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  Autumn realized as soon as she finished rolling her eyes at the maddening man that it was an unwise move. He instantly went from playful boyfriend to annoyed Dom, and when she saw him reach for the drawer that held the kitchen utensils, the apologies fell from her mouth. "I'm sorry, Sir. I didn't mean to. They just rolled."

  "Now, pet, an apology should never be followed by an excuse." He pulled a wooden spoon from the drawer before he strode over to the sliding glass door that separated the two of them from the rest of the people and flipped the lock. "I am offering you some privacy this time because I know you are not ready to be on display in front of your coworkers, but know this... this will be the only time you are allowed this luxury."

  "Sir, I—" Her plea was cut short by the sound of the spoon landing sharply upon Leland's thigh.

  "Shit! Okay, so not that hard," he mumbled to himself as he rubbed his leg to alleviate the sting caused by his self-inflicted swat. He tested the implement once more, and obviously happy with it, he turned back to Autumn. "Turn around. Shorts and panties down. Hands on the counter. Butt out. This is also the only time I will allow you any privacy when baring yourself for punishment. Say 'thank you, Sir' and do as I ask, please."

  "Thank you, Sir," Autumn croaked before she turned to face the counter. Her hands shook as she tried to work the button from its tight hole. She was not scared but nervous. This was the first time Leland had actually gone through the whole production of disciplining her. She knew the few random swats before then were going to be nothing like what she was in for in a few short moments. If she could ever get her damn shorts down.

  Finally, the button slipped free, and the zipper slid down easily. She pushed her thumbs into the side of her shorts, and taking a wobbly breath, she shoved them past her hips so they could pool around her ankles. Her lacy pale blue boy shorts quickly joined the pile of fabric tangled at her feet. She had attempted and failed a deep calming breath before she grasped the edge of the counter.

  "Bottom out," Leland commanded as he rubbed his hand up and down her back in a soothing manner. "Your hands are to stay on the counter, understand? I do not want to have to worry about hitting your fingers. Your ass can take this punishment without any lasting damage; your fingers cannot." As soon as he finished talking and received the required answer from Autumn, he shifted to her left side and placed the spoon on her bottom. The smooth wood was drawn across her skin in small circles. When he lifted the spoon in preparation for the first strike, she jumped. "Easy, pet. I haven't started yet."

  Just as Autumn relaxed and let out a lungful of air, the spoon bounced off her left cheek. "Ow! Son of a—"

  "Don't you dare finish that statement," Leland scolded without letting up on his back and forth assault on her bottom. "I do not appreciate swearing from my sub in everyday conversation, so I would discourage cursing while you are already in trouble and I have you in such a prime position to correct that unwise choice."

  It didn't take long for Autumn to wiggle and dance in place, trying to alleviate some of the stinging pain the horrid wooden implement left in its wake. She realized quickly that rising up on her toes in an attempt to get away from his relentless assault on her posterior was a foolish idea. It was no skin off his nose if his swats landed on the well-padded curve of her bottom or the tender crease where her thighs met her globes. However, it only took one spank to her delicate sit spot for her to decide it mattered to her very much. "Oh, my God!" she wailed as she planted her feet flat on the floor.

  "If you would have stayed still, my spoon would have landed where I intended. Doesn't feel too good when you move and I miss my mark does it, princess?"

  "No, Sir," Autumn cried just as he switched up the rhythm, causing her to lose track of where he would strike next. "I'm sorry, Sir! I won't roll my eyes again. I promise!"

  When his assault on her backside continued, she gave in to her fate and rested her head on the counter, her resistance all but spanked out of her. He landed about a dozen more before she heard the spoon clatter to the floor and she was turned and gathered in Leland's arms. That was when the dam holding her emotions at bay broke. "I'm sorry I rolled my eyes, Sir, and that I'm such a blubbering mess."

  "A few tears never hurt anyone. You're okay, princess. Just let me hold you."

