Page 13 of Trustfall
The instant she uncrossed her legs, my mind nearly short-circuited. She was the girl of my dreams, the star in my fantasies, and kneeling before her was definitely a pinch me kind of moment. It was laughable thinking on her part that her vibrator had superior abilities and would discourage me when that was the furthest thing from reality. The thought alone of happily taking a front-row seat and daring her to prove me wrong had me hardening on the spot.
There wasn’t an ounce of doubt that I’d have her eating her words once I unleashed the superior finesse of my tongue, fingers, and cock. I re-adjusted myself, no stranger to this predicament at work, as I felt perpetually hard whenever she was around, but in all the years, I refused to rub one out at work, and I wasn’t about to start now.
The blare of the fire alarm pierced through the silence. My eyes snapped open, and my heart pounded with an adrenaline rush as I swung my legs over the edge of the bunk and jumped down. The station was a flurry of activity as we went through the practiced motions of getting into our turnout gear—something we’d done thousands of times that it was down to a precise science.
“Let’s move!” Cruz shouted as I climbed into the passenger seat of the rig.
A look of concern crossed his face, which I had rarely seen before, and an unsettling feeling began taking hold of my chest. It was unusual for me to be unaware of where we were going, yet I sensed a greater force at play. Whatever it was, I knew I hadto keep my head in the game. I dragged my hand down my face, trying to block out the urgency of the blaring sirens—no doubt waking the entire town—while the flashing lights lit up the night sky along Main Street.
When we approached the turnoff to Ari’s family property, a wave of dread washed over me, nearly stealing my breath when I spotted her mother’s beloved greenhouse engulfed in flames with clouds of heavy black smoke billowing into the sky. My mind raced, running through different ways to get the fire under control, all the while bracing for the inevitable heartbreak I knew Dustin would be experiencing.
However, as we came to a stop, he was nowhere to be found. The surrounding noise fell into a deafening silence, and everything outside the greenhouse became a blur. There was no way Dustin would sleep through this; he’d be pouring every ounce of his energy into fighting the flames, pushing himself to the brink and unwilling to accept any other outcome if it meant preserving his wife’s legacy.
My feet were already moving before a plan was in place with the team. Consequences be damned, my objective was indisputable; nothing and no one would have the force to stop me. I would risk my life or certainly die trying if it meant sparing Arizona from further suffering.
The memory of her carefree and vibrant smile was the last image that crossed my mind just before thick, acrid smoke obscured my vision and engulfed me in a wave of intense heat.
Chapter Five
Arizona
The sun dipped below the horizon, and my heart pounded with worry as I drove on the highway toward Rockwood. I had just finished sanitizing the stretcher and was loading it back into the ambulance when Lily called; her voice filled with panic. I sensed something was off with her lately, but hearing the tremble in her voice, filled with genuine fear, had made it clear my suspicions were correct.
Lily and I had been best friends since elementary school, when her parents moved to Sutton River from London, England, to live a quieter life. I’ll never forget the day she joined our class and sat next to me. Our bond was immediate. We were joined at the hip and constantly together—until one day, we weren’t.
After our high school graduation, her family abruptly packed up and left, leaving no sign of their presence. They vanished without a trace, leaving behind more questions than answers.
I was absolutely heartbroken.
Her disappearance felt like a death. Sudden, without explanation, leaving no opportunity to say goodbye. I grieved the friendship we once shared until she contacted me out of the blue through social media. Almost a decade had gone by, yet we fell right back into our old groove while consciously avoiding theunspoken question of why her family left in the first place. She asked for some time, and I respected her wishes.
While I initially was surprised when she chose to live in Rockwood, about forty-five minutes from Sutton River, I understood enough to know she sought the comfort of being back while maintaining a safe distance from those who knew her, specifically Jaxon. However, having known him my entire life, I knew for a fact that he still grappled with her disappearance and feared the worst. It was the number one reason he became a police officer versus a firefighter, unlike his twin, Jameson, and their father.
Lily being back was the hardest secret I’d ever had to keep. Jaxon, without a doubt, would move heaven and earth for her if only given the chance. But none of that mattered until I could uncover the root of what was holding her back and weighing on her mind.
Once I parked my Jeep, I sprinted across the parking lot and raced up the six flights of stairs to her place. Using my spare key, I let myself in. The apartment was cloaked in darkness; the only light provided came in the form of shadows from the city lights outside.
“Lils?” I tested the silence before heading toward her bedroom.
When I reached the end of the hallway, the door was ajar, and it was just as dark as the rest of the condo. I turned on the flashlight feature on my phone and called out her name once more, catching a faint sniffle in response.
“Lily, it’s Arizona,” I said as I approached the bifold closet doors. “I’m going to open the door, okay?”
A sense of relief washed over me, only to be swiftly overshadowed by heavy concern when I saw her, wide-eyed and panicked, curled up in the corner.
“Ari,” she sobbed, trembling as I fell to my knees and wrapped my arms around her.
“It’s okay, I’m here,” I murmured. “I’ve got you.”
My heart broke for her, as it was clear she was in a state of panic. Her breaths were coming in short, and I could feel her heart racing against my chest.
“I’m so sorry, Ari, I’m so sorry.”
“You’ve got nothing to apologize for; this is what best friends do. We’re here for each other without questions and or judgment.”
“I know this is a bad hiding spot, and he’s right, but I couldn’t help it. I had to hide; I know it’s risky, but it’s our spot.” Her words were shaky and didn’t make any sense. “It’s our spot.” She repeated those last three words over and over until her voice faded to a barely audible whisper.
“Lils, I need you to take deep breaths for me, okay? Let’s do it together; breathe in slowly through your nose and hold it for four seconds.”
