Hearts on Fire 9: Her Shadows of Light (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  Hearts on Fire 9: Her Shadows of Light

  Brighid Murphy is trying to establish a steady income and career at an insurance company. It's the last weekend to party with friends. They meet a group of hot, sexy firefighters from a bachelor party at the hotel where she and her friends are staying. They all hit it off, but apparently she can't handle the multiple shots of tequila or the sexy appeal of two very hot firefighters. How did she wind up in bed with two brothers? She's not sticking around to find out. In a panic after the best night of sex she's ever had, she sneaks away with hopes of keeping her dirty little secret from everyone.

  Later, when she's back to work and reality, she can't stop thinking about Rusty and Reece. They were perfect in so many ways. But she's got bigger problems. Her bosses are being harassed by someone and the detective and cop who show up to investigate are so sexy and appealing they have her thinking she's some sex-crazed adventurer on the prowl for another night of bliss.

  Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Romantic Suspense

  Length: 47,177 words

  HEARTS ON FIRE 9:

  HER SHADOWS OF LIGHT

  DIXIE LYNN DWYER

  MENAGE EVERLASTING

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  ABOUT THE E-BOOK YOU HAVE PURCHASED: Your non-refundable purchase of this e-book allows you to only ONE LEGAL copy for your own personal reading on your own personal computer or device. You do not have resell or distribution rights without the prior written permission of both the publisher and the copyright owner of this book. This book cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload to a file sharing peer to peer program, for free or for a fee, or as a prize in any contest. Such action is illegal and in violation of the U.S. Copyright Law. Distribution of this e-book, in whole or in part, online, offline, in print or in any way or any other method currently known or yet to be invented, is forbidden. If you do not want this book anymore, you must delete it from your computer.

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  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting

  HEARTS ON FIRE 9: HER SHADOWS OF LIGHT

  Copyright © 2015 by Dixie Lynn Dwyer

  E-book ISBN: 978-1-63259-916-2

  First E-book Publication: November 2015

  Cover design by Les Byerley

  All art and logo copyright © 2015 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  Letter to Readers

  Dear Readers,

  If you have purchased this copy of Hearts on Fire 9: Her Shadows of Light by Dixie Lynn Dwyer from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

  Regarding E-book Piracy

  This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book.

  The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment.

  This is Dixie Lynn Dwyer’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Dixie Lynn Dwyer’s right to earn a living from her work.

  Amanda Hilton, Publisher

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  www.BookStrand.com

  DEDICATION

  Dear readers,

  Thank you for purchasing this legal copy of Her Shadows of Light.

  Brighid is a strong, independent woman, but following her gut instincts takes practice and a new mindset to trust in. Learning to follow her gut, to be honest with her emotions can either make or break the relationship with the four new men in her life.

  May you enjoy Brighid’s story as she does things the hard way and risks just about everything to ensure her lovers are safe, and they can move on with life together.

  Happy Reading,

  Hugs!

  ~Dixie~

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  HEARTS ON FIRE 9:

  HER SHADOWS OF LIGHT

  DIXIE LYNN DWYER

  Copyright © 2015

  Prologue

  “We call you when we need your services. You don’t call us and demand more work. You don’t like it, then tough. We need to make this move and slow down so more red flags don’t pop up,” Lenny told him over the phone.

  “Those red flags aren’t my fault. They’re yours,” Stark replied.

  “Mine? I don’t think so, guy. No one was supposed to get killed. The old lady was supposed to live. You fucked up, and we need to make some changes. Now don’t call me again. I’ll call you when I need another job done,” Lenny said to him and then hung up.

  Stark was pissed off. When he’d first started working for Lenny, things had been different. They knew to never ask his name or to meet in person. Once he performed a few small jobs for them, they’d started giving him bigger ones. It was all good, and it helped him deal with his anger, his obsession.

  He clenched his teeth. Why did Lucie have to be such a nag? Why had she walked in on him talking about that next job? Why had she been nagging him about getting engaged and getting married? That wasn’t what he wanted. Years ago he’d thought that was what his future would entail, but given the circumstances of his childhood and the evaluations the doctors had come up with, it seemed he wasn’t normal.

  It hadn’t taken much to silence Lucie’s threats of going to the police and reporting him as an arsonist. Killing her so easily made him feel powerful, whole, and on the top of his game. He’d stared at the flame as he lit the match, holding it against the wall as the sunlight penetrated through the window. It didn’t cause a shadow of the flame to appear.