  Chapter 6

  "Everyone is staring at me," Autumn complained as the couple rejoined the people on the deck.

  "They are not staring at you. In fact, everyone is being extremely polite and acting like they didn't just hear every swat and resulting squeal as my favorite spanking spoon met your ass repeatedly." Autumn's stopped in her tracks, and her mouth dropped open at his bluntness.

  "You'd better shut your mouth before he decides to put it to good use," Sierra cautioned as she ran past them and into the house.

  "She is not kidding," Tabitha teased as she pushed on the bottom of Autumn's chin, gently pushing her jaw shut. She smiled at Leland as she continued. "He has done it before, many times. Bitten a few times for his efforts if I recall correctly."

  Tabitha was a thin, tall woman, but her small frame clearly held strength and confidence. Her long hair was a dirty blonde color, and the lines starting to form at the corners of her eyes showed she was quick to smile. Autumn instantly liked her.

  A chill visibly ran through Leland's body before he spoke. "I am not going to validate that comment with a response. I am guessing that you are taking my little sister with you later tonight?"

  "That was what I was coming over to tell you. She has convinced me to let her have one s'more before we leave, but as soon as she is done burning her marshmallow to a crisp, we are leaving for her apartment. I haven't told her yet, but Mason's plane lands here at six tomorrow morning, and we are going to pick him up."

  "Didn't want to pick up the grouchy old man by yourself, did you?"

  "Of course not! That man hates traveling, and having her with me will save me from His Almighty Grumpiness. For a while anyway."

  Leland laughed. "Good luck with that. She will shove you at him in a second in order to save herself, and you know it. You also know you don't have to tell me you are taking my sister with you, right?"

  "Of course, I have to tell you. She is your little sister, and after the last time she snuck away, I am not taking any chances."

  Just then, a blonde with two high pigtails and a huge, obnoxiously bright tutu around her waist trotted up the stairs directly to Zander. As soon as she was within arm's reach, he grabbed her waist and lifted her high above his head before turning his back to the crowd and settling her on top of the railing with her arms wrapped around his neck. The maneuver was clearly an exaggerated display of happiness. "I missed you, Papa!"

  Leland turned to Tabitha with a meaningful expression on his face. Whatever he was trying to communicate to her was not shared quickly enough because as soon as Tabitha turned to go inside, Sierra skipped out to the deck, stopping suddenly when her eyes landed on the new arrival.

  The strangled, "Daddy," that slipped from Sierra's lips forced Autumn's stomach to drop to her toes; she was at her friend's side and had her gathered in her arms before anyone else moved. When Sierra crumpled to her knees, Autumn went with her, impervious to the pressure the new position put on her sore bottom. Her friend needed her.

  They were a crumpled heap of body parts for only a few seconds before Leland untangled the two of them, slipped his arms under his sister and carried her back into the house. Tabitha rushed past her, leaving Autumn where she was.

  "Go with them," Kevin said as he helped her from the ground and gave her a nudge toward the door.

  "But they have it handled. They will help her." Uncertainty welled up inside her.

  "Sub, I am telling you to go with them. Sierra is not the only one who needs a little extra strength right now."

  A glance toward Liv gave her the reassurance she had needed before she did as Kevin directed. When she finally reached the living room, Sierra was on the sofa next to Tabitha, her
head in the older woman's lap.

  "Why? He said he loved me!"

  "I am going to kick his ass," Leland growled as he stomped toward the door.

  Autumn had to sprint to cut him off before he got outside and did exactly as he said he would. "Leland, you can't do that!" She tried to reason with the protective big brother in front of her, even as the need to scream at Zander and scratch the unknown woman's eyes out settled like a stone in the pit of her stomach.

  "I am not going to let that douchebag be an asshole and break my sister's heart. Fire brother or not, my fist is going to meet his face. Move, sub." He actually growled at her, his voice the deepest she had ever heard. When she didn't do as he demanded, he seized her waist, physically picked her up and moved her to the side before attempting to storm past her.

