Fire and Ice: Rekindled (The Fire and Ice Series Book 2) (20 page)
Read Fire and Ice: Rekindled (The Fire and Ice Series Book 2) Online
Authors: Kiara Delaney
I haphazardly lifted Hailey from my lap, instantly feeling a
wanton need to pull her back down onto me, and stood behind her as Andrew
belted out, "Dad! Where you be in? Dad! Where's you be in?" I don't
think I'll ever tire of my impatient little buddy saying my name- Dad; it's
surreal. I quit calling Chuck my dad a lot later than he deserved. I won't ever
let it come to that between Andrew and me.
The kid was picking up vocabulary more and more each day. Hailey
had warned me from day one those little guys are like sponges at this age, and
that I needed to clean up my dirty mouth when he visited- not an easy feat when
I've been dropping the F-bomb about a hundred times a day for the last fifteen
years.
I leaned my chin on Hailey's shoulder and breathed into her
ear, "Duty calls," before I cracked her a good one on the ass.
"Ow!" she shouted. I rolled my eyes; she loved it-
she knew it, I knew it, and she sure as hell knew she was playing with fire.
Hailey and I both quickly gathered our scattered clothing,
pulling on the articles in record time as Andrew began smacking his hand on the
outside of our bedroom door.
"Dad!" he shouted.
"Hang on bud," I yelled through the door, looking
back to Hailey to check if she was fully clothed. She nodded, giving me the go
ahead.
I opened the door as Andrew promptly bypassed me, running
for Hailey and latching onto her legs as he rubbed his eyes and mumbled,
"I want Mama."
I prepared for an ensuing fit. It wouldn't be the first time
he asked for his mother when we had him. "Mama's with Craig, buddy,"
I tried to reassure him, patting his back. Craig (a.k.a. Captain) and Leila had
been seeing each other for a few months now. When he was on stage, his presence
seemed almost menacing, but I'd seen him interact with Andrew before-
underneath his tough exterior lay a softy who just so happened to have a
lolli-pop in his pocket at all times, at the ready for Andrew.
"Hailey bees mine Mama, too," Andrew rasped out,
his voice not quite adjusted to morning.
Hailey shrugged and ran her fingers through Andrew's
feathery soft hair. He'd begun to call Hailey 'Mama' in recent weeks,
interchanging the two. We'd talked to Leila about it, not wanting her to be
upset, and willing to correct him if she didn't like the idea, but we had all
agreed he was very young, impressionable, and rather than chastising him for
either being confused, or comfortable with calling Hailey 'Mama', we would
simply let nature take its course. He always referred to Leila as 'Mama', so we
highly doubted that would ever change. The most important thing was that we
all, so many of us, loved him, and he knew it.
I had had a small window of time with my mother, and I would
give anything to have her back for just one more day. She was the only person
in my life that mattered to me right up until the day she died. She truly was
the only one that loved me then. People that truly love him in ways he won't
fully be able to understand until he's older surround Andrew, and he'll never
experience what it feels like not to be loved- not as long as I'm breathing.
Hailey
It's Saturday, our day to have Andrew- but it's Valentine's
Day, and we'd offered to bring in the DJ, give the band the night off, and let
Leila take one of our nights in exchange for being able to celebrate our first
Valentine's Day together.
Over the phone, she'd said sarcastically, "Hmm...let me
see- spend Valentine's Day with my cranky two-year old, or spend the evening
jamming out with my man candy. That's a tough one." I could envision her
rolling her eyes.
Kellan and I looked across the breakfast bar with
disappointment reflected in each other's eyes, a long moment of silence
stretching between the three of us before Leila broke into our thoughts.
"Jesus, you two are a couple of sad saps. I'll get Joanne to come by your
place and stay with him till you get home."
Kellan and I both smiled our appreciation as Kellan said,
"Thanks, Leila. That's really great of you." He quickly clicked off
the call as we went to dress for what I hoped would be a romantic evening
together.
When we'd arrived at the bar, the band was setting up and we
walked up to the stage to let Leila know how much we appreciated her
generosity.