  He found that to be so interesting. He’d inhaled the scent of burning wood and tossed the match into the fire he’d started. His mind no longer obsessed over his loss or over the several other women who had become his symbols. They were gone. Dead. Worthless to anyone now, especially to him. They’d served their purpose by serving him, by lying on the table, begging for mercy, and ultimately begging for death.

  That somber, gut-wrenching emotion of killing Lucie and the other women, women he believed could be his hold on sanity, had now been replaced by something even greater. It was the adrenaline rush, the soulful, magical power of fire. The need for his talent, his capability, brough
t him things he’d never thought he would ever be able to have. Money, meaning, power, and all because of the ability to make fire that destroyed. Fire that annihilated everything, every ounce of evidence, every possible culprit or fingerprint, footstep, creation that he made in order to succeed. He was a fire starter, a paid arsonist, for lack of a more suitable title. He wasn’t a loser, a psychologically imbalanced threat to society as the doctors all tried to label him. No. He was more than they gave him credit for, and that was why they all suffered, too. But he didn’t mind those memories and hurtful reminders of the past anymore because the trick was on them, not him.

  The others, the ones seeking to manipulate the system and get filthy rich by breaking the law, bought into his practice, his capabilities, and they made money, too. He wanted more. He desired more, and them moving their business wouldn’t stop him. He sought something with even greater meaning and feelings of accomplishment. He took every job Lenny and Ray gave to him because he was searching for that missing aspect. Even setting this latest fire and causing the death of the older woman could have been avoided, but he was seeking that urge, that itch. Her dying didn’t do a thing for his needs and desires. In fact, it made him think about what could replace that empty gap or fill it. How would he know what it was? What if he missed it?

  He rocked back and forth in his chair and reached out to press the key on the laptop. He loved reading inspirational quotes, even sayings from the Bible that he felt reflected what was in his mind or his agenda. Today was no different, just that the urge for more was beginning to really eat at his insides.

  The words appeared on the computer screen. His power, his direction, his motivation. He wasn’t a monster. He wasn’t evil per se. He was highly motivated to feel, to succeed in being one with the light and no longer a shadow, a mere presence taking up space. He wanted to feel renewed, alive, all powerful, and have meaning.

  He continued to rock back and forth as he scanned the words and felt their energy, their meaning to his heart.

  “The Bible says, ‘God is Light, in him there is no darkness at all.’ 1 John 1:5.

  “I am a prophet of God, and fire is my weapon to lay down an assault on those who stand in the way of my greatness. I shall battle through the fires of hell to find what is missing and what is mine. It’s out there. I just need to keep the light burning bright so that it can find me or I can find it.”

  Chapter 1

  Brighid Murphy was laughing along with her friends Jenny and Anna as they stood by the crowded bar. It was nearly eleven when a group of strapping, sexy guys entered the bar lounge. At least ten invaded the place, catching the attention of not only her and her other friends but also that of every female with clear enough vision to see they were eye candy and a half. She actually felt her body react to the good-looking men.

  “Holy shit, look at that guy’s ass in those jeans and all those muscles on his arms. Someone get me some ice. I feel a hot flash coming over me big time.” Anna waved her hand in front of her face, fanning herself.

  “I’ll take three of those and maybe a fourth. I’m feeling extra special tonight,” Jenny said to the bartender, who chuckled and then set out three shots of tequila for them.

  “Oh no, I don’t think I should. I have work Monday, and I’ll need more then Saturday and Sunday to recover.” Brighid glanced at the men who’d walked in and were now moving closer toward the bar and all the ladies hanging around it.

  The bachelorette party had been sort of lame, especially since the bride-to-be only lasted an hour and got so drunk she had to be carried to her room. At least the party still continued, and it was the maid of honor who had to babysit, not them. Brighid wasn’t even friends with the woman. Jenny was, but Jenny hated most of the crowd so she’d dragged Brighid and Anna along to enjoy the night.

  “Good evening, ladies, could we squeeze in here to grab a few beers?” one deep, sexy voice said over Brighid’s shoulder. As she turned to look up, way up, she locked gazes with one hell of a sexy man. He had dark hair and big brown eyes, and he seemed really intrigued by her lips, if how he stared at them was any indication.

  “Sure thing, doll. You can sit on my lap if you need a spot.” Jenny winked.

  He chuckled, and so did his buddy, who eased right next to Brighid on her other side, moving her friends out of the way. But Jenny and Anna didn’t seem to care, as a few other men joined them and began conversing.

