Playing with Fire (Dirty Filthy Men Book 1) Read online

  Glancing around the room at the team of firefighters, he felt sick to his stomach.

  Mandy had been too frightened to call for help, and only when a nearby neighbor had looked out of her window while she drew her curtains closed did the crew get called. During that time, Mandy had thrown herself out of her window, passing out. She had broken her leg and arm. She’d fallen onto some soft grass but the impact had knocked her unconscious.

  “Where are the Chesterfields now?” Dalton asked.

  “They’re at the hospital. Mandy wanted to stay home to study. They figured with her being fifteen she’d be fine,” the chief said.

  “These aren’t just random fires,” Luke said, speaking up. “It can’t be. There’s no way that fires like this just start up. Mandy’s not the kind of girl to do this.”

  Dalton agreed.

  “The sheriff is opening an investigation. Until then, we’ve got to look at the cause of the fire tomorrow morning. I want everyone here, and I want us to go over the previous fires.” In the chief’s hands were several folders of the previously documented fires that had started up in town at random places.

  He moved toward the board, and Dalton listened as he began to pin where each fire had taken place, each one becoming more and more severe until now.

  “With Mandy in the hospital this is not just arson. If she doesn’t wake up, it’ll be murder.”

  Everyone tensed up at that.

  Dalton didn’t like it.

  The girl’s death would weigh heavily on all of them as they would always wonder if there was something more they could have done. Grabbing one of the files, he opened it up and began to pore over some of the details.

  “What’s the sheriff looking at?” Grayson asked.

  “For now, we’re not relating the other fires to this one. With Mandy, he wants to start off close to home. He’s seeing if she’s having any problems at school. If her parents have any troubles. Anything like that.”

  “This could be all random,” Dalton said, speaking up. “What if this kid or man or woman didn’t even know that Mandy was home? Everyone in town knows that the Chesterfields shop at night.” They all knew each other’s business. That was the point of being part of such a small, close-knit town.

  “That’s what makes this scary,” Luke said. “It’s someone close to home who knows everything about us.”

  “Look, just go over the details. I’ve got copies of these in my office. Tell me if you see anything that matches up or anything that screams odd to you. I know this is going to ask you all for overtime, but right now I need you guys here.”

  “Of course,” they all agreed in unison.

  “Let’s hope we can find whoever did this.”

  The chief walked into his office, and Dalton went over the first fire in the folder. It hadn’t been significant. They always liked to document any call-outs, as it did cost the state money, and in case of any investigation they carried out their own. The chief was completely thorough. They were all more than happy to handle the details like this.

  “Have you ever seen anything like this?” Grayson asked.

  “Nothing at all.” He ran fingers through his hair.

  He’d much rather be at home, deep inside his woman, but for now, he looked over the pictures, seeing where the first fire started. Passing the files to each of them, he saw each one had a faster accelerant. Taking the pictures from each of the files, he pinned them up for all to see.

  Each fire had a starting point, and it expanded from there.

  “This is clumsy. It’s small, and it burned out quickly,” Dalton said. “I was there. It was pretty much embers by the time I got there.” So insignificant he’d not even seen a possible threat. Slowly, each fire became something bigger, more dangerous. At first, they were random points. Some outside, then they went inside, in abandoned buildings but also far enough away from locals. “Who are you?”

  All night the men worked, and by the next morning, they were at the Chesterfields’ house. It was safe, so they were able to enter the home. They did so via the back door as the rear of the house had minimal damage since the fire department had been able to contain it before it got too bad.

  Using a flashlight, Dalton moved through the house, going toward the front door where the fire had to have started. No one touched anything, and he stood beside the chief.

  “What are you thinking?” Dalton asked.

  “That right now I haven’t got a clue what I’m fucking looking at. Take some pictures and then head on home. You need to get some rest.”

  “What about this?” he asked, waving a hand in the air.

  “The house isn’t going anywhere.”

  After three hours within the house, taking pictures, taking swabs, and assisting the forensics team that had been called in, Dalton made his way home. He was so fucking tired, and he ached all over.

  The moment he stepped into his home he smelled bacon, and his stomach clenched.

  Eva came out of the kitchen wearing an apron. “You’re home.” She rushed toward him, hugging him tightly.

  “I stink.”

  “I don’t care. I heard what happened. I’ve been with Mrs. Cooper helping her at the diner. It’s been chaotic, but I’ve heard what people have been saying. They’re all worried.”

  “No one knows who it is, and right now, there’s a lot of speculation.”

  All night working, and he wasn’t any closer to figuring out what the hell was going on. Rubbing at his eyes, he sighed. “I’ll go and get washed.”

  “Okay. Stay in your bed. I’ll bring you up some food.”

  “You really don’t need to do that.”

  “You’ve been working hard. At least let me do this small thing.”

  He wasn’t in the mood to argue. Capturing her against him, he slammed his lips down on hers. “Thank you.”

  “No need to thank me. Now, go and clean.” She wrinkled her nose, and he laughed.

  Making his way to his room, he removed his clothes, and his reflection caught his attention. A day’s growth on his chin, and he looked troubled.

