Free Through Fire (Portland, ME #3) by Freya Barker

ignoring the long forgotten pang of regret.
    I’m glad to see Ruby approach with three glasses and a bottle. A welcome distraction in more ways than one. “This okay?” she asks, holding up a full bottle of Gunnar’s prime collection. Both Ike and I chuckle, knowing he’d flip his lid if he knew.
    “Perfect,” Ike answers for me. “Tim here will replace it before Gunnar even knows it’s gone. Ouch!” He flinches when I elbow him in the ribs. Hard. “That hurt,” he adds unnecessarily.
    “Just leave it here, Ruby, and is it too late to get something from the kitchen for my brother? He hasn’t eaten yet.”
    Her eyes light up with interest when I mention my brother and with a quickly mumbled, “Of course,” and a hesitant smile, she disappears down the hallway.
    I’m still focused on the spot I saw her disappear, when Mark’s large frame blocks my view. “What were you staring at?” He wants to know when he takes his seat beside me. I dismiss his question with a shrug of my shoulders, as I crack the bottle and pour us all two fingers, but Ike is more than happy to oblige.
    “Your brother has developed an interesting fascination with Ruby,” he volunteers with a smile, eliciting a groan from me.
    “Who’s Ruby?” Mark turns to me with one eyebrow raised.
    Again Ike feels the need to answer. “The luscious brunette, about five foot nothing, who started a few months ago. Took a while, but I think he’s finally recognizing a rare treasure when he sees it.”
    “I have to see this woman,” my brother says, twisting around on his stool. I drop my chin down on my chest, exasperated, yet knowing when I’m outnumbered.
    “Here she is. Bringing you a plate,” Ike helpfully points out.
    “You?” Mark’s voice sounds surprised.
    A sharp intake of breath and the sound jof something breaking has me sharply snap up my head. Mark is half out of his seat, and Ruby has her hands clasped to her mouth, her face a sickly white. The plate with Mark’s dinner in pieces around her feet.
    “What the...” Before I have a chance to finish, Ruby whips around and tears out of the bar.

CHAPTER SEVEN
    R uby
    “Whoa. Where you running to twice in one day?”
    The voice belongs to Dino, against whose chest I bumped for the second time. This time, I can’t afford to let him hold me back. Struggling in his grip, I don’t register the footsteps behind me until two strong arms band around my waist and a voice sounds in my ear, “I’ve got you.”
    “You sure, man?” Dino asks, not sounding too sure himself, as I let myself go limp in the firm hold around my body.
    “Positive,” he answers, taking all of my weight when Dino slowly lets go of my arms.
    With my eyes closed and my head down, I let him shuffle me down the hall. I don’t open them until I hear a door click shut behind me and his voice whisper my name. “Ruby?”
    I’m in Gunnar’s office, and Tim is walking me over to the love seat where he pushes me down. Sliding down on his knees in front of me, he places his big hands firmly on my legs, keeping me tethered in place.
    “How do you know my brother?”
    I flinch at his question, but there is nothing but concern in his voice. No threat, no accusation, just concern and probably confusion. I’m confused too. “I don’t,” I whisper the truth.
    “But you recognized him. Hell, he recognized you.”
    “I know. I’ve seen him before. Just this weekend. He talked to me in the parking lot, when I was walking home. I thought...” I stop myself from telling Tim I ran from him, thinking perhaps they found me. “I was afraid,” I say instead.
    “Of Mark?” His disbelief cuts me and instead of answering, I just shrug.
    “But he’s a cop. He works for the Portland PD.”
    “He does?”
    I realize Tim probably expects that to alleviate my fear, but it does the opposite. My experience with the police has not been good, so that bit of news doesn’t instill a feeling of safety.
    Before either of us have a