Bitter Heat

by Mia Knight

  “You’re not supposed to leave the bed before me,” he said before he gave her a deep kiss.

  She couldn’t participate when her heart was in her throat. He pulled away and eyed her sharply.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.”

  His hand went behind her back and brushed against the letter. She stumbled back.

  “I’ll meet you in the kitchen,” she said with a brilliant smile.

  His eyes narrowed into slits. “What’s going on?”

  “Nothing. Just let me—”

  He grabbed her arm and forced it around. He ripped the letter from her grasp and held it aloft when she leaped for it.

  “Roth! That isn’t for you!” she shouted.

  “This is your father’s handwriting,” he said quietly.

  “Give it to me!”

  He turned away from her and began to scan the letter. She went cold with panic and saw Thea watching with her hands over her mouth. Jasmine tucked the disc into the back of her pants and started after Roth who paced toward the window as he read. She ran toward him and made a dive for the letter.

  “Roth, give it to me!”

  He grabbed her flailing wrist and twisted her arm, forcing her to drop to her knees or risk breaking it.

  “Roth!” she screeched.

  “Miss!” Thea cried and rushed toward them.

  “Where the fuck is that disc?” he snarled.

  She looked up through watery eyes. His mask was missing. Whatever her father had written in the letter had shoved him into a black rage. The grip on her arm wasn’t a threat, it was a promise. The man she tempted and teased throughout the night was gone. She was looking at a stranger capable of anything.

  He released her as Thea reached them. She cradled her throbbing shoulder as tears of pain streamed down her face. She saw him stop in front of the fire and make a flicking motion.

  “No!”

  She stumbled toward the fireplace and dropped to her knees in front of it. The letter perched on a log. When she reached into the flames, he hauled her back.

  “Let me go! That’s the last thing I have from him!” she screamed.

  She watched with horrified eyes as the flames licked the corner of the letter. Orange ripped through the thin pages. She saw the ink bleed a moment before black scorched them, her father’s words disappearing forever in the blink of an eye. When he released her, she knelt on her hands and knees, staring at the last message from her father turned to ash. She couldn’t breathe.

  She felt her sweater ride up, and a moment later, the disc was pulled from the back of her pants. She whirled as Roth strode to her father’s desk. She lurched to her feet as he grabbed a gold statue and brought it down on the disc.

  “Roth, stop!”

  She raced across the office as he brought the statue down three more times. By the time she wrenched the damaged statue from his hands, the disc was shattered. Roth grabbed the pieces and went back to the fireplace and threw the shards in before he turned back to her.

  “Where the fuck did that letter come from?” he asked softly.

  Her mouth dried up, and she opened her mouth, but no lie came to mind. He turned toward Thea who had her hands over her mouth. He started toward the older woman with a purposeful stride. The housekeeper backed away, hands raised to protect herself from a blow.

  “Roth, no!”

  He grabbed Thea by the throat. Even across the distance, she saw Thea’s eyes bulge with terror as she wrapped her hands around his wrist.

  “Is there more evidence?” He shook her like a rag doll. “Answer me!”

  Jasmine slammed into him. “Roth, let her go!”

  He ignored her and tipped Thea’s head at an angle that made her freeze.

  “Holy shit, Roth, you’re going to kill her!”

  “Tell me if there’s more evidence before I snap your fucking neck,” he said in a voice she had never heard before.

  “No,” Thea said hoarsely. “No more.”

  “What the fuck is going on here?”

  Roth released Thea who crumpled to the ground, wheezing and choking as her family clustered in the doorway. Jasmine dropped to her knees beside Thea as Lyle advanced into the room.

  “What the fuck, Roth?” Lyle roared.

  Polara began to cry, forcing Colette to retreat out of the room. Ariana herded Kye and Bailey away as well as they stared at her with puffy eyes the size of saucers.

  “Thea, are you okay?” Jasmine whispered as panicked tears slipped down her face. “I’m so sorry.”

  “What happened? Do you—” Rami dropped to his knees beside them and spotted the marks on Thea’s throat. He shot Jasmine a stunned look. “What’s going on here?”

  She ignored him. “Thea, should I call an ambulance? Can you talk? Is there damage? I—”

  Thea squeezed her hand and shook her head as her trembling hand brushed over her throat.

  “You can’t talk,” she realized. “Rami—”

  “Roth, tell me what the fuck is going on, or I’m calling the cops,” Lyle shouted.

  Roth stood in front of the fire, hands in his pockets. As Lyle came close, he turned. It was clear Roth was ready for a physical altercation. She knew Lyle could hold his own, but there was something about Roth… He didn’t play fair, and he didn’t care who his opponent was. Case in point, he had just attacked an elderly woman without hesitation. The psychologist says he lacks empathy. It allows him to focus on his goals without letting anyone get in his way. Kaia’s words drifted through her mind as she climbed to her feet. Roth’s eyes flicked to her. It was a clear warning to stay back. She ignored the warning. This was her family he was attacking.

  “Roth, don’t!”

  Lyle stopped a few feet from Roth and held his hand out, also indicating she should stay back.

