There's Fire: A Friends to Lovers Romance (Where There's Smoak Book 5) Read online

  There’s Fire

  WHERE THERE’S SMOAK SERIES

  BOOK 5

  BY: NADINE HUDSON

  Copyright © 2021 Nadine Hudson

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Description

  Conner thinks it’s all in good fun. Playful banter. He thinks all his flirting and sexual innuendos are harmless...And that’s exactly what I want him to think. He can never know how much each smirk or touch twists me up inside.

  He’s been my best friend since we were kids. I could never jeopardize our friendship over some stupid childhood crush-even if that childhood crush has bloomed into something so much sexier as we’ve gotten older.

  Regardless, I can’t do it. I need to maintain our friendship and my heart unbroken above all else. Conner Smoak has more notches in his bedpost than I care to count and I can’t bear the thought of ending up as one of them. Not after everything we’ve been through together.

  As part of her special Blackbox Collection, Nadine Hudson cranks up the heat in this friends to lovers, slow burning romance that will leave you panting… clinging for more! HEA Guaranteed!

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  The Love of a Lieutenant

  Table of Contents

  Description

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  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  What Happens Next?

  Follow Me!

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  One

  Brooke

  I grip tightly to the grab handle of Conner’s truck as he whips around turns and we race to the station. I can feel my heart throbbing in my chest. So much has happened so fast. The kiss, the almost sex, the brick through Conner’s window, the fire call. I’m trying to wrap my mind around all of it but there are too many things happening at once. I can’t keep my thoughts straight. I look over at Conner. It’s dark in his truck but every few seconds we pass under the streetlights and I can see his face. His mouth forms a hard line and his eyes are narrowed at the road. He looks so serious, so angry.

  “Do you think this was Ian’s doing?” I ask, needing to sort some of this out. But I already know the answer to my own question. Of course it was Ian.

  “Yeah, I mean obviously Ian is involved and is orchestrating all of this but someone has to be helping him. Ian can’t start a fire at Micky’s and be here to throw a brick through my window at the same time,” Conner answers. An obvious look of frustration on his face. Like it’s a puzzle he’s so close to figuring out but is missing the final piece.

  He’s right. We know Ian has to be working with someone. But who? The only people he knows around town are the ones I’ve introduced him to and no locals are going to help him do this. Maybe he has a friend from the city that he called to come help him. I feel Conner’s hand take mine and give it a light squeeze.

  “We’ll figure it out, okay? Don’t worry about it right now.”

  I give him a small smile. “Conner, what if he had a friend of his from the city come in to help him? Do you think that’s possible?”

  “Uh, I mean yeah, I guess it’s possible but probably unlikely.” His eyes glance to mine then back at the road.

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Well that would have to be one hell of a friend to travel two hours away to a place you don’t know and harass two people you’ve never met before all because your friend wants you to? Not to mention threatening our lives, vandalism, and now add arson to the list. I just have a hard time believing that a friend would do something like that. I mean, c’mon. Would you do that for me?” he smirks slightly and I know he’s kidding but the more I think about it I realize I probably would.

  There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for this man. I am hopelessly and utterly devoted to him. It’s almost scary what I would do for him. What I would do out of my love for him. My thoughts are interrupted by a voice that comes booming through Conner’s radio. It sounds like Andy giving the size up of the situation. He must be there already. His update snaps me back into the moment and I feel my adrenaline start pumping again. We hear Bobby’s voice come through next. “I’ll be at the station in less than five minutes.”

  “Brooke and I will be there in two. We’ll meet you there,” Conner answers back.

  We turn onto the street of the firehouse and I release Conner’s hand and unbuckle my seat belt to prepare for the ‘tuck and roll’ style exit that’s coming. When you have been with a company as long as I have you learn how precious every second is in an emergency situation and I can’t afford to waste any of them. Before the truck is even in park my door is open and I’m leaping out and sprinting toward the turnout gear.

  I pull mine on with ease and Conner is right behind me doing the same with his. Just as we finish getting dressed Bobby pulls up and starts dressing beside us. Engine rescue is gone. Andy and the rest of the crew must have taken it. Conner and I both jump into the utility truck and wave Bobby on. He climbs in moments behind us and we all speed off down the street to Micky’s.

  ****

  Conner

  It only takes us a minute to get there but a crowd has already formed around the building and parking lot. There are people walking around and standing around everywhere making it difficult for me to get through. As soon as we are going slow enough I see Bobby jump out and rush to help. The local police department has to clear a path so that I can get through and park the truck where it needs to be.

  “Conner, if Ian is involved I need you to be careful. He threatened to kill you. What if this was his plan all along?”

  I can see the panic in Brooke’s eyes and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little worried myself. But I take her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. “Everything is going to be fine. Don’t worry.”

