Spark And Flame (8 page)

“Whatever he’s promised you won’t happen,” he said firmly. “You’ve compromised yourself professionally and I would strongly advise you to take a leave of absence and make sure you’re replaced immediately before you break more laws and find yourself in prison. Do not let him talk you into something you’ll regret later,” he urged and her lips tightened as she shook her head.

“I’m not going to regret anything later,” she said defiantly as she backed away from Aiden. He covered his mouth as acid burned his throat and pushed through the prison doors and gasped for breath once he was on the other side. His hands trembled as he swiped and tapped at his phone then waited as it rang.

“Lane,” he said shakily. “I’m done and it was not good. Langley needs to be moved immediately,” Aiden warned.

Chapter 18

Aiden was a mess when the patrol car dropped him off. He crashed into Lane at the door as Lane waved at the officer behind the wheel. His body and hands shook as they pressed against Lane and he did his best to calm Aiden as he shut the door and led him to the couch. He quickly decided it wouldn’t be a good idea to tell Aiden he couldn’t get through to the warden. No one could get a call into her office and the guards were being evasive. Lane was assured that security was being augmented externally and that the warden would be replaced immediately.

“Everything’s fine,” Lane insisted as he cradled Aiden against his chest and he felt him shake his head.

“No, it’s really bad, Lane!” Aiden muffled as he pressed his face into Lane’s shirt. “He’s completely delusional and fixated on me more than ever. Nothing I’ve done has worked. The warden is going to try to help him escape and it’s going to be very soon,” he said and Lane tried not to feel more nervous about not being able to get through to the warden. “I strongly believe they’re going to use the recent outbreak as a cover and take advantage of all the prisoners being transported to the hospital,” he said and Lane nodded.

“I already warned them to put an extra security detail on the ambulances and there are additional officers in the hospitals,” Lane reassured him and Aiden felt slightly less tense.

“Did you call the warden and tell her to avoid contact with Langley until a replacement arrived and tell them they need to do a review of all the guards?” He asked and Lane pulled Aiden’s lips to his and kissed him thoroughly, hoping to distract him. When Lane finally raised his head Aiden took a deep breath then looked at him expectantly.

“I’ve been assured there will be a replacement immediately and they’re sending additional guards from other prisons and outside law enforcement will be provided,” Lane said and Aiden nodded.

“He should be moved,” Aiden said and Lane brushed the hair away from Aiden’s eyes.

“They’re working on that too. Someplace with an old school male warden that doesn’t care about being pc or prisoners’ rights,” Lane joked and Aiden blinked rapidly, trying to decipher the comment. “They’ll be more careful about where they put him,” he explained and Aiden looked relieved.

“Can we go upstairs?” he asked. “I need to take these clothes off and I’d like to avoid seeing more naked pictures of me on the internet,” Aiden added and Lane pulled in his lips as he nodded.

“I can see why you might not want that,” he said as they stood. “You’re taking it very well,” Lane said reassuringly and Aiden shrugged as they went up the stairs.

“It was a favorable picture,” he said and Lane laughed softly. “If it had been cold or I was making a bad face… You’re not too upset are you?” Aiden asked and Lane stopped.

“Because I looked like I was roaring?” He asked and Aiden nodded.

“That was an unfortunate picture of you,” he offered and Lane’s mouth fell open.

“But you were completely naked and your dick was showing,” he argued. Probably stupidly. “I was completely dressed and standing behind you. For all the world knows, I could have been yelling at you for rubbing your junk against the windows,” Lane said and Aiden grinned.

“But I’m well endowed and I think it’s improved my standing with the media. I saw a comment that said you looked like you were pissed about being on a roller coaster and another said you looked like an angry goat,” Aiden said and Lane glared as he tugged at his tie and shoved past Aiden.

“Why would you read the comments?” He asked as he threw his tie in the direction of the closet and Aiden looked confused.

“Why wouldn’t I read them? Anyone would,” he said and Lane shook his head as he shrugged out of his holster.

“I wouldn’t,” he grumbled. “I didn’t,” he clarified and Aiden’s head titled from side to side as he considered.

“If you were naked, you would read them. Men generally want approval when it comes to their appearance and it’s especially true if it’s their dicks. Why do you think they send so many unsolicited pictures?” He asked and Lane stared for several moments before he toed off his shoes.

“You’re not upset because the response has been overwhelmingly favorable,” he accused and Aiden offered a sheepish grin.

“I did see several comments that said I could
get it
,” he said as he quickly unbuttoned his shirt. “I’m almost certain that means the person commenting would have sex with me. A lot of people would have sex with me,” Aiden said and Lane threw his hands up.

“Great. We’ve had two stalkers and now the internet wants to fuck you,” Lane complained. “I’ll do my best to not develop a complex,” he said and Aiden shook his head as he stepped out of his jeans.