Kellan approached her, saying, "Thanks again, Leila.
You didn't have to do this for us. What does Joanne charge per hour, or night,
or whatever?"
Leila waved her hand at us dismissively, saying, "You
guys can make it up to us next month."
Kellan and I looked at each other perplexed before Leila
shoved her hand between Kellan and me, revealing the hugest diamond I've ever
seen- well, that wasn't on TV or something.
Kellan and I gawked at the stone as if it might begin to
speak.
Kellan snapped his eyes to Leila, blurting out, "What
the hell is this?"
Before she could answer, Captain sidled up behind her,
wrapped his arms around her waist, and explained, "It's official- I'm off
the market." He looked around the room conspiratorially before Leila
slapped his arm playfully.
A smile lit up Kellan's face as he said, "Dude, that's
awesome, man. Congrats," while he simultaneously proffered his hand to
shake Captain's. Captain disengaged himself from Leila, coming around her to
take Kellan's hand as they brought each other in for a manly hug.
"That was fast," Kellan jibed.
"Shotgun wedding," Captain deadpanned.
Kellan chuckled, shifting his eyes to Leila as his lips
quirked, adding, "Yeah, seriously though, you better watch this one,
man." He waggled his finger towards Leila, continuing, "Don't let her
use your fucking toothbrush, man, unless you want to be changing shitty diapers
in the next nine months."
Leila's lips slid into a sly smile as Captain said,
"Six."
"Six what?" Kellan said as he continued to stare
at Leila with a friendly smile.
Realization dawned on me as my hand flew to my mouth.
"Oh. My. God," I said behind my hand as my eyes grew wide.
"What?" Kellan looked to each of us perplexed.
"Little Man's gettin' some company here in a few
months," Captain said. (Little Man is his nickname for Andrew.)
Kellan stared at Captain as if he'd grown a second head. I
looked at Captain with a tight smile on my face as I elbowed Kellan in the
ribs.
"Ow!" he barked out, looking at me with
indignation. "The fuck did you do that for?"
I motioned my head towards Leila and Captain, saying,
"You should congratulate them, Kellan."
"I did," he said simply.
Captain piped up, "Seriously, Kellan- shotgun
wedding."
Leila in turn elbowed Captain in the ribs, blurting out with
irritation, "Will you quit calling it that- people are gonna think I'm
some sort of slut." Kellan's brows rose before she addressed him, "I
swear to God, Kellan, if you say one smart-ass remark, I'm going to knee you in
the balls!"
As Kellan continued to stare in disbelief, Captain explained
in a hushed tone, as if Leila and I weren't standing directly next to him,
"The doc assures me she'll become human again after the baby is
born."
Leila flipped him off and walked away. He shrugged and
Kellan rubbed his forehead before saying, "Wow. You sure you're ready for
this, man?"
Captain gave Kellan a knowing look, replying, "You of
all people should know it doesn't matter if you're ready, or not; you do the
right fucking thing."
"Yeah, I mean no doubt, dude. I'm just sayin', you know
you don't have to..." he ushered towards Leila. "I mean, you
know...if you don't love her, it's not carved in stone."
I lowered my head and placed my hand over my eyes. Sometimes
Kellan just didn't know when to keep his big mouth shut. He was obviously born
without a filter from his brain to his mouth.
"What's not to love?" Captain smiled broadly.
"We fight like cats and dogs and she's a wildcat in bed," he winked
at me before clapping Kellan on the shoulder. "You feel me on that, right
brother?"
I placed my hands over my ears, yelling, "T.M.I."
as I turned and walked quickly away, while Kellan and Captain shared a good
laugh.
As I stood gabbing with Georgia about the plans she and Eve
had made to get away next weekend, Kellan approached me from behind,
interrupting us to grab my hand, and asked Georgia, "Mind if I borrow this
beauty for a few minutes?" He didn't give her time to answer as he dragged
me towards the dance floor.
