At hearing his name, Joshua’s head shot up, the fear in his eyes something Frank would never forget. Relief quickly followed, and Joshua ran to the door.
“Frank! The door won’t open!”
“I’m going to get you out of there,” Frank promised.
“You shouldn’t lie to him, Frank.”
Fury filled him as he spun toward Ross. “What the hell did you do? Open this door, right now!”
Ross’s laugh sounded unhinged.
Frank remembered his training. As much as it killed him, he had to approach this the way he would have when he was still part of Fire Rescue. He slowly held his hands up in front of him.
“Troy, I’m sorry for what happened to you. I never wanted this. Please, let me help you.”
“How are you going to do that, Frank? Are you going to recover my business? All my clients? What about my house? You going to kick out the asshole that lives there now? How exactly are you going to help me?”
“We can discuss this, get you help. You’ve been through a lot.” To Frank’s left he could hear Joshua coughing. He didn’t have long before the fire spread, and he had even less time before the smoke would damage Joshua’s lungs, then kill him. “Troy, you can still turn this around. Joshua didn’t hurt anyone. Whatever revenge you want, I’m right here, but leave Joshua out of this.”
Ross appeared to think about it, then shrugged. “Nah, I think I’m going to watch you watch your boyfriend die and your precious club go up in flames. A very apropos ending, don’t you think?”
The police and fire department had been called and were most likely on their way, but Joshua didn’t have that much time.
“Frank!”
Frank put his hand to the door beside the window where he could meet Joshua’s gaze. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I’m sorry I hurt you. It’s going to be okay. You’re going to be okay.”
Joshua’s eyes widened, and he shook his head. “Frank, don’t. Please.”
Frank turned to face Ross. He ignored Joshua’s hoarse pleading and the way he slammed his hands on the door to get Frank’s attention.
“I won’t let you hurt him.”
“Nothing you can do.”
Frank started removing his suit jacket.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Everything happened in a heartbeat. Frank tossed his jacket in Ross’s face and lunged, grabbing the gun with his left hand and punching the guy across the face with his right. The gun went off, a searing pain in his side making Frank cry out, but he didn’t let go of the gun. They struggled, and Frank could feel the blood soaking through his shirt. He punched Ross again, and the gun went off a second time. This time, Ross crumbled to the ground, blood pooling beneath his head.
Snatching the gun up off the floor, he placed his left hand to his side and hurried to the door. “Stand back!”
Joshua ran to the corner of the room, and Frank shot at the lock. It didn’t help that the bastard must have somehow sealed parts of the door. Tossing the gun on the floor, Frank inhaled deeply, fortified himself, and slammed his good side into the door.
“Frank!”
The door creaked but didn’t open. He did it again, crying out when his wound tore a little more.
“Frank, stop!”
No way. Instead, Frank slammed into the door over and over until the thing splintered and swung open. Joshua ran to his side in time to stop Frank from hitting the floor.
“Oh my God, he shot you!”
“We need to get out of here,” Frank murmured. In the distance he heard shouting and barking. He smiled as Joshua slipped an arm around his waist. They hurried out of the back rooms just as the fire crew arrived. Joshua told them about Ross on the floor in the back. Outside, Frank welcomed the brisk winter air. He closed his eyes, brushed his lips over Joshua’s brow, and murmured quietly, “You’re my love dove.”
“What?” Joshua asked, bemused. “Frank? Frank!”
It was all Frank heard before the darkness came for him.
Eight
Three weeks later.
“It looks amazing.” Joshua stood by the VIP section and stared at the gorgeous display of winter out in the club—from the huge sparkling snowflakes and clear baubles filled with glitter in Sapphire Sands’ signature blue that hung from the ceiling, to the faux ice sculptures of frolicking reindeer and white trees with twinkling white lights. The whole thing was magical, like something out of a winter fairy tale.
“Thanks to you,” Frank said, wrapping his arms around Joshua from behind. Joshua turned in his arms and smiled up at him. To think how close he’d come to losing Frank.
Being trapped in that room engulfed in flames, with no way to get out, had been the first most terrifying moment of his life. Seeing Frank bleeding out after Troy shot him had been the second. Thankfully, it had been a clean shot, the bullet having gone straight through, away from any vital organ. Frank had been lucky. He’d also been questioned over Troy’s death by the same asshole detective who’d raided the club. The detective had tried to make it sound like Frank’s prejudice against men like Troy had led to the shooting. Frank’s lawyer and Ward Kingston had stepped in and eviscerated the guy, who’d made the mistake of letting slip more than one derogatory remark against Frank’s sexuality and ethnicity. He’d be lucky to still have job by the time Frank was done with him.
Once Joshua was sure Frank was okay, he’d lost his shit. Frank had listened to Joshua rant and rave about how he could have died, then promptly told Joshua it had been worth it. Then he laid a truth bomb on Joshua that made his knees weak, and his heart immediately surrendered.
They’d talked, Frank promised to take his recovery seriously, Joshua kissed him, and Frank had passed out from the meds they were giving him.
“I thought you were going to take a nap,” Joshua said, eyebrow arched.
Frank wrinkled his nose. “I got bored.”
“The agreement was, you could be here tonight if you took it easy.” He gave his boyfriend a pointed look, which clearly wasn’t intimidating in the least since Frank merely chuckled.
“I will nap. I promise. First, I want a dance with you.”
Joshua eyed him. “Did you forget you’re still in recovery from having been shot?”
“Believe me, I haven’t forgotten.” Frank brushed his lips over Joshua’s. “I also haven’t forgotten my promise to you.”
Joshua couldn’t help but smile against Frank’s lips. “I might need a little reminder. First tell me what you said before your promise.”
With a soft laugh, Frank cupped Joshua’s face, brushing his thumb over Joshua’s cheek. “You mean how I was a fool for letting you walk away? How I was scared because for the first time I was falling in love with someone who held so much power over me? That?”
Joshua met Frank’s gaze and sighed dreamily. “Yeah, that.”
“I’m falling hard for you, Joshua. Have been from the day we met. You’re amazing, beautiful, and I like who I am when I’m with you.”
Joshua’s smile couldn’t get any bigger. “I feel the same about you, Frank. That day we met, when you opened your arms to me, my heart was yours.” He slipped his arms around Frank’s neck and kissed him, laughing against his lips at the cheers and catcalls from their friends at the table behind them.