Connelly's Flame (11 page)

fire that made her feel sweat on the back of her neck.

Before she could blink, they were pressed so tightly together there was no light between them. His

tongue plundered her mouth, sweeping in and out as he claimed her in front of God and his teammates. They

were both breathless when he ripped his mouth away from hers. “I
will
be back. I don’t lie, Firebird.” He

pledged his bond as his lips sealed it with one more fast kiss.

Then he was gone. And when her eyes finally opened, all she got to see was the red taillights from

the van as it turned the corner, taking him out of her life.

41

CONNELLY’S FLAME

Aliyah Burke

The snow was gone. Spring had arrived, bringing with it new life and colors to the world.

I will be back, Firebird.
Those words she heard everyday in her head. Each night when she closed

her eyes, her dreams were filled with visions of the gray-eyed man who had come into her life for that brief

time. A letter from him remained unopened on the table by her front door.

Dezarae would touch it, hold it, and even smell it as she smiled over his almost illegible scrawl. But

she never opened it.

This afternoon the sun was warm as it beat down. Knowing she had about three hours before it got

chilly; her door was open to help circulate some fresh air into the house. Dezarae hung up the phone as she

saw the sheriff’s SUV pull up her driveway.

Stepping out onto the porch, she waited as he stopped and got out. “Hey, Sheriff. What’s up?”

Dale returned the wave but remained uncharacteristically quiet as he walked around to the rear door

on the passenger side and opened it. He escorted a person out of his vehicle and walked her up the steps.

Dezarae looked at the girl. She was thin with dark brown hair and big brown eyes. There was a

panda backpack over one shoulder. The girl had on thin cotton pants, a sleeveless shirt, and a pair of canvas

shoes on her feet. Her eyes were very skeptical as she looked at Dezarae.

“Here you go, young lady,” the sheriff said.

Glancing between the girl and the sheriff, Dezarae waited for one of them to explain. Neither did.

The sheriff grinned at Dezarae and headed back to his Tahoe. “Later, Phoenix,” he yelled before he left.

Arching a brow at the female before her, Dezarae waited. Still nothing. Running her hand over her

mouth she said, “And you are?”

Tweezed brows rose as the child adopted a very snobbish attitude. “Not staying here,” she

commented as her narrowed eyes looked over the small home before her.

Ignoring that comment, Dezarae bit back her immediate response and asked in a clam voice, “Who

are you?”

“Charmane.”

That one word was like a punch to Dezarae’s gut. Her fantasy man had a child.
Well, at least he

wasn’t married. Or was he?

“You know who I am?” the teen asked.

“I’ve heard the name.” Dezarae blinked, “What are you doing here?”

Brown eyes grew defensive. “Daddy said he trusted you, but Mama said your kind were inferior to

us.” She shrugged, unaware of the shards of ice in Dezarae’s eyes. “Daddy yelled at her and they fought

again. Which is why they aren’t married. Anyway, Mama’s new boyfriend says bad things about my daddy

so I came here.”

Your kind was inferior. Jesus.
“You ran away,” Dezarae stated. “Where’s your father?”

“On a mission. Not that it matters. Mama doesn’t like him associating with me. I may pick up some

of his bad habits.” The girl was fidgety.

“I see,” Dezarae said. “But you won’t stay here.”

“Oh, no,” she rushed to say, appalled. “This is not at all what I am accustomed to.”

Hell, no!
Adopting a very indifferent attitude, Dezarae shrugged. “Suit yourself.” She turned around

and walked back in her house. “Just be careful going back to town, it’s a long walk.” She closed the screen

door behind her.

“I hope you walk fast, it will get cold here in about two hours. Not to mention the bears that are

waking up from hibernation or the cougar who will think you are food, be careful out there,” Dezarae yelled

through the screen as she walked back to her office to get some work done.

Two hours later, a cold wind had kicked up. Dezarae went about her business of making dinner.

Another hour passed and as she pulled the macaroni and cheese out of the oven, she said in a loud voice,

“You may as well come in and eat something. Unless you aren’t hungry.”

