Under Her Skin(22)

“Love you more, Daddy.”

“Doubt that, doll face. It’s not even possible.”

He pulled me into his strong, inked arms, wrapping me in a bear hug, just like I loved.

Everything about River filled me up, from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. His love, his life, his strength, and his patience, he was my better half, and somehow, I was his.

We were better together than apart, no doubt about that. And there wasn’t a day that went by when I didn’t thank the powers that be for putting us together, no matter how much pain we had to face to get here. It was worth it. He was worth it. We were worth it.





THE END





Thank you for reading! xo Aria





UNDER FIRE

(BLUE COLLAR ALPHAS)





ARIA COLE





Blaise Michaels has never met a fire he couldn't tame—or a woman who could cause a five-alarm blaze in his heart. But the night he meets Brianna Foster is a night that will leave permanent marks on them both.





Brianna Foster wasn't looking for love—in fact, all she was looking for was her grumpy old cat before the building dissolved into ash around them. But when tall, dark, and heroic bursts through her apartment door to save her—and her kitty—from the flames, she never dreams he would light a fire that could incinerate her soul.





Warning: Blaise is a big, growly, alpha male with a hero complex. Saving Brianna isn't enough for him. He wants more than just in her bed. He wants her tied to him for life.





ONE





Brianna

“Here, kitty, kitty, kitty,” I cooed, tossing another treat his way.

A low grumble vibrated from somewhere by the bed.

“Don’t be a bad boy. Come to Mommy.” I tried my best to stay calm as fire alarms rang around my head. “Jinx…”

I heard the bang of footsteps up the old stairwell.

“Jinx! For God’s sake, come to Mommy!” I inched closer, the fire alarms wearing on my last fucking nerve. “Jinx, come here, boy. Please come here.”

The old cat crouched farther under the bed.

I could hear more footsteps pounding down the hallway now, doors banging, people running.

There’d been a half a dozen false alarms in the last year I’d been living here, but this time, I’d heard the sirens outside. There were a lot of emergency vehicles currently parked in front of my small apartment complex, and something told me this wasn’t a false alarm.

“Jinx, goddammit, get your grouchy little ass over here.” I lunged under the bed, the edge of the cheap metal frame cutting into my upper thigh. “Fuck!”

I kept stretching, trying desperately to dig my fingers into his soft fur so I could haul him out of here with me.

No way could I leave my sweet kitty in a building that was going up in flames.

It was probably just Mrs. Avery on the third floor, blind as an old bat and cooking soup. The flames had crawled all the way up the wall and left a trail of soot the last time this had happened, and the super still hadn’t replaced her range hood. She complained about it to me every time I went upstairs for cookies and tea. I hated the tea, she put way more lemon in it than I liked, but I choked it down for her.

I hoped she was safe. I hoped everyone, as motley a crew as they may be, was already out on the lawn. I’d grown attached to everyone here, and in a way, we’d banded together over the complete lack of upkeep on the part of our landlord.

If it wasn’t peeling paint or heaved sidewalks, it was a leaking pipe or a burned-out air conditioner.

I hated this fucking building.

Part of me hoped it would go up in flames, but I knew it was the cheapest rent I could find in this city. Rents were climbing higher and higher every year, and I was barely making it as is. If I didn’t have an apartment to live in, where the hell would I go?

“Jinx…” I tossed him another treat, begging him to inch just a little closer. “Please, boy?”

A half a dozen loud bangs rattled the door of my apartment. Jinx chose that moment to swipe at my hand, slicing my finger ruthlessly and causing blood to pool between my fingers.

“Fuck!” I recoiled, not bothering to check the gash on my thigh that was now throbbing, and launched down the short hallway to my front door.

Just as I reached the kitchen, the door burst open and a firefighter, complete with breathing mask, barged in.

A pair of intense dark eyes was all I could see of the stranger, his hand waving me to him rapidly.

I shook my head, stubborn tenacity and adrenaline charging through my veins as I turned back down the hallway. I didn’t even give a shit that I was seriously undressed. I had to get Jinx.

“Ma’am!” The firefighter pounded down the hall after me.

I slid beneath the bed again, stretching to reach Jinx.