  As soon as I get the truck parked and we’re on site my mind shifts into Captain mode. I start barking out orders to the police, “Get these people back! I need barriers set up here through here!” I point out a line down the middle of the parking lot using my finger. I take a minute to look around the scene and notice that Andy has already started on ventilation. I call into the radio, “I need an update. Is the building cleared out? Has anyone talked to the people inside the bar?”

  “Marcy said the fire started upstairs. The smoke alarm went off and they all cleared out. She said she thinks everyone is accounted for,” Brooke reports back to me over the radio. I turn to see her standing with Marcy and a group of shaken up bar patrons.

  “No! There is someone still inside! I repeat, there is a woman still inside the building. I just heard her screaming!”

  My heart starts pounding and my adrenaline starts pumping. Shit.

  “You and you with me,” Chief Joe shouts to Brooke and I as he starts toward the building. I am the first one to enter and I drop low as I try to navigate the room. The fire hasn’t reached this floor yet but the threat comes from the roof collapsing in since the fire is above us. The heat from the fire on the floor above is already starting to make me swe
at. I try to call out for the person left inside but I don’t hear a response. I hear Brooke and Chief Joe behind me yelling as well. I try to see through the smoke but it’s too thick.

  I can only manage to see a few feet in front of me before it's just gray clouds. Luckily, I’ve been in the bar enough times to know the layout like the back of my hand. If the victim were still in here she isn’t in the main room. She would’ve been able to find her way out. I make my way behind the bar and open the door into the small office. I walk in and look around but see no one. I call out, “Hello! Is anyone in here? Can you hear me?” I wait and listen for an answer but can only hear the cracks coming from the wood of the building burning above me.

  As I turn to exit the office a loud crack booms from above me and a piece of the ceiling crashes down. I watch the opening from the office door disappear behind chunks of rubble. Pieces of the ceiling smash to the floor just feet beside me. I look up at the hole it created and can see the glow of flames on the second floor. That was too close. I’ve gotta get out of here.

  “Conner, you okay?” I hear Brooke’s voice come through the radio.

  “Yeah, I’m alright,” I answer.

  “We can’t see you anymore. Where are you?” I hear her again. There is fear and urgency in her voice.

  “I’m in the office. I’m coming out now.”

  “You can’t get through the doorway anymore. The ceiling is starting to collapse. The door is blocked. Hang tight. We’ll come get you out.” This time it’s Chief Joe’s voice I hear over the radio. He sounds serious but calm. I wonder for a moment if he took over because he could sense Brooke’s fear as well. I make it to where the opening of the doorway once was and start testing and pushing on walls.

  “Find the girl,” I call back through the radio. “I’ll figure out a way outta here.”

  “Conner there is no one in here. She must’ve gotten out on her own. Just give us a minute to get to you and we’ll help you get out. Don’t try to go busting through walls. The structure is getting weaker and weaker by the minute.”

  “Don’t worry, Conner. We’re coming.” Brooke’s soft, gentle voice floats through the radio and my heart clenches in response. She was right. This was all part of Ian’s plan from the beginning. That means she’s in danger. The realization causes panic to set in and I start hacking at a wall beside where the doorway was. I need to get out of here. I need to get to her.

  After the fifth or sixth swing of my axe I hear another loud crack and I watch as a huge chunk of ceiling and a large beam come down on top of me. After that… nothing.

  Two

  Brooke

  I try to focus carefully on Chief Joe’s words as he talks me through the plan for removing the wall and getting Conner out. My mind is struggling to focus. I’m overwhelmed with fear. This is it. This is exactly what Ian wanted to happen. Exactly what he had planned the entire time and we walked right into it. I’m going to lose him. If Chief Joe didn’t take a hold of me the thought would have dropped me to my knees.

  Instead, I see the Chief’s intense gaze burning through his helmet into mine.

  “Look at me Brooke! I need you to focus. Do exactly what I’m telling you! Do you understand me?” His voice is muffled from the loud cracks of the building burning around us and the flames sounding like waves dancing above us but his dark brown eyes are crystal clear. There’s an urgency in them telling me to snap out of it or we’re all going to die. After one final shake from him I’m brought back to the moment.

  “Yes. Yes, Chief. I understand,” I finally answer him.

  “Okay, right here.” He points to a spot near the corner of the wall. “This is where we need to get in. I will start chopping and we are going to alternate. I will chop and you pull out the drywall. We are going to have to be mindful of where the studs are and only remove what is safe and necessary.”

  “Okay,” I answer, nodding my head. And with my response Chief takes his first few swings. While he gets started I call back into Conner.

  “We’re gonna get to you in a minute, Conner. You okay in there?”

  I wait for his response but it doesn’t come. My eyes flash to the Chief but he doesn’t pause to look at me. Instead he increases his rhythm of axe swinging. My panic starts to set in again but this time I’m able to channel it. I start following Chief’s orders just as he said. After each of his swings I kick or pull out a chunk of drywall. I use every ounce of energy I have to rip through it. My arms feel one hundred pounds heavier once we have created a hole in our side. I duck down and look through the hole and see the back of the drywall nailed to the studs on the other side.

