed hungrily at the night sky as an orange halo engulfed the small barn. “Fuck!”
Justice jolted upright, shoving her hair from her face. “What? What is it?”
“The barn. It’s on fire!” he barked, already yanking on his jeans and dragging a T-shirt over his head. “Call 911!” He jammed his feet into shoes before bolting from the room as she scrambled for her phone. Her voice was urgent and clear as she relayed the emergency to the dispatcher.
Taking the stairs two at a time, Tyler burst out the back door, the chill of the night air biting against his bare arms as he sprinted to the goat pen next to the small barn.
Within a minute, he was herding the bleating goats into the backyard and then into a large, fenced-in dog pen that his grandfather still had, situated away from the house.
The old wooden barn was connected to a lean-to shed next to the house.
If the fire department didn’t arrive soon, his old, wooden house would be the next to go up in flames.
He had no clue what to do about the chickens other than to run over and unlatch the door. At least they would be able to run in the yard, away from the fire.
He turned to grab the hose attached to the back of the house when he heard a noise and whipped around to see Justice flying through the back door.
Her hair streamed behind her like a banner, and her clothes were as hastily thrown on as his had been.
Her shirt was inside out, and she wore no bra, but she’d managed to get on her jeans and boots.
“Are they okay?” she cried, fear edging her voice as her gaze swept over the yard.
He raced back to her. “Got them in the dog run,” he said. “Chickens can get out.”
“It’s so close to the house!” she yelled.
Adrenaline flooded Tyler’s veins. He squeezed Justice’s shoulder before releasing her. “Stay here!” he ordered, then vaulted off the porch.
The fire raged brighter now, throwing wild, flickering shadows across the fields. Sparks spiraled into the air, carried by the breeze, creating a deadly threat to the dry grass and his house. In the orange glow, he started to untangle the garden hose from the back of the house.
Tyler didn’t hesitate as soon as it was loose. He grabbed the hose and yelled for Justice to turn on the spigot. He sprinted faster, his mind already racing through plans. The hose was too short to reach the barn, but he could try to soak the lean-to shed and the area near the house.
Even as the water sprayed out, he knew the danger was the sparks carried by the wind. Frantic squawking joined the bleating, mixed in with the cries of Justice who dragged another hose from the side of the house, her face pale with fear.
“I’m going to wet the grass near the house!” Tyler yelled, turning the hose to create a damp barrier between the barn fire and the dry lawn.
From the corner of his eye, he saw headlights bouncing down the road. A familiar truck skidded to a stop, and Jack climbed out, a grim set to his mouth. Justice ran to him immediately, worry etched in every line of her body.
“Dad, you shouldn’t be out here!” she cried, hovering as he steadied himself.
“I’m fine, sweetheart,” Jack reassured her, even as he leaned slightly on his cane. “I’m not sitting by while my neighbor needs help.”
Tyler jogged over, his shirt damp from the hose spray. “Justice, take this one. I’m going to the well pump with a longer hose by the barn!” Tyler shouted.
“Got it!”
Tyler bolted toward the pump, heart hammering. He yanked the crank and felt the old mechanism shudder to life. Grabbing the connected hose, he sprayed water in wide arcs, soaking the grass closest to the barn, trying to slow the fire’s crawl toward the fields and the house.
Justice joined him moments later, a shovel in hand. Ignoring Tyler’s shouted protest, she beat back sparks and flaming debris. “Dad has the hose!”
Finally, the whine of sirens pierced the night, and a small convoy of rural volunteer fire trucks barreled onto the property. Sisco and Devlin leaped from one of the trucks, clad in turnout gear, their faces grim.
Working fast, the firefighters attacked the blaze, hoses blasting streams of water onto the small barn. Tyler helped where he could, backing off when ordered as they took control.
Soon, the fire was out. The small barn was a total loss. But miraculously, every person and every animal was safe. The firefighters climbed onto ladders to scrutinize the house roof and wet it down to ensure it was unharmed.
Inside the house, Justice moved quietly but purposefully, brewing coffee and tending to the firefighters.
In the driveway, Sisco and Devlin huddled with the fire chief, their conversation low but urgent.
Tyler joined them just in time to hear the chief say, “This wasn’t accidental.
We found traces of an accelerant—most likely gasoline.
The fire spread too fast and burned too hot for it to have started naturally.
There are distinct burn patterns along the base of the barn walls, and we picked up a sharp chemical odor even through the smoke.
We’ll return in the morning, when it’s fully light, to conduct a more thorough investigation.
I’ve reported this to the deputies that came, and tomorrow I’ll file a report for the detective assigned to this. ”
The weight of those words settled heavily on Tyler’s shoulders.
Arson. After making sure to thank everyone, they all left except for Justice, Jack, Sisco, and Devlin.
The first pale fingers of dawn crept over the horizon as Justice brewed another pot of coffee while they sat around his kitchen table, everyone silent for a moment, processing.
“What if it wasn’t Jordy?” Justice asked quietly, her fingers wrapped tightly around her coffee mug. “He’d have no reason to hurt Tyler.” She looked at her dad.
Jack shook his head. “I don’t know, sweetheart. You’re right, my brother would have no reason to do anything here.”
“Who would want to get back at both of you?” Devlin asked, his brow lifted as he looked at Tyler.
“Developer Anthony Milton?” Tyler offered, his voice rough. “He’s the only one who benefits from making people scared enough to sell.”
No one had answers, but Tyler was certain that something dark and deliberate was at play.
Justice rose slowly, fatigue lining her face, but before she left, she moved to Tyler, bending to press a kiss to his mouth. “I’ll see you later,” she whispered. “I need to get Dad home and get ready for work.”
“Babe, you need to take a day—”
“I know, but we’re already behind on customers’ vehicles. I’ll be okay.” She waved at the others and walked to her vehicle with Jack, determination stiffening her spine.
“That’s an amazing woman,” Devlin said, standing next to him.
Tyler nodded. “I know.”
A grin passed over Devlin’s sooty face. “It ain’t easy to find someone who can handle men like us. My advice?”
Tyler looked over at Devlin and tilted his head.
“Lock her down and make her yours. Keepers need a good partner, and that woman is as good as they come.”
As Devlin and Sisco headed out to their vehicles, Tyler watched them leave. Offering a chin lift, he walked back inside. He was tired and pissed, and from the sound of the goats, he was needed outside. But someone would pay for this.