42. Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Two
Ash
A sh feels like she’s walking on cloud nine.
Raif loves her, he really loves her. She can’t believe it.
Or, well, she can because they are in a relationship, and it seems like that’s where it was going, but the fact that he actually loves her makes her whole body light up inside.
She feels like she’s on top of the world, untouchable.
That’s why when things go sideways, she’s not expecting it. Sam has stopped by the station to say hello to everyone.
“Hey, Ash, come rub my foot, it hurts.”
She rolls her eyes and sits down on the kitchen chair in the fire station in front of him.
Sam has always been one for dramatics and is definitely milking this broken leg thing.
He lifts his casted leg and puts it in her lap.
He has a cylinder cast that goes from his upper thigh and leaves his ankle and foot free.
She pulls off his shoe, and he wiggles his toes at her.
She rubs the arch of his foot, and he groans.
“That’s the stuff, Ash, right there. Fuck. I haven’t been able to reach my foot in weeks.”
“How much longer with this thing on?”
“Another month, then I get an open boot and start doing physical therapy, thank fuck. I am so sick of this damn cast.”
“I’m sure.”
She rubs his foot and lets her mind wander to Raif. How much she likes him, how good he is to her.
“What’s got you smiling over there? I’m guessing it’s not my sweaty foot.”
She shrugs and smiles to herself.
“Come on, tell me. Tell me, Ash. I’m going to keep bugging you until you tell me.”
“Alright, alright. It’s Raif. We’ve...he’s...he’s my boyfriend now.”
Sam looks at her blankly, just blinking a few times.
“Boyfriend, huh?”
“Yeah. It’s great. Really great. I really care about him, Sam.”
He clears his throat and pulls his foot off her lap.
“You barely know him, Ash.”
“I know him well enough; he’s a good man.”
“Has he been pressuring you? You tell me, and I’ll knock his fucking head off,” Sam says loudly.
“No! And hush your voice,” Ash looks at the kitchen door, but none of the other firefighters come in.
“I can handle myself. You know that. And he’s not that kind of guy.”
“Have you slept with him yet? Let him fuck you?”
“What the fuck, Sam? Why are you being like this?”
Sam struggles to put his shoe back on and then stands, using his crutch to hobble around the small fire station kitchen.
“He isn’t good enough for you, Ash.”
“What are you talking about? I thought you’d be happy for me?”
“Happy,” he scoffs, “I’m not happy, Ash.”
She doesn’t know what to say and sits there as he runs his fingers through his hair, looking more and more aggravated.
“It should be me, okay? It should be me fucking you and being your boyfriend and making you smile like that. Don’t you see Ash?
We’d be perfect together. Fuck, I know everything about you.
It took you years to have feelings for James.
We’ve been best friends for years; it should be me. You’ve only known him for a few weeks.”
She’s stunned, completely shocked by Sam’s reveal.
“I don’t feel that way about you, Sam.”
“Why not? I mean come on. I’ll take care of you. I’ll give you whatever you need. We’re partners, Ash. We take care of each other, we stick together.”
“Sam I-”
“Never mind. Fuck this was stupid.”
He huffs and pulls a bottle from his shorts, opening it and popping a couple of pills into his mouth.
“Are those for your leg?”
“Yes, they’re for my leg. What the fuck do you think they’re for Ash?”
Ash can hear his growl before she sees him.
“Problem in here?” Raif says lowly.
“No, there’s not. Actually, you know what? Yes. There’s a fucking problem, Raif . I have a fucking problem with you. You’re not good enough for her. She should be with me, not you.”
Sam comes towards Raif, but he doesn’t budge, his stance is strong, and he’s big like this, powerful.
“Sam,” Ash says, standing and holding out a placating hand towards Sam.
“Shut the fuck up, Ash.”
Raif immediately pulls Ash behind him. She would be irritated with Raif moving her out of the way, except for how out of control this situation has become.
“Do not speak to her that way.”
Raif’s tone is deadly, and this is a side of him she hasn’t seen before. Fiercely protective.
Ash can see Sam stride towards Raif again, and Raif moves to open himself wider, planting his feet and widening his shoulders. He’s a beast like this, and anyone could easily see that he can take Sam with no issues.
“You should go, Sam. Settle down, you can talk to Ash later once you’ve calmed down,” Raif tells him.
Sam looks furious, eyes wide with rage.
“Fine,” he grinds out and pushes past Raif to leave the kitchen.
“He shouldn’t drive Raif, he took some pills.”
She’s shaking and can feel she’s crashing.
“I’ll make sure he gets home safe.”
Raif kisses her forehead and leaves. A moment later, Ben is in the kitchen, sitting her down in a chair and getting her a glass of orange juice. When she asks a few minutes later where Raif is, Ben says he drove Sam home.
She doesn’t know what came over Sam. He’s never acted like that before, so aggressive. And she had no idea that he had feelings for her. Last time they had talked, he was seeing someone, now he’s telling her she should be with him and not Raif? It doesn’t make any sense.