  She went to her tiptoes and grasped the collar of his shirt as tightly as she could, refusing to let go. The glare he shot her way should have killed her on the spot, but she pushed forward. "She loves him, Lee, and if you go out there swinging, you are not going to accomplish anything. She will only resent you for hurting him. Sierra does not need you to beat up every guy who breaks her heart; she needs you to help comfort her."

  Leland visibly deflated then rubbed his hand across his face and pried Autumn's fingers from his garment. "You made your point, princess. You can let go now." He planted a kiss on her lips before taking her hand and leading her back to living room. "Tabitha, I think you'd better let her in on your surprise."

  "I don't want a surprise!"

  "Not even a surprise that involves picking up Mason from the airport tomorrow?" Tabitha dangled the proverbial carrot in front of Sierra.

  Sierra picked her head up from Tabitha's lap. "Mason? You said he was busy with work."

  "Yes. I wasn't going to tell you until morning, but his plane gets in at six, and we are going to pick him up."

  A repulsed expression crossed Sierra's face. "Six in the morning?"

  "Afraid so."

  Sierra groaned. "He is going to be so grouchy that early in the morning."

  Everyone laughed as Tabitha helped the smaller woman off her lap and stood before taking her hand. "Let's go, lovely. We will both need a good night's sleep to deal with the bear in the morning."

  Leland turned to Autumn. "I am going to escort them out. I saw that Kevin and Liv had rejoined the group. Go hang out with them and I will be there shortly." He softened his command with a kiss to her forehead as he turned to follow his sister out of the house.

  Autumn navigated her way through the throng of people on the deck to the table where Liv and Kevin were sitting. "I told you that others were going to need your support and strength. Good job, sub."

  "How did you know he would react that way?"

  "I had hoped he wouldn't, but I know what it's like to have your little sister hurting and you can't do anything about it."

  "I didn't think I would be able to stop him."

  Kevin laughed. "We were ready for him out here. If you were unable to stop him, he would have been hog-tied before he got anywhere near Zander." Kevin tipped his head toward a man who was coiling up a length of rope.

  "I would have paid to see that," Liv snorted as she tried unsuccessfully to hide her smile.

  Chapter 7

  "Meeting. Great room. Ten minutes," the chief ordered as he strode past Autumn and Liv, landing a hard swat on his wife's bottom as he went. "You. Go lie down in my office."

  "Don't be silly."

  Kevin turned around, continuing his journey backward. "You are about to fall asleep on your feet. Go lie down."

  Liv laughed. "I am a nurse. The only way we know how to sleep is on our feet."

  Kevin stopped dead in his tracks. "Are you arguing with me, sub?"

  Olivia took a cautionary step back. "Sir?"

  "Olivia."

  "I wasn't. I didn't intend to actually disobey you. I was teasing."

  In two steps, he had her in his arms. "I'm sorry, love. I know you're not trying to be difficult. There is some shit going on, and I took it out on you. I'm sorry." Liv winked at Autumn, clearly pleased with herself. "You were in the clear, but that was before you insinuated that you had me wrapped around your finger with that little wink of yours."

  "How did you—" Olivia started.

  "I have my ways. Now, march." He smacked her on the ass to get her moving and threw his comment over his shoulder as he followed his scampering wife. "Meeting in the great room. Fifteen minutes."

  "Really, how did you know I winked at Autumn?" Olivia questioned as they ambled into the office.

  "You just told me."

  The last thing Autumn heard before the door to the office shut behind the couple was a grumble from Liv at the realization she had just ratted herself out set in.

  "Is it just me or was that a really long ten minutes?" Zander harassed the chief as he strolled into the room twenty minutes later.

  "What can I say? My wife needed me." Kevin allowed the men a few minutes of laughter at his expense then cleared his throat and called for order. "Okay, people, I am sure you are wondering why I called this meeting."

  "And then forced us to wait."