  He didn’t like this. Having questions with no answers. No way of knowing who could be harming his town. It pissed him off.

  If they didn’t find the person soon, someone else would be next. He thought about Mandy. She was such a nice girl, and now they didn’t know if she’d wake up. Dalton allowed himself to think of his sister for a moment. Pain surged through him, a desperation that nearly incapacitated him. He couldn’t allow himself to return to the past. All that mattered was ensuring that same tragedy never happened again.

  Gritting his teeth, he calmed the rage that was building inside him.

  Whoever was starting these fires better hope the cops found him before Dalton did. If he got his hands on him, he was going to fucking kill him.

  Chapter Seven

  It had been a few days since the fire that put a young girl in the hospital. There hadn’t been much change in her condition, and Eva could see it weighed heavily on Dalton. He’d been spending more time at work, obsessing over each arson case to the point he wasn’t sleeping or eating properly. She worried about him.

  They’d just had lunch when the phone rang, breaking the quiet. Dalton left the kitchen to answer it, returning a couple minutes later. He stood in the arched entryway, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

  Eva jumped from her seat. “What is it? What’s wrong, Dalton?”

  “That was the chief calling about Mandy.”

  “Oh, God.” She cupped her hands over her nose and mouth.

  A gentle smile appeared on his face and he reached for her, tugging her close. He held her head to his chest. “She’s going to be okay.”

  Eva exhaled, feeling a deep sense of relief. “That’s wonderful news.” Now he could stop pushing himself to the breaking point. She hated seeing him overextend himself.

  “We were lucky. This time.” He kissed her atop the head, then returned to the table. Dalton scrubb
ed his hands over his face. He looked so overtired.

  “You’ll catch him eventually. You’re working too hard.” She noticed the other firefighters had put in overtime too, but not like Dalton. “Why?”

  He looked across the table at her once she sat down. “I have to,” he said. “Do you know why I became a firefighter?”

  Mrs. Cooper had mentioned there had been a tragedy in Dalton’s family, and it was the reason he took his job seriously. But no details were shared. The older woman may be a gossip, but she knew where to draw the line. “No.”

  He licked his lips. She watched as he clenched his jaw down hard, as if trying to speak, but not being able. “I had a sister.”

  “I think you mentioned having a sister.”

  “I didn’t tell you that we lost her to a fire. It was a long time ago, in our first family home.” He got choked up. “I tried to save her, but I didn’t know what the fuck I was doing. It was too late.”

  “It’s not your fault,” she whispered.

  He shook his head. “It never should have happened. Since I couldn’t go back and change that day, I did the next best thing. I became a firefighter and devoted my life to ensuring no other families in Hope Springs suffer like ours has.”

  “That’s the noblest thing I’ve ever heard.” She stood up and walked around the table. Eva stroked his thick, dark hair and held his head to her stomach. “But I don’t want you hurting yourself. You have to find some balance,” she said.

  “Like you?”

  “I haven’t run, have I? I’m trying my best, and it’s not always easy.”

  “I’m worried about you too,” he said. Dalton pushed out his chair so he could pull her to sit on his lap.

  “What for?”

  “You start work in Vespera tomorrow. It’ll be hard not keeping watch over you.”

  She shrugged. “I’m a big girl. I’ll be just fine. Promise.”

  He exhaled, and she felt the tension leave his body. “I’m so glad Mandy’s okay. Honestly, I’m not sure how I would have handled it if she never woke up. All I kept seeing was my sister, reliving that fucking day over and over in my head.”

  “It’s over now,” she said. “Mandy’s fine, and I’m sure you’ll catch whoever did it soon.”

  He became quiet again, his arm still securing her on his lap. Eva hated silence. It unnerved her. When he kissed her bare shoulder, a firestorm of sexual impulses scattered through her body. The mood in the room shifted from desperation to relief to lust. “Remember the other day? We left something unfinished, didn’t we?”

  “I think we did.” She’d never pushed him for sex, even though lying next to his warm, hard body every night had been the ultimate temptation. Eva realized she cared about him and his feelings, further binding herself to a life without running.

  “I made this table myself,” he said. “A project once I bought my own house.”

  She turned her head and looked at the butcher block=style wooden table. It was rustic with beautiful grain. “I love it. You’re good at carpentry.”

  “I’m good at a lot of things. How about we test out the table’s strength?”

  Eva frowned for a moment until she caught his drift. Her pussy instantly grew slick just thinking about his kinky plan. She’d been desperate for his cock since they’d been interrupted by that terrible phone call.

  “That’s where we eat,” she said.

  “Oh, I plan on eating.” He stood up and hoisted her onto the table.

  It felt sturdy enough, and she wasn’t a lightweight. She wasn’t going to deny him because, even though she wanted him, he needed to release a lot of stress. Best for him to expel that energy on her body.

  Dalton tugged away her t-shirt and unfastened her bra. Dalton stood there, staring at her, hunger in his eyes. When he removed his shirt, she couldn’t keep her own eyes off those defined muscles. She loved every inch of him. The man was pure power and strength, all pent up.

