Straight Fire (Smoke Series Book 4), page 1
Copyright © 2023 by Abbi Glines
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Table of Contents
Copyright
Dedication
I One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
II Twenty-One
Twenty-Two
Twenty-Three
Twenty-Four
Twenty-Five
Twenty-Six
Twenty-Seven
Twenty-Eight
Twenty-Nine
Thirty
Thirty-One
Thirty-Two
Thirty-Three
Thirty-Four
Thirty-Five
Thirty-Six
Thirty-Seven
Thirty-Eight
Thirty-Nine
Forty
Forty-One
Forty-Two
Firecracker Teaser One
Acknowledgments
To my husband, Britt.
Without you there wouldn’t have been a Gage.
I
“What’s past is prologue.”
—William Shakespeare
One
Shiloh
I was a list-maker. I made lists about everything. I followed the lists, and I achieved my goals. It was why I always carried a notebook and pen with me. Using technology for my list-making didn’t feel the same. Physically writing on paper was the only way the system worked for me.
My uncle Neil, Mom’s older brother, glanced over at the notebook in my lap as he drove his truck to our appointment. He was nervous about where we were going, which, to be honest, intrigued me.
Working for my uncle was the only job I knew. He’d hired me eighteen months ago when I left my life in Boston and came to Ocala, Florida. My parents, especially my mother, were furious. She rarely called me, and the few times we had spoken, it had been harsh. I’d let her down by choosing a life she felt was beneath me. Getting up every day and going to my uncle’s private practice gave me stability and purpose. Most of my lists consisted of things to get done in the office. It was something she would never understand.
“A few important details we need to go over,” Uncle Neil said, snapping me out of my thoughts. “I have your signed NDA and the other paperwork, but I want to make sure you understand the seriousness of the situation.”
I turned to give him my full attention in hopes of assuring him I would be fine. This wasn’t the first house call I’d made with him. Since Lynn, his former nurse, had gotten married and moved, I had been going with him to check on patients that he made house calls to. They were all wealthy people who couldn’t be bothered with going to an actual hospital or doctor’s office. I had found it was for privacy purposes with most of them. This patient, however, seemed to have a new level of privacy attached to them. I had never been required to sign an NDA before.
“This isn’t a normal house. There are things you will see and hear that you will question. Don’t. And when I say don’t, I mean, DO NOT ask any questions, do not repeat anything you hear, do not use your cell phone while on the property, do not engage with any of them unless they ask you a question. You are to simply do what you’re being paid to do. Take care of the patient. He will be difficult. He will be inappropriate, and honestly, if he wasn’t in such bad shape, I wouldn’t let you near him. Being as it is, he can’t do much. There is a woman in the house. I’ve met her. She’s very nice and kind. But do not make friends with her. She is Huck Kingston’s fiancée, and he’s very protective of her.”
I nodded my head. This wasn’t the first time he had given me this lecture since he’d called me this morning to let me know he had a job for me. It was obvious he was nervous about my being in this house. I had asked if they were famous, not that I cared. It was rare I knew or recognized anyone famous. They weren’t famous. They were just powerful.
“I’ll be fine. I promise.”
He reached over and squeezed my hand. “I know you will. I just don’t want anything bad to happen to you. These are dangerous people, and they are connected to a very powerful family.”
“Yes, the Hugheses. They own a lot of stuff. Horses and things,” I replied. I wasn’t sure why that made them so important, but I’d heard my uncle mention them with reverence and respect more than once since I’d been working with him.
We stopped outside a large iron gate, and Uncle Neil pressed a code, then spoke his full name into a speaker. The gate slowly swung open. It was very secure and a bit over the top, but I didn’t say that. Uncle Neil might turn around and take me back to the office if I said something negative.
“The patient has a punctured lung, three broken ribs, a leg cast due to the severity of his break, and what else?” I asked, wanting to make sure I remembered everything.
I had read over his chart that Uncle Neil had given me, but I wanted to make sure I’d missed nothing. The full leg cast was temporary and would be cut down to below his knee in two weeks. However, three weeks recovery time is suggested. That had been written at the bottom in red.
“Bruised ego and an anger issue,” he replied with a frown. “That is the most important thing for you to remember.”
I gave him a firm nod. “He’s mean and angry. Got it.”
Uncle Neil gave me another stern look. “I’ll do the talking. You speak when required. I’ve been working for this family for over twenty years. I have a good relationship with them, and for the most part, I do trust them.” He paused, then sighed. “Let’s go meet the patient.”
Uncle Neil had already done the surgery. This had all happened in the middle of the night.
“He is sedated for now. That will give us enough time to introduce you to the others here and go over what you need to handle,” he told me as we walked up the front steps to the house.
