CHAPTER Twelve

Lora rolled over and slammed her fist into the pillow once more. She couldn’t get to sleep. She could only close her eyes and lie there.

But she couldn’t turn her mind off.

Phoenix. He was out there, somewhere, planning his next attack. And Kenton—Kenton was stirring him up and painting a giant bull’s-eye on his back.

What do I do? If he comes after Kenton, what am I supposed to do?

She exhaled. Dammit, she needed to see him.

The smell hit her, acrid and harsh, filling her nostrils. A smell she knew all too well.

Lora jumped from her bed in an instant and ran to the window. Her fingers fumbled as she struggled to open the lock, then she shoved up the glass pane.

Smoke and fire surrounded her house. A line of flames circled the house and licked at the wood, rising quickly up the side.

How much heat can you handle?

He’d come after her.

She whirled away, grabbed the thick covers off her bed, and ran for the stairs.

When he left the station, Kenton knew exactly where he was headed, and he couldn’t get there fast enough.

He wanted Lora. He wanted to see her and touch her. He wanted her in his bed.

After Phoenix’s threat—and dealing with the captain’s bullshit—Kenton needed to see her, just to make certain she was all right, because there was a knot in his gut, had been all night.

He’d just take a quick look. Just go by her house to make sure she was safe.

Hell, I’m worse than a kid. Some lovesick, desperate teenager.

But he was still going by her house.

He turned the corner leading to the white house at 209 Maple, and his heart stopped.

Greedy, thick flames engulfed her house. Rising up, higher…

His foot shoved on the brake, and he was out of the SUV, running toward her house, in seconds. “Lora!”

Blue lights flashed. The cop was there, too, radioing for help.

Where the hell was Lora? His head whipped to the left, to the right.

Christ. In the house.

Kenton raced forward. “Lora!”

A tumble of white flew across the flames, jumping, spinning, hitting the ground, and then rolling hard.

Fire ate at the fabric, and Lora shoved out of—what? Bedcovers? She heaved them back, then slammed the covers against the ground, pounding out the flickering fire.

“Lora.” He grabbed her, hauling her close, and his hands wrapped around her bare arms. She only wore a tight T-shirt and an old pair of shorts. So much delicate, unprotected skin—she could have burned.

But she pushed at him. “We’ve got to get back, the fire—” They stumbled back. The scent of smoke hit him and the crackle of the flames filled his ears

He caught her hands and pulled her with him. In the distance, more sirens screamed.

“Are you hurt?” Kenton demanded.

“I wasn’t asleep.” Her face tilted back to stare up at him. “I smelled the smoke.”

He’d come after her. That bastard had come for Lora.

Kenton turned on the cop. “Where the fuck were you?”

The uniform backed up a step and slammed into the side of his car. “C-circling. Some kid r-ran a stop sign. I–I stopped him—”

And that asshole had slipped right up to Lora’s house.

“I’m not watching it burn.” She wrenched free. “Stay here.”

What? Oh, hell, no.

But she was running, long legs gleaming, as she streaked around the house. The yellow fire was rising higher, and thick, black smoke drifted into the air.

He took off after her.

She yanked out a hose, wrenched the nozzle, and let a powerful spray of water hit the house. The burst of water knocked back the flames a bit, but didn’t put out the fire.

More sirens screamed, louder now and closer.

Coming fast because the teams racing to the scene had to know they were coming for one of their own.

The fire flared higher, and the scent of gasoline burned his nose. “Lora, come on, we need to get back—”

The hose wasn’t working, she had to see that. He wasn’t going to risk her. With all that bare skin, she’d be hurt, too easy, too fast.

She looked at him, her eyes wide and big. “This is my home. He came after my home.”

No, sweetheart, he came after you.

Kenton pulled the hose from her hand. “Come on…”

It was too hot there. The heat burned against his skin.

Lora’s shoulders dropped as she watched the fire. If she’d been asleep… if those cops had been a little slower…

His jaw clenched. It wouldn’t have mattered. I would have gone in and dragged her out. No fucking way I would have left her for the fire.

They hurried back to the front of the house. A few of her neighbors were out, watching in their robes, their wide eyes on the burning house.

Tell me, Lora, how much heat can you handle?

Kenton was going to rip the bastard apart.

He shrugged off his suit jacket and wrapped it around Lora’s shoulders.

