Hearts on Fire 3: Tasha(10)

He pulled from her mouth and kissed and suckled her neck and shoulder.

“Damn, Tasha, you smell and taste so good. I’ve been wanting to kiss you for so long,” he confessed and it fed her hunger. She ran her hands up and down the muscles on his forearms and then his upper arms to his chest.

He kissed her again, lifted her up, and placed her onto the counter. As he pressed between her thighs, she cringed, pulling from his mouth.

Reality came crashing back in a flash. Her inner thighs were still sore and slightly bruised from that night Dash pressed hard between them with his thigh.

“Are you okay?” He caressed her thighs. She shoved his hands away and pushed down off the counter.

“Oh God, Lance, we shouldn’t have done that.” Even when the words left her lips, she didn’t mean them, and it hurt to say them.

He pulled her back against his chest. He placed his hands against her cheeks and stared down into her eyes. She swallowed the lump of emotion in her throat and prayed she wouldn’t cry, she wouldn’t break down and tell him what was going on. She wished this kiss happened weeks ago, months ago, but it didn’t and now she couldn’t act upon it.

“You’re shaking. What’s wrong? Did I scare you?”

She shook her head and covered his hands with hers.

“Please, Lance, I think you need to leave.”

His eyes widened. Sweet, compassionate Lance stared at her as if trying to read her mind. She lowered her head.

“Hey, hey, baby, it’s okay. That guy from the other night, the one you mentioned, really scared you, didn’t he?” he asked.

Holy shit.

“Lance, please.” She tried pulling away. He slowly released her and held her hand so she couldn’t go far.

“Did you report that guy? Did you contact Jake?”

“No, that isn’t necessary. “

“I think otherwise. If he scared you this much and hurt you.” Lance stopped, looked down at her, and then squinted his eyes. “You cringed when I pressed between your open thighs. What the fuck more happened?” he challenged her.

“Stop, Lance. It isn’t any of your business. It’s done and over with.”

“Fuck that. Did he try to force himself on you?”

“No, God, please just stop questioning me. What is this shit? You’ve never cared to ask me anything before. Hell, you’ve never even given me the time of day.”

“That’s not true. You’re our sister’s best friend,” he said, making her heart sink further and verifying that she was just an easy target for a kiss, for Lance’s seduction.

“Leave, Lance. Don’t ever kiss me like that again. I get it.” She pulled away and walked toward her door.

“That didn’t come out right. I meant to say that I haven’t acted on my attraction to you because you’re Serefina’s best friend. We’ve known you for years. We’re so much older than you.”

“You’re not making a strong case, you’re making my suggestion that you leave an even better idea. Please just get out. No one will know about the kiss.”

“Fuck, Tasha, why do you have to be like this? Why do you push away and hide behind some tough-girl attitude? I’m coming clean here on my feelings and you’re shutting me out. I know this guy hurt you.”

“You don’t know anything. It’s over, I can take care of myself. Please just leave, Lance. I’m not going to be one of your little fire buff fuck partners.”

His eyes widened at her tone and her reference. She knew it was harsh, but she couldn’t face him, this or her feelings for him right now. It was the worse freaking timing ever.

“This isn’t over,” he stated firmly.

“Yes, it is.” She opened her door and he left. The moment the door closed she released an uneasy breath, feeling so confused and angry besides heartbroken. Why now, why after months and months of nothing, did Lance have to come on to her tonight? Tasha reached for the flowers and looked at the small card. The top said, “My girl.”

“Asshole.” She opened up the envelope and read the card.

I’m coming for you soon. Be ready to please me.



* * * *



Lance was filled with piss and vinegar as he headed down to his car. He looked around as he thought he heard something, his instincts kicking in as he felt as if someone was watching him.

The creepy feeling didn’t sit right at all, but he dismissed it as he got into the car, started the engine, and reversed out of the parking lot. He pulled out his cell and called his brother Eddie.

“This has to end. We need to come clean with her.” He explained what went down.

“You think the guy she mentioned did more than hurt her wrists?” Eddie asked him.

