Connelly's Flame (20 page)

do that for you.”

“And I suppose you are that man, Johnny Reb?” Dezarae asked as she looked across the dark interior

of her vehicle.

“Firebird, I am the only man for you.” His answer was firm with his conviction. “And don’t call me

Johnny Reb.”

“I’m not the one going around with a rebel flag tattooed on my chest.”

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“Keep sassing me, woman, and I will put one there as my body covers yours,” he threatened

playfully.

“You need to hush with that kind of talk. Now will you tell me what had you so upset earlier?”

Dezarae asked, hoping he would share it with her.

“I got a call from my ex-wife,” he muttered, distaste fully evident, so into his memory he neglected

to make sure he child was still sleeping.

“What did she want?”

“Well after cussing at me for a while she threatened to take Charmane away from me forever if I was

going to insist on having her around…” he trailed off, not sure he really wanted to repeat what she had said.

“My kind?” Dezarae supplied. “Charmane told me what she had said before.”

Ross clenched his fists to keep from hitting the dash of her vehicle. “I’m so sorry about that.”

“Hey, from what Charmane said you disagreed with her,” she said, trying to conceal her shiver.

“I don’t know why I ever married her,” he swore as he reached for her hand.

“Because you had to be a father to Charmane.” Squeezing his hand, she let go and held the wheel

again. “She loves you so much you know.”

What about you, Firebird? Do you love me?
“I am so lucky to have her. But that doesn’t help me out

of my situation. She wants to get my parental rights revoked. I don’t know what I would do without

Charmane in my life.”

Dezarae pulled the vehicle into the driveway and stopped outside of her garage. “Then don’t let her

win. Keep your daughter.”

“I’m a Navy SEAL, Dezarae; courts don’t exactly find that good for a single father,” he snapped.

Opening the door, she looked at him as he was illuminated by the dome light. “I know you are a

SEAL. But you are also a father that has to count for something. Go put your daughter to bed and meet me in

the kitchen. We can talk about this some more.” Dezarae shut her door and opened the front door to the

house, letting Ross pass her carrying his daughter in his arms.

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Ross walked into the kitchen and stopped. His gray eyes moved leisurely over the body of the

woman who was cutting slices of lemon meringue pie and placing them on the table. The coffee was already

poured and he knew his would be the way he preferred it. No cream and three sugars.

Looking up as her body alerted her to his presence, Dezarae licked the bit of pie off her finger and

smiled. “Grab a seat.”

“Sorry I snapped at you in the car,” he said as he took a seat across from her.

“Look, I don’t know your ex-wife but surely there has to be something you can do.” Her eyes grew

serious as she leaned towards him. “I don’t know whether or not I should tell you this because I don’t know

if it is true or not.”

Ross swiped his finger thorough the pie and was sucking it clean but at her words he stopped and

gave her his undivided attention. “Tell me what?”

“When Charmane first came here, she was talking about how nobody loved her or cared about her. I

figured for a teen that ran away, that must be pretty normal venting.” She fiddled with her fork. “While we

were eating, she was practically licking the plate and seemed extremely surprised that I said she could have

more. She was skin and bones when she arrived here.”

Dezarae took a sip of her coffee. “But when she told me that she hadn’t eaten in about a day and a

half because her money ran out, I figured that was it.” Hesitating, she set her cup down and played with her

plate. “Then, when I said she had to call her mother, she didn’t want to. Again, I assumed it was because she

had run away, entirely logical. But when I asked her why she thought no one wanted her around, she said all

she was good for was to yell at and,” Dezarae paused, “to me, it sounded like she was going to say hit, but

when I asked her she almost flipped out.”

Ross was so angry his eyes were almost black. The feel of hot liquid on his hand made him realize he

had just broken one of her mugs.

“Oh, my God, are you okay?” Dezarae jumped up and got a rag to get the coffee and see if he was

bleeding.
Jesus, he is strong.

“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” he asked in a voice that was deadly calm. His hand lay limp in

hers as she wiped it clean.

“Because I was hoping she would tell you if something was wrong. I don’t know for a fact she was

going to say that, but she seemed very skittish after she began to say it.” She held up one piece of broken

ceramic mug. “This was another reason.”

“I have to get her out of that house or I am going to kill her mother,” Ross said.

“Killing the mother of your child isn’t going to help either one of you.” Dezarae moved onto his leg

and began to blot away the coffee.

“Stop,” he ordered, grabbing onto her hand. “I don’t care about the damn coffee.”

“Look,” she retorted. “I am just trying to keep busy because I don’t know what else to say.” Dezarae

jerked away from his hold and stood over by her sink rinsing out the cloth.

Ross ran his hand over his face. Pushing away from the table, he moved to stand behind Dezarae.

“I’m sorry, Firebird. It’s just that, even if I do manage to get custody, then I have to find someone in Virginia

who I can trust her with…to take care of her. I’m just frustrated.”

“I don’t know what to tell you, I’m not a mother or a father—obviously, but it is painfully clear you

love her. Why don’t you have more say in the matter of her well-being?”

Taking her hand, Ross led her into the living room and settled them on the couch together. “Joy is all

about appearances and she is fucking the judge who presides over our case. All she wants is money and I

don’t make that much being a SEAL. She gets part of my money, anyway, and child support, which I have

no problem paying, but the judge has always seemed to have his mind made up before I get there.”

“What about your teammates? Do they have suggestions for you? Are any of them married?”

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“Two are married and the rest are off limits for you, Firebird. I don’t need you flirting with them.”

His lips grazed her cheek. “They have given me advice but I am the lowest-ranking person on the team and

the only one with a child. Well, the only one with a child who isn’t married. Scott and Tyson have children.”