One of the large double doors opened when we reached the top step. A Viking-sized man filled the door with a scowl on his face. I paused because he was intimidating and slightly terrifying. That was one thing Uncle Neil hadn’t mentioned.
“He’s awake and bitching,” the massive man said. “Can you shut him the fuck up?”
Uncle Neil chuckled and nodded his head. “I should have figured he’d be hard to sedate for long. Huck, this is my niece, Shiloh. She is my replacement for Lynn and understands the importance of your privacy.”
Huck’s gaze swung to me, and his scowl deepened. The way he was looking at me would make me believe he disliked me on sight. “Shiloh.” He said my name as if he knew me and, again, wasn’t a fan.
That caused me some concern because I knew that perhaps he did know me—or the me before. The me I didn’t know myself. This had happened a few times since my return to Ocala, but not once had someone acted as if they didn’t like me. I did, however, have a few reservations about the former Shiloh.
Uncle Neil cleared his throat. “Uh, yes.” He glanced at me with a worried frown. It wasn’t like I could answer this. “She’s responsible and excellent at bedside care. Gage’s personality will require someone who isn’t easily upset. Shiloh works well in that department.”
Huck continued to study me, as if waiting for me to say something. I smiled in return. If these people did their research, they’d find my picture and name on my uncle’s website. He could have known who I was for that reason because if he knew the former me, he wasn’t saying it. Finally, he stepped back to allow us to enter.
“I’ll let Gage make this call,” he said, still watching me with unease.
Uncle Neil went inside first, and I followed him. Curious as to why Huck didn’t seem pleased with my being the nurse. I did hope Uncle Neil had noticed and would perhaps broach the subject.
“I’ll take her upstairs and deal with the patient,” Uncle Neil told him.
Huck was still scowling, but he simply gave a nod, then walked away.
Uncle Neil turned to me. “Ready?”
“Yep,” I replied.
The tension in his shoulders and tight line of his mouth made it clear he had noticed Huck’s odd behavior toward me. Why hadn’t he said something? My uncle tried to shelter me from the life I used to have. It didn’t bother me normally because I preferred to not have to ask questions.
If they had known the Shiloh Ellis before two years ago, then they needed to know she no longer existed. I’d forgotten her life the moment I hit the black ice and crashed into the side of a mountain.
Two
Gage
Fucking hell. When all this shit was off me and I could walk again, there were some motherfuckers who were going to die slow, brutal deaths. How the fuck was I supposed to stay in this house for a week, much less two? There was no way in hell I was going to be down for three weeks, like Carmichael had suggested.
I tried to sit up, but the pain in my chest stopped me. FUCK! That hurt like a bitch. Bastard who had stabbed me was going to be sliced to pieces while he bled to death. Dammit, why had I walked into the place like Rambo? Levi and Huck would have been there in ten minutes. I could have waited, and this shit wouldn’t have happened.
The door to my bedroom opened, and Dr. Carmichael entered the room. Thank fuck. I needed some painkillers or a fifth of whiskey. I opened my mouth to tell him this when my gaze locked on the woman walking in behind him. Maybe the meds hadn’t worn off after all because there was no fucking way Shiloh Ellis had walked into my room.
“Gage,” Carmichael said, but I didn’t look away from the raven-haired female behind him.
Why the fuck couldn’t she have aged poorly? Was it not enough that the bitch had been so damn beautiful that it hurt when she was a teenager? I was high. Had to be. This was not happening. Shiloh wasn’t a fucking nurse. She had never even done a chore in her life. The idea that she’d lift a perfectly manicured finger to play nurse to anyone, especially me, made me want to laugh.
“This is my niece, Shiloh. She’s taking Lynn’s place now that she’s moved away,” the good doc told me.
Taking my eyes off her was difficult, but I did.
“Am I fucking high?” I asked him. “I thought the meds had worn off because I’m hurting like a son of a bitch.”
Carmichael frowned. “It’s almost time for you to have more. Where is your pain scale? One to ten?”
I wanted to shout at her to get the fuck out of my sight. If this was real and she was standing in this room, then someone was going to pay. I glared at her, and I saw her smile falter. The uncertainty in her gaze was almost believable.
“Gage?” Carmichael asked again.
“Ten,” I bit out.
This was a fucking dream. Drug-induced sleep. There was no way that Shiloh Ellis would be in my house. No, she would be married to her med-school boyfriend by now, living a country-club life in Boston.
“Shiloh has read your chart and is aware of your injuries. She will be here during the day to make sure you’re healing properly. I have complete faith in her abilities, and she will contact me if there is any question at all.”
It was her. There was no other chance in hell that her fucking doppelgänger lived in Ocala with the exact same name. Seriously, if this was real, had Huck not seen her? He wouldn’t have let her in the fucking house.
“Gage?” Carmichael said my name again, and I gave her one last look before turning to him.
