Dallas Fire & Rescue_Burning Rage Read online

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  Burning Rage

  By

  Anne Welch

  Also by Anne Welch

  Burning Fury

  It's An Anne Thing

  It's An Anne Thing Two

  Carolina Hope

  Carolina Longing

  Carolina Faith (Coming Soon)

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Epilogue

  Chapter One

  Rachel Webber grabbed Jay's blue tie and pulled him in the elevator. He hurriedly pressed the button for the sixth floor and, when the steel doors shut, he pushed her against them. She pulled his head down to hers and devoured his mouth. He shoved his knee between her legs and lifted her against the wall. She couldn't believe she was in the elevator about to have sex with her best friend Grace's brother. Maybe it was the alcohol or watching her best friend get married tonight, but whatever it was, she refused to let her brain take over. She was listening to her body and letting go. She'd had a thing for Jay for so long but he'd never given her the time of day, until tonight.

  They'd both consumed several bottles of champagne and ended up dancing half the night away. She ripped the buttons of his white shirt open and ran her hands across his six-pack down to the V of his pants. Before she could get them undone, the bell of the elevator door dinged. He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. He carried her down the short hall and managed to swipe the key and walk into the room. With Jay's help, she worked her dress over her head and she freed him from his zipper. With no hesitation, he ripped her underwear away and entered her with one thrust to the hilt.

  She gasped for air as he pounded into her. She held on as her orgasm soared through her. He followed not long after and somehow managed to get them both over to the bed. Breathing heavily, he slowly finished undressing them and crawled into bed beside her. He gave her a slow, lingering kiss, his eyes revealing more than she knew he wanted them to. She knew this would be her only night with him and she refused to be sad about it. Jay didn't do commitments or relationships. Hell, after tonight, they may not even be friends. The fact was she wasn't that great at them, either. Her inhibitions down, she made up her mind to enjoy this one night, even if that's all they would ever have.

  ***

  Rachel cracked her eyes open and grabbed her pounding head. Her mouth was full of cotton and her body ached in several places. She peeked under the sheet and realized she was butt naked. Slowly, she reached beside her and almost screamed as she felt a very muscular back. Pieces of last night began filtering through her fog-ladened brain as she jumped out of bed. "Shit, shit, shit." She really did it. She slept with James Scott. She quickly threw her dress over her head and gathered her bra and what was left of her panties and shoved them in her purse. She let herself out of the room as quietly as possible and headed for the elevator.

  When the door opened, she blushed as flashes of ripping Jay's shirt open came to her mind. Her phone buzzed and she looked at it to see she had three missed calls from her partner, Blake. She was a paramedic with the Nashville Fire Department and she and Blake were heading to Dallas, Texas for a few weeks of intensive training with the crew of Station 58. Lt. Zach Raines, her best friend Grace's now husband, worked with the guys at 58 and had set it up. They would be training with Paramedic, Lexi Fletcher, and her partner, Trent Barnes, on SWAT medic procedures.

  Rachel loved being a paramedic, and despite her hangover, she was looking forward to SWAT training. When the local SWAT team goes on a call, SWAT medics go with them to not only treat SWAT team members but, also, are first on scene to provide medical care in hostage or active shooter situations. The sooner medical care can be provided, the better the chances of survival for victims. She enrolled in medical school after college but had to drop out to care for her grandmother when she became ill. She was disappointed, at first, for not finishing, but she wouldn't trade her job for anything.

  Before she could return Blake's call, her phone rang again.

  "Hey, Blake," she answered.

  "Rachel, where have you been? Are you all right?"

  "I'm fine, Blake, I just overslept."

  "Our plane leaves in a couple of hours; are you ready?"

  "Give me thirty minutes and I'll be ready, okay?"

  "Okay."

  "Oh, and, Blake, please bring coffee."

  Luckily, it was a short cab ride to her apartment from the hotel and she'd packed the night before. She made it inside her apartment, took a quick shower and dressed. She grabbed her bag, locked her apartment door and made it downstairs just as Blake pulled up. She didn't have time to wash her hair so she pulled her long black locks into a ponytail. Her head was pounding as she climbed into his SUV and immediately turned the radio down.

  "Here, you look like shit, Rachel," he said, handing her a steaming hot cup of coffee.

  She wrapped both hands around the cup and took a long sip while glaring at him.

  "Who was he and how much did you drink?" he nagged her.

  "It's none of your business, Blake," she responded, getting more annoyed by the minute.

  Blake was like a big brother to her and she knew he asked out of concern. She leaned her pounding head against the window of the SUV and rubbed her temples.

  "Here," she heard Blake say as he handed her the bottle of Tylenol.

  "Thanks," Rachel replied as she swallowed three pills and downed it with her coffee. "You are too good to me."

  "Yeah, yeah. You just want me to stop asking you about last night," he told her, smiling.

