Rainbow by K.L. Savage
“You’re in La La Land. And I need to know how to get there,” Zeeland Sunday, my partner on the rig says as he hands me an iced coffee.
It’s a quiet day, but no one ever says that out loud. It’s bad juju. It’s a hex. Once that Q word leaves someone’s lips, it’s like the emergency gods laugh at us and bring us the most ridiculous calls ever.
One time back in Vegas, we had a new medic on her first day. As soon as she said the Q word, we got a barrage of bullshit calls like having to pull a cucumber out of a man’s ass or helping someone get untied from bondage. Their partner couldn’t do it because they passed out.
Or my all-time favorite: a woman called 911 because her cat was stuck in the tree.
It was her.
She was the cat.
And she was naked.
So then we had to call in the fire department to get her down.
I’ll be okay if I never have to see another eighty-year-old woman stuck in a tree naked.
“Well, my La La Land consists of that very hot firefighter over there sitting next to Saint.” I sip on my caramel macchiato. Rainbow must feel my gaze because he turns and winks at me, making my lace panties melt right off.
I’m wearing the bright pink ones just like he wanted.
“So not fair. How do you get the hot straight firefighter who just happens to not give two fucks about being gay? He is a unicorn. Y’all looking for a third? I know how to cook.”
We chuckle, and I shake my head. “No, we aren’t the sharing type. Sorry, Sunday.”
“That’s fair. If I had a man like that, I wouldn’t want to share either,” he says.
I lean back in the blue plastic chair and watch Rainbow. He’s still sore from me taking him a few days ago. Every now and then, I’ll see him wince when he gets situated. There’s this little puff of pride I get in my chest. I’m the reason why he is slightly uncomfortable. That’s on me.
I fucked that tight firefighter ass, and I’m going to do it again.
“Okay, there you go again. Your face is red, so it isn’t difficult to know what you’re thinking about. Spill the details. Tell me everything.” Zeeland places his chin in his hand and props his elbow on the round wooden tabletop.
“Sex is amazing. Life is good.”
“Hathaway!” Captain barks at me.
“Well, it was good,” I grumble. “Wish me luck.”
“Yikes. Good luck.” Sunday waves at me as I walk the green mile.
The floor is literally green, but the distance to Captain’s office isn’t a mile. It just feels that way. Rainbow tilts his head in worry when he sees me walk by the couch. He stands and takes a step to follow me, but I give a slight shake of my head.
“Get in here, Hathaway.”
I close the door and sit down quickly. My leg begins to shake with anxiety. I know what this is about. It’s about me going back to Vegas.
Captain Warwick’s chair creaks as he leans back. His biceps bulge and stretch his shirt. For an older man, he’s in great shape, which makes sense considering his job. “I like you, Hathaway. Sunday likes you. The firefighters even like you. Even Taylor, rest his soul.”
“I like it here too, Captain,” I tell him, treading lightly.
“I talked to Regis back in Vegas. He wanted to know if you fulfilled that favor he owed me and when you were coming back to Vegas.”
My stomach turns with distress, and a heavy anxiety lands smack in my chest.
“Well, sir—”
He holds up a hand to cut me off. “I’m not finished yet, son. Frankly, I’ve seen you around the firehouse. You’ve fit in well with the group, and you’ve done a hell of a job these last few weeks. But as far as I’m concerned, you haven’t yet fulfilled that favor.”
The anxiety turns into a near-panic meltdown. Oh my god. Am I being fired? What is happening?
“I’ll be bringing in a Paramedic Captain soon and expanding that side of this firehouse,” he goes on. “And I’m going to need experienced, reliable medics to build this team. Medics like you. And since you’ve shown such excellent leadership skills, you’ll be eligible for a raise of about ten grand—”
Ten grand? My eyes pop out of my head. That’s not how I thought this conversation was going to go.
“Ohmigosh—um. Hold on. Um, Captain, what—what are you saying?” I ask, my heart racing. “Ten grand?”
“The way I see it, Hathaway, you can’t go back to Vegas until that favor is fulfilled. Meaning you have to stay in Baton Rouge and work for me. Indefinitely. And suppose you end up sharing living arrangements with another member of the firehouse, well, that can be arranged as part of your benefits.”