“Everyone takes a bad picture now and then,” he said. “And I’m sure you could definitely
get it
and the response would be very favorable if any of your nudes were discovered.” Aiden pushed his boxer briefs down his legs and kicked them at the closet and sighed in relief as he crossed the room and launched himself at the bed. Lane went ahead and looked horrified.

“Do you have any idea what that would do to my career? And my parents?” He asked and Aiden nodded in agreement.

“It would be very bad,” he said then pointed excitedly at Lane as he slipped out of his trousers.

“The picture of you shirtless and gardening is very popular!” He said and Lane stuck his head in the closet and pretended it was important his undershirt found the hamper so Aiden didn’t see him smile. “I saw several comments that suggested you were very fuckable,” Aiden said and Lane did his best to be disapproving when he turned back to Aiden.

“Stop reading the comments,” he ordered as he crawled on the bed and Aiden looked disappointed as Lane hovered over him.

“I’ve found it very beneficial to my mood when I get frustrated with Langley or bored,” he said and Lane sighed in defeat.

“Fine. But ignore the ones about my terrible sex face,” he stipulated and Aiden nodded as he stretched toward Lane’s lips.

“I love your sex face,” he insisted as his fingers pushed into Lane’s hair. Lane hummed happily as he settled over Aiden.

“It’s not usually that scary?” He asked and Aiden shook his head and his lips dragged along Lane’s.

“It’s a really nice sex face,” he whispered as he pecked at Lane’s lips. “It’s really attractive and arousing in person,” Aiden promised and Lane would never admit how relieved he was to hear it.

Aiden was more tender, his hands worshiped and clung as he took Lane into his body. He trembled and Lane’s name sounded like a prayer as Aiden wrapped himself around Lane and tried to pull him deeper. The usual demanding urgency was gone and there was a fragility and vulnerability that Lane wasn’t used to. He did his best to soothe Aiden, to reassure him as he filled him with steady, driving thrusts and kissed words and tears from his face. After, Aiden refused to release Lane and his body never stopped shaking as he fell asleep.

Guilt and anger seeped into Lane as he held Aiden. He’d been so sure that going to Langley was the right thing to do, that the victim had to come first and Langley couldn’t hurt Aiden. Lane wished he could have gone with Aiden or he had just thought it through a little more. Why didn’t he see that all Aiden needed was a little time? If everyone had left him alone, he could have found Stewart without exposing himself to Langley. Knowing that Langley killed Stewart and hadn’t done it in a building was enough for Aiden. He should have had more faith in Aiden and listened. Lane didn’t know exactly what happened in that prison but Aiden was terrified. Aiden was terrified and Lane pushed him into that prison and whatever followed. Lane let himself be swayed by the chorus of voices insisting Aiden was obligated to face Langley on behalf of the victim’s family. Why? Why did Aiden have to sacrifice his safety and peace of mind?

Lane’s phone vibrated and Aiden jumped and his chest heaved as he looked around, scared and disoriented. A cold, heavy weight settled in Lane’s stomach and his hand shook as he reached for the phone. He did his best to appear calm as he pulled Aiden back down and clasped him against his chest.

“West,” Lane said as he stroked Aiden’s back tenderly.

“I’m sorry to wake you but it’s really bad.”

Chapter 19

“What do you mean, he’s gone?” Lane asked angrily as he paced and Aiden hugged a pillow to his chest as he swiped through messages on his phone. “Jesus Christ! How the fuck…?” Lane’s face paled and Aiden jumped to his feet and rushed from the bedroom. “I want to know everyone that came in and out of that prison since Langley’s been there. I want four units out here and the rest searching for Langley,” Lane demanded before ending the call and Aiden shook his head as he swept into the study.

“They won’t find him,” he said as he pushed photos, records and reports aside and stared at a map.

“Do you know where he is?” Lane asked and Aiden shook his head. “Why are you studying that map?” He asked and Aiden frowned up at him.

“It might have taken me weeks to find Stewart before. I screwed up and now I might only have days,” he said and Lane exhaled loudly as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“Do you think he’ll move Stewart or dispose of him?” He asked and Aiden shook his head.

“He’s not worried about anyone finding Stewart. He’s already admitted to killing him, he’s played that card.” Aiden searched Langley’s phone records then began circling locations.

“What is it then? Why are you doing this now?” Lane asked as he paced and Aiden’s eyes were heavy as they met his.

“Closure,” he explained. “If he kills me before I find Stewart, it could be years before someone else does,” Aiden said and Lane shook his head.

“He’s not going to kill you,” he said firmly and Aiden nodded quickly in agreement despite the knot of doubt in his stomach.

