Blazing Hotter (Love Under Fire Book 2) Read online

  She looked so radiant and excited that Frankie hated to bring her mood down. However, there was no way to ignore the news, not even for a few minutes.

  “Cassie, something bad happened last night.”

  Her eyes widened slightly and then she shrugged. “I know I cuddled against you and I really should have stayed on my own side of the bed. I’ll try to be more careful tonight but I can’t promise—”

  “Not that,” he interrupted. “I liked that.”

  “Okay...” She crossed the room to sit in her reclining chair, slinging her towel over the arm of it. “What’s wrong then?”

  “The killer struck again.”

  Her hissing intake of air was the only outward signal she provided.

  “I’m sorry to tell you this, but it was another young blond woman.” He leaned forward, reaching for her although the wheelchair table kept his reach too short. “I think we have to go to the police with that threat. This doesn’t seem like a person who lost control and did something in the heat of the moment. Three different kills suggests something more, especially when all three women are similar to you in appearance.”

  “And you think the flowers might have been the beginning of the killer’s process?” she asked.

  Frankie shrugged. “It would make sense.”

  She stared down at the floor, obviously avoiding eye contact with him. “Why would it be a stripper, though? I don’t understand that. Maybe those flowers are unrelated to the killings. I still think we should talk to Tammy and see if she can pick out the woman who ordered them.”

  Holding in a sigh of exasperation, Frankie tried to rein in his dwindling patience. He didn’t understand why Cassie was so dead set against going to the police in light of this new murder. Even if it was the doctor who sent them and he’d convinced the cops she was crazy before, that didn’t mean they’d automatically throw out concerns about the threat—not with a killer on the loose who had a preference for Cassie’s looks.

  “The more that happens, the more I think it’s unlikely the doctor sent the flowers,” Frankie finally said. “Unless he’s also the person killing these women.”

  “Frankie, I know you care about me and that has you concerned, but a single threat, one that could be a sick joke, doesn’t mean a maniac is after me.” She shook her head. “I don’t trust the police. Please, let’s just talk to Tammy and the women working at the strip clubs. If we don’t learn anything after today, I promise to go to the cops with you tomorrow morning.”

  What else could he do? It was her decision, ultimately, even if he didn’t agree with it. Besides, if he pushed her too much, she might decide she didn’t need his help after all and drop him back at the rehab center. There was nothing he could do about it if she did that. Sure, he was determined to get some function back and quit lying around in his hospital bed, but he would never drive again. Cassie could get away from him easily if he pushed her too far.

  “Fine, one more day,” he said. “But if we can’t tie this back to something fairly harmless from that prick of a doctor, I’m holding you to your promise.”

  A knock on the door forestalled any rebuttal she might have had. “That’ll be your chair.” Despite the gravity of the new murder and Cassie’s situation, some joy returned to her voice. “I didn’t tell you about all the chair’s features because you were so upset, but you’re going to love this!”

  Frankie watched as she all but skipped across the living room, knowing that no matter what else happened today, he had to make himself happy about the chair, even if its very existence made him feel more like a cripple.

  ***

  Cassie answered the front door after checking the front camera to make sure it was the wheelchair delivery person. She smiled widely at the man standing there. “Good morning! It’s great to see you!”

  “Good morning, ma’am,” he said. “I have the new MLX-2000 with the control panel on the left for Mr. Frankie Hernandez.” He looked down at the ground. “Looks like someone left you something. Flowers. How nice.”

  “What?” Panic pounded down on Cassie, twisting her stomach with anxiety. She opened the screen door, seeing the long, white box off to the left-hand side. It looked like her stalker had defied the cameras and didn’t care about the security lights, and she and Frankie had slept through it all.

  The delivery man bent down to grab the box.

  “No, no! Don’t touch it!”

  “Cassie?” Frankie called from behind her. “What’s wrong?”