“Yes, Doc. Uh, pain. Yeah, it hurts like a motherfucker,” I replied.
His glaze flicked to his niece for a moment, then back to me. I could see the unease in his expression. Wouldn’t she have told him when she saw my chart? This was a bad idea, but then again, this couldn’t be happening. She hadn’t lived in Ocala in five years. She was not a damn nurse.
“Just the chest or the leg too?” he asked me.
“Both, but the chest is the worst.”
Carmichael turned to look at Shiloh. “Morphine.”
She nodded, then walked over to the IV drip. My eyes followed her. No acknowledgment at all. Even in my drug-or-concussion-brought-on dreams, wouldn’t she recognize me? Remember me? Fuck yes, she would.
“I’m going to give Shiloh a run-through of where things are. The meds will kick in soon, so in case you’re asleep when I’m done, I’ll be back tomorrow morning unless I’m needed before then.”
Turning my attention back to the doctor, I could see his thoughts churning. He didn’t look as if he was comfortable with leaving his niece with me. Oh no, Doc. My dream, my decision. She was staying. I’d deal with her ass. Make her regret being a lying bitch.
“Thanks, Doc. I’m sure we will be just fine.”
His gaze flicked to his niece, and he sighed, then nodded.
I listened as he told her about my medications and where they were, along with my bandages and other things. That made me fucking laugh. Yeah, tell Shiloh Ellis where to find my bandages for the gnarly knife wound on my chest. I was sure she’d happily get right on cleaning that shit up. He lowered his voice, and I couldn’t hear what he said. You’d think my dreams would be more agreeable.
The door opened, then closed as their voices trailed off down the hallway. I began to feel the effects of the morphine a little and sighed in relief—or maybe my dream was shifting. I closed my eyes. This would end, and then someone else would appear. Perhaps it could be one of the strippers at Devil’s who liked to eat pussy as much as she liked to suck cock. I’d prefer to have one of them taking care of me. Fuck, anyone would be better than Shiloh.
My eyes were getting fucking heavy when the door opened again. Except it wasn’t a stripper or some nurse from a porn I’d watched. It was Huck.
What the hell was wrong with my head? Could I not get better dreams than this?
“What the fuck are you doing in here?” I grumbled.
“I’d think that was obvious. I’m assuming you want her out. Is that what I should tell Carmichael? I thought you’d handle it, but he’s showing her around like she’s staying.”
I smirked, but didn’t open my eyes. “Sure. Let Shiloh fucking Ellis stay. Because that makes complete sense. A fucking nurse. Yeah, right. The princess is all about getting her hands dirty.”
Huck sighed. “Are you doped up on the meds?”
“Yep, and dreaming fucked up shit about Shiloh,” I drawled. My tongue felt thick.
“You’re not dreaming, Gage. It’s her. Carmichael is her uncle. She’s working as his nurse. Not a dream. Now, what the fuck do you want me to do about it?”
I chuckled. This shit was rich. My eyes felt like they had lead weights on them, and I felt pretty damn good.
“Fucking hell,” I heard Huck growl.
That was the last thing I remembered him saying before he faded away.
Three
Shiloh
Uncle Neil continued to go over things with me and make sure I knew where to locate everything that I could possibly need. When he was done, he turned and leveled his gaze on me. This was his serious look.
“I think I need to go talk to Huck,” he said with a deep sigh. “Gage isn’t always pleasant. He can be cruel and dangerous. The way he was looking at you makes me think he recognized you and wasn’t happy with your appearance. Huck had also looked at you as if he knew you. Them knowing you, however, seems very unlikely since they are five years older than you.” Uncle Neil’s eyebrows were scrunched together in a frown. “I just want to talk to Huck first. Make sure he understands the situation. I can’t leave you here until I know that the odd behavior from Gage was just from the pain he was in.”
I wanted to argue. It was time for me to prove I could do a job this serious. I wanted to do more. Get out of the office. However, I had noticed the disgusted look in Gage’s eyes too. It was smart to discuss it and clear things up. If he hated the former me, he needn’t worry. We were nothing alike. I hadn’t liked her choices in life either. Which was why I was here instead of in Boston.
The other thing I was slightly concerned with was that I was attracted to Gage Presley. That was a first for me. Sure, I noticed when people were nice-looking, but I wasn’t ever drawn to them. I didn’t want to look at them or touch them. It was one of the many reasons my engagement had ended. The woman who had said yes to Isaac Jeffrey was not the woman I was today. That man had been intolerable.
Seeing Gage Presley shirtless, even though he was bandaged and badly bruised, had made my stomach flutter. For a moment, I had wondered what arms like that felt like. The muscle ripples on his stomach had been fascinating. Perhaps I wasn’t completely broken in that area. There was definitely a strong admiration for the way that man looked stirring inside me.