  “Explain what the hell is going on here, Roth,” Lyle ordered.

  “The housekeeper gave Jasmine something from her father,” Roth said.

  “And what was that?” Lyle demanded.

  Roth looked past him and lanced her with his gaze. “Blackmail.”

  She felt the bottom drop out of her stomach. Behind her, she could hear voices and movement, but she couldn’t move. She was welded to the spot.

  “Maximus blackmailed me. He told me he would destroy the evidence if I agreed to his terms. He double-crossed me.”

  “And he handed it to the housekeeper?” Lyle asked, trying to follow the logic.

  There were five beats of silence before it clicked.

  “He gave the housekeeper evidence against you in case you came back into the picture,” Lyle surmised.

  Roth looked back at him without expression. Lyle turned to her.

  “Where is it?”

  “He destroyed it,” she whispered.

  “Did you see it?”

  She shook her head.

  Lyle turned back to Roth. “It didn’t even take twenty-four hours for you to fuck up. We’re out of here.” He turned his back on Roth. “Come on, Minnie.”

  “She isn’t going anywhere,” Roth said.

  “I’m not leaving her with you,” Lyle snarled as he reached for her arm.

  “Touch her, and I’ll deck you.”

  Lyle tensed. “I’d like to see you try.”

  “Lyle, stop!” She pressed a hand against his heaving chest. “You… you should leave.”

  “I’m not leaving you with him.”

  She gripped Lyle’s arm to get his attention. “You need to go.”

  “I’m not—”

  “I’m okay,” she said in a dead voice.

  “You’re not okay. I’m not going to let him abuse you.”

  “He doesn’t,” she lied as her shoulder throbbed. “Please, Lyle. Just go.”

  “I can get you out of this,” he said. “You don’t have to put up with him. If he’s using you in some way—”

  “He isn’t,” she ground out and pushed against his chest. “Please.”

 
Lyle stared at her for a long minute before he shot Roth a murderous look. “If I find one bruise on her, I’m going to do what Maximus never did and call a hit on your ass.” He kissed her temple. “Promise me you’ll call.”

  “I will,” she said instantly.

  “We’ll take Thea.”

  “Yes, please get her checked out. Make sure she’s okay,” she said hoarsely.

  Lyle gave Roth one more look before he stalked out of the library. She stared straight ahead as she listened to the sound of her family departing. When the front door slammed, and the sound of cars careening down the driveway left them in buzzing silence, she finally looked at him. He had resumed his stance in front of the fire. His mask was back in place, and he looked unfazed by what had transpired. The wrath that exploded out of him had disappeared as if it had never been. The only sign of destruction was the broken statue and fresh gouges on her father’s desk.

  “What have you done?” she whispered.

  He said nothing.

  “You orchestrate this sham of a wedding to convince my family we’re doing things right this time around, and then you fuck it up. What the hell is wrong with you?”

  “That was unfortunate.”

  “Unfortunate,” she repeated and then shouted, “Are you fucking serious?”

  She ran across the library. He turned as she stopped beside him. Her hand stung as she smacked him with every ounce of strength she had. His head snapped to the side. When she tried to hit him again, he grabbed her wrists and held her still as she fought him like a wild thing.

  “You vile, disgusting pig! How dare you? You destroyed the last thing my father ever gave me. You hurt Thea. How could you do that to her? What the fuck is wrong with you?”

  “Calm down.”

  “Fuck calm! What did he blackmail you about, Roth?”

  His gaze sharpened. “You didn’t read the letter.”

  “I didn’t have time to read more than a few lines before you came in! Let me go. I don’t want you touching me.”

  He released her, and she paced away, arms wrapped around her middle as bile rose. She felt as if a bomb went off in her face. She was dazed and still trying to process the chaos. She stopped in front of the massive windows and looked out at the lake. The sun had risen, spreading light over the beautiful, tranquil scene. Everything looked as it should, but her world felt as if it had been turned upside down. Something ugly and evil had erupted in her sanctuary, and she didn’t know what to do about it.

  If you’re reading this, you’ve broken your promise to me, and James Roth is back in your life.

  She clamped her hand over her mouth to smother her sob. If her father could see her now, he would lose his fucking mind. But what choice did she have? If she didn’t… Several things collided in her mind and her blood ran cold. She turned and found him standing several feet away. He was watching her intently, waiting.

  “You came back after he died,” she said numbly.

  His neutral expression didn’t change. There was no emotion in his eyes; they were a matte black that revealed nothing.

  “That’s why you’re back in the States.” She wrapped her hand around her throat as it began to swell. “If he was alive, you wouldn’t have been able to come near me.”

  The silence made her skin crawl.

  “I’m right, aren’t I?” she whispered.

  After seeing him in action, his motionlessness made the hair on the nape of her neck rise.

  She took a step back. “He blackmailed you to sign the divorce papers.”

  Like he had in that empty hospital corridor in Colorado, he moved with her, blocking the exit.

  “You gave Maximus a reason to dig and uncover something that should have stayed buried,” he said quietly.

