Chapter 8
EIGHT
brODIE
“Savannah blushed like a nun in a locker room when I mentioned your name. Do you two already know each other?” Linda flutters her eyelashes as she hands me another cookie.
It’s my fourth, and although I’m not hungry, the journalist in me knows befriending the gossip is always the best place to start when researching a story. And clearly it’s also the best place to start when seeking information about the woman who has my heart in a vice.
I will my own cheeks not to blush and take a bite of the cookie. “Kind of. We haven’t seen each other in a long time though.”
“Ooh. There’s a tale there, I can tell.” She nibbles her cookie, crumbs scattering over her desk. She’s even messier than me.
“I’m the one being paid to look for stories here.
” I attempt one of my smiles to keep control of the conversation.
The kind that makes older women like Linda wish they were forty years younger.
It’s a cheap ploy, but I’ve mastered all the tactics while grappling in the weeds at the Herald.
It’s the kind of induction that either destroys someone or leaves them determined.
Me? I’m digging deep to be the latter. At least, I was until this clusterfuck of a story landed in my lap.
Especially in light of the off-the-record information the captain just shared with me.
I rocked up at the fire hall this morning on Kendall’s invitation. After too many whiskies with Brad, I shot off a drunken 3 a.m. email to Linda saying I was passing on the feature. Someone from the Herald’s staff would be in touch.
Cap Kendall emailed me back first thing.
Apparently, walking away from this is going to be even harder than I thought.
He wants me to do the article. Only me. Brock telling him we’re brothers signed my fate. By dint of my family, I’m “part of the force,” and based on what he shared next, Kendall appears to need someone on Ladder Eight’s side.
He went on to skirt around events, couched as “off the record” because he knows he can “trust me.” It all boils down to some kind of relationship drama in another fire hall. With subsequent job reassignments and now budget cuts, my brother’s ladder is at risk.
The cap’s explanation wasn’t locked into specifics, but it’s clear he wants Savannah as the focus. And based on what he implied, I can guess why.
Simone was correct. There’s a real scandal to get my teeth stuck into here. Which only serves to load another layer of confusion onto the massive shit trifle that’s currently my life.
I do this article, I’m going back on my word to Savannah.
I write some fluffy hot air piece, I’m failing my instincts as a journalist.
I use what Kendall’s just shared to go after the real story, I’m the biggest asshole there is.
Shaking my head, I return my attention to Linda. “The captain mentioned you had crew from another fire hall reassigned here. How’s that working out?”
“Oh, it’s been busy for me as I’m sure you can imagine. All manner of paperwork.”
“Really. More than usual?”
Her head bobs up and down. “They brought in a new contract vetoing relationships. All had to sign it.” She snaps her mouth shut. “Oops. Silly me. Mustn’t talk about that.”
I raise an eyebrow and dazzle her with another smile. “Sounds like there’s also a story in there desperate to be told. Don’t worry about me. Anything you share is strictly between us. Promise.” I tap my nose and inch a little closer.
She lowers her voice to a whisper. “Well, after that complaint, they had to put something in place to enforce boundaries. That’s why Springer ended up—”
Someone coughs in the doorway and Linda and I dart apart to find Brock standing there, eyes narrowed like he’s trying to work out what’s going on.
Linda beams at him. She’s clearly a serious pro when it comes to gossip because there’s not even a hint in her demeanor that she was about to rat him out. “Hello, Springer, duck. Shouldn’t you be at home getting your beauty sleep?”
He shares his own version of a dazzling smile and then turns to me, the smile curling into a sneer. “What’re you doing here, asshole?”
“Great to see you too, bro. Mom will be so proud of us, bonding like this.”
He doesn’t miss the sarcasm in my voice, rolling his eyes.
Linda makes a little breathy sound. “Gosh. You two are brothers? I had no idea. But now you mention it…” She looks from me to Brock and back again, her eyes wide. “Well, aren’t you the most handsome pair.”
Brock turns on the charm, oozing into the room and perching on the edge of Linda’s desk.
My stomach churns. After everything Kendall shared this morning, along with what I suspect Linda was on the verge of just dropping, it’s not rocket science.
Trust Brock to spin his reassignment to Ladder Eight as a promotion.
He grins at Linda. “You’re looking beautiful today. Have you done something different with your hair?”
She melts.
He then steps to me, slapping my shoulder. Hard. “You never told me what you’re doing here, douchebag. Your little lady has come off nights with me, so you can’t be here to follow her around all lost and needy.”
“Shut up, Brock. You’re way—”
“Oh, Savannah, Savannah.” He wraps his arms around himself and proceeds to writhe, kissing the air and making simpering sounds.