“Kent—”

He kissed her because he needed her. Fire burns so fast. His mouth took hers, crushing her lips.

She moaned low in her throat, a husky little sound that tested his control. Her mouth opened wider, and her tongue slipped past his lips.

I could have lost her. But she was in his arms now, held tight. Not ripped away.

Not like before. She’s safe. His lips pressed harder against her mouth because the fear churning in his gut was all too real.

“Kenton! Dammit, Kenton, what the hell happened?”

His head snapped to the right. Jon was there, running toward him. A fire truck parked crookedly behind him, and the men scrambled down, yanking out hoses. Coming for Lora.

She tried to pull away from him, but Kenton clamped his hand around her wrist and held tight.

“Gasoline,” Lora said, her voice shaking a bit. “I smelled it…” She took a deep breath. “He poured it all around the house, then started the fire.”

But she’d gotten out and saved herself.

Because his Lora was one fine woman. Strong. Smart. Not afraid of the fire.

“Lora!” A hulking firefighter covered by his brown coat raced toward her. “You all right?” His eyes darted from Kenton, to her, and to the hand that Kenton wasn’t about to free.

“I’m fine, Tony.” Her chin came up. Always did. “I got out before…” She glanced back.

The firefighters were working on her house. Water shot at the flames, hard and heavy.

Smoke billowed.

Voices raged.

She shook her head. “That asshole is gonna pay.”

“Sure as shit is.” Garrison’s voice. He stalked toward them, his eyes slits as he glared at Kenton and Jon. “This the way you handle your cases? You put my people in harm’s way?” Garrison spat on the ground.

Kenton’s jaw clenched.

But Lora snapped back, “It’s not his fault. You want to blame someone? Blame the guy who started this. My home. He came at me, the bastard came at me.” Rage was heavy in her voice, not fear.

Others would have feared.

She should have feared, but she was too furious to be afraid.

Kenton understood because the same fury had his body tensing.

Garrison stepped forward, his gaze sweeping her. “You okay?” Softer. Worried.

“Yes,” she whispered back. “I’m not…” A deep breath. “I’m not hurt.”

The chief’s eyes narrowed. “Not physically.”

The guy knew her well.

“I’m okay,” she told him again, and Kenton didn’t believe her either.

Garrison’s gaze held hers a little longer, then he gave a grudging nod before he stormed away, yelling orders to his team.

“You didn’t see anything?” Jon turned on the cop.

The guy shook his head. “J-just the fire.”

The fire that was sputtering out now. They’d save the house. It would need work—a lot—but they’d save the house. Kenton owed those firefighters. Lora’s house. He knew she loved that place.

His gaze slipped to her. “You didn’t see him either?” Kenton asked Lora, his thumb brushing over the inside of her wrist. Her pulse pounded fast there, racing beneath his touch.

Her lips twisted. “I only saw the fire.”

“To come right up here and light her place, with the cops in the area…” Jon whistled. “The bastard’s got balls.”

Not for long. “What are you doing here?” Kenton asked him, brows pulling low. “I thought you and Monica were heading back to the hotel.”

Jon looked at Lora. “I was worried. Just like you. I wanted to make sure all was quiet in Spade’s world.”

But all hadn’t been quiet.

Lora laughed. A startled, hard chuckle. “Then I’m glad I’ve got two obsessive agents worrying about me.” She shot a glance toward the smoke. “If I’d been asleep, at least I know you would have been there for me. Gotten me out.”

Hell, yeah.

“Lora?”

They all turned at the call, and Kenton saw Seth MacIntyre jump out of the county arson truck. Seth hurried toward them. He winced a bit as he walked, favoring his leg. “I… heard… on the radio.” His gait picked up as he rushed toward her. His hand lifted as if he’d reach for her and hug her the way the others had, but then he shifted his stance and pulled back.

“Get your men working this arson right now,” Kenton told him and kept his hand on Lora’s back.

Seth nodded in fast agreement. “I’ll be with them, every step.” His gaze dipped back to Lora. “Are you going back to the firehouse? I can let you know what I find—”

“We’re staying until the scene is secure.” Because he knew that with an arson scene, the faster you processed evidence, the better chance you had of finding clues. The fire hadn’t gotten out of control. This time, they’d caught it early.

And maybe they’d find some clues.

Kenton hoped the perp had made a mistake. The cops were already interviewing Lora’s neighbors, looking for someone who might have seen something.

