Fireworks (True North, #6)

by Sarina Bowen

I want to throw myself into Benito’s arms. And I also want to punch him. That can’t be healthy.

You look…” She cocks her head again and thinks it over. “Sleek. Fancy. Not very much like Vermont.” “Wow, thank you.” A week ago I would have accepted that as proper and inevitable. But right this second it makes me a little sad. Like I never had a chance of fitting in here.

I still love him. Standing here in the cool evening air, I can admit that to myself.

That girl is still part of me, even if I like to pretend that she’s not. I’m still hungry for love and eager to prove myself worthy of it. Sometimes I’m too hard on myself for all the things I didn’t get right.

It occurs to me that walking in the woods at night should have made sixteen-year-old me jumpy. But I’d never felt safer than when I sought out Benito beneath these trees.

He really is a drug dealer. And he’s getting out of town. Benito isn’t going to get his man.

But if I go, he’ll get away with it.

The keys are on the seat. I must be insane. Because I crouch down and move toward that car. It only takes a second. My hand closes around the keys just as I hear the sound of a match being struck.

I run for it, knowing that he’ll have a busy couple of minutes looking for his missing key. But I hadn’t counted on the headlights.

During the next two seconds, I question all my life choices. I should have asked Zara where her mother lives. I should have said goodbye to Benito. I should have called Aunt Jenny more often. I never should have come back to Vermont at all.

I don’t want to die. If Gage catches me, I’ll never own a pair of Louboutins. I’ll never know if Benito really loves me.

I didn’t spend the last twelve years working my tail off so I could die in Pine View.

The familiar smell makes me recoil. Whiskey and anger.

“Get your…” I take a deep breath. “…FUCKING HANDS off me!” I yell as loud as I can. I hope Misty can hear me. I hope she calls 911. It feels really good to yell the f-word. It fires me up. “FUCKING FUCKER!”

I karate chop his crotch on a downward stroke, connecting on the first try. Gage bends forward into the pain, just like they’d told me would happen in all those self-defense classes Jenny sent me to.

I threw away his keys so he couldn’t drive off with the money.” “You are a goddamn miracle.” He’s beside me, pulling me into his arms.

“Is Skye okay?” It’s Misty, and she’s crying. “I heard her scream, ‘Get your fucking hands off me.’ I called 911,” she sobs.

“You said fuck?” Benito asks. “Special occasion,”

“You’re part of the biggest drug bust in Vermont.”

I find the business card that Lane Barker gave me. Her cell phone number is on it, so that’s what I dial.

I know I just got the biggest scoop of my career.

After tonight I might have trouble letting her out of my sight. It gives me the cold sweats to think of her in hand-to-hand combat with Gage.

“Skylar Copeland!” she barks. “Let’s do this.” Skye pushes off the car, to the surprise of my startled colleague.

I’m spellbound. I should be doing ten different things right now, but I drift closer to watch Skye work.

“Is that a bruise on your neck?” Lane squawks. “Jesus.” My blood stops circulating. Gage bruised her neck?

She’s wearing nothing but a tiny tank top underneath. The entire Colebury police force turns to stare. But all I see is an ugly purple bruise across Skye’s collarbone. I feel murderous.

my girl

My jaw unhinges. I don’t know whether I’m more annoyed that she quoted me without my permission or that she said that it could be Vermont’s biggest drug bust. It totally is.

I pull her against my chest and kiss her forehead. “You gave me a scare. I can’t lose you. Not ever again. I may not let you out of my sight.

Now let’s back up to the part where you were going to New York.” “Well.” She clears her throat. “I panicked. Flipping Jill Sullivan, you know?

Skylar needs some company and I’m going to be working all night.” “Company?” “She subdued Gage in a fistfight before his arrest, and she’s a little banged up and underfed.”

I hug her a little tighter.

“You should have told me where to find her. If she came in willingly, it would be easier to make her case.” “I didn’t…” Trust you.

I’m just going to ignore the pain. Gage tried to get me, and he failed. What’s one more bruise? He left plenty of those on my heart.

The T-shirt smells like Ben. I wish I didn’t find that so comforting, but I do.

“You always seemed fearless to me.” “Totally an act.” Zara smiles.

I can’t take another twelve years of Benito moping. If you two don’t work out somehow, that will be sad. But you have to give it a try! No two people get as moony around each other as you two. You don’t throw something like that away.”

“Benito isn’t moony. And he doesn’t mope over me. He has dirty sex with Jill Sullivan instead. Just like the last time I left.”

It was Gage who had told me why Benito stood me up. I let out a gasp. “He got arrested, Skye. He spent the night in the holding cell.”

now I realize that Jimmy Gage did even more damage to my teenage psyche than I ever imagined.

It’s Gage’s fault. And twelve years later, two grown women are still feeling shame over things that he did.

I can’t stop myself from running a hand down her arm, just to feel the warmth of her body. I know she’s okay. But I’m going to have nightmares for a while where I’m picturing Gage putting Skye in a headlock.

“Sorry to wake you up. But I need to hold you. Are you sure you’re okay?”

I’ll probably always wonder if I’m sexy enough for you.” “Yes! God.” I wrap both arms more tightly around her. “I have it so bad for you.”

“Skye, I need to show you something. Come here.” I get up. “Is it your handcuffs?”

our double-wide deck chair is the only furniture on my balcony. “It’s the same one. I couldn’t ever stand the thought of getting rid of it.”

“I never got to hold you like this, even though I wanted to.” “I wanted you to,”

With you, there’s no such thing as casual. The fire I feel for you won’t ever go out. ”

“You kill me, you know that?” I say in a strangled voice. “You’re all I need.”

My fantasies are living large tonight.