  The worry was plain to hear in his voice, and the deliveryman looked at her like she was crazy. Cassie smoothed her damp hair close to her head and forced a smile. “Sorry, I’ve had a bit of trouble with the neighbors. That box might be full of dog poop or something underneath the flowers, and I’d hate for you to touch it.”

  From the deepening of the man’s frown, his assessment of her as crazy probably went up a notch, but he stood back up without touching the box. “Sounds like a charming neighborhood. Should I go get the chair and start the training, then?”

  “Yes, please do. Frankie’s ready to learn.” She had to keep a handle on her emotions. Once the wheelchair training session was over, she and Frankie could check the recordings from last night. If the person after her was brazen enough to walk in front of the cameras and lights, perhaps they got a look at them.

  As soon as the man walked back to his truck, Cassie grabbed her throw blanket off the back of the loveseat, carefully lifting the flower box without touching it. Frankie was right. Soon, they had to take this to the cops. The less she disturbed any possible fingerprints, the better.

  “What is that?” Frankie asked, straining up in his chair to see.

  Cassie sighed, walking past him to set the flowers on the dining room table. “Looking through the plastic covered opening at the top, it’s twelve long-steamed red roses. I have a feeling there’s another note inside.”

  “Son of a bitch.” Frankie slammed his left hand down against the arm of his wheelchair. “I should have stayed awake and kept watch. That asshole came to your house? I don’t like this, Cass. We need to call the cops.”

  “No.” She crossed toward him, putting a hand against his shoulder in an attempt to calm him. “Right now we need to learn how to use your chair. Then we have an appointment at the firing range.”

  “Not until we watch the surveillance video. I’m not going anywhere until then.”

  Cassie nodded her agreement. “Try to focus on the chair first. There are a couple things I didn’t tell you about, considering how upset you became at the party. It will take some time to learn, but it’ll be worth it.”

  Before she could explain more, the deliveryman returned, wheeling the chair through the open front door. He glanced at Frankie. “Mr. Hernandez, I presume?”

  Frankie shrugged. “What gave it away? Were you expecting two cripples in the same house?”

  Glowering down at him, Cassie mouthed ‘be nice.’ It was a stupid question for the man to ask, considering Frankie was the one in the chair, but he didn’t need to take his frustration about the flowers out on someone who was just doing his job.

  “I’m Tyson,” the man said, not appearing to be bothered by Frankie’s rudeness. “I’m here to make your life a whole lot easier. Are you excited? This thing is top of the line, and your mobility just took a huge leap forward.”

  “What do you mean?” Frankie asked. “It’s an electric chair, right? It’s going to roll, just like this one does.”

  Tyson’s eyebrows rose and he glanced at Cassie.

  “The features were a birthday surprise,” she confirmed.

  “Ah, well let’s get down to it.” Tyson’s face split in a wide smile. “Mr. Hernandez, prepare to be amazed.” He pressed a button on the left-hand control panel, and the chair rose to a semi-upright position. “This chair has twelve different positions, going from reclining with your feet up, all the way to standing.”

  “Standing?” Frankie’s eyes darted between Cassi
e and Tyson, and Cassie couldn’t help but smile. “What do you mean standing?”

  Tyson continued tapping the button, letting the chair rest for a few seconds at each various position, until it was in a standing position. “Once it is in the position you want,” he said, his grin widening as Frankie’s eyes did the same, “you can still engage the wheels. This chair is designed to help you maintain muscle control, shift positions to ease aches and pains, and generally do a lot of the things you could do back when walking was possible. Something up high on a shelf that you need? Simply use the chair to stand up.”

  “Stand up?” Frankie shook his head in disbelief. “You’re serious? What about the fact that my legs don’t really stand? I have some muscle tone, but not enough for prolonged standing.”

  Tyson tugged on black straps attached to the side of the chair. “That’s what these are for.” He pushed the controller back to its original sitting position. “Why don’t we give it a try?”