I feel like I look stupid right now. My mouth is on the floor. A beat of silence passes, and then another. I just don’t know what to say.
“Unless, of course, you need to think about it more…”
A smile the size of Hurricane Jeffrey splits my face as I stretch my hand to his to make a deal. “I’d love to stay. There’s nothing to think about.”
“That’s great news,” Captain agrees, shaking my hand. “I’ll have paperwork for your transfer soon. I’m sure someone else is going to be glad to hear that.” His eyes glance out the window, and his slight smirk has me turning around to see Rainbow walking up to the window. He isn’t even trying to hide. Instead, he’s watching us intently and bouncing on his feet.
“Do you want to give him a show?”
“Cap?” I yelp when I take his question sexually.
“Should I pretend to fire you? I think I should. Let’s freak him out,” he explains in a mumble, trying not to move his lips.
“You’re bad,” I laugh.
“I’m bored. It’s so q—”
“Don’t you dare say it!” I yell at him and slam my hand against the desk.
“I will not be disrespected like this!” he roars, but there’s a gleam of laughter in his eye.
Oh, it’s on. I grab a stack of papers and throw them at Captain Warwick, my face all twisted up in fake rage.
“You know what, Captain?” I shout, making sure to raise my voice enough to where Rainbow can hear me through the window. “I am a damn good paramedic. And if you want me around, you’re going to have to learn to deal with the way I do things!”
From the corner of my eye, I see Rainbow’s hands clasped over his mouth, his face completely pale and his eyes wide.
“I’ve had enough of this, Hathaway,” Captain replies, barely managing to keep from bursting out in laughter. “You’re on notice!”
“It’s you who’s on notice, Captain! And you wanna know what else? Unless you’re giving me a direct order, I don’t have to sit here and take it from you. I’m watching you, Cap.” I point to my eyes, then to him.
I barge out of the door with a loud slam and march straight over to Rainbow, who is currently panicking.
“What happened? Is everything okay? Did he fire you?”
“Shut up,” I tell him.
Then I crash my lips on his, dipping him low in a dramatic kiss like a soldier coming back from war. Taking and claiming him right in the middle of the station for any and all to see. Our tongues swirl over each other, and he moans from the surprise. I finally break the kiss and glance back over at Captain Warwick through the window, who is doubled over in laughter. Rainbow’s eyes are glazed over like he’s lost in a daze.
“That was so hot, Sassafrass.”
“You’re damn right it was.”
The main room is empty at the station. The TV is off, but there is a new addition hanging on the wall above the sofa.
It’s a wall dedicated to the fallen. Taylor’s picture is up there.
“What happened, Ryan? Are you going back to Vegas? Listen…” he runs his fingers through his hair. “Don’t go back, okay? I’ve meant to talk to you about it, but I get too nervous every time. I love you.”
I gasp.
“I love you so fucking much, Ryan. I’m in love with you, and if you leave, well, I’ll have to follow. But, I’m not living this life without you, so you’re stuck with me.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” I take a step forward. “That was just a show to make you panic. Captain offered me a job. I took it. I never planned on going back. I love you too, Rainbow. So much.”
This time it’s Rainbow’s turn to grip the back of my head and envelop me in a kiss. Again, I sag into his arms, feeling happier than I ever have in my life.
Until a call comes in for the paramedics, not the fire department.
“I have to go.” I reluctantly break the kiss. “We’ll celebrate later.” I lean into his ear and whisper, “I’m wearing those hot pink panties you like so much.” And with those final words, I strut away, adding a little shake of my ass. That familiar growl of lust I’ve gotten used to hearing echoes behind me and causes my skin to goosebump.
I pick up the pace and Sunday is getting into the passenger’s side of the rig. I jump into the driver’s side, flip on the sirens, and pull out of the bay.
There’s nothing like speeding down the road and watching cars pull to the side for us to zoom by. It’s a surge of power. We’re in control.
“So what did Captain want?”
“He offered me a job to stay, and I said yes.”
Sunday squeals. “You’re staying? You’re my official new partner? I’m so excited. All the other guys have been old and hated me.”
“Well, you better get used to me because I’m not going anywhere.”
