Free Flashfire by Deborah Cooke

would be impressive.
    He’d checked the weather again, and it was still supposed to be clear. Of course, it was usually clear in Nevada at this time of year, which was why he’d scheduled a June date, but still—having the weather on his side was good.
    There were no snoops or paparazzi poking around the site. It was still a relative secret, which was good.
    He forced himself to exhale. He’d gotten that last detail on the car modification fixed to his satisfaction, after all.
    He wouldn’t think about how much extra he’d paid for the mechanic’s silence.
    Or that he’d beguiled the man, just to guarantee his word was kept.
    Preparations here at the site were going well. The foreman was excellent and his attention to detail was extreme. Lorenzo walked through the site again, reviewing a thousand details, and was pleased by their progress.
    The equipment had arrived for lowering the car into the hole and looked impressive, just as he had ordered it. The chains were large, and powerful in appearance. It was all too big and too much. The stainless steel would all have to be polished again, right before the show, but the sun shining on the polished metal would look good. The hole was massive and deep. Impressive.
    Lorenzo shook hands with the foreman and congratulated him on the near-completion of the job. He met with the security personnel, reviewing their duty roster, emphasizing that security must be complete.
    Even after all that, Lorenzo was agitated.
    Matters had been subdued at the house, which was good. His father had retired to his rooms, which meant one less confrontation for the day. The old man still hadn’t packed, but they would argue about that later.
    The employment agency, well aware of his needs, had sent a new couple as potential employees. Of course, no one knew that they’d soon be looking for employment again. Lorenzo made a mental note to ensure that they were compensated for their trouble. He had been pleased by the pair, especially as they’d been readily beguiled.
    He’d satisfied the firestorm. He knew it wasn’t burning anymore.
    The preparations would be made for the evening show already. His assistants were excellent.
    The incident with the woman and his dragon form should make for good publicity. Such coverage was always welcome before a big spectacle. If it didn’t appear in the news media tonight, he’d leak it through his usual channels so it would make the morning news. He made a mental note to check.
    The sex had been great.
    Unexpectedly great. He could have closed his eyes and relived every moment of it, but Lorenzo didn’t have time for such indulgences.
    The crystal was still gone, but so far, no one was attempting to collect it—or demand a due for him losing it. Would his luck hold until Saturday?
    Something else wasn’t right.
    Lorenzo reviewed his list again. He sat in the car and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, listening to the satisfying thrum of the engine. And that was when he knew.
    He sensed trouble approaching. He could smell the proximity of Erik Sorensson and knew that they would argue about the firestorm.
    Of course. It was inevitable.
    He hoped they wouldn’t argue about the crystal.
    Either way, they would argue on Lorenzo’s terms.
    Lorenzo hit the gas to leave the site of the scheduled spectacle. He loved how the engine roared and the car fishtailed in the red dust. It lunged for the road, the tires squealing as they gained traction on the asphalt. He glanced up and grinned, barely discerning the distant silhouette of a pewter dragon.
    Lorenzo floored the accelerator and the car raced toward the distant lights of Vegas.
    If Erik wanted to give him shit, he could work for it.
    And he could do it on Lorenzo’s turf.

    Cassie was relieved to step into the air-conditioned comfort of the hotel where she and Stacy were staying. She was even more glad to spot Stacy perched on a stool at the bar in the lobby. Her friend had a large pink drink in