Read Online Slow Burn: A Texas Heat Novel by Octavia McKenzie - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Octavia McKenzie
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weeks to get to know each other again. We’re seeing where it goes. Being a virgin is overrated – you taught me that. Take care of yourself Thor. – H
Donavan read the text over and over again. Finally, the words penetrated his skull like shrapnel. Raw anguish crushed him, sent the air from his lungs. He held the steering wheel in a white knuckled grip. Blindly, he drove. He lost her. Simple as that. He hurt her and she left him for it. Somehow he ended up in his mother’s greenhouse. He found his father’s hidden stash of brandy. Donavan opened the first bottle.
Chapter 14
London, England
Colt Billings planned to rebuild his life overseas. So far, Harper was able to liquidate $125,000. Colt wanted it all. It would take several more days to get him the rest. She had to sell some stocks and deal with several banks.
In the meantime, they kept a low profile. Her biological father rented a cheap flat in Croydon. Harper sat on the balcony with her knees to her chest. The wind blew icy raindrops that pelted her skin from an overcast sky. Cars and double decker buses jammed the narrow streets. Pedestrians crowded the sidewalk on both sides of London Road. Harper blocked out thoughts of the people she loved. For her own sanity, she had to.
In particular, she couldn’t bear to think about the lie she told Donavan. Harper covered her wet face with trembling hands. As if any part of that text could ever be true. She loved Donavan so much, being parted from him made it hard to breathe, sleep, eat, and function. Even though he didn’t love her as a woman, he cared for her as a friend. If he suspected she was in danger, he would come after her. If Donavan ever discovered Colt’s abuse he would kill the man for it, no doubt in her mind. Donavan would annihilate her biological.
The planet would be better off without Colt Billings but he had a partner in crime roaming her beloved Aberdeen. It was no empty threat on Colt’s part to hurt her loved ones unless he got the full $250,000 she had in trust. Halfway there. In just a few days, this nightmare would be over. Colt would slither back in the sewer he crawled out of. She felt his cold presence behind her.
“You thinkin’ of jumping?”
Harper shook her head. “It’ll take more than you to destroy me.”
Colt chuckled. He scratched the black and silver whiskers on his jaw. “Go to Tesco and get me some of them milk chocolate Digestives and them Hobnob cookies.”
“Fine, I have an errand to run first.”
Colt lit a cigarette he inhaled deep. A stream of smoke blew out of his nostrils. “Where you going?”
He’d confiscated her passport as soon as they landed in Heathrow Airport. “Sightseeing.”
Colt grunted. “Remember, we got a deal. I want that money.”
Harper was amazed how entitled he acted. Colt had an unnerving way of reading her mind. “Yeah Raven, you owe me. After killing my wife cause your head was too damn big, you owe me.”
Harper flinched. Her mother died in childbirth after thirty-six hours in labor. Colt never forgave Harper for it. He not only blamed her, he punished her for his loss. The fact that she resembled Rose Billings so much enraged him. Harper had her silken black hair, green eyes and statuesque figure.
“When you go sightseeing, wave to the queen for me.”
Colt put the cigarette out on her arm. Harper gasped from the pain as he ground the hot ashes deep in her pale skin. The first time he did that to her she was four years old. “There’s plenty more where that came from, have fun touring Raven, be back before dark, don’t make me hurt you.”
Harper scrambled to her feet. She skirted past him. He took out another cigarette. “Daddy’ll be waitin’ for ya.”
Harper took the number 250 bus to Thornton Heath Station. She ran up the High Street, passed a florist, the coffee shop and newspaper stand. She bought a one day travel card and took the train to Victoria Station. She kept her head down in the crowd. She took
Donavan read the text over and over again. Finally, the words penetrated his skull like shrapnel. Raw anguish crushed him, sent the air from his lungs. He held the steering wheel in a white knuckled grip. Blindly, he drove. He lost her. Simple as that. He hurt her and she left him for it. Somehow he ended up in his mother’s greenhouse. He found his father’s hidden stash of brandy. Donavan opened the first bottle.
Chapter 14
London, England
Colt Billings planned to rebuild his life overseas. So far, Harper was able to liquidate $125,000. Colt wanted it all. It would take several more days to get him the rest. She had to sell some stocks and deal with several banks.
In the meantime, they kept a low profile. Her biological father rented a cheap flat in Croydon. Harper sat on the balcony with her knees to her chest. The wind blew icy raindrops that pelted her skin from an overcast sky. Cars and double decker buses jammed the narrow streets. Pedestrians crowded the sidewalk on both sides of London Road. Harper blocked out thoughts of the people she loved. For her own sanity, she had to.
In particular, she couldn’t bear to think about the lie she told Donavan. Harper covered her wet face with trembling hands. As if any part of that text could ever be true. She loved Donavan so much, being parted from him made it hard to breathe, sleep, eat, and function. Even though he didn’t love her as a woman, he cared for her as a friend. If he suspected she was in danger, he would come after her. If Donavan ever discovered Colt’s abuse he would kill the man for it, no doubt in her mind. Donavan would annihilate her biological.
The planet would be better off without Colt Billings but he had a partner in crime roaming her beloved Aberdeen. It was no empty threat on Colt’s part to hurt her loved ones unless he got the full $250,000 she had in trust. Halfway there. In just a few days, this nightmare would be over. Colt would slither back in the sewer he crawled out of. She felt his cold presence behind her.
“You thinkin’ of jumping?”
Harper shook her head. “It’ll take more than you to destroy me.”
Colt chuckled. He scratched the black and silver whiskers on his jaw. “Go to Tesco and get me some of them milk chocolate Digestives and them Hobnob cookies.”
“Fine, I have an errand to run first.”
Colt lit a cigarette he inhaled deep. A stream of smoke blew out of his nostrils. “Where you going?”
He’d confiscated her passport as soon as they landed in Heathrow Airport. “Sightseeing.”
Colt grunted. “Remember, we got a deal. I want that money.”
Harper was amazed how entitled he acted. Colt had an unnerving way of reading her mind. “Yeah Raven, you owe me. After killing my wife cause your head was too damn big, you owe me.”
Harper flinched. Her mother died in childbirth after thirty-six hours in labor. Colt never forgave Harper for it. He not only blamed her, he punished her for his loss. The fact that she resembled Rose Billings so much enraged him. Harper had her silken black hair, green eyes and statuesque figure.
“When you go sightseeing, wave to the queen for me.”
Colt put the cigarette out on her arm. Harper gasped from the pain as he ground the hot ashes deep in her pale skin. The first time he did that to her she was four years old. “There’s plenty more where that came from, have fun touring Raven, be back before dark, don’t make me hurt you.”
Harper scrambled to her feet. She skirted past him. He took out another cigarette. “Daddy’ll be waitin’ for ya.”
Harper took the number 250 bus to Thornton Heath Station. She ran up the High Street, passed a florist, the coffee shop and newspaper stand. She bought a one day travel card and took the train to Victoria Station. She kept her head down in the crowd. She took
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