I swerve at the last second when a car doesn’t get out of the way, and I slam my hand on the horn as we pull around him. The address dispatch gave us is in the middle of nowhere.
It’s near the forest and by a swamp. I don’t want to think about what could happen to us out here all alone.
The tires squeal when I take a sharp right. The buildings and cars out here are few and far between.
“You know, we should all go to Roux 61 one night. I haven’t been there in ages. I could go for some good seafood,” Sunday comments.
“Yeah, I can ask Rainbow—sorry—Kennedy about it. I forget you guys don’t know him by his road name.”
“Bring a single hot guy with you. Mama is on the prowl.”
“You did not just say that,” I chuckle as I make another turn and pull into a gas station that is right next to the edge of the forest.
The gas station is old, run-down, and the kind that has been here for a long time. It’s where regulars come and where outsiders aren’t wanted. The gas pumps are so old that the only way to pay is by going inside to pay cash.
“I don’t like the looks of this, Ryan.”
“Me either, Zeeland, but someone in the store is having a heart attack. We have to go in.” I make a move to get out of the rig first and jump to the ground.
There’s a fuel truck filling the tanks, but there are no signs of life other than that. Sunday comes in behind me with the gurney, and we share an uncomfortable look while we run inside, but we never make it.
The door swings open, and my heart drops.
My ex Trenton is standing there with a gun in his hand pointed right at my head.
“Oh fuck,” Sunday curses and holds up his hands in surrender.
“Trenton,” I start carefully. “What are you doing?”
“You’re a sick fuck, Ryan.” Every word that leaves his mouth is full of hate.
“We can talk about this. I don’t know what you’re doing here or how you knew I would answer this call—”
“—You think I don’t know everything about you? I know everything!” he yells. “Your parents are pissed that you aren’t home, and you’re out here casting your fucking disease on everyone, including me. I haven’t been able to let you go. You’re all I think about. I miss you. How fucking sick is that? I don’t want to miss you. You’re disgusting. I hate you for doing this to me.”
I take a step back when he comes closer.
“I don’t know what you want, but we can go our separate ways. We don’t ever have to speak again.”
“I came to your motel to kill you, you know.” He rubs his hand under his nose. “I saw how you lived, and I got so fucking mad. So I called my cousin who’s a biker here, and you know what he told me? He said one of his straight friends was interested in you. And I hated you more at that moment, but when I had you under me, and I had the chance to kill you, I couldn’t. It’s wrong to love you, and Sherlock agrees with me. That entire club is tainted because of you!”
He pulls the trigger, and the bullet zips right by the side of my arm.
It’s a flesh wound and it fucking burns, but I’ll live.
“Shit!” I yell, cupping my arm. I bring my hand back and see blood all over my fingers. I get a bit lightheaded. I know I shouldn’t. I’m a medic. I’ve seen worse, but it’s different when it’s my own life at risk.
“Ryan!” Sunday rushes to me, and Trenton aims the gun at him next.
“Don’t even fucking think about saving him when all he’s done is slowly kill me.”
“I need to make sure he’s okay,” Sunday’s voice quakes with tears.
“He’s fucking fine.” Trenton shoves the gun against Sunday’s head. “This is what you’re going to do. You’re going to go back to your little station and tell all your little friends what’s going on. You’re going to tell his new fucktoy that he’s gotten back together with me.”
“Just let me go. You’re making no sense, Trenton. You don’t even like me. You hate me—”
“—I fucking love you, and I hate you for it. I need you to love me back. Sherlock doesn’t like it. He wants me to kill you like we did a few of his other brothers—”
Sherlock.
I’m going to be sick. “You did that? You killed those men? Why? What did they do? That poor young kid, the rent boy.”
“He was a whore, and Sherlock was angry when he caught Lye with him. Sherlock doesn’t like gays.”
“Sherlock is dead,” I whisper.
Trenton chuckles. “That was Puzzle hanging from the tree. Sherlock is pretty good with disguises since he’s ex-military. He’s good at working in extreme weather and hiding in plain sight.”
“What?” I bend over and gag. “Cosmo… what you did to him. You fucking bastard!” I launch myself at Trenton, and he backhands me with the same hand he holds the gun with.
