Rescue Me Read online

  She took his free hand, led him over to their new sofa and pulled him down beside her. “I’ll be right here with you. No matter what happens.”

  He leaned over and kissed her. “For you. I’m doing this for you.”

  Martha didn’t care why he was doing it, only that he was. She held her breath and waited.

  • • •

  Frank was scared. He didn’t mind admitting it to himself. The last time he’d spoken with his parents was just hours after the first time he’d burst into flames. He glanced at Martha and she offered him an encouraging smile.

  He could do this. For her. He knew she expected everything to turn out okay but he was a realist. He’d walked out on them eighteen years ago and hadn’t contacted them since. He’d almost burned their house down and had inadvertently harmed his father all those years ago. To them, he was a monster.

  Better to get this over with so he could put it behind him. He found their number and made the call. He put it on speakerphone so Martha could hear. She deserved that much since she was the reason he was doing this.

  The phone rang once. Frank grew tenser. It rang again. On the third ring it was answered. The voice was male. “Hello.”

  “Hi.” Frank didn’t know what else to say.

  There was a long pause. “Frank?” There was so much disbelief in his father’s voice. “Is that really you?”

  He cleared his throat. “Yeah, it’s me.”

  Then his father did the one thing Frank had never expected. He began to cry.

  “I’m sorry,” he told the man who’d raised him, the man who’d shown him how to toss a football, to hit a baseball and to be a man. “I’m sorry,” he repeated. “Maybe I shouldn’t have called.”

  “Don’t hang up,” his father yelled.

  Frank heard his father bellow for his mother to pick up the extension in the bedroom. Then for the first time in years, he heard his mother. “Hello.”

  He swallowed hard, barely able to speak past the lump in his throat. “Hey, Mom.”

  “Frank Ian Ralph Ellis, is that you?”

  He winced. She only used all his names when he was in trouble. “Yeah, it’s me. I’m sorry.”

  His mother was crying now, but his father had found his voice again. “Where are you? How are you?”

  “I’m in Chicago. I’m good. I’m a fireman,” he added.

  “That’s dangerous, isn’t it?” The concern in his mother’s voice almost gutted him. He didn’t deserve it.

  “I’m careful and well-trained.” He paused and pushed forward. “And I have a thing with fire,” he reminded them.

  “Why did you run?” his father asked.

  Such a simple question but it hurt Frank to answer it. “I’d already injured you. I was afraid I’d do more damage if I stayed. I thought I was a monster.”

  Martha reached out and took his hand. He pulled her closer, needing her beside him.

  His mother gasped. “You are no such thing. You’re my son.”

  “And mine,” his dad seconded. “And you didn’t hurt me. Those minor burns were nothing compared to what I went through thinking you were injured. I want to see you.”

  His father’s demand made him smile. He knew Martha would tell him he’d got his stubbornness from his dad even though Harold Ellis wasn’t his birth father.

  “Yeah, I’d like that.” Talking was difficult and Frank blinked back tears. “Maybe you could come to Chicago for the wedding.”

  “You’re getting married?” his mother yelled. “Harold, our boy is getting married!”

  “I heard him, Jenna.”

  “I don’t deserve you.” The words poured from his heart. “I was so afraid of myself and of what you might think of me so I ran. I’m so sorry. You didn’t deserve that.”

  “You called and that’s all that matters.” Frank could tell his father was crying again. “We can catch a plane first thing tomorrow morning.”

  Frank glanced at Martha and she nodded. Not that he had any doubts. Tears streamed down her face but she was smiling. His love for her doubled at that moment and became a fierce burning in his heart and soul.

  “That would be great.”

  “Is she nice, Frank? The girl you’re marrying?” his mother asked.

  He smiled and touched Martha’s face. “Yeah, she’s pretty special, and I know you’ll like her.” He paused. “It’s Martha.”

  His mother gasped. “Our Martha?”

  “Yeah. It’s a long story but I rescued her from a fire.”

  “Oh, my goodness. Her parents never mentioned anything about it.” He could picture his mother frowning.

  “I wanted to tell you myself.”

  “We’ll be there sometime tomorrow,” his father promised.

  Frank gave him the address and felt a huge weight fall from his shoulders.

  “We love you,” his father told him. “No matter what. Whatever you need from us, we’re there.”

  A tear rolled down Frank’s face and he brushed it away. “Thanks. That means everything to me.”

  They talked for a few more minutes before signing off. He ended the call and tossed his phone onto the coffee table.

  “Frank Ian Ralph Ellis.” Martha smiled at him. “You do realize what your initials spell, don’t you.”

  Frank was stunned. He’d never really thought about it. As a kid, he’d done his best to forget his middle names. He’d never liked them. As an adult, he just hadn’t thought about it.

  Now he began to laugh. Martha chuckled and shook her head. He dragged her into his arms. “Now that you’ve had your way, I want to have mine.”

  She looped her arms around his neck. “And what do you want to do?”

  “Try out the new king-size bed.” He stood and carried her into their bedroom.

  Martha kissed his chin. “I’m so glad you rescued me.”

  He laid her on the bed and shook his head. “No, you’ve got it wrong. You’re the one who rescued me.” He went down beside her and kissed her.

  He was finally home.

  Books by N. J. Walters

  The Dalakis Passion Series

  Harker’s Journey

  Lucian’s Delight

  Stefan’s Salvation

  Eternal Brothers

  Endless Chase

  The Summersville Secrets Series

  Uncovering Annabelle

  Enticing Emma

  Lily’s List

  The Tapestries Series

  Christina’s Tapestry

  Bakra Bride

  Woven Dreams

  Threads of Destiny

  Embroidered Fantasies

  Fabric of Fate

  Strands of Love

  The Salvation Pack Series

  Wolf at the Door

  Wolf in her Bed

  Wolf on the Run

  Wolf from the Past

  Wolf on the Hunt

  The Hades’ Carnival Series

  Night of the Tiger

  Mark of the Bear

  Pride of the Lion

  Howl of the Wolf

  Heart of the Serpent

  Flame of the Phoenix

  Lure of the Jaguar

  The Spells, Secrets & Seductions Series

  A Touch of Magick

  Dreams of Seduction

  Love in Flames

  The Legacy Series

  Alexandra’s Legacy

  Isaiah’s Haven

  Legacy Found

  Quinn’s Quest

  Finding Chrissten

  Damek’s Redemption

  Craig’s Heat-Legacy

  The Jamesville Series

  Discovering Dani

  The Way Home

  The Return of Patrick O’Rourke

  The Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke

  A Legal Affair

  By the Book

  Past Promises

  The Gift of Shayla

  Rescue Me

  About the Author

  Once upon a time, N.J. had the id
ea that she would like to quit her job at the bookstore, sell everything she owned, leave her hometown, and write romance novels in a place where no one knew her. And she did. Two years later, she went back to the bookstore and her hometown and settled in for another seven years. One Friday morning she gave notice at her job; on Sunday afternoon, she received a tentative acceptance for her first romance novel, and her life has never been the same.

  N. J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Summersville Secrets series, the Legacy series, and the Salvation Pack series, among others. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

  You can visit N. J. at:

  Website: http://www.njwalters.com

  Blog: http://www.njwalters.blogspot.com

  Newsletter Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakeningdesires/

  Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/N.J.WaltersAuthor

  Twitter: https://twitter.com/njwaltersauthor

  Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/NJWalters