Everything Bared (Six-Alarm Sexy) (38 page)

“You’re forgetting something, Caroline. He didn’t force them to go to a sex club. They went of their own free will.”

“And aren’t you forgetting something, dear husband?” Caroline’s smile was sweet, and her eyes danced with malicious humor.

Bill clamped his mouth shut and stared down at his hands. Dani glanced up at Will, whose head was ping-ponging between his parents. How had Caroline cowed her husband with just a few innocent words?

“Mom?” Tori said. “What’s going on?”

“Suffice it to say that in our younger years”—she paused while Bill snorted—“your father and I occasionally frequented similar clubs.”

“Eew!” Tori said.

Chad covered his ears. “Definitely TMI, Mom!”

“Well, we were children of the sixties…” When they still looked aghast, she said, “Oh, come on now. You didn’t think you were all products of immaculate conception, did you? Besides, I know for a fact that William isn’t the only one to have gone to a sex club.” Her gaze went from child to child, resting longer on a grinning Jamie. Erica squirmed in her seat, but Dani could see the hint of a smile on her lips. When Erica looked at her, Dani mouthed, “You go, girl.”

Will took Dani’s hand and brought it to his lips. “It’s Dani’s decision. She has more on the line than I do.”

She met his gaze, saw the concern in his soft eyes, and swallowed. “I can do this.” For him, anything.

“Think about it, Dani. You could get fired.”

“I know. But you and your family are more important.” Her eyes welled.

He gripped her nape and pressed her cheek to his shoulder. “Firefighting is what you love. I can’t let you give it up for me. We’ve been through this already.”

Jamie interrupted them with a polite cough. “Dani, I’ll do anything in my power to protect you. If they fire you, I’ll go too.”

“Jamie, no.” Dani couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Jamie would leave the fire service for her?

“So will I,” Drew said, his face grim.

“Me too. Although I’m not sure how that will help you. Most of the chiefs are just looking for an excuse to can my ass,” Chad said with a shrug and a smirk.

“See, you’ve got the support of at least three of us,” Jamie said.

Erica straightened her spine, looking regal from her perch on her husband’s lap. “Something similar happened once to a client at work. In her case, at least, the judge found the photos inadmissible because she’d had the expectation of privacy since she was at a private club at which members signed a confidentiality agreement. So any claim of conduct unbecoming could probably be argued in your favor.”

Dani’s heart swelled at the support and love surrounding her. This was the kind of family she’d always wanted. Her gaze landed on Bill. “What’s your feeling, sir?”

Leaning across the table, he took her hand. “I owe you an apology. I overreacted to the threat against the company. While it’s true that losing William would be the ruination of Caldwell Fine Furnishings, I neglected to consider the threat to
your
career. You and William are both adults, and what you do together is your business. Neither one of you could have anticipated what happened. And as my lovely wife pointed out, I’m the last person who should judge.” After a final press of his fingers, he let her hand go and sat back in his chair. “William has the full support of the family. I’ll fight the board if they try to fire him. And the boys are clearly willing to fight for you with the fire service. But as William said, it’s your decision.”

The tight lines around his eyes and the corners of his mouth had softened, the coldness in his blue eyes replaced with sympathy. “So you don’t hate me for corrupting your son?”

He chuckled. “Not at all. I’m rather grateful you managed to get that stick out of his ass.” Muffled laughter and snickers from Will’s family had her grinning.

“Hey!” Will growled, his eyes dancing with humor. He lowered his head and whispered next to her ear, “Speaking of sticks and asses…”

She choked out a laugh and shoved at his chest. Will’s phone rang, instantly turning the light atmosphere in the room to something thick and tense. Something almost palpable. He answered immediately. “Caldwell here.”

As he listened, his features hardened and the blue of his eyes darkened to a deep navy. “I knew it. Goddamn fucking bastard. Thank you, O’Connell. Good work.” He ended the call and tossed the cell on the table.

“O’Connell figured out who hired Childers?” Dani asked, alarmed at the change in Will’s expression. He looked like a killer out for blood.

“Torval,” he spat.

“The union guy?”

“The dead guy.”

“What?” she gasped, as did several others in the room.

“When Childers spilled the name of his employer, O’Connell sent a team to Torval’s home. They found him dead on his living room floor, a bullet hole between his eyes.”

“A mob hit?”

Will shrugged. “The police will have to figure that out.”

Why didn’t he seem more relieved?

“Not that I’m happy a man is dead,” Dani said. “But doesn’t this mean we’re in the clear, at least as far as the pictures are concerned?”

William clenched his teeth and shook his head slowly.

Dani’s breath caught in her throat, making her croak. “No?”

“He released the photos early.
All
the photos. O’Connell said the story is breaking news on every channel.”

She closed her eyes and laid her head on Will’s shoulder. “So much for us managing the discussion.”

He sighed. “Yeah.”

The hits just kept on coming.

Eyes on the buffed linoleum floor, Dani sat in Captain Starling’s office, waiting for him to get off the phone. The chiefs were deciding upon her fate, and any moment, a pronouncement would be made.

She tapped her foot, shifted in her seat, and swiped at the sweat filming her forehead. Jamie had insisted on staying with her, but she’d made him leave. It was humiliating enough to have the captain see her fall apart, without Jamie—her boss, her friend, and her boyfriend’s brother—witnessing it too.