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CONNELLY’S FLAME

Aliyah Burke

She smiled as she heard the screen door open. “Go ahead and shut the other door, it’s cold enough.”

Dezarae added. That door was closed carefully.

By the time the teen had entered the kitchen, dinner was on the table. Dezarae glanced at her,

inwardly smiling at the almost-defensive look on her face. The girl was trying to be so brave yet she was

terrified.

“Grab a seat. You can leave your backpack in the living room,” Dezarae said as she grabbed a

pitcher of lemonade from the fridge.

The girl did as directed and perched on the edge of her chair like she was ready to bolt. “You were

just going to let me leave?” Her eyes grew large as she accepted the loaded plate of food from Dezarae.

“I’m not in charge of you. If you want to leave, go ahead,” Dezarae flicked her hand towards the

door. “But if on the off chance you want to stay,” she shrugged, “that’s fine, too.”

Charmane didn’t know what to make of this woman. Her daddy had spoken so highly of her it was

like he had put her on a pedestal. Everything from her kindness to her cars.

She idolized her father and her mother hated that. Her mother took every opportunity to slander him

in front of her, even going so far as to wish him dead.

Not Charmane. She wished she could see him more, be there when he came home. But there was no

one to watch her, no one who wanted her.

Dezarae wasn’t what she expected. Even though her daddy had said she was a Black woman,

Charmane was still a bit shocked.

She dropped her eyes to the plate of food in front of her. It smelled amazing and she was starving.

With one quick glance at the woman who was already eating, Charmane picked up her fork and began her

meal.

Dezarae held back a grin as Charmane started to eat. Not having much experience with kids, she was

a bit out of her league.

Not the kind of stress she needed added to her life right now. She had enough going on. Two cars

were leaving tomorrow and she still had to detail one of them. Parts for the Lamborghini were coming in and

she had to get the ‘stang finished for the upcoming show in California.

The sudden appearance of a runaway child didn’t help. Rolling her eyes, Dezarae looked up from her

supper to see Charmane scraping up every last bit of food on her plate.
I’m surprised she isn’t licking the

damn plate.
“If you’re still hungry, there’s plenty more, so help yourself,” Dezarae offered.

“Really?” the young girl asked.

“Yes, really,” Dezarae said.

The child eagerly took more food and was soon stuffing her face quite happily.

“When did you eat last, Charmane?” Dezarae wondered as she refilled the girl’s lemonade glass.

“Afternoon, the day before yesterday,” she said as she ate more of the macaroni.

Sitting back in her chair, Dezarae just watched the child for a bit. “Why not since then?” she finally

asked.

“I ran out of money on the bus,” the girl said as she took a long drink of her lemonade.

The bus?
“I see,” Dezarae said, “that would be the bus you took to get here?”

“Right,” she nodded. “But I didn’t get off at the right place and ended up in Idaho so I had to come

back and that is why my money ran out.” Brown eyes looked across the table at the woman her daddy had

spoken of so highly.

Running a hand over her face, Dezarae couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “How did you get on

the bus?”

“I bought a ticket at home, printed it out, and went to the station. When I was boarding, I waved at an

old woman who waved back and I just told the man there that was my nanny seeing me off.” She shrugged.

“It was no big deal.”

“Wow, well I must say I’m impressed. That was smart.” Dezarae stood up and took her plate to the

sink and returned with two pieces of chocolate pie. “You know, though, that you have to call your mother.”

The child shook her head. “Don’t shake your head no at me; you need to call your mother. I’m sure she is

worried sick.”

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CONNELLY’S FLAME

Aliyah Burke

Charmane looked into the dark brown eyes of the woman who had shared a dinner with her. “My

mama isn’t at home. She and her boyfriend took another trip.” She took the pie and dug in eagerly.

“So you what…ran away from your nanny?” Dezarae asked as she cut into her pie.

“Yep,” Charmane said.

Jesus, this kid has balls.
“Well, then, we are calling her,” Dezarae dictated.