“I don’t see what your position on the team has to do with anything except that you are still doing

your damnedest to provide for your child,” Dezarae defended him vehemently.

“It means I get paid the least. I am the newest member as well.”

“And you can’t just quit because you signed a contract.”

“Right, besides she has full health and dental benefits this way.” His head dropped to the back of the

sofa. “I don’t know what to do. I just don’t know what to do.”

“Have faith.”

Have faith.
“I’m trying, Firebird. I’m trying.” Closing his eyes, Ross sat in the dim light holding the

woman of his dreams.

“What are you two doing, sleeping together?” Charmane’s voice brought them both wide awake with

a start.

Dezarae’s eyes flew open to meet the disgustingly amused gaze of the man she lay upon. Blushing,

she rolled right off him and onto the floor.
Shit, that hurt.
“Ouch.” Her mutter was heard by the man sitting

up.

“Are you okay, Dezarae?” Ross asked, helping her to stand.

“Why were you two sleeping on the couch together?” Charmane demanded, not willing to be

ignored.

Turning his gray eyes to his daughter, Ross would have sworn he saw a smile lurking on her face

before she narrowed her eyes and glared waiting for her response. “We must have dozed off last night. We

were up talking.” His gaze followed Dezarae as she slipped silently from the room even as he answered his

child.

“Ummm-hmmmm,” she doubted. “What happened in the kitchen? There is a broken mug on the

floor.”

I forgot about that.
“I broke a mug last night.” Ross stood up and looked down at his daughter. “We

need to talk, Charmane.”

The seriousness in his voice scared her and she blanched. “I was only kidding with you two. I don’t

care if you sleep with her,” Charmane babbled.

Cocking his head to the side, Ross watched as fear totally overtook her. “I am not
sleeping
with

Dezarae,” he insisted.
Way to go Ross, lie to your daughter.
“I don’t want to talk about that. I want to talk

about you and life at your mother’s.”

His observant eyes didn’t miss any of the myriad of emotions that flew across her face. When they

stopped moving, it was like looking at a marionette. No emotion showed on her face; she was just blank.

“Okay. Everything there is fine.” Her voice was monotone and as if she were reading from a

teleprompter or some script that only she could see.

“Charmane,” he said, his voice extremely gentle as he took his daughters hand and had her sit beside

him on the couch. “I am trying my best to get you out of that house but you need to tell me everything that is

going on. I will never hurt you. You have to believe that, Baby.”

Her eyes filled with hope before it was washed away in a blink. “Everything is fine, Daddy. I am

fine.” She looked away from him and out the window.

“Look, Dezarae told me what you almost said.” His strong hand turned her face toward him. “Do

they hit you?”

A cold fear settled into her stomach. She knew what would happen if her mother found out Ross

knew about the beatings. Her body covered with a cold, clammy sweat as she began to shiver. Her mouth

moved but no sound came out. It took her three tries to get out the word, “No.”

She was lying.
I am going to kill them for laying a hand on my child.
Ross gathered her close to his

chest and held her. “Baby, I am so sorry. I will find a way to get you away from her. I swear it,” he vowed as

tears began to fall down his lean cheeks.

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For the first time in a long, long time, Charmane felt like maybe things
would
work out this time.

She loved and trusted her daddy but hated the woman she called mama. “Can I stay here with Dezarae?” the

small voice asked.

Wiping away his own tears, he answered her honestly. “I don’t know, Baby. Dezarae is a very busy

woman.”

“But she likes me, Daddy, I know she does. And I don’t cause her any trouble. I am getting good at

helping her out in the shop.” Charmane very quickly pointed out why she would be good with Dezarae.

“That is a lot to ask of her. I don’t know, Charmane, I just don’t know,” Ross said, even though he

had been thinking about that himself for a while now. Ever since he got the note that Dezarae had his

daughter and was keeping her until he got home.

She pulled back from his embrace and looked him straight in the eyes. Her voice was solemn when

she said, “I feel safe with her, Daddy.”

That seals it then. I have to ask Dezarae if she would be willing to watch over Charmane when I am

gone.
Ross smiled down at his daughter. “Even if she said yes, Baby, and that is a slim chance, it still would

take some time to get your mother to agree to it.”

“Can’t you just kill her or make her disappear?” Charmane asked.

“I don’t ever want to hear you talk like that again. Are we clear?” he said fiercely.

“Sorry, Daddy.”
I hate her.
“I won’t say it again.”

“Good. Now, I have to get up and shower. I’m sure Dezarae has something to do today so what do

you want to do?” he questioned as they both stood.

“I like hanging out with Dezarae. But maybe we could run some errands for her in town, you know,

to help her out.” Charmane suggested as they walked down the hall.

“Sounds like a plan to me, Baby.” Ross stopped at the door to his room. Grabbing Charmane, he

hugged her tightly. “I love you, Baby.”

“Love you, too, Daddy.” She returned his hug and scampered off back towards the living room.

****

and began to unload the bags of groceries they had picked up. As Charmane took in the last two bags, Ross

saw that one bay door was still open at her shop.

Sticking his head in the door he shouted to Charmane, “I’m gonna go let Dezarae know we are back.

You going to be okay putting things away?”

“Fine, Daddy.” Charmane answered.

With an easy gait, Ross made his way over to her shop. He looked in the door and stopped.

Dezarae and Shawn were in there together working on a large Bronco. Shawn was polishing a new

brush guard. Dezarae was wearing goggles and was sawing through the metal on top of the vehicle with a

huge sexy smile on her face. The back part of the roof had already been removed, allowing her to stand

inside the vehicle as she worked.

Ross could only stand there and watch. The pure passion that filled her face amazed him. Her hair

was shoved up under a cap as the muscles in her arms effortlessly held the heavy piece of machinery. Legs