Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 53862 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 269(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53862 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 269(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
More importantly, who the fuck had framed him in the first place?
Marks cleared his throat again and looked Phoenix in the eye. “I’m sorry this happened, Phoenix. I’d like to have you back.”
Phoenix crossed his arms. “Well, that ain’t fucking happening. Every single person at the station believed I was guilty, including you. I’ve known you for years. I thought we were friends,” Phoenix growled, wondering how he was able to remain calm enough not to pick up that damn file and throw it at the wall so that the room rained with papers.
“We are, and I’m apologizing. My hands were tied, Phoenix. The evidence—”
“Fuck the evidence,” Phoenix shouted. “You know me. You know I would never put another human in harm’s way. Not ever. Not for any reason.” He inhaled slowly, trying to control his temper. “Do you know who the arsonist is?”
“Yes, and the man has been arrested,” Jenkins stated.
Phoenix jerked his gaze toward the fire marshal. “And what was his connection to me?” As far as Phoenix knew, he had no enemies. That had been the most perplexing part of this entire farce.
Jenkins drew in a breath. “Seems you were first on the scene to a fire at his house a year ago. The fire was too far gone to save, so you made the decision not to waste resources on that home, instead putting effort into protecting the surrounding dwellings. The guy held a grudge. He planned this for months.”
Phoenix remembered that fire. The man had been furious, but Phoenix hadn’t thought much about it at the time. People tended to have all sorts of reactions when faced with losing their homes to fire. Blaming the fire department was often high on that list.
Phoenix had made that call, and it had been the right decision. His quick action had saved four other homes in the area from destruction.
He had nothing more to say to these men. He would never fight fires in this town again as long as he lived, and he wasn’t sure he’d ever join another company. He needed time to get his head on and wrap his mind around this development before he could make any decisions about his future. However, none of his options would include ever stepping foot into a firehouse in this town or any neighboring town.
Shoving off the windowsill, Phoenix said, “Are we done here?”
Jenkins rose. “Uh, sure. We can be. You’re welcome to call me with any questions. If you’d like to be transferred to another firehouse, that can be arranged. Let’s meet in a few days and discuss your options.”
“No.” Phoenix shook his head. “We won’t be meeting to discuss my fucking options. I have a million options. None of them will include working for any of you.”
Marks took a deep breath as he stood. “I’m sorry to hear that, Phoenix.”
Phoenix let out another off-sounding cackle. “No, you’re not. You feel guilty. That’s all. And I don’t give a fuck about your guilt.”
He lifted a hand to rub both temples and then strolled out of the office without looking back.
He continued down the hall and out the front of the building, not stopping until he reached his truck. He paid no attention to the SUV next to his truck until a man stepped out of the passenger side, blocking Phoenix’s door. “Phoenix Duggan?”
Phoenix lifted a brow. Who the hell was this guy? The last thing he needed was more trouble.
The man held out a strange gold coin with a swirled pattern. It wasn’t any particular currency. “It was my team who worked night and day to exonerate you. Take this marker. Your benefactor will call on you one day soon to repay the favor. Oh, and the department will contact you about a compensation packet for being falsely accused and removed from work. Get a lawyer. They’ll need to pay ten times more than their first offer.”
With his brain running in circles inside his skull, Phoenix had no idea why he held out his hand to accept the strange coin, but he stood dumbfounded, too stunned to respond as the man climbed back into the SUV, and the driver pulled out of the space.
Phoenix was left staring at the strange coin, bouncing it in his palm. Benefactor? Favor? Mark? What the hell sort of alternate universe was he living in?
Chapter One
Phoenix sat at Magnus’s computer station, opening the file he’d just received from Baldwin Kingsley III. His assignment was Lyra Bloom. The rest of his nosy team and their Littles were leaning over his shoulders, crowding him, making him want to tell them all to scatter.
He wouldn’t do that, though. These were his people. His family. No matter how they might annoy him sometimes, he loved them all dearly.
A few months ago, he hadn’t known any of the people he now considered the best friends a man could have. He’d been at the lowest point in his life, accused and nearly arrested for a series of crimes he had not committed, all because of a deranged, vengeful citizen whose home had burned down in an out-of-control fire.