Like the truck that Bob had described.

Or an asshole in a baseball cap.

Seth shoved a hand through his hair, wrecking the smooth style. “I’ll search every inch of the scene and interview every responder here.” His eyes were still on Lora. “I’m… sorry.”

Now that had her looking away from the flames.

“You were right.” Seth’s lips tightened. “I should have listened to you sooner. Maybe if I had… shit, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.”

Kenton expected her to shoot back with a “Damn straight” but she just nodded and said, “Yes.”

“We’re gonna catch him, Lora,” Seth promised. “Carter…” His hands clenched into fists.

Kenton heard the echo of pain in that name and felt Lora stiffen.

“Carter’s gonna get his justice,” Seth said.

“All the victims deserve justice.” Kenton pushed Lora forward. He wanted her checked out by the EMTs. “And the perp starting the fires will get exactly what he deserves.” He’d make sure of it.

The SSD wouldn’t be leaving Charlottesville until they’d apprehended their serial. Since the unit had opened, no perp had gotten away from them.

Phoenix damn well wouldn’t be the first.

He waved to the closest EMT, motioning the guy over.

“No, Kenton,” Lora protested, “I’m fine, I don’t need…”

He brushed his lips over hers. Screw anyone watching. “Get checked, for me.”

She swallowed. “F-fine.”

When he was certain that she was secure, Kenton turned and surveyed the scene. Not just Lora’s yard, but the street, all the houses, every hiding spot he could see.

Jon strode to his side.

“You’ve watched before,” Kenton said. “But you didn’t see the guy here.” And if Jon hadn’t seen him, that meant the perp hadn’t come in close, then. He’d stayed back and probably watched through binoculars as he cased the street. Kenton ran a hand through his hair. “But this time, he had to get close to watch before he set the fire. A patrol was circling, so he would’ve needed a place to hide, a real close spot, while he waited for the cops to leave.”

Kenton’s gaze drifted over the area. There were a few hiding spots that caught his eye. The thick patch of trees to the right. The shadows near the garage on the left. “Where would you hide?” Kenton asked Jon because he knew Jon would find the best spot, the one that would provide a perfect view and the most protection.

“That’s where I hid before.” Jon pointed to the twisting trees.

They took off together, hurrying forward. Jon shone the flashlight on the ground as they tracked.

“Sonofabitch.” Kenton’s breath rushed out when he saw the match. One lone match had been snapped in half and tossed onto the ground. “Let’s get that in to the crime scene guys. Maybe the bastard left us some DNA.” A long shot, because this killer was very organized.

But Phoenix didn’t usually have to worry about leaving prints behind at the fire scenes. The flames destroyed the evidence.

Kenton stared down at that match. Maybe rage had made the perp sloppy. Maybe he’d made one dumb mistake.

If he had screwed up, then… we’ve got you, Phoenix.

They didn’t speak during the ride back to Kenton’s hotel. Lora knew that she could have stayed at the fire station, but the simple truth was that she’d wanted to be with Kenton.

She climbed out of his SUV, still in her bare feet, and wearing a slightly singed T-shirt and skimpy shorts. A man shuffled down the walkway, an ice bucket in his hand.

He stopped and whistled when he saw her.

Just what she wanted. Her eyes narrowed. “Hey, jerk—”

“Fuck off,” Kenton snapped.

Then Kenton was there, catching her hand, pulling her inside room 106 and kicking the door shut behind them.

“Kent, what are you—”

His mouth was on hers. His cock pressed against her, hard and ready, and she held tight to him as the rage and fear and adrenaline bubbled in her blood.

His head lifted, and he gritted out, “When I saw the fire, your house…”

She’d been scared, too, when she saw the flames coming for her. Get out. The words had screamed in her mind, and she’d run from the fire. Run, when she usually fought it.

“I need you,” Kenton growled. “I need you.”

Lora needed him.

Kenton pulled off his holster and set the weapon on the nightstand.

Lora’s hands trembled with the need to touch him. “Kent…”

He kissed her, an open-mouthed, tasting kiss that had her leaning into him. Her hands slipped between their bodies and she found the top of his pants.

He caught her hand, stilling her fingers. His head lifted and he stared down at her with glittering eyes. “Not fast.” He kissed her again and let her feel the sensual lick of his tongue.

