Slow Burn: A Texas Heat Novel

by McKenzie, Octavia

  Donavan shook his head. “You’re imagining things, Harper comes from a great family and as far as I know, she hasn’t had a serious boyfriend.”

  He looked swiftly at Emerson as if to confirm this. “No, she hasn’t.”

  Donavan breathed easier. The thought of Harper with someone else…

  “Believe me that girl can hold her own,” Donavan said briskly, “We didn’t call her Amazon back in high school for nothing.”

  Andy leaned forward. His boyish face lined with worry. He glanced about, making sure they weren’t overheard.

  “What I’m about to say doesn’t leave this table,” he whispered, “Agreed?”

  Donavan and Emerson nodded. Andy swallowed as if he were trying mightily to keep his composure.

  “The other day we were restocking the rig, we were low on IV tubing. Harper kneeled down and I saw,” he closed his eyes for a moment, “She had bruises at the base of her spine.”

  Donavan didn’t move an inch. Emerson paled. “M-Maybe she fell.”

  Harper didn’t have a clumsy bone in her body. “No,” Andy said, “I’ve seen enough injuries to know what a kidney punch looks like.”

  Blood drained from Donavan’s face. Emerson blinked back tears.

  “I think she’s in trouble,” Andy said, “She won’t talk to me, I hope you two might have better luck.”

  Emerson pat his hand, like Donavan, she was incapable of speech. Long after Andy left an awful silence settle between them.

  Donavan leveled a piercing blue gaze on her that could’ve pulverized rock. “Tell me what you know.”

  Emerson squirmed under his relentless scrutiny.

  “Emerson,” his voice lashed out, “What.do.you.know?”

  She gulped. “I-I don’t want to betray my friend’s confidence.”

  Donavan’s big muscled body had the stillness of a snake about to strike. “Make no mistake,” he growled, “I’m going to find the son of a bitch who hurt her, break every bone in his body and ram them down his throat.”

  Emerson stared at him for a long moment then she made her decision. “You’ve heard of Doctors without Borders?”

  “Yeah, the physicians who go overseas to third world countries to treat the poor?” he said.

  “There’s an underground organization like that here in the US but the medical personal treat people who fall through the cracks of the system – the poor, homeless, uninsured, the undocumented immigrants.”

  Donavan leaned back in his chair as comprehension dawned. “So Harper is a part of this network?”

  “Yes, she goes into slums and rundown neighborhoods in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio.”

  “You go with her group to feed the homeless there, don’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  Donavan grunted in admiration. “I could ring your necks, do you know how dangerous-”

  “We all have concealed carry permits, I have a Smith and Wesson Revolver, Harper has a Glock and we wear bullet proof vests.”

  That they’d have a need for that level of protection made Donavan pale.

  “We work in pairs, no one wanders off alone.”

  “Do you think she sustained these injuries by someone she tried to help?” he asked.

  “No,” Emerson said, “I would’ve heard, besides, Harper would bury anyone who dared.”

  Donavan’s jaw clenched. “Then the assailant was someone she knows, it’s personal.”

  Something flickered in Emerson’s eyes. She quickly looked away. Donavan pounced.

  “What?”

  She shook her head. “It’s nothing.”

  “Spit it out.”

  “I promised never to tell.”

  “What if he does it again?” Donavan growled. “He hit hard enough to leave bruises.” That anyone could hurt her…

  Donavan could hardly speak for the fury pounding in his veins. He couldn’t bear to think of anyone assaulting his girl. By the stricken look on her face, neither could Emerson.

  “It’s common knowledge that Harper was adopted.”

  Donavan nodded. Everyone knows that. “The Grants are good people. If you’re insinuating that Carl Grant would ever hurt her-”

  “No! Her parents are wonderful, she adores them.”

  “Then what the hell?”

  Emerson bit her lip. “Harper was adopted from the foster care system.”

  Donavan frowned. “No, she came from an orphanage up north.”

  “Mister Grant didn’t want her to have the stigma of being from the system. His sister is a social worker at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. She knew her brother and his wife desperately wanted a child so she helped them adopt-”

  “Wait, back up,” Donavan glared at Emerson, “What does this have to do with Harper?”