  We’re so close! We’re almost to him!

  “Conner, if you can hear me back up from the wall. We’re almost through,” I hear Chief call through the radio. When I don’t hear Conner’s voice respond back my heart leaps to my throat. I start kicking at the wall with all that I have. I grip the studs for more leverage and continue kicking and kicking until my legs are too weak to lift them anymore. My efforts manage to make a small hole in the wall and I am able to see into the office.

  I spot Conner lying to the right of the hole but he’s covered in rubble. “He’s there!” I say to Chief Joe and point to where Conner is lying behind the wall. Chief Joe pushes me backward with one arm then starts hauling off on the wall with the axe. I watch motionless as the hole I started triples in size in a matter of seconds. The more the Chief swings the more of the office I can see. He continues until the hole is big enough to pull Conner out. Chief tears through two of the studs in the wall with ease and pushes himself into the room with Conner.

  I move back away from the hole in the wall and try to clear a path. I know Conner is unconscious and Chief will have to pull him out. I wait for him to get through the hole we just created before grabbing ahold of the drag rescue device and helping Chief Joe pull him the rest of the way out of the building.

  Once outside I collapse on the ground beside Conner, my body completely drained of energy but completely elated. We did it. We got him out. I roll to my side to face Conner and realize something is wrong. He’s not coughing, he’s not moving. “We need help over here!” I cry out with all that I have left in me to give. But before I can even finish my plea we are surrounded by the EMT’s.

  I look over and Gabe is already removing Conner’s helmet and equipment. Conner’s body is limp, lifeless. His face is pale but his lips look so red. His skin looks clammy and I want to wipe the sweat from his face but I resist the urge. A pain starts to radiate in my chest. It feels like my heart has just burst into a million pieces. “Gabe. Is he okay?” I ask, sitting up to get a better look. But the tears are filling my eyes so rapidly it doesn’t matter. I can’t see him clearly anyway. Gabe doesn’t even acknowledge my question. He moves rapidly, pulling things off of Conner’s body and motioning and yelling different directions to the small crowd standing around us.

  Until Gabe started barking orders at them I didn’t even notice the crowd was there. I watch as Conner’s clothing is cut from his body and a variety of medical equipment replaces them. A team of people move in close and lift him onto a gurney. My eyes follow Conner’s body as it disappears into the back of the ambulance. I spot Gabe getting in last and I feel a small sense of relief that Conner is not alone. But it’s not enough. There is nothing that can make me feel better about what’s happening right now. A million questions are running through my mind but I can’t move. I’m frozen in fear.

  Then a nauseating feeling rises up in my stomach and I stumble to my feet. Within seconds I feel a set of hands on me, guiding me towards the back of the truck. I don’t bother looking to see who it is. I’m just grateful for the help. I barely make it to the back before vomit erupts from my throat. I squeeze my eyes closed tightly as I hurl again. The burn making my eyes tear up. I feel a gentle hand rubbing across my back.

  “Hey, Brooke. That a girl. Get it out kid.” I hear Bobby saying as he pats my

  back. As terrif
ied as I am right now the moment makes me smile. I think back to the night Conner came here and saved me from myself even though I didn’t want him to. After prying me from Mitch’s grip he dragged me out the door to his truck and I threw up all over the place. I remember him standing behind me rubbing my back after he pulled my hair back for me. Get it out, kid. I got you. Conner’s words ring back into my memory and I can no longer fight back the tears.

  I drop to my knees and start to sob. I can feel Bobby trying to hold me up on my feet but he eventually lets go and lets me fall to the ground in tears. He falls beside me and holds me close to his side. “C’mon. I’ll drive you down to the hospital.” His voice sounds shaky and I think he might be crying too but I don’t look at him to check. It’s painful enough to think about Conner. I don’t want to see other people in pain because of it too. I wipe the tears away with the back of my hand and nod as I climb to my feet.

  “Please, Bobby. Thank you.”

  ****

  The nearest hospital is almost an hour away. I try to call Gabe repeatedly but he doesn’t answer. I feel like my heel is hammering through the floor of Bobby’s car as my leg bounces from my nerves. I fight back more tears as my mind torments me with images of Conner. I picture him smiling. I picture him flirting with me. I picture him laughing. I picture him telling me that he loves me for the first time. One tear escapes but I swipe it away quickly and focus on something else. I try calling Gabe again.

  “Ugh! He’s still not answering,” I tell Bobby, then rest my head against the cold glass window as we fly down the highway.

  “What about his parents?” Bobby asks. His question catches me off guard.

  “His parents?” I didn’t even think about calling his parents. Oh my God. They would be so worried about him. I tremble at the thought of talking to his mother and having to tell her the news. But what would I even say to her? I don’t have any information to give.