Igniting the Flame (Firebrand Series) by Sandra Robbins

Author:Sandra Robbins [Robbins, Sandra]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery, Suspense, Inspirational Romance, Romance
Publisher: Ten Talents Press
Published: 2016-03-24T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Lainey woke to pounding on her front door. She jumped out of bed and grabbed her robe before she ran into the living room. Who could be banging on her door at three o’clock in the morning?

“Lainey, it’s Ash. Open up, please.”

She reached for the door, but the relief she’d felt at hearing his voice turned to fear. She threw the door open, and he brushed past her to enter before she could say a word. She hadn’t taken time to turn the lights on, and he strode into the darkened living room without speaking.

After closing the door, she walked back to the living room and switched on the light. Ash stood in the middle of the room, his legs spread in that stance she’d come to know so well. As she moved nearer, he raised his right hand and raked his thick, black hair out of his eyes. The short sleeve of his T-shirt rode up over his bicep, and she froze where she stood, unable to believe what she was seeing. A tattoo of a sword and a flaming torch crossed in an X now decorated his arm.

She pointed a shaking finger at the dreaded sign. “Wh-where did you have that done?”

His shoulders sagged, and he held a hand out as if in apology. “At an all-night tattoo parlor downtown.”

He took a step closer, and she backed up, shaking her head. “No, tell me you wouldn’t do this.”

“Let me explain.” The sorrow in his eyes told her all she needed to know.

She crossed her arms over her abdomen and bent double as pain ripped through her. Her legs threatened to collapse, and she grabbed the back of the couch to keep herself from falling.

“No! No! No!” she wailed. “How could you?”

Ash reached her in two steps and wrapped her in his arms. “Please, Lainey.”

She clenched her fists and beat them against his chest. He didn’t flinch as blow after blow rained down on him. When she was spent, she sagged against him, and her shoulders shook with sobs that stole her breath. “I asked you to be honest, and you lied. Why, Ash? Why?”

He held her tighter and kissed the top of her head. Never taking his arms from around her, he led her to the couch and eased them down. He cradled her against his chest as she continued to shake and cry. “This is killing me, too. Please hear me out.”

She pulled back and looked up at him. “You don’t have to explain anything to me. I understand. You’re throwing away everything we’ve planned so you can go off and live an adventurous life with your friends. But what about me, Ash? What am I supposed to do? Just roll over like a pet and wait for you to come home?”

He put his hand on the side of her face in a caress and shook his head. “This isn’t about you. It’s about me. I know that sounds selfish to you right now, but you’ll see I’m right.

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