2020 Trixie Publishing, Inc.
Copyright © 2020 by Piper Davenport
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States
Primal Heat is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Cover Art
Jack Davenport
CONTENTS
Copyright
Acknowledgements
Praise
Back Blurb
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Epilogue
Calling the Biker’s Bluff
Book List
Reading Order
About Piper
Liz Kelly:
Thanks again. Your insight is always so spot on!
Jack:
Thanks for being my muse, and really great in bed!
Gail
You are a scholar and a saint, and I ADORE you!
Brandy
Thanks for keeping the timelines and characters straight. You are godsend!
Get ready to fall head over heels! Road to Peace is another page turner of alpha brilliance from Davenport. I fell in love with every single page and spent the last few wishing the book would never end! ~ Harper Sloan, NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Author
Dogs of fire series is sinfully hot, creatively captivating and each book has left me anxious for more. Road to Peace was no different. I loved every second of reading as the pieces of Hatch & Maisie's lives and hearts intertwined. Piper Davenport paints the most beautiful pictures of love with her words. I'm in awe. Felicia Lynn, Contemporary Romance Author
Piper Davenport can write one hell of a sexy biker! I can’t get enough of the Dogs of Fire MC series ~ Geri Glenn, Author of the Kings of Korruption MC Series
All it took was one page and I was immediately hooked on Piper Davenport’s writing. Her books contain 100% Alpha and the perfect amount of angst to keep me reading until the wee hours of the morning. I absolutely love each and every one of her fabulous stories. ~ Anna Brooks – Contemporary Romance Author
If you're looking for a take-charge alpha hero who'll protect his heroine at any cost, then you HAVE to read Hatch and Maisie's story! I was swooning from the moment that badass biker stepped on the page! ~ Sybil Bartel, Author of the Uncompromising Series
This is one series I will most definitely be reading!! Great job Ms. Davenport!! I am in love!! ~ Tabitha, Amazeballs Book Addicts
Stoney
I am what I am. A man who likes to f*ck, and a biker who is loyal solely to my club and my brothers. But someone has stolen what’s rightfully mine and I plan to bring the world down upon their head until I get it back.
Only, things aren’t quite what they seem, and my world is about to implode as everything I’m familiar with is threatened.
Sabrina
I have sworn to protect and love my sister’s only child, and as far as I’m concerned, he’s mine. The problem is, before my sister died, she failed to fill me in on some very important details about her life.
Now I’m facing an enemy I’m not prepared for, but to rescue my nephew, I’m willing to go all the way to hell... I’m just not sure I’ll make it back.
For Jennifer!
You have been such a lighthouse in my stormy year. I couldn’t love you more if I tried. Thank you for everything you do!
Sabrina
I was late. I had an early morning meeting, but I still had to get my nephew, Felix, to my mom’s so she could drop him at school. “Fox!” I called and he appeared in front of me suddenly.
“I’m right here, Auntie.”
“So you are.” I smiled down at him. “Did you brush your teeth?”
“Yep. See?” He bared his teeth.
I cupped his chin, staring into the eyes of my sister as I observed his handywork, then ran my thumb over his jaw. Sometimes the pain of losing Maria was almost too much to bear. “You did good, bud.”
He hugged me and sat up at my kitchen island again, focusing back on his coloring book.
“You ready to hang with Nonna for a little while?”
He cocked his head. “Will you still pick me up from the bus stop?”
“Of course. It’s the best part of my day.” I poured a travel cup of coffee and faced him again. “Grab your backpack and we’ll go, okay?”
He closed his coloring book and slid off his stool, grabbing his backpack and unzipping it. I slid his lunch inside, then we headed out to my car.
Driving the three miles to my parents’ home in record time, Felix was out of his booster seat and the car faster than I could turn the ignition off. I locked up and headed into the house where I could hear Felix chattering nonstop to my mom.
“Hi, Mom,” I called as I walked into the kitchen.
“Hey, honey,” she said, handing Felix a huge piece of her sausage egg bake.
“Thanks, Nonna,” he said and took a bite.
I’d caution her about overfeeding the kid, but my mom was your typical Italian grandmother, so it would fall on deaf ears.
I hugged her, and even though it was the hardest thing I’d done that day, I declined her offer of food. “I’ll meet him at the bus stop after school, but if you need me sooner, just give me a call.”
“Okay, honey. We’ll be good.”
I kissed the top of Felix’s head and made my way to work.
I own my own accounting firm, although, my area of expertise is forensic accounting. I have a great team who handles everything from yearly taxes to payroll, leaving me to focus on my passion.
And this morning, I was meeting with a very special client. My brother, Luca.
He is a detective with the Colorado Springs Police Department and they often hired me when they needed to find money a suspect might be hiding.
