Page 62 of Playing With Fire

Do not tempt me to drive there right now and fuck you against a wall, Shannon. I’m hanging on by a thread. This is the longest edging of my life.

Shannon

I hope that changes soon.

And please be careful at the fire station. I guess it’s my turn to worry through a sleepless night.

Hudson

I always am. No need to worry. You need to rest. Talk to you Friday.

This state of being is the weirdest I’ve ever experienced. Shannon and I are not in any definable relationship, yet it’s her face, her words, her presence I crave more than any other. My friends don’t know her, my sister doesn’t know her. I can’t call her to tell her about my day. She has the power to completely destroy me, but if I died tomorrow, no one would think to call her and tell her.

The next three days are certainly going to blow, but at least I’ll be occupied tonight.

“Hud.You still with us? It’s your turn. Knox raised,” Phoenix says, gesturing to the poker table. I swear this thing gets more use than anything else in the fire station.

I throw my cards face-down on the tabletop, unable to concentrate. I really hope that alarm doesn’t sound tonight. Or maybe I wish it would. At least it would force me to think about something else for a while.

“You said her husband is an attorney,” Knox starts. “What kind?”

“Criminal defense,” I reply, watching the rest of the game play out.

“What’s his name?” Phoenix asks. Not like Phoe knows that many criminal defense attorneys, but I know the answer to his question, so I give it.

“Gregor Hartley.”

Jake’s head snaps to me as he starts coughing violently.

Knox is sitting on Jake’s other side and slams the heel of his hand down repeatedly on Jake’s back, trying to help him clear his airway until Jake finally pushes Knox away.

“Jesus, man, you’re gonna smack my spine through my sternum.” I can’t help but laugh as I remember our night out at the club when Knox punched Jake in the arm. Poor fella doesn’t know his own strength.

Knox just shrugs. “At least you’re breathing.”

Jake gives Knox a look that can only be described as the emoji with flat lines for the eyes and the mouth, before turning to look at me with panic now coating his features.

“Hud, Gregor Hartley is who replaced Ivan Driscoll as my dad’s attorney.” Almost as an afterthought he adds, “And I’m not exactly sure how that happened considering Hartley is a client of Ellington Wealth Management.”

The room spins for a second as I digest this information.

“He’s also the attorney that got the guy off that killed Will,” I tell the guys.

“Christ,” Knox breathes.

“Have you told your sister?” Jake asks.

“Yeah, I told her last night. It was received as well as could be expected,” I lament to my best friends.

“So let me get this straight,” Phoenix starts. “A regular affair wasn’t exciting enough? You had to find the wife of a prominent attorney who weallhave beef with and fuckhiswife? That’s badass, Hud. You’re my fucking hero.”

“First of all,” I clarify through gritted teeth, “I haven’t fucked her.”

Before I can continue my argument, Phoenix grins and interrupts me, “So, you’re telling me you haven’t touched her at all?”

“No, I’m not saying that,” I respond, rolling my eyes as he continues his onslaught of questions.

“Okay, so we’re talking semantics here. You’ve fucked her with your tongue or your fingers…either way, it still counts. It might even count twice if she got off.”