Leila tapped the microphone and Kellan nodded at her, before
she spoke into it with her raspy voice, "We have a special request,
folks." She winked at him as she continued, "This goes out to a very
special couple, Kellan and Hailey. May you fight hard, and fuck harder." A
round of applause and whistles filtered through the bar as I shielded my eyes
in embarrassment.
Kellan pulled me into him and tipped my chin to look into each
other's eyes. The band struck up a few chords, and I tilted my head to the
side, asking, "What's this?"
We began to sway slowly, and as Leila began to sing, I
immediately recognized the tune. "Trouble (Stripped)" by Halsey.
"I love this song!" I exclaimed as Kellan peered
down at me adoringly.
"Yeah, I thought it kinda...suits us," he said
introspectively.
I laid my head against his chest, listening to the beat of
his heart as the lyrics of the slow, sultry ballad echoed the long journey
Kellan and I had travelled to get here.
"Kellan?" I spoke softly against his shirt.
"Princess?" he returned as he whispered into my
hair.
"You love me, right?"
He pulled me away from himself, looking deep into my soul,
as he replied, "With every breath I take, I love you more and more."
Tears sprang in my eyes as I said, "Don't ever stop,
ok?"
A wicked gleam sparked in his eyes and a sly smile spread
across his lips as he answered, "Baby, you couldn't pay me to."
The End
I want to thank my family and friends for supporting me
during the process of bringing this wonderful story to life, a story I hold
very near and dear to my heart, and one that I am sad to see come to end, while
at the same time, ecstatic that I am able to bring to you.
I also want to thank my dedicated fans for waiting so
patiently (others, not so patiently- you know who you are *wink*), as my book
came along slowly, making multiple detours along the way, due in part by some
serious consideration as to the best plot development, and also facing some of
the worst health and family issues I've ever encountered. I sincerely pray all
of my readers feel that Rekindled was worth the wait.
As you read the first couple of chapters, I realize some of
you may have wanted to kill me for murdering poor Jordan. Believe me, I mourned
his loss, too. Sadly, I knew while writing Burned he wouldn't be a part of
Rekindled. However, as Kellan so eloquently put it in Jordan's Eulogy, Jordan
impacted the lives of everyone that knew him. I believe he played an integral
part in the union of Hailey and Kellan.
Ok, enough of the sappy shit- I've already bawled my eyes
out as I wrote my final words to the story.
So can we all agree Kellan is the hottest, most
panty-melting asshole we've ever encountered, and that Hailey is one lucky
bitch?
Sometimes the biggest assholes on the outside are the most
fierce, loyal, and passionate lovers and soul mates. Why? Because they are
passionate about every facet of their life. All any of us really wants is to be
loved; I believe that's our sole purpose here in life- to love and be loved in
return.
If you've enjoyed Fire and Ice: Rekindled
Please take a moment to leave a review by clicking
the link below
And that concludes our show... Please stay tuned for a word
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"Easier
To Run" by Linkin' Park
"All Signs Point To
Lauderdale" by A Day To Remember
Fire and Ice: Rekindled
Trailer featuring "Trouble (Slipped)" by Halsey
For information on these and upcoming books
Visit My Amazon Author Page:
Read On For A Sneak Peek Of My Next Book:
In The Blink Of An Eye (Preview)
Chapter One
Blake
Sitting here in Max's Crab Shack, throwing back an ice-cold
Sam Adams, and feeling the cool beach air breeze in through the open entryway
should have had me feeling relaxed and as tranquil as the ocean waves looked,
rolling in against the beach in the moonlit night. Isn't that what I came home
for? After nearly a nine-month operation, didn't I deserve a few days of
respite? I sure as hell thought so when I put in the request for a few days of
R and R. So why does this feel so foreign? It's not like I don't have buddies
back here that I could be tearing up the town with.
Is it official?
Have I gotten 'too old for this shit'? At 29, am I teetering on the cusp of,
"Fuck it...shots are on me!" or, "You guys go ahead, I've gotta
get up early."
Right now, all I can think about is my team. My brothers.
I'd honestly rather be back out there with them...wherever they are right now.
I realize it's only a few days, and I'll catch up with them when I get back on
duty, but I seriously feel like I'm one of those pathetic losers that's on a
singles cruise right now. This was a horrible idea.