Walking into my office I sighed. “How the hell did you beat me here?”
Luca smiled, rising to his feet and pulling me in for a hug. “It’s my superpower.”
“Did you stop at Mom’s?”
He nodded. “She made me breakfast.”
I rolled my eyes as I sat at my desk. “Of course she did.”
“You said you had something for me?”
“Yep,” I said, grabbing the file from my satchel and handing it to him. “I didn’t think you’d want it emailed, but if you do, let me know.”
“Can you throw it on a jump drive for me?”
“Already done,” I said, sliding it to him. “It’s encrypted. The password is in the file.”
“Thanks,” he said distractedly as he went through the file.
“Want some coffee?”
“Yeah, sissy, that’d be great.”
I left my office and grabbed us each a cup. I’d finished my travel cup before I’d pull
ed in my parking space, so I was ready for more, but I poured half a cup, telling myself I was being healthy.
Then I grabbed a donut.
Ha! Take that hips.
I headed back to my office and set coffee in front of Luca. “Did you want a donut?”
He frowned up at me. “I don’t eat that shit. You know that.”
I shrugged. “Yeah, but if I don’t ask, I’ll feel rude.”
He chuckled, shaking his head as he continued to look through the paperwork. “Holy shit.”
“You found it,” I deduced.
He met my eyes. “No, you found it.”
I grinned, leaning back in my chair. “I found the hell out of it.”
He closed the folder, shoved it into his bag, and rose to his feet. “You’re amazing, sissy. Send us your invoice.”
“Okey doke,” I said. “Have a good rest of the day, but after you do your thing.”
“Bree—”
“What was the bet, Luca? Huh?”
He dropped his head back with a curse before setting his bag down and going into a dance routine, complete with the Moonwalk, the Floss, and the Swim.
I bit back my laughter until he was done because I was recording him. He didn’t know I was recording him, but he would. When he least expected it.
“On your way,” I said, waving my hands.
He grabbed his bag. “You’re an evil, evil woman.”
“Next time, don’t bet me that I won’t find the money. I always find the fucking money.”
He laughed, pulling open my door and strolling out.
The rest of the day was spent dealing with people, much more than I usually did, in the form of new client intakes. God, I hated new client intake days.
By the time I pulled my car into my garage, I was exhausted. But at least I was early. I changed into yoga pants and a T-shirt and walked down to the corner to meet Felix’s bus.
“Hey, Sabrina,” Kerri said. She was Ensley’s mom, a girl one year ahead of Felix.
“Hey, Kerri.”
“You ready for the snow?”
I groaned. “Not even a little bit. I’m hoping it’ll hold off for a bit.”
“Good luck with that.”
The bus pulled up, and the rest of the parents milled closer as their children got off. I frowned when six kids down, Felix wasn’t among them, because he was usually first or second off. When it looked like the last kid was off, I peeked in through the doors. “Where’s Felix?”
The bus driver frowned. “He wasn’t on the bus today.”
“What?”
“He was this morning, but he’s not here now, honey.”
“Hmm, maybe my mom picked him up.”
“Do you want me to call back to the school?” the driver asked.
“No, I’m going to call my mom and see if she picked him up.”
“Okay, honey. I’ll see you on Monday.”
I was no longer listening, having dialed my mother and settled my phone to my ear.
“Hey, honey.”
“Mom, do you have Felix?” I asked.
“What? No, shouldn’t he be getting off the bus now?”
“He didn’t get on the bus,” I snapped. “Oh my god! I have to call the school.”
“I’ll call Luca.”
“Wait until I call the school,” I countered.
“Okay, honey.”
But she didn’t wait to call the school and ten minutes after I got off the phone with the principal, Luca was storming into my house with my mother following.
“I’ve issued an Amber Alert,” he said. “What did the school say?”
“He walked out of school with his teacher in a line with the other students, but that was where the story got fuzzy. No one could tell me where he went. The teacher thought she saw him get on the bus, but she couldn’t be sure.”
“Incompetent assholes,” my brother hissed.
“Luca,” Mom warned.
He ignored her and focused on me again. “I need to know what he was wearing this morning.”
“Um...” God, I couldn’t think.
“Dark blue jeans, his Garfield T-shirt, and black hoodie, under his black puffer jacket,” Mom said.
I nodded. “Right. Yes. Exactly. And a grey beanie and gloves.”
“You got a recent picture? One I probably don’t have?” Luca asked.
I nodded, scrolling through my phone, finding three and forwarding to him. “I just sent them to your phone.”
“Okay, I’m gonna get started on this. If you hear anything, you let me know,” he said, and walked out the door.
Mom grabbed my hand. “Do you think this has something to do with Maria?”
