Bitter Heat (Singed, #1)

by Mia Knight

“It all begins and ends here for us,”

“The moment I saw you, I knew I’d do whatever it took to have you under me. That was before I knew you were a Hennessy.”

“Didn’t expect you to be a virgin. Didn’t expect you to match me so well.”

“Never thought I’d get you here again, so I’m taking advantage. You won’t get any sleep tonight.”

“Do you know how many times I imagined you like this?”

“You feed my demons,” he rasped. “You created mine.”

“How else was I supposed to cope? You showed me who I really am, and then you left me.” “You left me,” he hissed. “I did what was best for both of us.” “You don’t know what’s best for me.”

“Why couldn’t you just love me?” she whispered.

“You got a vasectomy when we were married?” “Yes.” She felt as if she had been punched. Her ears started ringing, and the breath whooshed out of her lungs.

Fuck him. Fuck him hard. They had been divorced for years, and he still found new ways to hurt her.

“I took care of it.” “Took care of it for who?” she hissed. “You? You’re so busy trying to protect yourself from me, you never realized I’d never use a baby against you! I have more self-respect than to trap a man who doesn’t want to be with me. Let me go, Roth, or I swear to God⁠—” “It had nothing to do with you.”

“I hate you!” she screamed. “Stop, Jasmine!”

She sacrificed everything for him while he held her at arm's length.

“Now you want to talk? After you made decisions about our future without talking to me? Fuck you, Roth.”

“You hated my father so much that you got a vasectomy so we wouldn’t have kids?” “It had nothing to do with your father. I just don’t want children.” “I suppose it had nothing to do with me either. You just keep showing me that we never had a real marriage. I was just a prop to get you where you wanted, and when I didn’t get you there, you ditched me.”

“I wasn’t even a factor in your decision-making! You built a life you didn’t want me to be a part of. You didn’t want children with me; you didn’t want to share a home with me.” She sucked in a sha...

“How would you feel if I told you I tied my tubes because I didn’t want your blood tainting the Hennessy line?”

His expression didn’t change, but the energy in the room did. She lifted her chin. “Exactly. Now you feel a tiny fraction of what I do.”

He lied and betrayed her in so many ways, it made her head spin. The worst part was that she had wanted children with him. She had fantasized about having a son who looked like him, or a girl with his eyes. The fact that he had stolen even that dream from her made her want to rip his face off. If possible, this hurt more than anything he said to her in London because it showed, in no uncertain terms, he had never pictured a future with her. Their relationship had been a sham.

“I’m doing it,” he said in a guttural voice. “Why?” “Because I need it.”

He wasn’t going down on her so she could take him. He did it because he loved her taste.

“You feel that, princess? That’s you giving yourself to me.”

Ariana sat forward. “We reacted badly when the will was read. We wanted to let you know we don’t harbor any resentments about your inheritance.” “I don’t believe that for a second,”

“I didn’t know he would name me as executor,” she said, looking directly at Colette. “And I didn’t know I would inherit his remaining assets. I never asked for anything.”

“We received letters,” Colette said. “Letters from who?” Jasmine asked as she tapped at the corner of her eye. “Dad,” Ariana said. “We both got one. They were delivered a couple of days ago. He explained his reasons for making you his sole heir.” Jasmine straightened. “What did he say?” “I’m sure you have a letter waiting for you at the estate that explains that,”

Where did the name Thalia Crane come from, anyway?”

“That wasn’t his to tell!” “He was proud of you.” “He promised!”

before. “He said you don’t fear failure and that’s why you’ve become a success.”

You had a different relationship with him. He changed once he got sick, and I didn’t have time to see him once I took over the company. You got the best of him. I was envious of that.”

“I would have done anything for him, but he entrusted his life to you. I didn’t handle that well either, but I know why he did it,”

“Because I wouldn’t have held his hand when he crossed over.”

I put my number in your phone. Use it. She grabbed her phone and found him under Roth, no first name. Even if she deleted him, he could still message her, so she blocked him. He could call or message all he wanted, but she would never know, and that was how she wanted it. If he wanted a hot fuck, then he could get it from any woman he chose. She wasn’t available.

“You agree to visit me several times a month.” “Pardon?” She was sure she hadn’t heard him correctly. “We need time.” “Excuse me?”

“I guess what they say is true. Getting old, sick, and weak forces you to look at things differently.”

“I have many regrets where you’re concerned. I should have known what I did would push you toward him.”

“How many times are you going to throw that in my face?” she whispered. “That’s the last time you’ll ever hear it.”

“You don’t have a choice. If you want a divorce, I can make it happen, but you give me what I want.” “For me to visit you?” She shook her head, unable to believe that was his condition. She and her father didn’t have a relationship, and she was wary of getting close to him. “Why?” “I’m a sick and miserable old man… and a terrible father. You went easy on me in your book.”

“I still have time,” he said gruffly. “I can change our story, and it would be nice to have company.” “You want me around?”

“You… you actually read the book?” “Yes.” She waited for him to continue, but when he didn’t, she prompted, “And?” One side of his lips curved into a smile. “You have more of me in you than I thought.”

Her father might not understand or approve of her work, but he saw the effect it had on others. In the end, he supported her, and that was all that mattered.

but then Roth came along. He was the first person to express interest in her. Not Jasmine Hennessy, but Jasmine… Or so she thought. He pursued her, and she fell like a ton of bricks for him. Foolish girl.

The way Roth looked at her as if she were a thing and not even a person… Because of her mother, she had always felt the need to downplay her sexuality and femininity. Roth was the first man who had encouraged her to embrace her needs… only to throw it in her face years later. If he aimed to make her feel dirty, he succeeded.

She wanted to go to him, to soothe away whatever was eating at him, but she stayed where she was. She had no idea how to handle him in this mood. Whenever he came home to Philadelphia, he acted as if he couldn’t get enough of her, but now… He hadn’t even kissed her and was treating her like an unwelcome visitor.

“I’m nowhere near Hennessy rich, but I will be.” She rubbed her throbbing temples. “I don’t care about that, Roth. I never did.” “I care.”

“I don’t know if this is worth it.”

Something sharp and cold speared her heart and began to spread through her chest.

“Some days, I wish I never laid eyes on you.” She stopped in her tracks and dropped her hand as his words slammed into her. He turned to face her. His rage blanketed the room and made it hard for her to breathe.

Instead of her name aiding Roth, it was holding him back, so he wanted to be rid of her. She no longer held any value for him. He had used her.

It was abundantly clear that he didn’t see her as a partner. She had no idea what kind of life he was living in London. He didn’t confide in her and didn’t want to share a home with her.

He lived his life the way he wanted with no input from her. She was a side note, a prop that wasn’t aiding him, so he ignored her.