“He was a message! Plus, no man looks that pretty. I couldn’t help myself. I had to have him. God, he felt so fucking good. He loved it too. Sherlock fucking caught me, but he said he was going to help me. He’s going to send me to one of those conversion camps. You can come with me, and we can get better together, Ryan.”
“You’re fucking crazy,” I spit. This time when I attack him, I aim lower. I tackle him to the ground, which leads us inside the gas station itself, and that’s when I see a dead clerk. He’s bleeding out on the floor and staring blankly at me.
Trenton has always been bigger than me, like everyone, so when he hits me, I fly off him. But I don’t give up. I never give up. I will never stop fighting. I have to fight.
For Puzzle.
For Fox.
For Cosmo.
For myself.
My ex is fucking deranged, and I can’t let him or his cousin hurt any more people. It all makes sense. Of course, there were two of them that night of the hurricane. Sherlock knew the clubhouse and the people and where they would be, and Trenton was along for the ride and did whatever Sherlock said.
Sherlock is a sick fuck. Why now? I think Rainbow told me he’s been in the club a long time. Maybe me being there was too much, like Jokester warned. One member being gay was one thing, but more than that might be too much for someone like Sherlock or Puzzle to handle.
“Sherlock has been to one of those camps, Ryan. It works. He isn’t gay, and now he stops people from being gay. It’s our best option. It’s the only way we can be together.”
“I don’t want to be with you.” I slam the gun from his hand, and we fight for it. I stretch my arm and crawl over his body, but he grips me by the injured shoulder to stop me. I cry out in agony, but I’m able to reach the gun in time.
The metal is heavy in my hand. When I aim it at his face, he freezes.
But a familiar voice stops me. “Put the gun down, walk outside with me, and maybe I won’t shoot your friend’s brain all over the ground.”
My eyes water when I see Sunday in Sherlock’s arms. It’s true. He is alive and well. A few bruises on his face from someone fighting back, probably Puzzle.
“Let’s go. We don’t have all fucking day,” Sherlock shoves Sunday out the door, and he falls on his hands and knees. He stays there for a second and begins to cry. I don’t blame him. This is all very scary, and if he’s never been in a dangerous situation because he’s gay, he’s gotten lucky. Between my parents and Trenton, I’ve had my fair share of abuse.
“God, you little bitch. Man the fuck up.” Sherlock kicks Sunday in the stomach and Sunday rolls to his back, gasping for air in a way that makes me worry he broke a rib.
I get to my feet, and Trenton takes the gun from me, grinning as he places it against the back of my head while we walk back outside into the raging heat of Louisiana.
“You’re going to go back to the station, okay? Only Rainbow can come. Once we get him out, the club should be back to normal. If he isn’t here in an hour, this piece of ass is dead, got it?” Sherlock asks Sunday.
He nods in fear and scrambles to his feet, kicking dirt and rocks into the air as he tries to maintain his balance. Sunday gives me one last look, tears streaming from his eyes and a wet face of regret apologizing from the driver’s side of the rig. The tires spin as he speeds away, and I actually breathe easier knowing he’s safe and away from here.
I’m not going down without a fight.
And I’m not done fighting.
I kick Sherlock between the legs and know I only have a second before I’m dead. He doubles over, and I steal the gun from him. I’m about to shoot when Trenton slams into me and the gun flies out of my hand. A gunshot rings out, and the scent of gas fills the air.
While Sherlock is holding his useless nuts, Trenton is grappling with me. I’m on my back, and he’s punching me in the face. I turn my head as everything begins to go numb. I don’t feel any pain. The fuel tank driver comes around the front. He’s dancing with headphones on, not even paying attention.
Sherlock grabs a lighter from his pocket, lights it, and tosses it out to the parking lot. The flames rise with a whoosh, and then a sound louder than hurricane-force winds rams into us like a shock wave as it grows. The driver finally notices what’s happening and bolts out of there without looking back.
A tremendous boom shakes the ground.
If I die, I hope it’s in flames. I would be close to Rainbow in my last moments, who has made me feel nothing but an intense burn. No one can put that out.
Not even Trenton.
Not even death.