“Maria’s been gone for a while, Mama, I can’t imagine how it would.”
This was partly a lie. Maria had been dead almost six months, so I hoped to god it didn’t have something to do with her past drug life, but I didn’t actually know.
“But what about her car?”
“Her Volvo S60? What about it?”
“You know that was her sober anniversary gift to herself and how hard she worked to get it.”
“Yes, so?” I said, obviously not understanding what she was trying to tell me.
“Her car went missing from her parking space a week after she died. I thought at first, the bank had taken it, but when I called, they didn’t know anything about it, and Luca said it never came through impound. He’s got a BOLO out on the VIN, but no luck yet.”
“What does any of that have to do with Felix, Mom?”
“What if the people who took Ria’s car also took Felix?”
My blood ran cold. She might be onto something, but I did not want my mom to worry more than she already was, however, so, I played dumb. “Let’s not jump to conclusions. Even if someone took Ria’s car, it doesn’t mean it has anything to do with Felix.”
Mom started fussing. Wiping down my counters and straightening décor that was already straight, so I knew an epic meltdown was eminent. “Is Daddy at home?”
“No,” Mom said.
“Why don’t you go home in case Fox ends up there?” I suggested. “It would be horrible if he came to you and no one was home.”
“That’s a good idea.”
I nodded.
“Will you be okay?” she asked, and I pulled her in for a hug.
“Yes, absolutely. I’ll man the phone from here.”
“Okay, sweetheart, call me if you hear anything and I’ll do the same.”
“I will,” I promised, and walked her to the door, locking up and heading to my bedroom as soon as she drove away. My phone buzzed and I saw it was my bestie, Viviana, calling, so I answered. “Hey, Vivi.”
“Did you find him?”
I’d texted her in the middle of all the chaos. “Not yet. Luca’s issued an Amber Alert, so we’re in waiting hell.”
“I can move my afternoon patients tomorrow if you need me.”
Viviana was an optometrist and she’d just opened her own practice a year ago.
“Thanks, honey, but, honestly, there’s nothing you can do. When we find him, I’m gonna need alcohol, so let’s plan on tequila and dinner when that happens.”
“Okay, babes, that sounds good to me. Keep me posted.”
“I will, Vivi, thanks.”
We hung up and I slid my phone back into my pocket. Walking into my closet, I moved my long dresses aside and dragged the crate sitting on the floor out into my room, kneeling in front of it and staring at it for several seconds before opening the lid. “Okay, Ria, let’s see what you left me.”
Rifling through the baby clothes, paperwork, and journals my sister packed away, I found the letter I’d promised to mail, yet still hadn’t. I wished I could say it was because life had gotten busy and I’d forgotten, but the truth was, I knew who the letter was for, and what it would mean for me.
And it meant I’d lose Felix.
But Felix was missing, and this man might be able to help.
<
br /> It was time to do the right thing, even if it meant losing everything. If Felix was safe, then that’s all that mattered.
I pulled out my cell phone and called my brother.
“Is he back?”
“No,” I said. “I need to run out, though. Can you have someone watch my place?”
“Where are you going?”
“I can’t tell you, Luca, so please don’t ask.”
“That’s not gonna fly, Bree. Where the hell are you going?”
“Just have someone watch the house in case Felix comes back. I’ll give you ten minutes.”
“Jesus Christ,” he snapped.
I hung up on him and grabbed my purse, shoving the letter inside. I waited ten minutes, then headed out to my car, but before I could open my garage door fully, my brother ducked under it and ripped my driver’s door open. “What the fuck are you doing, Bree?”
“It’s between me and Maria.”
“Jesus Christ, Maria was a junkie. Where exactly are you going that I’m gonna have to rescue you from?”
I closed my eyes and squeezed the steering wheel. Maria was our big sister, Luca was next, and I was the baby. Her death hit Luca harder than anyone, and his way of coping with it was anger. He hadn’t quite reached acceptance yet.
“Luca, please. I promise, I won’t do anything reckless. But I need to do this alone and I need to do this for our sister.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m not going to tell you that,” I said. “But I promise I’ll text you when I get there and when I’m leaving.”
“I’m following you.”
I met his eyes. “I know you have that ability, but I’m asking you not to. Please, LuLu.”
“Goddammit!” he bellowed, dragging his hands through his hair. “You’ve got one hour before I trace your phone and come get you.”
My heart raced, but I forced myself not to show my fear. “Okay. Deal.”
I just hoped this errand was over before my brother stormed the gates.
He scowled at me, closing my car door, and waving me out of my garage. I backed out, then used the voice command to enter in my destination, guiding my car onto I-25. The closer I got, the more my stomach roiled. I almost turned around three times, but then I was in front of the giant gates, nothing else around, and realized it was now or never.
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