  "We have a situation." Any remaining jesting stopped dead as soon as the words registered. "As you may have noticed, we have had a good-sized fire every week for the past three weeks, and all of them have been on our shift. The fire marshal doesn't think it is a coincidence."

  "How come?"

  "Mason has received some letters. He didn't realize it at first because the letters started out as praising him for a job well done. Then he saw the pattern."

  "A pattern?" one of the guys questioned from behind Autumn.

  "Three days before every fire, he receives a letter. He didn't notice initially because the first one came the day after B shift had their car fire. He wrongly assumed that was the fire they were referring to. The second letter briefly referred to the lack of media coverage but continued the admiration of a job well done. The most recent letter was completely different. It seems our arsonist doesn't like that his work is being ignored for 'bigger' stories."

  "That's dangerous," Leland commented before he put his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.

  "Exactly, which is why I called this meeting. I need each one of you to be on the alert. He or she is no longer content with just setting some vacant buildings on fire. The arsonist has threatened to move to residential buildings." The whispered moans of annoyance echoed through the room. "This is why I need you all on alert. They are going to beef up the police who are present at our scenes, but more units and flashing lights will draw more spectators, especially if he follows through on his threat to move to a residential area. We all know the profile of an arsonist. They do not start the fire and run. They almost always stay to watch the action play out. So, while you are being aware, let me or a PD unit know if you think you recognize someone from one of our past fires or see something out of place."

  "When was the last time Mason got a letter?" Autumn questioned, fearing she already knew the answer to her question.

  "Three days ago."

  "Fuck." Autumn's curse joined the chorus of profanity from nearly everyone else in the room. The only difference was that no one else received a sharp pinch to the thigh when the person next to them heard the swear. When she jumped, some of the annoyed moans and grumbles turned into amused chuckles as it became apparent to those closest to the couple what had happened.

  Leland leaned over to whisper in her ear, "You just earned yourself your first at work spanking. Congratulations."

  "You are going to spank me for swearing when everyone else, including you, said and is feeling the same thing I am?" Her whispered reply was a little harsher than she intended.

  "Watch the tone, and if you had said any word other than that word, I would have let it slide. I hate hearing that word, especially from your mouth."

  "I ask you to fuck me all the time, and you have yet to whack me for that."r />
  "You know that is different."

  "If you two have finished squabbling," Kevin interjected, thankfully keeping Autumn from digging herself deeper.

  Leland had the decency to blush for a second before a shit-eating grin split his handsome face in two. "Sorry, Chief."

  "So we are going to have a fire tonight?"

  "If he sticks with his pattern, yes." Autumn selected a different swear word to emphasize her emotions this time, and her reward was a tender squeeze of her knee. "If he continues to follow his pattern, then the fire will be called between the hours of midnight and four in the morning. So, get some sleep while you can and cross your fingers that he will change his mind about involving pedestrians. Dismissed."

  Autumn was out of her seat in a second.

  "Stop." Leland waited until his mouth was by her ear to give the next directions, "Kevin asked to talk to me after the meeting. I need you to go all the way to the back of the repair closet. Push past the last rack of bunkers, and there is some vacant space behind it. I want to find you there kneeling in front of the shelves. I will be there as soon as I'm done speaking with him. Go."

  "Yes, Sir."

  "Good girl." Who knew those two little words could put a smile on her face and make her belly flop?

  When she swung the door to the repair closet open, the thick smell of smoke assaulted her senses. She stepped into the long room and started making her way to the back. The first half of the room was relatively organized. Bunker gear hung on hooks waiting to be fixed while SCBA replacement pieces lined the shelves, but that was where the organization ended. As soon as she passed the halfway mark, the floor became littered with everything imaginable. She found shattered facemasks, a broken frying pan, and even a boot with an ax blade embedded in the toe.

  She navigated her way through the discarded equipment to the final row of old dusty bunker coats hung neatly in a line. She forced her way between a couple of the coats and stepped into the vacant space behind them.