  Rachel just rolled her eyes at him. They had been partners for almost five years. Blake was a handsome man at almost six feet tall. He was a few years older than her twenty-nine years and his hair was sandy blonde, which he kept closely cropped. He was built like a linebacker with rippling muscles and gray eyes someone could get lost in. Oh, how she wished she could feel for him what she felt for Jay. As hard as she denied it, when it came to Jay, she knew her stubborn heart loved him, even if he never returned her feelings.

  She wondered how Grace would feel about her sleeping with her older brother. She and Grace met at the Nashville Fire Department, where she worked as a paramedic and Grace, an arson investigator. She was severely injured in a fire, a few years ago, and Rachel was the one who treated her until she made it to the hospital. She spent a lot of time with Jay as they nursed Grace back to health. Their parents were killed years before, so Jay was the one who raised Grace, even though he had been practically a kid himself. Rachel lost her heart to Jay, watching him day after day, sitting by Grace's beside. He was a good man, but when it came to settling down or giving himself to one person, he wouldn't do it.

  They arrived at Nashville International Airport, a few minutes later, and after parking, they headed to the ticket counter. Luckily for Rachel, the flight was delayed by an hour so they had time to grab a quick bite bef
ore boarding. Rachel settled for a bagel and another cup of coffee while Blake ate a plate of bacon, eggs and toast. She took her seat on the plane near the window with Blake on the isle. She was grateful the flight was only two hours because her breakfast kept threatening to make a reappearance. A massive hangover and flying didn't mix well.

  Rachel stepped off the plane, a short time later, and made a beeline for the airport bathroom. She made it just in time before she lost her breakfast. What a way to make a good impression, Webber. Thank goodness, she kept a small bottle of Scope in her purse. She rinsed her mouth and splashed cold water on her face. When she stepped out of the bathroom, Blake was there waiting for her.

  "You gonna make it?" he asked in his deep southern drawl.

  "Yeah. Let's go; we have to meet Lexi out front," she replied and flung her backpack over her shoulder.

  When they walked through the automatic doors of the airport, Rachel saw a beautiful dark-haired woman standing beside a tall hunk with dark hair and the deepest blue eyes she'd ever seen. They were both wearing EMT patches that indicated they were with Dallas Fire and Rescue Station 58. Rachel extended her hand to both Lexi and Trent and watched as Blake did the same.

  "Welcome to Dallas; I hope you like it hot," Lexi told them, smiling.

  "If you think it's hot in October, you should have been here in July," Trent replied. "Come on, you two, the truck's over here; let's get you to the station and settled.

  Rachel walked through the bay doors at Station 58 and was immediately in awe of the sheer size. It made her station in Nashville look tiny in comparison. Blake went with Trent to the male sleeping areas and she went with Lexi. They walked through the massive kitchen and into the dayroom. There were TVs, gaming stations, big leather couches, and even a pool table. Lexi showed her to the locker room and shower area and then to her bunk.

  "Chow is at six p.m., and I believe BBQ pork is on the menu tonight. You don't wanna miss it. Feel free to look around and freshen up and I will see you in a bit. You might want to get to bed early, tonight. Training starts at five a.m., tomorrow," Lexi told her.

  "Sounds good; thank you for everything, Lexi," Rachel replied.

  She took a quick shower and dressed in her NFD sweats. She pulled her long hair into a ponytail and checked her phone for what had to be the tenth time. Did she really think Jay would call her? He was probably regretting what happened between them, too. Ugh! You did it this time, Webber. Trying to focus on her upcoming training, she decided to put that night out of her mind and went in search of her partner. As she walked through the dayroom, she saw Blake playing pool with a few of the firefighters of 58. Rachel wasn't in the mood for pool so she made her way to the kitchen to help with dinner. She would take the next two weeks to focus on her training, not Jay.

  Chapter Two

  Detective James Scott's, or Jay as his friends call him, feet hit the ground with a thud as he jumped over the worn-out chain link fence. His phone fell out of his pocket but he didn't stop. This SOB wouldn't get away from him again. He'd chased his perp for almost an hour through the maze of buildings in downtown Nashville. The sun was setting over the Cumberland River and he was losing daylight. After six blocks, he took a second to catch his breath, and out of the corner of his eye, he glimpsed a green hoodie. Gotcha!

  "Stop! Police! Put your hands up and get on your knees, now!" Jay yelled.

  Thankfully, the man stopped and did as Jay suggested. He radioed in his location to his partner, Mike, and slapped the cuffs on his perp.

  "Why the hell did you run from me, Scooter? You know how much I hate running," Jay asked the young man.

  "I ain't got nothing to say to you, man," came his reply.

  "Well, you just earned yourself a trip to the station now."

  Mike pulled up with a squad car behind him to escort Scooter to lock-up.

  "Next time, you are running after the perp, Mikey, I'm getting too old for this shit," Jay told his partner, rubbing his right knee.