Lance told him about the kiss and about how she cringed in pain as he pressed against her inner thighs.

“What the fuck? You think this guy tried to force himself on her?”

“If it was more and he did something sexual, there is no way that Serefina would let Tasha not report it. I think more happened and since Tasha isn’t willing to tell us, then maybe Serefina will.”

“They’re best friends, Lance. If Tasha swore Serefina to secrecy, then she won’t tell us.”

“But she’ll tell Ice, Ace, and Bull. Talk to Ice and Ace before you leave. I’ll meet you at home.”

As Lance disconnected the call, he saw the headlights come up behind his car fast. The person was definitely speeding. As he slowed down before the end of the block, the car came up on his left side and swerved toward him, causing Lance to jerk the wheel to the right and hit the curb. His tire popped and the car sped off.

“Fucking asshole!” He tried to see the make of the car or license plate. He parked the car, got out and saw the damage. “Son of a bitch.” He pulled out his cell phone and called Eddie back.

What a way to end a fucking shitty night.





Chapter 4




“I’m not talking to you, Melanie. I’m at work,” Tasha told her cousin as she whispered into the phone.

She was so upset after she had spoken to Serefina this morning and found out about someone running Lance off the road. She couldn’t help but think Dash had something to do with that.

“Call me as soon as you get out. It’s important,” Melanie told her. Tasha disconnected the call. For the next thirty minutes she tried to focus on her work. Surprisingly she accomplished what she needed to. It was Friday night, and everyone was going to the Station. Serefina called and said she would be there and that she wanted her to come hang out instead of staying home all alone worrying. She knew what Serefina was thinking, and that was if Tasha stayed around the guys in the fire departments and Serefina’s brothers plus Serefina’s men, then Tasha would be safe. But Serefina didn’t know about Lance’s kiss. She didn’t know that it was Dash who ran him off the road. Tasha did. Plus, Serefina’s men were concerned and questioned her. Thank goodness Serefina hadn’t told Ice, Bull, and Ace the truth.

Maybe going there tonight was the best thing to do because it would ease Serefina’s mind, get Ice, Ace, Bull, Lance, Eddie, and Tyler off both their cases, and it would help Tasha relax. Her mom was still recovering from the treatment Thursday and next week they would know if she needed another surgery or not. There were bills to pay and things more concerning that her mind was focused on. So why she kept thinking about Lance’s kiss most of all was unnerving.

Tasha thought about that kiss all last night. She couldn’t sleep, she woke up thinking he was there touching her, making love to her along with Eddie and Tyler. It was obscene how much she wanted to be their woman, and to feel loved and safe. But the reality was, she couldn’t act on that attraction. Not now, and especially not if Dash knew about Lance bringing her home last night and that he was the one to run Lance off the road. What if Lance was hurt, or worse, killed. Serefina would never forgive her. Hell, Tasha would never forgive herself, if she caused something to happen to the three of them or her other friends. She had to stand her ground. Tasha would handle this. She would let Dash know that he needed to leave her alone or she would indeed call the police.

It was after six when she finally got out of work. She was tired, but thinking about hanging out with Serefina and the gang made her smile.

She unlocked her doors and opened the back door to place her briefcase on the backseat. She heard a car pull up alongside her. A fancy sports car, some kind of Maserati in black with dark tinted windows.

She swallowed hard as the passenger-side window rolled down. He leaned over from the driver’s seat to talk to her. Dash looked important with his dark sunglasses and designer black suit with the burgundy tie.

“I’ve been waiting for you.” He pulled off his sunglasses.

She stared at him, at his large hands gripping the steering wheel, and at his pinky ring, all diamonds in a thick chunky gold which shimmered against the sunlight that streamed into the open window.

“I don’t have anything to say to you, Dash.” She turned to move when he raised his voice.

“Tasha!”

She couldn’t believe how intimidated she was by this man. He scared her. She didn’t want to die. Hell, she didn’t want trouble like this. If there were police involved she hoped they were here watching right now. She should have called Melanie back sooner. She turned around to face Dash as she slightly bent to look into the car.