  “Two Heinekens please,” one guy asked the bartender. Then he looked back at her.

  “What’s your name?” he asked.

  “Brighid.”

  “I’m Rusty, and this is my brother, Reece.”

  He stuck out his hand for her to shake. She reached out, and when their hands touched, his eyes widened and she felt something, a low, trembling hum of awareness, an instant attraction. She pulled her hand back, and his brother smiled as he checked her out. He reached his hand out, held her gaze, and gave her the once-over as she shook his hand.

  “You live around here?” Reece asked her.

  She was mesmerized by Reece’s dark blue eyes and both the very intricate, black tattoo on his arm and the other colorful one on the inside of his wrist.

  “No, just attending a bachelorette party with some friends.”

  “Not yours, I hope,” Rusty teased and winked then passed the beer bottle to his brother before taking a sip from his own.

  She felt her cheeks warm. He was pretty flirty. “Not me. I actually don’t even know the bride to be. My friends dragged me along. How about you? Do you two brothers live around here?”

  For some reason, as she looked from one brother to the other, she imagined what it would be like to be squeezed between them, with both men touching her at once. A ménage encounter was something she’d fantasized about, but it was more out of the desire to have a man or men that would really care about her and not just want to fuck her because of her body. She worked out a lot, and she had a sexy figure. Getting dates wasn’t the problem. It was accepting them, needing more than just a sexual encounter. She’d had three separate lovers over the years, and none of them had really done it for her. The need for more, to feel a depth she’d only read about, ruled her mind and her decision to stop dating for a while.

  Why was she thinking about this right now and with these two brothers?

  She knew why, because her friends had been hounding her to have a great time tonight, to forget about the past and the fact that she was transferring to a new job location with the company she worked for. It hadn’t been what she expected, but her bosses, Lenny and Ray, said it was necessary. They offered her a great salary, full benefits, and flexible hours. Tonight was a last hurrah to let go and embrace the future and the professional career she had worked hard for.

  “We came out to visit some friends of ours. One of our buddies is getting married in a few months, but this is a pre-bachelor party,” Reece told her.

  “A pre-bachelor party? Never heard of such a thing.”

  She smiled as his brother Rusty moved closer to her. His body was lightly brushing against hers, and she couldn’t ignore the sexual energy vibrating between the three of them. Add in that cologne he was wearing and she was feeling aroused and attracted to both men. What the heck was going on?

  Rusty chuckled. “It was an excuse to come party and have some fun. We’re busy working all the time, so this weekend forced us to let loose a little.”

  “Sounds like you have demanding jobs. What do you two do for a living?”

  Reece smirked. “We’re firefighters, ma’am,” he said in a sexy, flirty tone that made her belly quiver. The nervousness made her chuckle.

  “Hey, hey, shots all around. Let’s do this!” one of their friends yelled, and Brighid looked at them and Jenny and Anna, who were practically hanging on the arms of the two guys.

  “I don’t think so,” Brighid said, thinking someone would have to help her friends get to the room.

  “Oh no you don’t. It’s your weekend to let
loose too, Miss Prim and Proper. Shots all around,” Jenny said, and the bartender lined them up.

  “Here you go, Miss Prim and Proper.” Rusty winked then began passing her one. She shook her head and smirked but took the shot glass. He and his brother took one too, and then the others counted to three and they all did the shots then cheered.

  “You didn’t even make a strange face. You like tequila?” Reece asked her as he placed his hand on the back of her chair.

  “I don’t dislike it. I’m really not a shot kind of person, but it has been a hell of a few weeks with work.”

  Then the bartender poured another round.

  By the fourth shot, she was starting to loosen up and so were Rusty and Reece.

  “Where do you work?” Reece asked, and she felt his hand begin to play with her hair as Rusty sat down on the bar stool next to her and placed his hand over her knee.

  “You’ve got gorgeous green eyes, sweetie. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such beautiful eyes.”

  His voice and their simultaneous touch were playing havoc on her body and her brain. She knew she shouldn’t tell them too much about herself, but they were so damn nice.

  “I work for an insurance firm. I’m heading out to New Orleans Monday morning for a new position.” She lied. She was heading an hour away to New Jersey and a town called Treasure Town, which was supposed to be awesome. Her bosses at the insurance firm had even hooked her up with a condo there near the beach. She had her bikinis all picked out and hoped to get a bit of sun in during the weekends.