Those big eyes grew sorrowful. “It doesn’t matter, nobody wants me around.” She picked at the

remaining crumbs of her pie. “Except my daddy.”

“Why would you say that?”
Aside from the whole prima donna act I think you are adorable.
“I’m

sure many people want you around.”

Charmane shook her head. “No, they don’t. And you don’t want me to stay. I am just good to yell at

and hi—” she stopped abruptly and clamped her mouth shut.

Dezarae sat forward in her chair. “Are you saying they hit you?”

Eyes wide with fear the child shook her head back and forth furiously. “Just that they don’t want me

around.”

Leaning back Dezarae said, “You need to call your nanny. Go on, make the call.” She gestured to the

phone. Like a whipped puppy, Charmane walked over there and picked up the receiver. “And, I will want to

talk to the nanny as well, Charmane,” Dezarae added.

Thin shoulders slumped even more as she dialed a number. “It’s ringing,” her dejected tone fell.

Rising, Dezarae took the phone and waited. “What is your nanny’s name?”

“Jamie Riley,” the reluctant response came.

“Can I speak to Jamie Riley, please?” Dezarae said in her business like tone when someone finally

answered.

“Speaking,” a nasally voice said. “Who is this?”

“My name is Dezarae Kerry. I am a…a friend of Ross Connelly and his daughter, Charmane is with

me.”

The gasp was loud. “You have Charmane? Is she okay? Let me talk to her,” Jamie ordered.

“I must say I am a bit concerned over the fact that you couldn’t keep track of a child. Especially

Ross’s child,” Dezarae stated, ignoring the woman.

“That child is a menace, always getting into trouble. No one can keep an eye on her,” the voice

hissed, full of venom.

Dezarae tsked, “Now, that’s not true. She has been here for about five hours now and I have always

known where she was. And don’t call her a menace.”

“Let me talk to her,” the woman yelled.

“I think it would be best if you told her mother, if you know where they went, that she will be

staying.” Dezarae caught gaze of the young girl pointing around her home and waited until she got a smile

and nod, “With me until her father comes home.”

“You can’t do that, that’s kidnapping,” Jamie screeched.

“Kidnapping? No, she is free to leave if she wants. I wonder what Ross would think about the

treatment his daughter gets,” the dark eyed woman threatened. “Would you like to hear it from Charmane?”

“Yes, I would,” the response came.

Holding out the phone towards the amazed girl, Dezarae said, “She wants to talk to you.”

“Hello?” Charmane said as she took the phone. “I want to stay here with Dezarae. She wants me

around; Mama doesn’t care and you know it. Besides, now you can do what I know you do in her room when

they are gone. I know all about it, Jamie. And you are going to be on our side when Mama comes home or I

will make sure you lose your job.”

Dezarae shook her head over the girl’s attitude. Taking the phone when the child offered it back to

her, she said into the receiver, “So it’s settled then. No, don’t worry about it. I will send a message to him

letting him know where she is. Goodbye.” She hung up the phone.
Dear God, what have I done?

“Why would you do that for me?” Charmane asked.

“I have no idea,” Dezarae admitted.

“So you don’t want me, either,” the voice grew distant.

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CONNELLY’S FLAME

Aliyah Burke

“Look, I just assumed responsibility for you so those damn disappearing games you play, no more as

of this second. Now, how do I get a message to your father and tell him where you are?”

Charmane got the information from her bag. “I could just go.”

Dark eyes narrowed. “I don’t think so. Look, I get that my home isn’t what you are used to. But it is

all you have unless you want me to call the sheriff and have him put you up until your father comes back.

I’m sure a jail cell would be loads of fun for you.”

The child’s eyes grew big. “You wouldn’t.”

“Yeah, I would.” Dezarae assured her. “I have a lot to do. I have to detail a car tonight, which I can’t

do until after I get a message to your father, and I have to work on my car so I have it ready to go to the show

in California, which I am apparently taking you to now. So I don’t need to be worrying about whether or not

you will run off. Time to drop your prima donna attitude and grow up. Choice is yours but make it now.”