  “Her biological father put her in the hospital.”

  Donavan blanched. “No,” the denial tore from him.

  Emerson nodded miserably.

  Years on the police force, Donavan saw his share of monsters that hurt children. The thought of Harper having someone in her life who could do something like that pained him beyond bearing.

  “How old was she?”

  “Five or six.”

  Donavan cursed under his breath. “Why didn’t she tell me?”

  “You were too busy fighting.”

  “You think the bastard tracked her down after all these years?”

  Emerson shuddered. “I hope not, but who else would do this?”

  Donavan unfolded his tall, muscular body and rose to his feet. “I’m sorry, I have to go.” Find her. The words were left unspoken. Emerson understood. She took his hand in hers and squeezed. “Go help our girl.” He nodded and left.

  Chapter 13

  Donavan had to rein in the savage fury beating a path to his brain. Bruises? First he tried her cell. It went straight to voice mail. He texted. No answer. He headed to the fire station first. The chief told him no, he hadn’t seen Harper for a few days, not since she applied for a leave of absence.

  “She’s never taken a day off in two years,” Donavan said through his teeth, “When did she request this time off?”

  The chief’s eyebrows furrowed. “Couple of days ago.”

  “Did she seem okay?”

  The chief rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. “Grant is tough as nails.”

  “What exactly did she say?”

  “Chief I need a few weeks-”

  “Weeks?!” Donavan shouted, “That didn’t seem strange to you?”

  The chief shrugged his shoulders. “It’s none of my business, she’s a good egg.”

  “Did she say where she was going?”

  “No”

  Donavan’s jaw clenched. “Did she leave with anyone?”

  The Fire Chief pursed his lips. “What’s it to you?”

  Donavan gave the chief an artic look that made the older man take a step back. He held up his hands in surrender. “Oookay, no she came, made her request without explanation and left alone.”

  “On the off chance, did she hurt her back at work?”

  The fire chief looked puzzled. “Not to my knowledge.”

  Donavan stalked out. Next he drove to the library. He reached Sawyer’s office in two strides. He didn’t bother knocking. “Where is she?”

  “Well hello to you too.”

  Sawyer put some rare first edition books aside.

  “Have you heard from Harper?”

  Sawyer folded her arms tight. She glared at him. “The time to call would’ve been two weeks ago,” Sawyer said with righteous indignation. “How could you treat her like one of your blow up Barbies?”

  Donavan flushed. He wasn’t proud of the way he treated Harper. He hated hurting her. “Sawyer, I don’t have time for chit chat, where is Harper?”

  “Since when do you care?”

  “I’ve always cared and you damn well know it, for God’s sake woman, where is she
?”

  Sawyer glared at him. She shrugged. “She sent me a text.”

  “May I?”

  Sawyer reluctantly handed over her phone.

  Hey girl, I’m going out of town for a while for some much needed R&R. I’ll send you postcards. I’m praying for your dad. Love you, H

  “That’s it?” Donavan asked.

  “Yes,” Sawyer mumbled.

  “You have no idea where?”

  “As if I’d tell you.”

  “Sawyer!”

  Maybe he sounded desperate. Her face softened. “I really don’t know.”

  “Did she go out of town alone?”

  “Of course! She’s not some ho like the ones you date.”

  “Did she hurt her back or something?”

  “No, but she talked about getting a tattoo on her back.”

  Was that the so called bruise Andy saw? Some of the tension drained from his body.

  “If you hear from her again, please let me know, okay?”

  Sawyer nodded.

  Donavan tapped the steering wheel. His instincts told him that something was off. He was about to try Harper’s parents when his phone dinged. He had a text.

  Donavan, I reconnected with a sweet guy from college. I was too infatuated with you back then to be with anyone else but now I’m ready to move on as you have. We’re going on an adventure tour across Europe for a few 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 the underground tube station to Notting Hill Gate.

  The house had soaring columns, walls of clinging ivy and gardens. Harper opened the ornate iron-gate. She raised the brass knocker.

  A maid answered the door. “Hi-ya,” she said. “How can I help?”

  Harper squared her shoulders. “I’m here to see Mrs. Carrington.”

  “Who may I say is calling?”

