Wicked Burn (Free Falling Book 1) Read online

  Sedeo got up and stood at the window as her truck pulled out of the driveway.

  Heart heavy, Sedeo got Shelby ready, then headed back home. Truth be told, he had some work to finish today himself. Soon, his niece was playing contentedly while he sat down to do paperwork, feeling bad because of how much he’d been placing on Kali’s shoulders. She was the best business partner, but he should pull more weight.

  A while later, the doorbell jolted him out of the orders he was moving through. He cast a glance at Shelby, who still played. For the moment, she was working on her Fisher Price Grow-With-Me Kitchen. But the contented smile on his face vanished like a puff of smoke when he found who stood on the other side of the door.

  Jeff’s parents. Diana and George. Immediately, resentment welled up within him.

  “What do you want?” he demanded, one hand braced on the door.

  The older couple looked at him. “I want to see my granddaughter,” Diana said.

  “Why? So you can try to dig up something else to go with this stupid-ass claim you’re making in your attempt to take her away from me?” He shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

  “Shelby is my granddaughter.”

  “I know. She’s my niece.” Sedeo placed his gaze on George. “What are you doing here?”

  “We need to talk,” George said. “Can we come in?”

  The urge to refuse roared to the surface. However, from behind him came a small voice. “Uncle Seddy? Who’s it? Rufus? Yassie?”

  He bit back a grin. She was so desperate to see Yasmine and Rufus, it was automatic for them to be first and foremost in her mind. Glancing behind him, he shook his head.

  Her blonde curls bobbed as she headed for him.

  “Nope, sorry. Not Yas or Rufus. It’s your grandparents.”

  A grin filled her cherubic face. “Nana and Poppa?”

  “Yes, Nana and Poppa. Come say hello.” He stepped back and swung the door open.

  Diana dropped to her knees and held out her arms toward Shelby.

  “Nana!” Shelby ran toward her and hugged her.

  Brushing by him, Diana took Shelby and headed deeper into his house, which left him alone with George.

  Sedeo watched as George’s eyes followed his granddaughter and wife. “Say your piece. I have work to do.” Sedeo didn’t care if his tone was sharp.

  The men walked to where they could see the females as they played in the living room, but knew Shelby couldn’t overhear.

  “I’m sorry we had to serve you with papers,” George began.

  “Don’t patronize me. You didn’t have to. You wanted to, and so you did.”

  “Our granddaughter would be better off with us.”

  “No. Shelby belongs with me. I love her more than I ever believed possible, and I won’t give her up.”

  “She needs a mother.”

  “You two are her grandparents, not her mother or father.” Leaning against the wall, Sedeo sighed heavily. “Why are you trying to take her from me? The truth this time.”

  “Diana thinks she’d be better off with us.”

  “Why? I can give everything she needs. I’m not broke, despite what you believe.”

  “So, you live from paycheck to paycheck? That’s not fair to her.”

  Sedeo ground his back teeth. “You know, you’re right. We do need to discuss this, but not until she goes down for her nap. That way, I can say it to the both of you, once and for all.” He waved a hand toward the women. “Go spend some time with your granddaughter. I have some things to finish up.” Without seeing if his command would be followed, Sedeo sat back at the table where he could still keep an eye on Shelby where she played.

  It wasn’t long before she was ready to lie down.

  Diana held his gaze with her brown eyes and said, “I’ll put her down.”

  Biting back his response, Sedeo held out his arms for a hug and kiss from her. “Sleep tight, Shelby.”

  She blinked her large blue eyes at him and left willingly with Diana.

  Sedeo leaned back in the chair, not bothering to pick up his pencil again. He had a hunch what was about to happen. He was right. About two minutes later, a loud piercing wail filled the house.

  “Unca Seddy!” Shelby’s voice reached him, full of stress and panic.

  Standing, he stared briefly at George before heading back to Shelby’s room.

  The look on Diana’s face was one of indecision and frustration.

  The moment his niece saw him, she held out her arms, and he picked her up from the crib.

  “Time for you to take a nap, sweetie,” he murmured as he rocked her in his arms.

