PROLOGUE: HOW I FEEL
SANTINO
It was close to eleven o’clock at night when the call came into the station house at Engine Company 335/ Ladder 60 in Anne’s Harbor, the Bronx.
Over the PA, Dispatch announced there was a woman stuck in an elevator at 1634 Racine Street.
“Nonna’s building again?” Santino exclaimed, throwing down his sketchbook on the long kitchen table. “Merda, that’s the second time this month!”
“That rat trap,” his older brother Angelo muttered with a headshake. “Pop really needs to pack her up and move her out of there already.”
“You know how stubborn Nonna is,” Santino sighed. He swallowed the last of his cup of coffee and jumped up. “Alright, let’s go, let’s go.”
Santino knew their paternal grandmother Nonna Greta was already safely tucked in bed at this hour. It still rattled him to think that she could be trapped in the elevator if a breakdownhappened in the morning when she went for her walk or her many doctor visits. Otherwise, he didn’t mind these low-stakes rescues. They’d swoop in, save the day, and everybody would go back to the station house safe and sound.
Practiced and quick, they jumped into their turnout gear and hopping in the rig. The ride to the building took less than ten minutes. A mixed crowd of old timers and new faces met them in the lobby.
“There’s a woman stuck in the elevator between this floor and the basement.” The man was tall, pale, and spoke with an Eastern European accent. Newcomer.
“How long she been in there?” Captain Ryan asked.
“Like, maybe an hour? I am so tired of this shit.” That was the woman from 5B who answered, the resident gossip.
“Ma’am?” Cap called, his face close to the black painted door. “I’m Captain Ryan of the New York City Fire Department. We’re gonna get you out in a minute, okay? Are you injured at all or having trouble breathing?”
From below came a faint voice. “I’m fine. Just a little tired of being in here.”
“Okay. Hang on, we’re gonna get you out. Let’s get that door open.”
“Copy that, Cap,” Angelo answered.
They set about the procedure. They split the team, some to go locate the control box in the basement to shut the power off. The other propped open the hoistway door and used the fire service key to unlock the inner cab door. When the cab door was propped open, Cap peered inside and grinned.
“Hello there. We’re gonna get a ladder down there. First Firefighter Donahue is gonna climb down to assist and the second Firefighter Donahue is gonna pull you out. Alright?”
“How many Donahues are up there?” came that voice again, a mix of worry and relief in its tone.
They laughed. It was a good question. There had been five Donahues when Pop and their oldest brother Nico were still with the department. Three remained: Santino, Angelo and Tommy.
“Step back, please, and first Firefighter Donahue will be right in.”
Angelo put the ladder carefully into the elevator and climbed in, greeting the occupant in his cheerful tone. Santino bent down and saw the top of the woman’s head. A puffy black silk bonnet covered her hair, but her plain white tank top exposed the rich dark skin of her shoulders and arms. It gleamed with a sheen of sweat. She raised her head and looked up at him with big, brown eyes and when their gazes connected, he felt it.Hard. He was zapped stupid, like someone had electrified the floor beneath his boots.
“Just climb up the ladder and my brother up there will help you the rest of the way, alright?” Angelo said, holding the ladder steady. He patted her on the back as she started up.
Suddenly, inexplicably, Santino wanted to punch his beloved brother for putting his hands on his woman even though Angelo was happily married, and she was a stranger to both of them.
Shutting down the irrational thought that echoed in his head, he got down to business. When she reached the top of the ladder, Santino grasped her under the arms and pulled. She was lighter than he’d thought she’d be, and she vaulted out of the elevator. He fell backward with her in his arms. The crowd snickered and her surprised laughter broke over him like a sunburst.
“I am so sorry,” she exclaimed.
Up close, in the circle of his arms, everything seemed to slow down and become a blur with only her face in his sight. Her long, elegant nose had a high bridge and flared bottom. Her juicy mouth was designed for tasting. The soft warmth of her body somehow managed to penetrate his thick uniform and the layers underneath and he was flooded with heat. But the one thingthat absolutely did him in was that dimple that appeared in her cheek.
Speechless, he wasn’t aware he still had his arms wrapped around her until she pushed off him and stood. Angelo was smirking at him. He scrambled up, pretending he still had some fucking professionalism, and nodded stiffly at her when she said, “Thank you.”
“No problem.” He managed to give her his usual trademark grin, despite his racing thoughts and the quicksilver heat rampaging through his body.
“Alright, everybody, it’s over,” Cap called, shooing the tenants away. “Call your super first thing in the morning. Please do not use the elevator until you get the all clear from building management. Are you sure you’re alright, ma’am? We’ve got EMS here to check you out.”
