Page 1 of The Burnt Heart

Prologue

Six Years Ago

I’d torn my dress.

A chill breeze gusted over the back of my legs, but I wouldn’t stop running. The one thing worse than being called a butter ball by my future fiancé would be for my father’s guards to find me with my ass out and face covered with tears. My thighs stung from my hasty escape over the wall. It only bolstered me further into the thick, overgrown depths of the abandoned Calder Place lot.

Fuck you, Raimondo Donato.

My heart had kicked in my chest when he’d strolled in earlier. Long and lithe, like a shadow. His dark brown eyes had bounced around the austere lounge, unimpressed. Raised by a wealthy crime family, the grandeur didn’t move him. He’d tucked his phone in the pocket of his sharp suit and rolled his eyes at someone next to him. Perhaps he thought no one would notice him in such a large group. But my father trained me from ayoung age to notice the smallest details. Everything about my future fiancé was something I digested with a bitter aftertaste. He had many positives. Gorgeous and Italian. It also helped that our marriage would bring a crucial end to the enmity between our two families.

Hope had fluttered in my chest for a moment. Heartbeats tainted by the near silent snort he made when his eyes landed on me. Raimondo understood the lifestyle. I had hoped to bond with him over it. But it was clear he had already made his own assumptions about me. I discreetly tugged on the tight hem of the white lace dress. This hadn’t been my first choice, but I’d spilled the wine I had gulped down ten minutes ago.

I’d hoped it would bolster my confidence, but instead, I’d had to careen up the staircase and squeeze into my second choice. The one my grandfather had clicked his tongue at because it highlighted ‘certain assets’ a little too well. Raimondo’s dark eyes dipped to the soft swell of my breasts. His arrogant mask didn’t heat. But my cheeks did.

He was unimpressed.

I might have my ample cleavage out, but given the chance, I could destroy this man. I imagined mussing up the coiffed hair and slamming it into the wall. I doubted those muscles had been tested on anything harder than a selfie.

Let’s see how arrogant he was when Adelaide Orazio tore him a new asshole. My bitter musings were obliterated when I crashed into what felt like a solid wall. Oxygen blasted out of my lungs as I flew through the air and tumbled onto the ground. My hands flew out to steady myself and pain seared through me as they scraped on rocks hidden in the thick grass. My head spun as I fought to regain my control.

“Fuck me,” I whimpered, looking up to see what had knocked me down.

Or rather,who.

My hands stung, and tears clouded my vision. A tall, broad man crouched next to me with his hands outstretched. His golden hair flopped over his forehead as he reached out. His wide shoulders curled inwards, as if he was trying to minimize his bulk. Thin blond stubble camouflaged a square jaw. There was an awkwardness to how he held his body, like he couldn’t wield it with confidence yet. Timid, despite the striking features, he seemed to search for something, checking his hands furtively.

“I am so sorry,” he apologized, dark lashes hiding his ocean blue, apologetic gaze. “Guys, a little help!” he shouted over his shoulder, and I cringed as two other men appeared, wide eyed and open-mouthed. The first dropped to his knees in front of me with a soft noise. A mop of tight chestnut curls framed a fine-featured, tanned face. His eyes looked like new spring growth, swirling hazel with flecks of gold. He was all limbs and elbows as he took in my scratched hands.

“Jeez Logan, even in the middle of nowhere, you’re taking people out,” he chastised, and cupped my hands. “Are you alright?”

Behind him, the third man hovered on alert. Warm, dark eyes raked over me with none of the timidity or tentativeness of the other two. White teeth peeked from his plump lips as he met my gaze. There was a curious energy emanating from him. Something playful that invited me to let go of my heartache. He ran a hand down his clean-shaven face. As he stared at me, his smile grew wider, a silent encouragement I couldn’t take.

I shook my head, hiccupping on a sob. My insides were ravaged by the offhand comment said by a man who was so beneath me. It was laughable. He hadn’t even waited for my father to greet him before declaringthat he wasn’t marrying abutterball.

He’d sneered afterward, teeth flashing before the room erupted in chaos. Gun muzzles flashed under a torrent of risingvoices. A laugh echoed over the cacophony, someone from his camp. He’d thrown his head back in mirth, dark hair glistening under the low light. My personal guard, Jonah, had slammed his fist into Raimondo’s face. But I didn’t take the time to enjoy the sight of him flailing on the ground. Instead, I fled, choking on harried, humiliated breaths. Raimondo had managed to humiliate me in front of all the important people in my life. Now they would forever see me as a ‘butterball’ who wasn’t good enough for Raimondo Donato. How was I going to show my face again? I wasn’t a product to be moved around, nor a chip to be bargained over. I might have stood opposite that little prick in a virginal lace dress, but that was my one concession to my father. Everything else about this deal was supposed to be on my terms. I was going to dictate how it went. But I’d stood frozen after he’d insulted me as all the bravado melted away. My weak sneer a front before I turned on my heel and as soon as I was clear, I’d raced for the back of the property. Hiked my leg over the wired wall as I’d run to Calder Place, I needed a few hours to regroup and put myself together.

Instead of managing to pull myself back into one piece, my dress was ripped, make-up smeared, eyes puffy and hands grazed.

“Are you in danger? Do you need help?” hazel eyes spoke again. His fingers whispered across my wrists. The sharp cut of his jaw was tight. Concern melted through his tender touch.

“No, just having a rough day,” I replied in a croaky voice. He wrapped his arm around my waist and helped me to my feet.

“I’m sorry to hear that. Can I wash your hands for you? Logan knocked you down pretty hard.” The residue of Raimondo’s brutal rejection made me tense as he hefted me up. His fingers dug into my skin and nausea bubbled in my stomach. But he made no comment even when I angled to put space between us.

Exhaustion from the day had apparently wiped my usual sense of distrust away because I let him lead me to a gray, weather worn couch. I went to sit, but a noise in the back of his throat caused me to pause. He whipped his jacket off and looped it around my waist. He’d seen my panties. I was too exhausted to muster a blush in response. All I could do was stare numbly at him as he then proceeded to take his shirt and wipe my cheeks, giving me a glimpse of a bronzed, tight stomach.

“My name is Briar.” He eased me into the seat. My ass landed on a spring that was pushing up through the thin, lumpy cushion. Awkwardly, I shifted closer to him. I eyed Briar’s two friends warily as they loitered in front of us. Running his hand through his choppy blonde hair, the one they’d called Logan shot me an embarrassed smile. He towered over my seated form, and I had to crane my neck to properly look at him.

“I’m Logan. Sorry for knocking you over,” he apologized again. There was a flash of blue before his gaze dropped to the floor again.

“I’m Jesse,” the last guy butted in, with a brilliant, white-toothed smile. The sports jacket he had on was faded and had two gaping holes at the elbow. He handed Briar a water bottle.

“I’m Adelaide,” I offered.

“This might sting,” Briar whispered, the bottle hovering over my palms. I let him do it, unabashedly staring at him. His cheeks flushed a faint pink under my stark perusal, and he hurried to pour the water. I hissed as it bathed my skin, biting the inside of my cheek as he dabbed with a cloth Logan had pulled from his pocket. As the dirt wiped away, it revealed only a few shallow scratches.

“You want to tell us what had you racing so hard you didn’t see Logan’s massive chest?” Briar whispered, searching my face.

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