  “Not sleepy,” she insisted.

  “Yes, you are. Come on, be a big girl and take a nap.”

  “I’m sleepy?” Shelby asked on a yawn.

  “Yes, you are.”

  She nodded. “Yes, I am.”

  Sedeo set her back in the crib and covered her with a blanket. He watched as she touched a photo of Rufus attached to a side of the sleeping area. “Night, Rufus. I’m sleepy.” She reached for the stuffed Irish Setter and curled up against it, her long lashes settled against her baby smooth cheeks. “Night, Unca Seddy.”

  “Night, Precious. Sleep well.” He looked over at Diana.

  They left the room together in silence. In a few moments, they were all in the living room, George and Diana together on the couch while he picked up Shelby’s toys and put them away.

  “I know you think us wrong for filing for custody,” Diana began.

  “Damn right I do.”

  “We’re parents. We know what it takes to raise a child.”

  Closing the toy chest, he speared her with a glare. “And when you had your first, did someone threaten to take him from you because of your lack of experience?”

  “Shelby isn’t your daughter. She’s your niece.”

  “She’s been my daughter since the day she lost her parents. Everything I’ve done in my life since then is for her and her future. Everything.” He strode to a chair and sat down. “I live and breathe for her. And I’m not giving her up.”

  “You have no idea what it takes to raise a child,” Diana accused.

  Beneath the biting tone, Sedeo picked up on some fear. It hit him. Diana is afraid of losing the last link to her son. And the knowledge calmed him down a bit. Only a bit. “I’m not stupid. I can learn. I’m doing fine right now. Shelby and I are growing and learning together.”

  “You’re not fit to raise a young girl,” Diana snarled.

  He bristled. “Why not?”

  “What happens when she gets older? What about having a woman in her life?” George asked, his tone as harsh as his wife’s.

  “What do you think is going to happen? Jesus. I love her like she’s my own. This is not exactly anything the both of us have mapped out, here. Like I said, we’re taking it one day at a time. Besides, what if something had happened to only to Julie? Would you be threatening to take Shelby away from Jeff because there wouldn’t be a woman in the picture?”

  “That’s not the same! She’d be with her father.” Diana jumped to her feet. “Shelby isn’t yours. She’s my granddaughter, and I should raise her.” She glanced at her husband. “We...we should raise her.”

  I’ll be damned if I give her up. “I don’t know what you want me to say. I think it’s stupid and cruel to uproot her life yet again. I’m not giving her up, and I really don’t think you have a leg to stand on, since it was their wish for me to raise her if something happened to them. So before we continue down this road, let’s end this. Anything else you want to say, you can say it to my attorney. You need to leave before you wake Shelby up.” He stood and gestured to the door.

  Diana glared at him and stomped out without a word. George followed, slower, and before he could go out the door, Sedeo put a hand on his shoulder and waited for him to turn.

  “Let me ask you something. Do you really believe Jeff didn’t want the best for Shelby? Or he wasn’t capabl
e of making a sound decision when it came to the welfare of his child?”

  “My son loved her and would never do anything to hurt her!” George bit off.

  Resting one shoulder against the open door, Sedeo asked, “Then why don’t you trust the decision he made?”

  6

  Yasmine smiled softly as she watched a freshly groomed Rufus lie on a bed while a child rested a hand in the silky mahogany red of his coat. The young boy’s pale skin was marred by splotches of angry red. From head to toe, Caleb had been burned.

  At the moment, he was speaking softly to Rufus, reading a book to him. The dog seemed perfectly happy to be where he was. But then, as a therapy dog, Rufus had always loved being with children. Coming here to the hospital‒more specifically the burn wing‒was a way she dealt with the stress of her job. She liked being able to give back even more to those who were injured. She’d adopted Rufus after he’d been retired from the show ring, and had found he was wonderful with young kids. It was easier to be around young survivors as opposed to adult ones at times, especially when they had a loving dog to turn their affections on.