  Jay was feeling all of his thirty-four years after that chase. He old knee injury, from years of playing football, was catching up to him. After high school, he was offered a full ride to play football with the University of Tennessee but the car crash changed his plans. Ten days before his nineteenth birthday, he received the call that both his parents were killed in a four car pile-up on Interstate 40, outside of Nashville. They were on the way to see him play his first game of the season as a starting quarterback. He was so focused on the game that he didn't notice they weren't there until the game was over. Thank God, his little sister, Grace, was spending the night with her best friend, at the time, and not in the car with their parents.

  He remembered driving the three hours to Nashville to his childhood home, rehearsing what he would say to Grace. When he walked inside, it was as if they were just out for the day and would be back any moment. His dad's favorite UT coffee cup was in the sink, and the house still smelled like the blueberry muffins his mom had baked to bring him. She knew they were his favorite. Jay never realized how many pictures of him and Grace adorned the walls. He would never forget the look on his baby sister's face when he told her. Or the guilt he would carry to this day. He sat and held her for hours while she cried on his shoulder, never letting his own tears fall. He was the man now. He had to be strong for her.

  Unlike a lot of his friends, he'd had a great family life. His parents were hardworking and loving people. He would butt heads with his dad, from time to time, but they always worked it out with a handshake or a hug. He didn't have any other family, and Jay knew he had to be there for Grace. So, he gave up his scholarship with UT, entered the police academy and took night classes to get his degree in Criminal Justice. He knew he had to work and take care of both of them, and he didn't regret it. Grace followed in their father's footsteps and became a firefighter, after graduating high school.

  His world nearly shattered again when Gracie almost died in a warehouse fire set by an arsonist. She was trapped in the fire and they lost her twice in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, but Rachel brought her back. Rachel Webber was his sister's best friend, and the night of Grace's wedding to Zach, he'd slept with Rachel—something he promised himself he would never do. She was his sister's best friend. She'd stayed by Grace's side at the hospital when they thought she wouldn't pull through and had been there for her every step of the way during her long recovery.

  Hell, Rachel had taken care of him, too. She had made sure he ate and rested. She was a great person and he knew she had feelings for him. Jay didn't do relationships and didn't want children, plain and simple. He had a few girlfriends, from time to time, but he never let it get serious. That's the biggest reason he'd stayed away from Rachel. She made him feel things he wouldn't allow himself to feel. Maybe it was the fact that he lost his parents so young and he raised Grace or the fact that his job was dangerous. Whatever the reason, it's just how he was, and Rachel deserved so much more than he could ever give her.

  Jay walked into the police station and slapped his broken iPhone down on his desk. After the chase, he'd doubled-backed, hoping he would find it in one piece. Mikey sat down across from him, shaking his head.

  "That's the second phone this month, Jay, no way Cap will authorize another replacement."

  "Yeah, but unlike the last one, I have insurance on this one," Jay replied, smiling as he leaned back in his chair.

  "What do you want to do about Scooter?" Mikey asked Jay.

  "Let him sit in a cell and cool off overnight before we talk to him. My gut tells me he knows more than he's letting on about the gas station explosion."

  "Sounds good to me. Hey Jay, you want to get a beer before you head home?"

  "No, thanks, Mikey. Not tonight. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

  They were getting nowhere with this case and it was grating on Jay's nerves. Luckily, no one died in the explosion, but the clerk was seriously injured. She'd stepped out back to throw the trash away and was thrown clear of the
blast but was in the hospital in a coma. He'd worked nearly twenty-four hours straight and was exhausted from lack of sleep. He left the station and ran by Verizon on the way home. He had fifteen minutes before they closed, and he really needed a new phone. His sister, Grace, was due back next week from her honeymoon, and he didn't want to miss a call from her.

  If he was being honest with himself, he secretly hoped Rachel had tried to call, too. He hadn't bothered to go by her apartment or even call her after the night they spent together. He knew she was leaving for Dallas the next day and would be gone for two weeks training. But that was just an excuse he used. He knew he messed up big time; Rachel deserved better than him. But why did the thought of her with another man gut him?

  ***

  Jay opened his apartment door, an hour later, and grabbed a beer out the refrigerator. He opened the lid and took a long swig. The cold brew tasted so good, he nearly drained the bottle with one swig. He locked his Glock in his gun box and plugged his new phone in to charge while he ate a quick bite. He'd picked up a burger on the way home and sat on the couch with his beer and wolfed it down. Jay flipped through the channels on his 65-inch flat screen but nothing interested him. Maybe he should have gone out with Mikey. He turned the TV off and threw the remote on the couch. A shower and bed was what he needed, so he could start fresh in the morning.

  By the time he showered, shaved and crawled into bed, it was after midnight. He contemplated calling Grace to check on her and Zach, but it was too late. He would call them if he had a chance tomorrow. They were due back in a few days from their honeymoon. Jay loved seeing his sister so happy. After her accident, he wasn't sure she would allow herself the happiness she deserved. She and Zach fought hard to be together, and seeing her so in love made all the sacrifices worth it. He stared at his phone and hovered his thumb over Rachel's number. He wanted to call her—needed to call her—but didn't. He would do it tomorrow.