He pushed her back onto the bed, and the mattress dipped beneath her. His hands stroked her body, not wild with the fierce passion they’d shown before, but soft and gentle as he stripped her.

His arousal pressed against her, long and thick, and she spread her legs, trying to feel more of that thick bulge against her.

“Easy, Lora…” His whisper.

She didn’t want easy. She reached between them again and pulled down his zipper with a hiss. His erection sprang into her hands. She stroked him, loving the feel of that hot skin.

He caught her hands and pushed them back against the mattress. “Easy.” An order this time.

She stared up at him, her heart racing in her chest. His scent surrounded her, his body pressed against hers, and she wanted him inside so badly that she ached.

Fire. Hell.

Life.

Because when she’d seen those flames and heard the crackle of the fire—in those moments before she’d run for freedom—Lora hadn’t thought about Carter or about what could have been with him.

She’d thought about Kenton.

Heard him screaming her name.

She’d run through the flames. To him.

Kenton’s mouth skimmed her jaw, then he kissed his way down her neck. A shiver had her breath catching when he licked her throat.

“I’m going to taste every inch of you.”

Her legs shifted restlessly against his.

He freed her hands and rose onto his elbows. “Every inch, sweetheart, and I’m going to take my time.”

Oh, yes.

His head lowered and his mouth took her nipple. When he sucked her, she arched off the bed. His hand eased down her body, and he pushed his fingers between her legs. His caress was slow and steady, and when he slipped one finger into her and sucked her breast, she whispered his name. She wanted her release but—

She loved his mouth.

And Kenton was working that mouth so well. He licked his way to her other breast and let her feel the soft bite of his teeth as he scored her flesh. He took her nipple into his mouth, and his tongue tasted her as he worked a second finger into her sex.

Gentle. Soft. She’d only known lust and need with him before, but this was different.

He wasn’t just taking her body. With every kiss, every touch, he seemed to be taking her. Claiming her, body and soul.

The soft stubble on his cheeks scraped her stomach as he pressed kisses down her body. She held herself still, almost afraid to move, because she didn’t want this moment to end.

His dark head lowered, and his hands closed around her thighs. “Kent,” she breathed his name.

He glanced up at her, his eyes glinting.

Then he put his mouth on her. His tongue touched her, licking her sensitive skin, sliding right over her clit. The orgasm took her by surprise, a sweet release that poured over her even as he continued to taste her, using deeper strokes of his tongue now.

Her hips pressed against his mouth, and her hands fisted in the sheets. Her eyes squeezed shut, and she just felt.

Him. The rasp on his cheeks, the soft touch of his mouth.

As promised, he took his time, tasting her flesh until she was moaning and twisting on the bed. She opened her eyes and saw him rising, a strong shadow that covered her.

He slipped on a condom, and the head of his cock pushed against her body. Her arms lifted and curled around him as he slid inside in an easy, slow glide.

Lora lost her breath. No, he stole it with his kiss, but gave her his in return.

The bed squeaked beneath them. His thrusts were steady, driving, and she held him as tight as she could. When her second climax hit, she cried out his name as her muscles contracted around him on a hard wave of release.

Kenton kept thrusting, and he kept his eyes on her. His cock swelled even more inside her, the friction sparking a rush of pleasure.

Her legs wrapped around his hips, and she held him tight. His neck was close, so she leaned up and kissed him, using the edge of her teeth in a light bite of her own.

He shuddered against her, and his hands curled around her hips. His head lifted, and he thrust again, again.

And, with his eyes on hers, he came. Pleasure wiped across his face, the same hot pleasure that swept through her.

He kissed her.

Her hands curled around him. Held tight.

Held… him.

“You know you scared the hell out of me.” Kenton spoke moments later in the darkness. His arms were around her. Her body against his. He’d ditched all of his clothes and lay naked with her. His heart beat beneath her palm, steady and strong. The wild rush was over. For now.

“When I realized you were in the house…”

She lifted her gaze to his. The lamp was on beside them, spilling light onto the bed. “I’m okay.” But her lips curled as she stared at him. He looked so serious, with that faint line between his brows and the stubble lining his jaw. “But if you need to fuck me one more time, just to be sure…” She leaned up and licked his lips. “Go right ahead.”

The laugh came, just as she’d wanted. A hard and deep rumble.

At the sound, something inside her eased. Finally.