  Cassie gave Frankie an encouraging smile, pleased by the look of wonder on his face. She’d worried this would be a disaster, but he seemed excited. She wanted him to be happy, and a wheelchair that he could stand up in was about as close to happiness as she could imagine. However, that didn’t mean she’d been positive Frankie would see it that way.

  “Ready?” she asked, stepping behind him to push his regular chair close to the new one. “Do you need help getting in it?”

  He shook his head, hoisting himself upright. His legs seemed even shakier than they’d been yesterday, but Cassie could only imagine he was fatigued after doing so much more than he was used to. That didn’t stop him from making the transfer smoothly, and Cassie let out a relieved sigh. She was torn as to whether the person threatening her should be arrested or given a medal. The changes in Frankie were all to the good.

  “This is comfortable,” Frankie said, patting the oversized chair around him.

  “Memory foam with a layer of gel,” Tyson explained. “This chair is built for optimal comfort. Let me show you how to hook in the straps. The main one goes across your chest to keep you steady. The other one goes right under your knees.” Tyson hooked the straps into place, tightening them until they fit Frankie’s body. “Together, they keep you in the chair, no matter the position you choose, and you can even use the motor to make the wheels ‘walk’ while you’re in the upright, standing position.”

  “So it actually rolls when I’m standing?” Frankie asked, and Cassie could practically see the wheels turning in his head. His next question wasn’t a surprise. “Could it handle going across a sandy beach?”

  Unfortunately, Tyson shook his head. “This chair is the most advanced on the market as far as speed, function, and ability to handle different terrains, but sand is problematic. I also wouldn’t suggest standing while being in a yard where there might be holes or unexpected dips. It’s designed to keep you from tipping over, but there is only so much it can do.”

  Although Frankie’s excitement diminished momentarily, he still looked up and flashed a wide grin at Cassie. “I was such an asshole, and yet you still did all this for me?”

  She felt heat rising to her face and looked away, not wanting Frankie to somehow discern her thoughts from her expression. “We’re friends. That’s what friends do.”

  “It seems like something more than a friend would do,” Frankie said.

  Damn. Did he read the thoughts she had even without being able to see her eyes? Of course, she’d gone to all that trouble because she had a crush on him. Not that she wouldn’t have done it otherwise, but it was getting harder and harder to deny the truth to herself. Frankie had felt like more than a friend for a long while, and now that she wasn’t his therapist, there wasn’t truly a reason to hold back anymore.

  Except for one pretty big one she could think of. Frankie had been dependent on her for over a year now. While she knew her feelings for him were genuine, what if he only thought he liked her because she’d helped take care of him and he hadn’t had a lot of interaction with other people?

  What if they went and saw this stripper of his, and Frankie suddenly remembered the player he used to be? A man bold enough to ask dancers for a three-way must have been confident in his sexual prowess. He was obviously into her right now and trying his best to convince her they were made for each other, but would all that change now that his disabilities were no longer so limiting?

  And what about her usual boredom with men? It was true she’d remained intrigued by Frankie for more than a year, but would that change with the change in their association? A forbidden crush could likely keep her interest more easily than something she was permitted to do since she was no longer his therapist.

  “Let’s give this thing a spin,” Tyson said, interrupting Cassie’s thoughts. “I want you comfortable with the controls before I leave, and I’ll show you how to charge it at night and set up the charging area.”

  Frankie chuckled. “I’m liking this idea of standing. I can finally take a piss by myself without a damn nurse hovering over me like I’m a toddler.”

  Tyson joined in his laughter. “I totally understand. I got into this business because my baby brother had his lower spine crushed in an accident. Being able to go to the bathroom by himself was a definite plus when he got a chair like this.”

  As the guys worked on the controls and Frankie rolled around the house, Cassie struggled to keep a pleasant expression on her face. She had bigger problems to deal with than whether or not Frankie would still find her attractive now that he was getting some of his freedom back.