  She could see the hard ridge of his cock beneath his joggers, and he was impressive. Her mouth salivated, every cell a livewire.

  He helped her wiggle out of her shorts and panties, the coolness of the table making her yelp as her moist pussy settled back on the hard surface. “Don’t worry, baby. I’m going to take care of you.”

  Dalton held the back of her neck and eased her down until she was on her back. She arched at first from the chill on her bare skin. Being in the open kitchen in the middle of the afternoon left her feeling so exposed. But for the first time in her life she didn’t feel shame. Dalton made her feel beautiful and desirable, every single inch of her. He tugged her thighs until her ass was at the edge of the table, then flung her legs over each of his strong shoulders.

  With her legs spread wide, she was eager and ready for his cock. “Dalton, please.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “First things first. I plan to enjoy you properly.” Dalton sat back down on a kitchen chair, adjusting his weight to bring it closer to the edge of the table, the wooden legs scraping the tiles. “Such a pretty pussy,” he said.

  Her heart raced like a freight train. She swore she’d explode with one touch to her clit. He leaned in close then licked her pussy folds with the flat of his firm tongue. She instinctively pushed against his mouth. It felt so good, so dirty, and she wanted more.

  ****

  His girl was ripe. He could practically smell her desire perfuming the air, and his cock reacted. But he held off, not willing to settle for another quick fuck. This time he planned to give her a taste of pure pleasure.

  Dalton flicked her clit with his tongue, watching her belly jiggle slightly as she jolted from the contact. She was in for a world of pleasure. He settled in comfortably, her thick, juicy thighs at each side of his head. He lapped up her slit, like a puppy, over and over until she was moaning and twisting on the wooden table. Her taste was addictive, her soft folds ultra-sensitive to his ministrations.

  “Dalton, you’re killing me.”

  “You’re not going to die. I plan to take you to heaven and back.” He began to fuck her with his tongue, plunging in and out of her hot little cunt. Dalton suckled her clit, flicking it with his tongue. He could live between her legs, but Eva was close to the breaking point. Her pussy kept pulsing against his mouth, her body twitching involuntarily.

  She soon settled, no longer working against him. Her mewling morphed into deep, satisfied moans as she ground her pussy into his face. She reached between her legs, grabbing a handful of his hair. “Dalton!”

  As soon as she exploded against his tongue, he bolted to his feet and released his erection. He plunged into her wet pussy, groaning as she convulsed around his cock. She screamed his name, grabbing the edges of the table to anchor herself.

  “You’re so tight, baby. Hot and tight and perfect.” He fucked her hard, holding her hips and ramming into her. The past few days had been hard on him, body and mind. He hadn’t given his woman the attention she deserved. He’d been pushing her away, feeling sorry for himself, and living in the past.

  He needed balance, needed to nurture this new relationship before he lost it.

  “I want to feel you,” she said, reaching out for him.

  She was becoming his entire world, and he couldn’t imagine his home without her in it. He gave her what she wanted, crawling up on the table and settling himself over her naked body. The old table held both their weights, but even if it shattered to splinters he wouldn’t stop now.

  Once skin to skin, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him. She ran her fingers into his hair. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “For what, baby?”

  “Putting up with me. It’s not easy for me to trust.”

  He kissed her swollen lips, his arms hooked under her shoulders to keep her close. “You can trust me, Eva.”

  A tear slid from the corner of her eye. “Please don’t leave me,” she said. “I don’t think my heart could take it.”

  “I’m nothing like the other
men you’ve known. I promise you that.” He reached one hand between them and filled her pussy again. She tossed her head back and groaned. “And I’ll never get enough of you.”

  He kissed her hard on the mouth, devouring her as he pumped his hips. They were making love, not just fucking. They’d only known each other a short time, but their connection was undeniable. Even though they both had their own baggage, they completed each other.

  Her legs wrapped tightly around him, prodding him for more. The table creaked, but he didn’t care. Dalton fucked his woman, determined to erase the memory of any other man. He wanted to brand her, claim her, love her. His mother wanted a daughter-in-law, and Eva was the one he wanted to keep.

  “This is my body, Eva. You’re mine.”

  “Yes, Dalton.”

  “For the love of God, tell me you won’t run from me.”

  “I promise,” she said. “I don’t want to run forever.”

  Something inside him instantly eased, that deep-seated dread fading away after hearing her words. Fuck, he wanted to tell her he loved her.

  Their bodies entwined, hot and sweat-glistened. When she began to pant, her nails digging into his back, he knew she was close to another orgasm.

  “Come for me, baby. Let me feel you squeeze my cock.” He pistoned in and out of her harder, faster. Then she detonated, her sweet, feminine screams pushing him over the edge. His release was powerful, his balls pulling up tight as he filled her with his cum.

  He climbed off her body and helped her off the table.

  “I’ll never look at meals the same way,” she teased.

  “Neither will I.” He winked at her, still remembering the sweet taste of her pussy.

  They got cleaned up and dressed, and then he took her hand and led her to the back garden. He had big landscaping plans, but hadn’t followed through on many of them. Now that he had Eva, making the house beautiful became a priority. He wanted her happy.