  Thinking of survivors, her mind drifted to a certain handsome man with amazing deep blue eyes and butterscotch skin—a man whose simple look could make her legs grow weak. His kiss could light up her whole world. Volunteering at the burn unit once a month was for her, and it was something she kept to herself, but as she sat there, the desire to share this with Sedeo filled her.

  Silence filled the room, and she glanced toward the bed. Caleb had fallen asleep, his book resting on Rufus. Quietly, she got up and removed the book, placing it beside the bed, still within his reach. Dark brown eyes followed her every move, but Rufus never moved. And he wouldn’t, until she gave him a command to do so. A single gesture brought Rufus off the bed to settle beside her as he waited for her to attach the leash.

  “With me, Rufus,” she murmured as she left the room and headed up the hall, waving and smiling at the staff as she passed them.

  Caleb was always the last visit of the day. The child seemed to forget the pain he was in when he was with Rufus, so she stopped there last, so time wasn’t an issue. No matter how long they’d been, Rufus never got stressed out, and he was always so gentle with the burned child. She knew Rufus would be asleep before they got out of the hospital parking lot, for the day took its toll on him as well.

  Making sure he had water and his bed was good, she walked to the driver’s side and climbed in. Low music was on as she drove home. It had been a good day. She’d gotten a good workout in at the firehouse, completed a bunch of shopping, and of course, gone to the hospital.

  Rufus sighed and snored, causing her to chuckle.

  “I understand, boy. I’m tired too.” Tonight is going to be a quiet night. I need to unwind.

  Yasmine placed a call and stopped to grab her curbside order, not feeling like cooking. Before long, she was home and had fixed Rufus his food before sitting down to feed herself. A low groan of contentment left her as she cut into her pepper strip steak and ate a bite of the savory meat. After she’d finished her dinner and cleaned up, she and Rufus adjourned to the backyard. She lay in her hammock and let the comfortable evening air calm her.

  “Anyone here?” A deep voice woke her from a light sleep.

  Sitting up in the hammock, Yasmine glanced toward the gate and saw Rufus standing there, his feathered tail wagging gently. Rubbing her eyes, she got to her feet and walked through the grass to the fence.

  “Yasmine?” Sedeo’s tone flowed through the woods to her ears.

  “Sedeo?”

  “Yassie!”

  A smile filled her heart as she swung open the gate.

  Shelby stood beside her uncle, and Yasmine’s heart stuttered as she stared at him. He looked so handsome it took her breath away.

  “Hey,” he said. “We rang the bell, but there was no answer. She didn’t want to leave without seeing you.”

  “She didn’t?” Yasmine questioned, holding his gaze.

  “We didn’t,” he amended. “More importantly, I didn’t.” Sedeo reached out with one hand and trailed it down the side of her face.

  Yasmine found herself burrowing her cheek into his palm. A soft click told her the gate had been closed, and in the next second, his strong arms were around her, holding her close to his warm chest. “Did you have a good day?” she asked, nuzzling against him.

  “It was stressful.” He pulled back and stared into her eyes.

  Lacing their fingers, he led her back to the hammock, and together they sat down. Resting her head on his shoulder, she waited patiently for him to explain. For a short time, however, he sat silently, his arms around her and his lips pressed against her temple.

  “Shelby’s grandparents came by, and we got into a fight about custody. I don’t know what I’m going to do if they actually win this damn suit they’ve filed. That little girl means the world to me.”

  Unsure of what to say, she remained quiet for a bit. His love for his niece was obvious, and it didn’t make sense for them to ignore it. Placing her hand on his chest, Yasmine watched as it rose and fell with Sedeo’s rhythmic breathing. Her dark skin contrasted immensely with the blinding whiteness of his shirt. And yet, when my skin is on his, our colors complement each other so perfectly. Beyond the width of his torso, she could see Shelby playing on some of her outside toys which had become a permanent fixture in her yard.

  Rising up on her arm, she glanced down at the man whose thick lashes had settled upon his cheeks. “How about some dessert?” she murmured.

  Slowly, his eyes opened, and the intense deep blue color stared up at her. “Sounds good to me. Chocolate sauce? Caramel?”