  After all, there was the matter of flowers and threats. She needed to get Tyson out of her house soon so they could investigate the video recordings from last night.

  Also, the idea of shooting a gun had freaked her out at first, but this bastard had followed her home. She was ready to learn. No one was going to do to her what they’d done to those other three women.

  Chapter Nine

  The knowledge that someone had tracked Cassie down to her home diminished Frankie’s joy in having such an awesome wheelchair. He couldn’t believe whoever it was actually left something on her doorstep. As much as he’d love to go somewhere and really try out his new ability to ‘walk,’ they needed to see who delivered the roses. If it was one of the exotic dancers from the clubs, they could skip a trip to The Flower Shoppe today and go directly to the source.

  Or directly to the cops, but Frankie wasn’t sure Cassie was to that point yet, even if he thought she was being slightly crazy to hold off.

  She finally shut the front door behind Tyson, then turned around, leaning against the wooden surface. “I thought he’d never leave. We only have about twenty minutes before we need to head to the shooting range, and I haven’t done my makeup yet.”

  Frankie took in the clean canvas of her face. “I’ve never seen you without being all done up, but you look absolutely beautiful. I don’t know why you bother with the makeup.”

  A fleeting grin touched her lips for a second before she pushed herself away from the door. “I like the way I feel with makeup on. It’s like a shield, making me invincible and invulnerable to anything the world throws at me.”

  Using the new controls to move toward her, Frankie reached out and grabbed her hand. “Another way to be invulnerable to the world is to have a partner you trust, one who has your back and would do anything for you.”

  Though his heart pounded with fear of rejection, Frankie initiated the chair to its standing position, finally on eye level with the object of his desire. The more he got to know Cassie, the more he admired and liked her.

  Reaching out, he gently caressed her cheek, leaning forward as best he could with the strap holding him steady. He drew Cassie into him, pulling her into the embrace of the chair’s arms. “I’m that man, Cassie. I’m here for you.”

  While he expected her to protest and pull away, she surprised him by moving closer. Her eyes fluttered closed and she leaned into his chest, resting her head ag
ainst him.

  “This is nice,” she admitted. “I wish it could always be like this.”

  “You do?” Shock was too mild of a word. She’d been fighting off his advances so hard, he figured she’d never give in and admit that being together felt right.

  With a hand gently beneath her chin, Frankie tilted her head upward. It pleased him further when she didn’t protest or back away. Brushing his mouth lightly against hers, Frankie took a firm hold of his willpower. The feel of her satiny lips made him weaker in the knees than normal. He wanted to wrap both his arms around her and hug her against him, stealing more kisses until she was breathless and could do nothing but hop on the wheelchair with him and beg him to take her to the bedroom.

  However, that wouldn’t get him to the end game he wanted—a real relationship with her. A single chaste kiss was where that started.

  Releasing her, he pressed another kiss against her forehead, then bumped the control panel to back his chair up. “I wish we could stay like this too,” he said, “but we have a big day ahead of us, and I’d really like to see what’s going on with those roses.”

  The slightly dreamy look in her sky blue eyes was all the gratification Frankie needed for taking things slow. He would win her heart whether she thought she wanted him to or not. It had been a long time since he’d been with a woman. Waiting for someone as special as Cassie would be worth it.

  “The flowers,” she said, as though just remembering them. “I suppose we should see if there’s a note.”

  “I’d like to rip apart whoever’s trying to scare you,” Frankie said, tensing his jaw muscles. “I can’t believe they came to the house.”

  “I know. Me either.” She stepped around to the right side of his chair, snaking her hand upward to hold his. “Let’s go look together.”

  Although his legs felt fatigued, being in the upright position, if Cassie wanted to walk beside him to the dining room there was no way he’d put the chair back to the sitting position now. Pain jolted through his right hand, but he ignored it to squeeze her fingers lightly as he pushed the button to go forward.