Jeez. Brad and his big mouth. The nicest brother in the world, but with a total inability to keep secrets. I do my utmost to not give Brock the satisfaction of showing my discomfort. “You spoke to Brad?”
“Damn right I did.” He’s full-on smirking now, totally dominating the small reception space around Linda’s desk.
“So, you and little Savannah, hey? Not just friends after all. Did you love her, little bro? Did she break your heart?” He asks his questions with a stupid affected voice like he’s talking to a baby and then leans in close, whispering in my ear.
“Fair play though. There was me thinking you’re still a virgin when you’ve actually tapped that. Guess I owe you half a compliment.”
My fists are clenched so hard I risk cracking the skin on my knuckles.
I make a concerted effort to release them.
“First, douchebag, don’t ever talk about Savannah like that.
” I draw myself a little taller, standing my ground.
“Second, I just had a meeting with the captain. Found out some interesting things. About this place. And about you.”
A shadow of unease flickers across his eyes before he bats his edginess away with another smirk. This one’s smaller though. “What is this article you’re here to write? Cap told me it was a special feature about how great Eight is.”
I keep my eyes fixed on his, watching his response. Perspiration dots his forehead.
“Maybe. Or maybe Eight isn’t so great. Maybe there’s some behavior the public needs to hear about.
Inappropriate relations. Abuses of power.
Sexism in the workplace.” I’m making all this up on the fly, but I can’t help it.
Especially when I appear to be hitting a nerve.
Getting one up on Brock doesn’t happen every day, and watching him slowly turn purple with rage as I load up my ammunition is too satisfying to stop.
“I think the folks of our lovely, liberal, left-leaning city have a right to know about all the non-heroic shenanigans going on behind the scenes in the fire department. My brother. The dick who couldn’t keep his dick in his pants. ”
I only catch the tell that he’s going to punch me a fraction of a second before his fist comes sailing to my face.
I duck but I’m not quick enough and he connects with my temple.
Pain slices through me, fueling a feral response.
In a flash we’re back in our childhood den, me under ten, him closer to thirteen, brawling on the floor while Mom screams it will all end in tears.
I’m so absorbed with the memory that for a brief moment I actually hear Dad’s voice instead of Kendall’s bellowing at us to stop.
And I feel Dad’s hands, not Kendall’s, dragging me off my brother’s sprawled-out body.
My back thuds against a wall, the room coming into focus with each blink as I struggle to get air into my lungs. Kendall’s holding me tight, his palm pressed hard to my chest as Savannah dashes to Brock, helping him up. I see red all over again, fighting against Kendall’s grip.
“Calm down, fuck’s sake.” Kendall’s voice is brutally loud in the small space, bouncing off the filing cabinets and ringing in my ears. “What the hell is going on?”
Savannah fusses at the blood spilling from Brock’s split lip.
He leers at me like a pig in shit. “Guess East prefers real men to boys.” He spews blood into a tissue as he chuckles at his own line.
I’m not done with him, not by a long shot, but I’m not getting anywhere while Kendall’s holding me flush to the wall. I force my muscles to relax. “I’m fine. Really. I’m not—”
The second Kendall’s grip loosens I’m back in Brock’s face, holding his shirt in my fists as I push him to the wall opposite with a crack.
“Fuck you, asshole. I’m not the one who has a problem here.
” I spit out the words through gritted teeth.
“You started this because you’re scared shitless I’m about to sell you out.
What happened, Brock? The woman you were boning saw through your bullshit and raised the alarm?
I’ll knock you clean off your pedestal and have—”
I feel arms around my waist again and look down, startled to see they’re not Kendall’s. The sight of Savannah’s delicate hands on me is enough to make me take a breath. She tugs me back and Kendall steps between me and Brock.
He eyes us both, his gray glare hard and unyielding.
“Enough. Both of you.” He turns to Brock.
“I could write you up for this. You’re second in command, Springer.
One step from captain. Fucking act like it.
” He turns to me. “As for you, Brodie, I don’t know what’s going on between the two of you, but what I shared in there was strictly off the record.
You’re wildly off base with your comments.
If I can’t trust you, then I don’t want you here.
Either you’re writing this feature with us, including your asshat brother, or you’re out. Understood?”
Something warm trickles down the side of my face. I dab at it and find blood on my fingers. “Yes, sir.” It’s the only response I can muster with Savannah’s hands still clutching me.
Kendall nods. “Good. Now apologize to Linda for fighting in her office.”
I cringe. I’d forgotten Linda was even here. “Sorry, Linda. Won’t happen again.”
She beams. Eyes sparkling like she’s had the time of her life watching us fight.
Kendall grits out a sigh. “Good. Springer, go home. East, take Brodie to patch up his eye and then go home. And not another word about this from any of you.” He storms into his office, slamming the door.