“You’re probably right,” he said softly. “This is all I can do, Lane. I don’t know where Langley is or how long I have until he comes for me. I have to keep busy and focus on what I can do,” Aiden added and Lane groaned as he reached for Aiden.

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” Lane promised and Aiden squeezed his eyes shut as a wave of nausea rolled through him.

“This is my fault,” he whispered and Lane shook his head. Aiden didn’t give him a chance to argue. “I should have calmly listened and pretended I didn’t see it. I should have stayed and finished the interview like you’re always telling me,” Aiden admitted. “I openly accused her of having an affair with Langley and predicted she was going to help him escape. I forced their hand and they had to act right away because I exposed them and the first thing I did when I got out was call the Lake Cliff Chief of Police and tell him Langley needed to be moved and to increase security around him,” he said and Lane tensed.

“She’s dead,” he said flatly and Aiden’s head tilted as he studied Lane.

“Suicide?” He asked and Lane nodded. “How?” Aiden asked and Lane shook his head.

“You don’t need to…”

“How?”
Aiden demanded and Lane took a deep breath before his eyes met Aiden’s.

“She drank gasoline as she set herself on fire,” he said gently and Aiden had to hold on to Lane as the room tilted around him.

“What are we going to do?” He asked as he searched Lane’s face and he shrugged as his hands wrapped around Aiden’s face and pulled his lips to his.

“We’ll do what we did last time,” Lane said before his tongue thrust against Aiden’s. The kiss was strong and steady as he pulled Aiden closer. Aiden waited, taking as much strength as he could from Lane’s kiss until he raised his head.

“He’s so much more than Burgess,” Aiden warned. “We can’t rely on locking ourselves in the house with a bunch of guns this time,” he said and Lane’s brows pulled together as he stared back.

“He can’t hurt you if I don’t let him get close to you,” he said and Aiden offered him a wry grin.

“He talked a reasonably competent woman into helping him escape a prison before killing herself in a horrifically painful manner. Do you understand the level of control he had over her if he could talk her into that?” Aiden asked and Lane nodded slowly. “Even if she realized on her own that she would be going to prison for a long time, there were about a hundred more humane and relatively painless ways she could have accomplished that. She became his
martyr
, Lane,” Aiden explained. “He isn’t going to come in here like Burgess and let you shoot him. He was willing to wait for years in prison to put his plan in motion and to get to me. He uses fire to kill people and he doesn’t have to be near them for it to happen,” he said and he could see the awareness as it burst upon Lane. “He’s already showed us, he can burn anything down. A house of glass and brick won’t be a problem. He’ll burn us alive and all of your guns, tasers and pepper spray won’t be able to save us,” Aiden said and Lane shook his head.

“No, he won’t,” Lane promised. “We’re smarter and we know he’s coming,” he said and Aiden shut his eyes and tried to absorb Lane’s words and certainty.

“I hope you’re right,” Aiden murmured. “I made it very clear that I wasn’t in love with him and that didn’t go very well for the last guy.”

Chapter 20

“What the fuck is going on?” Aiden whispered as he stared at the screen and Lane shook his head in stunned disbelief as yet another channel’s news coverage bizarrely kept a clock until the first Langley sighting. Excited reporters interviewed hysterical witnesses, people in
I Love Langley
t-shirts cheered and there was footage of one woman crying as she waved a picture of Langley at the camera.

“This is insane,” Lane said as he watched a dozen girls with flames painted on their faces blow kisses.

“Are they requesting he set them on fire? I think he would, if given a chance,” Aiden said and Lane shrugged.

“I have no idea anymore,” he admitted. “What do you want to do?” Lane asked as he reached for the remote. He turned the TV off and Aiden continued to stare for several moments before he shook his head to clear it.

“I should hold a press conference. Someone needs to remind the world that he’s killed people and people are in serious danger as long as Langley is free,” Aiden said and Lane nodded.

“It shouldn’t be that hard,” he mumbled as he looked over his shoulder at the miles of vans and the rows of tents in front of the house. The police kept the cameras from getting too close to the house and Lane hastily put up curtains around most of the rooms to give them more privacy. “If you think that’s the best move, it’s completely up to you,” Lane said. He had no idea what their next move should be. He didn’t know if a press conference would blow up in their face or if it would make Langley worse. Maybe Aiden could snap everyone out of it by clearly stating the obvious and reminding them of the facts and victims. The only thing they had going for them at the moment was that the overwhelming amount of media around the house made it difficult and risky for Langley to make a move against them.

“I’ll have a press conference. I need a few days to decide what I want to say first,” he said and Lane nodded again.

“If you think that’s best,” he said and Aiden frowned at him.

“Do you?” He asked and Lane shrugged.

“Fuck if I know,” he admitted. “None of this makes any sense to me.”