“He didn’t get me,” she told him. “But the bastard really did manage to piss me off.” She loved that house. Loved it. She’d painted every inch of it herself, over Jake’s protests. The fact that the guy owned a painting company didn’t mean he had to paint her house.

And she’d redone the kitchen on her own. She’d worked in the bathroom with Ryan and even put in new floors with Jake and Ben. Ryan had supervised everything, of course, since construction was his business.

They’d all worked hard. Together, they’d turned the old house into her beautiful new home.

Now…

She blinked back the tears that wanted to fill her eyes.

No, the arsonist hadn’t hurt her, not physically. But maybe that had been his plan. If he’d wanted the whole house to go up—fast—she knew he could have done it. But there’d been time for her to get out. Time to run. And the cops had been there.

She bet Phoenix had seen them. He seemed to see everything. “I think he did it just to show he could.” Her words came, slowly, as she thought about the killer in the dark. Because if he’d really wanted her to burn…

The fire would have been inside. He’d run a line of gasoline all the way around her house. Outside.

“What? What do you mean?”

“The fire… I think it was a taunt. An I-can-get-to-you slap right in my face.” Because he’d wanted her to know that if he wanted her to burn, she’d burn.

No, bastard, I won’t.

“He knew exactly how to set the burn line so that the fire would stay on the edges of the house, and I’d be able to get out.” She shook her head. “If he wanted me dead, the fire would have ripped inside.” But he hadn’t wanted her dead. “He’s jerking us around.”

“Maybe not us.” His words came slowly, still rough, deep. “Maybe just you.” His eyes narrowed. “Maybe it’s been you all along.”

Lora shook her head. “Uh, no, I don’t think—”

But he was shooting up in bed. “Those first four fires, they were when you were on duty. He planned those. Every detail. Every moment.”

“Yeah, well, I wasn’t on duty when that last poor guy was torched—”

“Larry Powell was killed because he was a witness.”

Uh, who? Her brows climbed. “Run that by me again.”

“The dental records came back. The man handcuffed to the radiator? That was Larry Powell—”

“The survivor from the fire on LeRoy.” Her shoulders slumped. He’d escaped one hell, only to have the flames seal him in another. “Why?”

“Because I think Phoenix thought Powell was a loose end—and our guy doesn’t like loose ends.”

Lora shook her head, aware of a growing chill in the room. No, not in the room. The chill was in her bones.

“He wasn’t a planned vic, not like the others.” Kenton’s words came faster. “Phoenix didn’t have time to waste on him. He couldn’t pick the right moment. He had to act.”

The right moment?

“Changed his pattern,” he muttered, and Lora didn’t think the guy was really talking to her then. More to himself.

“You shift up rotations, right?” Kenton fired at her.

Lora nodded. “Every few days.”

“You even said it, when Monica and I—” He broke off, but she helpfully supplied…

“When you two had me stuck in that interrogation?”

“You had alibis, remember? That’s what you told me, because you were working every shift.” Kenton jumped out of bed.

Her brows rose as her eyes dropped to his ass. He had a really nice ass.

But then Kenton yanked on his pants.

Ah, well.

Lora didn’t bother getting dressed. She just watched him. He was pacing, a lot. The guy was on to something.

“It was right fucking in front of me, and I didn’t see it.”

“What was in front of you?”

He whirled to face her. “You.”

She was really not liking the sound of that.

“You’re the connection, Lora. Seth was right. You’re the link in all this.”

“There’s no way! I didn’t even know who those other vics were.”

“There’s something about you.” His eyes narrowed in an assessing stare. “Something that’s tying you to this guy. To these fires.” He stepped closer. “There’s no coincidence with perps like this. There never is. The pattern—it was your shift. He set those fires when you were working. There’s gotta be a reason for it.”

Her palms pressed into the bed. She didn’t like this. Didn’t like where this was heading, not at all.

But Kenton had his phone out and was punching in numbers with fast swipes of his fingers. Who was he calling this late?

“Hey—it’s Lake. That search we’ve been running? See if you can link the vics back to Lora Spade.”

Chillbumps rose on her arms.

“Yeah, that’s right. The firefighter.”

No, no, this didn’t make sense.

“I need this ASAP, man. Fuck, I need it yesterday.”

She pulled up the sheet, slowly, to cover her breasts. Lora thought about the fires. The bodies.

The victims she hadn’t been able to save—the ones that haunted her.

And she thought about the games that killers could play.

Such twisted, sick games.