  Her belly clenched with desire at the image flashing through her mind. “If that’s what you want on your ice cream, sure.” She climbed out of the hammock, took two steps, and found his hand clamped around her wrist, pulling her back to him.

  “Well, I was thinking of it on something. Can’t promise it was ice cream, though.”

  Heat snaked through her before she tugged free of his grip and headed for the sliding glass door. “I’ll get the bowls out. You bring Shelby in when she’s ready.”

  “What about me?” he teased. “I’m ready now.”

  “Be a big boy and wait your turn.” She looked over her shoulder and laughed at the pitiful expression he wore. “Still have to wait. But if you’re good...” Yasmine trailed off, leaving him to form his own conclusion.

  She shook her head as she heard him tell Shelby there was ice cream inside if she wanted to stop playing out here and go wash up. Small footsteps soon echoed in the house as Shelby got washed up and to her seat.

  When she turned around, Sedeo had seated himself as well, and watched her. His eyes followed every moment, burning her up where they landed on her.

  After dessert was finished and the dishes done, Yasmine stood by the back door while Sedeo put Shelby to bed. When his arms slid around her, she never moved.

  “I didn’t ask you how your day was.” His voice was low and silken with promises of later.

  Relaxing against him, Yasmine placed her hands on his arms. “It was good. Had a great workout, ran errands, and the time at the hospital went really well.”

  He tensed briefly before asking, “Why were you at the hospital?”

  “I go once a month with Rufus. He’s a therapy dog, and we go to the children’s hospital burn wing.”

  She was spun in his embrace. “That’s what you did today? Why you said Shelby would be bored?”

  “Yes and why Bobby came and got him. He dropped him off at the groomers, so he was clean for our day.” Yasmine touched his face. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but going there...it’s my thing. Do you understand?”

  He swallowed before nodding. “I do. It was...or rather, is...your way of giving back. I think what you do for those children is amazing. And while I’d be lying if I said I’m not hurt you didn’t share it with me earlier, I do understan
d.” Sedeo kissed her lightly. “And I’m so glad you did share it with me.”

  Yasmine trailed her hands up his chest and back down to the waist of his jeans. Need for this man swarmed her like nothing she’d believed possible. It burned her from the inside out. Her breathing turned harsh, and her fingers fumbled with the button on his pants.

  “Yas,” he uttered as his hands covered hers, halting her progress.

  “No words, Sedeo. I need you inside me, right now.” Desire clawed at her skin, and her blood felt like it was on fire. Without preamble, she pulled his zipper down. “Now!” she bit off.

  Hunger sparked in his gaze. When his hands settled on either side of her cutoff tee and jerked, ripping it down the middle, she captured her lower lip in her teeth and whimpered. Her shirt hung open, and his large hands settled upon her breasts, palming them, tugging on the silk-covered nipples before undoing the clasp in the front, allowing them freedom.

  A low groan slid out of him as he teased her nipples even more, pulling on the painfully tight tips, rolling them between forefinger and thumb. Yasmine rested her head against the wall and grabbed his hips, drawing him closer. His touch was driving her crazy, and her pussy pulsed and flooded with moisture.

  “Get out of your clothes, Yas, if you don’t want to lose them.”

  His command, deepened by desire and passion, pulled open her eyes. Sedeo stepped back from her and yanked his shirt off, his bare chest beckoning her eyes. She complied with his demands, and within moments, stood before him totally naked. Yasmine shuddered as his smoldering gaze skimmed up her body.

  “Face the wall,” he said.

  Her legs shook as she did as he told her. The sound of material sliding across skin reached her, and she longed to turn back to him but didn’t. Instead, she licked her lips and waited for him to make his next move. The silence was almost overwhelming, but she stayed strong.

  When his hands settled beside her head, her breath hitched. She could feel his erection pressing against her, and the warmth from his body wrapped around her like a heated velour blanket. His breath skimmed along her cheek as he murmured incoherently in her ear. Sedeo nudged her legs further apart, and she mewled in the back of her throat when his thick cock prodded the entrance of her slit.