Sparking the Fire by Kate Meader Page B

the way her ex bailed. Above all else, she wants stability for Roni. I’d just about convinced her that meeting you all was for the best when the next thing she sees are Luke’s fists plastered all over the Internet after he punches up a CPD detective in the family bar. Then America’s Favorite Firefighter is using the Jaws of Life as her primary method of communication in the video that’s at ten million hits and counting. Doesn’t exactly scream ‘stable home life.’ ”
    Alex was still fuming. “You mean she keeps our niece out of our lives— you keep our niece out of our lives—and it’s our fault?”
    Wyatt knew it was messed up, but he had been trying to work this out so no one would feel hard done by. Jen might not have moral right on her side, but she had legal. Her ex was at minimum emotionally, if not physically, abusive when he drank, and that history was her frame of reference for every decision regarding Roni. Seeing the Firefightin’ Dempseys, as they’d been scathingly nicknamed by the press, from the outside might give anyone pause.
    â€œShe’s her mother. Her guardian. Legally, we’re nothing.”
    Alex turned to Eli. “This woman pulls this stunt and we have no rights? How is that possible?”
    â€œHoney, Wyatt’s right, you have no standing here,” Eli said. “None of you do. Your brother’s been doing the best he can under the circumstances.”
    Aw. Shit.
    Awareness dawning, Alex puffed up. “You. Asshole. You knew about this.”
    â€œYes, I did,” Eli said, unfazed by Alex’s reaction. He’d been managing her temper for months now and he had no problems standing up to her and talking her down. “Wyatt didn’t tell me, but I had background checks run on you all before we started dating.”
    â€œOf course you did.” Alex was clearly ready to tear her fiancé a new one when Beck cut her off.
    â€œCould we hold off on the domestic drama for a sec and deal with the real issue here? We’ve just found out that we have family. Logan’s blood, our brother’s blood, is running through that girl’s veins, and now we have to make up to her the years she’s missed out on with the Dempseys.”
    Wyatt sent a look of immense gratitude to his brother. Thank God for Beck, who had always been the calm one—at least, outside of the ring. If Wyatt could win them over one by one . . .
    His eyes met Luke’s. They had gone through a lot together since their teens, brothers in every way that mattered. Wyatt had known the Dempsey he was closest to would not take it well, but he’d hoped to break it gently. Not that news like that was capable of being broken gently—or that Luke was capable of being reasonable about anything. And could Wyatt blame him? After Logan and Sean died nine years ago, the two eldest Dempseys had been faced with a choice. Both in the marines, one of them needed to leave and play Dempsey dad to the young ’uns, especially Gage, who was only sixteen at the time and would have been put in group care.
    Wyatt had failed the test, his grief over the loss of the two men who had shaped him so heart-crushing that he couldn’t bear to be around the rest of his family. Luke had stepped up, like always. Holding back this information about Logan’s girl was a punch to his brother’s gut. Right now? Luke’s expression was far from brotherly.
    And Wyatt had thought resisting the charms of Molly Cade would be his biggest challenge this summer.
    W ell, this was awkward. Of all the days to visit. If Molly hadn’t felt like an intruder before, this sure as hell took the cake.
    â€œCan I get you anything? Soda? Water?”
    Roni sat at the kitchen table, her body language shouting that she wanted to be anywhere but here. Dressed in black, and wearing what looked like a manga character on her tee, she rocked the