The day the photos had hit the news had been a very real nightmare. Reporters had swarmed them outside Caldwell Fine Furnishings. More had camped in front of Will’s building. A few had even knocked on his door. Neither Will’s family nor her own had escaped their pursuit. Her mother had called in tears and begged Dani to leave that “dirty man.” When Dani had explained that Will had been
her
guest, her mother had hung up the phone.

Worse still, the fire service hadn’t been spared. Headquarters had been besieged with hundreds of calls from outraged citizens demanding she be fired. Firefighters were heroes and role models. What did this sort of behavior say to children? It seemed all of her commendations were forgotten, even tainted, by her sexual choices.

The rescue team members had been supportive for the most part. Hollywood, Gabe, and Colin had let her know in no uncertain terms they’d walk if she were fired. Of course she couldn’t let them do it. These men and women were the elite, and the people of Seattle needed them, whether they acknowledged it or not.

On the other hand, every alternative lifestyle association in the city, and many around the country, had issued press releases expressing their outrage that she and Will were being persecuted for their very legal and private choices. They urged the fire service leadership to consider their actions very carefully or risk a similar fate, the implication being that several were also known members of sex clubs. Dani’s mind reeled. All of this caused by a few revealing photos. Was the world really so prude? Why had sex become this dirty thing that people did in the dark behind closed doors?

After what seemed like hours, Captain Starling placed the receiver back in the holder. He clasped his hands on the blotter in front of him. “A consensus has been reached.”

“Sir?” she asked when he didn’t continue.

“There are a few things I want to say before I inform you of the decision. You’re a first-rate firefighter. You excel at every task you’re given. The other members of the rescue team have nothing but praise and respect for you, especially the lieutenants. Twenty out of twenty-three threatened to walk if you were let go.”

“So many? I didn’t know.”

“I also got an earful from Lieutenant Parks and all the canine SAR teams. Even the U-SAR director called and weighed in.”

Dani swallowed. “I’ll have to thank them.”

He sat back in his seat. “I’ve got good news, not-so-good news, and bad news.”

She dried her palms on her trousers and crossed her arms. “Okay, let’s hear it.”

“First, you’re not fired.”

Sagging with relief, she leaned against the chair back. She’d offered to quit for Will, almost had, except Jamie had never filed her resignation letter, bless him. Firefighting was too important to give it up if there was another solution. “And the not-so-good news?”

“You’re suspended for two months without pay.”

“Two months?” she gasped.

“Think of it as a long leave of absence.”

All things considered, it was much better than being fired. She had some savings. If she scrimped, she could still pay her mother’s mortgage. “And the bad news?” She gripped the arms of her chair, wondering what could possibly be worse.

“I’ve looked at your personnel file, your five-year plan. This is unofficial of course, but I wouldn’t count on any advancement opportunities. As long as the current chiefs are in office, any application they see from you will be turned down.”

“How do you know this?” She tugged at a loose thread from the seat of her chair. Captain Starling was letting her down gently, but it still freaking hurt to be treated this way. She’d almost given her life for the department.

“They
had
voted to fire you.”

Her head snapped up. “Then how did I end up with a suspension?”

“They changed their minds at the last minute.”

“Why?”

“Probably because of all the support you’ve gotten around here. Including from me.”

Dani stood and held out her hand. “Captain, thank you so much. It’s truly an honor to work for you.”

“The honor is mine, Firefighter Harris,” he said, shaking her hand. “Now go home and give that man of yours the good news.”

“Copy that, sir!”

She left the captain’s office and went directly to the Beanery to break the news to her platoon. Jamie was pissed about the suspension but acknowledged that the fallout could have been worse. “Don’t go getting soft while you’re off on vacation, K9.”

“I promise not to eat too many bonbons, LJ,” she said, with an exaggerated toss of her head.

He grinned. “Smartass.”

“Always.”

“Don’t ever change, Dani,” he said, pulling her into a hug.

She squeezed him tight and kissed his cheek. “Thanks, Jamie. For everything.”

“I hope my brother knows how lucky he is to have you.”

Her laugh sounded brittle even to her own ears. She’d single-handedly almost ruined the man’s life. Yeah, he was
so
lucky.

Dani slipped inside the quiet condo. Coco trotted along behind her. Will should still be at work, but just in case, she checked all the rooms to be certain she was alone. She quickly changed out of her house uniform and into a pair of worn jeans and a T-shirt. After preparing dinner, she’d put on a slinky dress and heels. By the time Will got home, she’d have everything ready for a celebration. He deserved to be pampered after everything she’d put him through. But it was finally over.

While the pork cooked and the potatoes boiled, she zipped around the condo tidying up. Well, actually, the only things lying around were hers. Poor Will. He put up with so much.

There was a knock at the door.

After peeking through the hole and seeing Mrs. Norris’ face, she opened the door.

The woman’s smile fell immediately. “Oh, it’s you.” She held a plate covered in aluminum. No doubt a get-well-soon plate of cookies or brownies for Will. Like he was sick or temporarily insane.

“Um… yes. Were you looking for Will?”

She snarled and muttered under her breath, “You’d think she’d at least know the name of the man she ruined.”