  “A friend of her son’s.”

  Minutes later, Harper was ushered into a stately room with floor to ceiling windows that overlooked a small greenhouse full of roses and herbs.

  Donavan’s mother stood frozen in the center of the room. She was still a stunningly beautiful woman in her late fifties. She wore a Scottish wool jumper with a long tweed skirt and leather boots. Her silver blond hair was meticulously styled in a feathered bob.

  Harper had no idea she rudely stared. Subconsciously, she hungrily searched Cynthia’s features for traces of Donavan’s likeness. She had his nose and bold profile. Everything else was Allister McClain’s.

  “Harper? Harper Grant?” she asked in shock. “How on earth did you find me?”

  “I just googled ‘selfish bitch’ and bam, your address popped right up.”

  Cynthia clasped her jeweled hands. “Guess I had that coming, won’t you sit down for tea and refreshments?”

  Harper walked straight up to her. She towered over the older woman.

  “Are you going to hit me?”

  “I’d like to,” Harper said.

  “You really are magnificent, no wonder Donnie was so fascinated with you.”

  “How could you leave him?” Harper asked brokenly.

  Cynthia blanched. She quickly recovered. “I never understood why wives and moms leave until I became one of them.”

  “Yeah it must’ve been tough having a husband who worshiped you, a son who adored you, going to the country club every day, never worked a day in your life, boo hoo for you.”

  “If you must know, I fell in love with a woman.”

  Harper’s jaw dropped. Whatever lame excuse she expected it wasn’t that. “Oh.”

  “Care for some tea?”

  Harper shook her head. Cynthia sat down on a plush love seat. She poured herself a cup and eyed Harper over the rim of bone china.

  Harper knew she looked like something the cat dragged in, clawed over and puked up. She wore a long sleeved navy hoodie and jeans. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. No makeup. Her face pinched with fear and worry. She looked at Cynthia head on.

  “I knew that the scandal would make life harder for Donavan. I was married to a good man but Allister is a powerful CEO, he would’ve destroyed me and fough
t for custody of Donavan. It would’ve been a messy divorce. I couldn’t do that to my son.”

  “So you abandoned him instead, without explanation?” Harper asked. “Do you have any idea how much you hurt him?”

  Cynthia winced. “Do you think leaving him was easy?” she asked. “Look around you Miss Grant.” Cynthia gestured. Harper rose to her feet. She walked up to the marble fireplace. On the wide mantle were framed pictures of Donavan from infancy to age ten. Harper’s heart lurched. “He looked like this when I met him,” she whispered, “Hair so blond it was nearly white, a head full of curls,” Harper said wistfully. She pointed to another frame. “Oh I remember that one, third grade Halloween party. That’s why I called him Thor because of the costume.”

  Cynthia chuckled. “He came home and complained bitterly about you. Mom, Harper Grant drives me crazy, he used to say. It was always Harper this and Harper that and mom you’ll never believe what Amazon did to me today.”

  The last picture captured his half smile, dimpled grin. It was Harper’s undoing. She spun away from the pictures and stood by the windows facing the garden. Her body shook uncontrollably.

  “I shouldn’t have come,” Harper said. “I still think you should’ve found a way but I can’t judge.” Harper hugged herself to stop the tremors. “It’s just that I would’ve done anything to be in his life. To be there for him when he got home from a hard day, to cook for him, take care of him if he’s sick, make him laugh when he takes himself too seriously, to be his warmth if he was cold, to give him my time, affection, to just be in the same room with him.” Harper closed her eyes. She had no idea she was crying.

  Cynthia touched her shoulder. Harper spun around. “This was a mistake, I had no right to come here.”

  Harper walked swiftly to the door.

  “Harper? Wait!” Cynthia had to run to keep up with her.

  “What is he like?”

  Harper sighed. “He’s the most beautiful man on earth,” she said achingly. She rushed past the maid and out the door.

  Cynthia watched her through lace curtains. A man stood by the gate. Harper froze at the sight of him. They exchanged words. He draped a hand around her neck. To the casual observer it seemed like a show of affection. Cynthia would’ve thought so too until he dug his finger nails in her neck like claws. Cynthia gasped.