The decent sized restaurant felt like home, even after all
these years. With its red booths, lining the walls, and tables covered in red
and white checkered tablecloths, it looked more like a pizza joint than a
seafood eatery. But Max's was infamous for the best crabs on the beach, hands
down, and the locals flocked here nightly to unwind, enjoy the laid back
atmosphere, and listen to the country music blaring from the speakers, as the
patrons downed good old fashioned whiskey and beer chasers.
Yeah, I remember the days of trying to sneak in with my fake
ID. The bouncers would smirk and have a good laugh, knowing full well who I
was. To my dismay at the time, it forced me to keep my nose clean, whether I
liked it or not. It turned out for the best in the end. Let's just say a few of
my classmates never even made it to prom.
"Well, looky who come to visit. Pauline! Angie! Y'all
come out here and see what the cat done drug in," I heard Max's booming
voice as he spotted me sitting at the bar. I tried to hide the grin on my face,
knowing I was about to be assailed by those who I may have been gone from for
years, but had never forgotten. They were like a second family to me. Max still
wore his signature white cook's apron, splayed with grease and ketchup, and his
hair had turned a bit whiter, as well as receded quite a bit since I'd seen him
last. The scruff on his face showed he probably hadn't shaved in a day or two.
"Max, what in Lord's name are you hollerin'...,"
Pauline yelled, pushing through the kitchen door before stopping short at the
sight of me. Unlike Max, Pauline looked like she hadn't aged a day since I'd
last seen her, other than the small strip of white that graced her flame red
hair. It suited her. How she still pulled off blue eye shadow and bright pink
lipstick, I have no idea. She reminded me of an older version of a pin up doll.
"Angie! Get out here, quick, 'for he done up an vanishes on us. Well, my
my," Pauline drawled, her hand on her hip. "Ain't you just a sight
for sore eyes," she said with a playful grin on her face, as she chewed on
her gum with her mouth open.
Angie rushed through the kitchen door, fumbling with her
apron. She'd still not looked up to notice me. "I'm comin'. Hold your dang
horses."...
Until now
. She stood staring at me
speechless, blinking rapidly, with her mouth hanging slightly open.
I gave her a polite smile and a curt nod, as I said,
"Nice to see you, Angie."
"Y...you, too, Blake," she stammered out after a
brief pause. Angie was my ex-girlfriend from high school. Sadly, she was one of
many of my ex-girlfriends. I had a bit of a reputation that preceded me, or
perhaps I should say,
precedes
me.
Angie's uncomfortable state went unnoticed as Max teased,
"I cain't even remember the last time ole Heartbreaker here was in my Crab
Shack. Can you, Pauline?" I'd earned the nickname back in highschool, and apparently,
I wasn't going to live it down. Even the guys in my squad caught wind of it,
and I was rarely referred to by my first name. Had I known it was going to earn
me the ridiculous moniker for life, I wouldn't have been such a man-whore in my
younger days.
"Nuh uh, cain't say I do." Pauline agreed.
"Shoot, it's probably goin' on somewheres 'round ten years, now, ain't it,
Sugar?" she directed at me.
I chuckled. "Close. I joined the Navy fresh out of high
school." I glanced over at Angie and saw the flash disappointment pass
over her features at the mention of the past. There wasn't much I could do
about it now; what's done is done. I'm fairly certain even an apology at this
late stage in the game would only come off sounding hollow. Best to let
sleeping dogs lie.
"We heard you done killed Bin Laden. Is 'at true?"
Max asked with wide-eyed curiosity.
Pauline smacked him on the arm before whisper yelling at
him, "He ain't supposed to talk about stuff like that. That's classified
information, Maxy. You gonna get his ass court marshaled."
I laughed quietly and took a swig of my beer as I listened
to their playful banter. "Nah, that wasn't my team," I admitted.
"But you did get to kill some of them...what'dya call
'em...insurgeons?"
Pauline rolled her eyes. "
Insurgents,
you big dummy!"