  Terror ripped through her. She held up a hand as she retreated. “Back off, Roth. This was a mistake.”

  “I’m not going to hurt you.”

  She let out a raspy laugh that made her eyes fill with tears. “You expect me to believe that after what you did to Thea? After you nearly broke my arm?”

  He held out his hand. “Come, let me ice it.”

  “Fuck you. Stay away from me.”

  His expression hardened. “This changes nothing.”

  She halted in her tracks and stared at him incredulously. “How can you say that? It changes everything. First your mother and then a warning from my father from the grave.” A thought slipped through her mind, and she tensed. “Do they both know the same secret?”

  He stopped stalking and came at her with purpose. She froze at the sight of him stampeding toward her and pivoted at the last second, darting past him and streaking toward the door. She didn’t hear any sound behind her. She was so close to the door. Maybe Mo or Johan could—

  An arm banded around her middle, yanking her to a halt with such force that she thought she was going to puke. He pulled her back against him and buried his face in her hair.

  “Don’t you fucking run from me.”

  She was so freaked out that she didn’t move, barely even breathed.

  “I told you, I’m not going to hurt you.”

  He set her down, grabbed her arm, and led her out of the library. She followed in a stupefied daze as he walked into the kitchen and rummaged in the freezer for ice. He boosted her onto the wood island and kept an eye on her as he wrapped a dishcloth around a bag of frozen vegetables. When he prodded her shoulder, she hissed and leaned away from him. A muscle tensed in his jaw as he pressed the bag on her shoulder.

  “I’m sorry.”

  She kept her eyes downcast, unable to look at him. All she could think of was Thea’s terrified expression. He had been seconds from—

  When he cupped her chin, she almost toppled face first off the island in an effort to get away from him. He let out a low growl as he placed her where he wanted her and stepped between her knees, boxing her in.

  “Now you’re afraid of me?” he hissed.

  “I’d be a fool not to be.”

  She chanced a look at his face. He was scowling, and as she briefly met his eyes, she saw that savage rage was still there, just banked. She looked away.

  Neither of them said a word as he adjusted the ice pack on her shoulder. The clock on the wall ticked away as questions tumbled through her mind. When she couldn’t stand the silence any longer, she spoke.

  “What did you do that was so horrible that you would kill to keep that secret?” she whispered.

  When he didn’t answer, she looked up and saw him staring out of the window at the lake.

  “Are you in the mafia?” she asked, watching for a reaction.

  No response.

  “Did you steal from someone?”

  Nothing.

  “Murder?” she whispered hoarsely.

  He turned back to her, face completely expressionless. “You’ll never know.”

  She shook her head. “I can’t do this.”

  “You will.”

  She stared at him. “You can’t be serious.”

  “One year, Jasmine.”

  “But…”

  “I hoped we could be civil this time around, but Maximus interfered again.” His eyes skewered hers. “But he’s too late.”

  “You think my family’s not going to fight you after they saw you attack a defenseless woman? When they know Dad blackmailed you about something?”

  “I didn’t need your family’s approval. It was just a tactic to make things easier, but the damage is done.”

  “This is never going to work!”

  “It will.”

  What the hell had she gotten herself into? “What are you going to do to me, Roth?”

  “Nothing.” He brushed a hand down her cheek and locked his jaw when she jerked away. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

  Her gaze dropped to the ice pack he was holding against her shoulder. “You already have.”

  “I’ve done much worse.”

  Ice spread through her chest. “You really are a m
onster,” she whispered.

  “I am,” he agreed. “And now you have to live with it.”

  Author’s Note

  Hey everyone,

  I know. I KNOW. Don’t kill me. I tried to make this book a standalone. I really did! 75% in I was like, “Oh, shit.” I did think about stuffing everything into one book and not exploring the dark corners, but it would have been a disservice to the characters and once the door closes, it can never be reopened. So, I left the door open.

  This book was really out of my comfort zone. I had vague ideas of the beginning—exes getting stuck in a cabin in the middle of a snowstorm, but I didn’t realize their world would be so intricate and vast. I didn’t realize their history would be so complicated or that I would connect so strongly with them. I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did!

  If you have a chance to leave a review or recommend my books, please do so! It helps me out so much! I’ve included a sneak peek of book 2. Join my email list and have it sent to your inbox!

  Once again, thank you for being so supportive and coming on these adventures with me. I wouldn’t be able to do this without you!

  Sincerely,

  Mia

  Books by Mia Knight

  Crime Lord Series:

  Crime Lord’s Captive

  Recaptured by the Crime Lord

  Once A Crime Lord

  Awakened by Sin

  Crime Lord’s Paradise

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  Singed Series:

  Bitter Heat

  About the Author

  Mia is the author of the Crime Lord Series and Singed Series. She writes dark, contemporary romances and currently lives in Sin City where she is shadowed by her dogs who don’t judge when she cries and laughs with the characters in her head. She loves road trips, fast food, lakes and rivers, trains, and daydreaming.

  * * *

  Stalk Mia

  Website

  Email

  Mia Knight’s Captives (Facebook Group)