Read Online Created In Fire (Art of Love Series) by Donna McDonald - Free Book Online Page B

his entire family was assembled in the house for dinner just as they had been Friday night.
    All four parents were in the living room, and Shane was sitting in the kitchen with him.
    “How in the hell did you keep from hitting him back?” Shane asked, still having trouble believing his hot-tempered brother had passed up retaliating for a sucker punch.
    “Carrie was all but fainting. I had to catch her instead,” Michael said sardonically, counting out bills for the pizza that was going to show up any minute. As if on cue, the door bell rang. “See—they made the thirty minute time limit again, even though I ordered four pizzas. This is why I use them and not your pizza company.”
    Michael was the most loyal man in the world to people who returned his loyalty, Shane thought, rolling his eyes as his brother merely laughed and jogged to retrieve their food.
    Michael opened the door, totally shocked to see Carrie’s mother, father, and sullen looking brother standing there.
    “Michael? Ethan and Kevin have come to apologize to you. Can I see Carrie for a few minutes?” Maggie asked, twisting her purse in her hands as she waited for permission.
    Michael pulled himself up straighter, wondering if he should let any of them across his threshold. He’d watched enough vampire movies to know they couldn’t hurt you in your own home unless you invited them inside.
    He looked at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering as he considered his options. The mother was probably okay, he decided at last. Carrie wasn’t afraid of her, and she seemed to like Michael.
    “The soda worked, Maggie. Thanks for the idea. Carrie’s in the last bedroom on the left down the hall. Don’t wake her if she’s still sleeping, and watch her if she tries to sit up too fast. The medicine she takes knocks her out pretty hard,” he said, as Maggie bobbed her head and slid past him.
    Once she was gone around the corner of the foyer, Michael turned his attention back to the men still standing outside.
    “If I invite you in, are you going to behave?” Michael asked. “I’m not going to let you talk badly to me or Carrie in this house. No insulting questions. No condescending tones. This is a safe zone for her, and she doesn’t need the stress you two cause. She’s too sick to defend herself.”
    “Is this the guy that hit you?” Shane asked calmly, walking up and standing behind his brother, looking over his head at the two men.
    If they had been intimidated by Michael’s hair, Shane thought, he probably multiplied the effect by ten with his appearance. He could well imagine what they were thinking when they saw his unshaven face, uncut hair, glinting eyebrow ring, and a body big enough to back up any action he chose to take. Lucky for them he had stopped at one big tattoo.
    He smiled evilly, enjoying that it made both men swallow nervously.
    “Ethan. Kevin. This is my brother, Shane Larson. Shane, this is Carrie’s father and brother,” Michael said, fighting to keep his mouth from twitching. For once, Shane’s appearance was an asset to him. Go figure. The two men looked terrified and ready to run.
    “Michael, did I just see a strange woman go into Carrie’s bedroom?” Will asked, coming to the door. “Well, hello—Kevin. And Ethan, too. It’s been a long time. Good to see you both again.”
    “Mr. Larson—oh. I should have guessed,” Kevin said nervously, shaking his head and looking skyward. William Larson knew way too much about him. He couldn’t believe the name hadn’t clued him in when he’d met Michael earlier. “Michael—Michael Larson is your son?”
    Michael turned to look at his father. “You know Carrie’s family, Dad?”
    “Well—I know Kevin. He was in a special program I assisted with when he was in high school. Ethan brought him to meetings, which is how we met. So Kevin is Carrie’s brother?” Will asked.
    Michael nodded, grinning at the flash of wicked in his father’s gaze.
    “The brother that