"Whatever," Max scoffed.
I leaned in and ushered him to do the same, whispering to
him, "I could tell ya, but then I'd have to kill ya." I sat back and
grinned before taking another swig of my beer.
He swatted his hand in the air and said, "Yeah, yeah, I
heard that joke a million times," dissatisfied with my answer.
"Hey!" he exclaimed, turning back around, "Can you kill someone
with your thumb?"
I shook my head back and forth, trying desperately to hide
my obvious smile. "I can kill someone with a gun," I conceded.
"Did ya ever see any of those car bombers?" he
continued to grill me.
"No, but last year, on the Fourth of July, we didn't
have any fireworks, so we threw a bunch of hand grenades out into this big
field at night." It was all a total lie. I had seen more shit than I
wanted to remember, or think about. But that's what I signed up for, what I
trained for, and what I was damn good at. And until the Navy decides to send me
packing, I intend to keep doing the job I get paid to do. I'm no goddamn hero,
and I've never claimed to be. I fight for my country because it's my job and I
believe in what I'm doing to protect the freedom of my country, plain and
simple. I'm not in it for the medals or plaques. That shit should be saved for
the Vets, and rightfully so.
I polished off my beer and fished out a few bills for my
tab. "You're not leavin' us already, are ya, Sugar?" Pauline pouted.
"Yeah, I'm gonna call unpack and call it a night. It
was a long flight. But I'm supposed to meet up with Gregg tomorrow, so maybe
we'll stop back in for lunch," I said, hoping to appease her.
I'd known Gregg since grade school, and when we parted ways
after graduation, we tried to stay in touch as much as possible. Unlike me, he
was a fucking brainiac, and it earned him a spot at West Point. He put in his
time, graduated at the top of his class, and eventually took a job with the
FBI. It wasn't too long before his skills got him noticed in Washington, where
he was recruited as one of the youngest CIA agents at the age of 27. I mean,
it's not like he's the assistant to the director, but I think it's pretty damn
impressive that he got recruited, even if he is just an analyst. Jesus, by the
time he's 40, he'll probably be running for office or some shit, while I'll be
lucky enough to be able to cut the grass after lathering myself in Bengay all
day. I'm sure the signature aroma will have the entire 55 and up community of
females flocking to me.
At any rate, I had no doubt I would be mauled by just about
every citizen I ran into during my stay, wanting to recant the good old days,
but I was only in town for a long weekend, and I couldn't spend time with
everyone. Max and Pauline waved me off and gave me their parting wishes, as I
waved goodnight in return, looking back to find Angie heading into the kitchen
with her head down.
******
Trinity
"Hey, Trin. How you doin' tonight, honey?" my best
friend Janine trilled, as she bumped her hip against mine and shot me a
devilish grin. Her cocoa colored skin, perfectly styled black hair, and a body
men drooled over, made
me
even give
her second looks at times. Tonight she was sporting short (and I mean
short
) shorts, which read 'Wanna Play?'
on the back and had two baseball bats crossed over each other and a baseball in
the middle. She had a baseball themed shirt on that came up nearly to her
breasts. She would get plenty of tips tonight, that's for sure.
I sighed and took a seat at the far end of the bar, untying
my apron, and emptying my tips out onto the thickly lacquered bar top. I
mentally compared myself to her. Where she had long lean legs, I stood at just
barely 5'2". I didn't have nearly the curves Janine had; she could
probably pose for Playboy. I couldn't complain about my hair, though. I
inherited my dark hair, which I kept long, from my mother. People often used to
ask us if we were sisters. I smiled nostalgically to myself at the memory.
"Not bad. You?" I asked, flatly, as the memory slipped from my mind,
like grains of sand through my fingers.
"Uh, oh. What, now? Did that creepy jackass come in
here and try to grab your ass again?" she asked with a raised brow.
"Doug?" I asked, my voice laced with puzzlement.
Some of our patrons could get a little...touchy-feely, and it was hard to
remember who was on the 'creeper' list sometimes.
"Is that the guy with the bad comb over?" she
questioned, quirking a brow.
