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Terrence looked his way questioningly and was surprised to find Vernon holding out an envelope to him.

  “For you,” Vernon Patterson said calmly.

  Terrence took the slim envelope and opened it. His eyes went over the contents rapidly, only to exclaim, “I’m being fired! Why?”

  Vernon shrugged, sitting back in his chair. “There’s been a cut back concerning the work force. As you know the paper hasn’t been doing so well lately.”

  “Yeah; but if anyone should be ‘cut back’ it shouldn’t be me,” Terrence said angrily. “I do a great job here. Look, V.P. – I mean Mr. Patterson; this doesn’t seem right. You can’t just fire me.”

  “Hey, Terrence; orders from above,” Vernon said with another casual shrug. “You need to know that when you went on the last assignment, the newspaper changed owners. We’ve been bought by some corporate big wig and you were on the list to go. Your name was number one, actually.”

  “But this is bullshit!” Terrence snapped, losing his cool. He shook the letter at Vernon. “I’m one of the best you have here at the paper. There was talk a few months ago of a promotion and now this? Why on earth would they let me go?”

  Vernon Patterson had lost his expressionless look, and as he sat forward to hold Terrence’s gaze with a cold one of his own, he said in a similarly chilly tone, “Well maybe this has nothing to do with your professional capabilities, Mr. King, but your personal character. It seems you stepped on some toes, Terrence. Someone went through a lot of trouble to take over this newspaper and the first thing they did was ask for your head on a platter. I just follow orders, so you’re history at this company. And don’t try anything funny like suing us because the way I read these guys, they’re ready to see to it you never get a job in this city again. Not in this field of work. One more false move and you’re done.”

  Terrence stared at Vernon. “Is that all you can say? You won’t tell me what the fuck is going on here? Who are these people? Why would they target me? I didn’t do anything,” Terrence said, unnerved by Patterson’s ominous tone. One would think I’d messed up with the Mafia or something, thought Terrence with anger and trepidation.

  Patterson shook his head and sat back once more inside his chair. “Like I said, I’m simply following orders. And if I know you well enough, I’m sure you’ll walk out of this office quietly. You can take your things, and leave. Have a pleasant day.”

  At Patterson’s obvious dismissal, Terrence felt his anger boil and he had the urge to smash something. Anything. But he was powerless, for now. But once he found out who was behind this, there’d be hell to pay.

  “This isn’t over yet, Patterson,” Terrence said, rising with anger to his feet.

  Vernon Patterson watched Terrence turn to leave. “You’re wrong, Terrence; it is,” he replied.

  ***

  Terrence drove home with his mind in turmoil. He couldn’t figure out what must’ve gone wrong. He’d been on his best behavior these past several months; hadn’t written any defamatory pieces about any important figure so who…?

  He had a headache trying to work out where he could’ve slipped up to get someone so powerful as his enemy. And he still didn’t know who it was! Patterson had said something about Terrence stepping on a few toes. What the fuck did that mean? He was a journalist, for crap’s sake. Stepping on toes came with the territory.

  Terrence parked his car close to a bar, still fuming. Five years of hard work gone down the drain. That was seriously fucked up!

  Shaking his head furiously, he decided he needed a few stiff drinks before he could figure out what the hell to do next. He stepped out of the car, and as he made to cross the street he heard someone call his name from behind.

  Looking around curiously, he was able to catch a glimpse of two dark-clothed men before something like a cast-iron fist smashed into his jaw.

  What the fuck…?

  Terrence didn’t even get to register the enormity of the pain that shot through his face before more blows followed. Had he only seen two guys? It felt like maybe eight were coming at him. Shit! His instinct was to fight back and he made a grab for the one in front of his vision but then something smashed into him from the back. His body slammed into the hard concrete and suddenly it was a shower of blows and kicks pounding into his face, torso and pelvis. Pain, so much pain. Fists and clubs and fuck knew what else were turning his body into a pulp. And then the punishment stopped. But Terrence was already in too much agony to tell the difference.

  He groaned, rolling over on his stomach and spitting out blood and maybe a few teeth. He could barely hear one of his assailants speak as he bent in close to Terrence’s ringing ears.

  “Here’s a message for you. Now that you’ve got a taste of your own medicine, how do you like it?” the man snarled. “This’ll teach you to mind who you mess with. Next time you feel like punching up women, you’d better remember what this feels like. Sweet dreams, sucker.” And with a harsh laugh he slammed his fist into Terrence’s face one more time, knocking him out.

  Terrence groaned as minutes later he woke up to find people bent over him, their faces filled with concern as they asked him if he was okay. He heard a voice shout for someone to call an ambulance. Terrence could barely register anything with his whole body on fire with pain. His attackers were long gone but that one message he’d been left with suddenly made everything clear.

  He knew then who was behind all the shit he’d been going through. Losing his job and getting this beat down that made it feel like he needed a hearse, not a hospital. One name came to mind and it rang through him like a bell.

  Blake Carter.

  When he’d beaten Kira up all those months ago in his blind rage, he’d never guessed his ‘rival’ had been Blake Carter, Bretton Carter’s son. He’d only realized the truth when Kira married Blake soon after. He remembered coming to his senses after his act of violence. Our of fear of being arrested, he’d taken an assignment overseas hoping to lay low in case Kira pressed charges. But she never did and he figured neither Kira, Blake, nor his father had wanted any scandal. Months went by and Terrence had thought he was safe. He’d told himself the cheating bitch had deserved it. Thought she was too good for a black man, right? He’d convinced himself that he’d given her a well-deserved lesson. But like that man had said, Terrence shouldn’t have thought he’d get away with shit like that. He should’ve known his time would come and damn, people were right. Payback was such a bitch…

  Epilogue

  Bretton Carter replaced the receiver, a small, grim smile on his face. Hearing the report that his instructions had been carried out to the letter gave him deeper satisfaction than anything had done in a long time.

  He could still remember that afternoon, the day after Kira had come out of hospital and she’d told him what Terrence had done to her. Blake had come to see him, and they’d talked. It was one of the most in-depth father-son conversations they’d ever had.

  “You know what he did to her,” Bretton had said expressionlessly. “Are you going to do anything about it?”

  Blake’s face had darkened with fury. “Once he gets back from that overseas assignment, I intend to tear him apart with my bare hands.”

  Bretton had smiled a little. “My sentiments exactly. And yet I think now you should focus more on Kira. Devote more time to winning her heart. She’s been hurting, physically and emotionally for a long time and you’re the only one who can heal that hurt.”

  Blake’s wrathful expression had grown confused. “What are you saying? Are you asking me to forgive Terrence for what he did? Dad, he not only risked Kira’s life but the life of my unborn child…”

  “And my grandchild,” Bretton said calmly, while his grey eyes flashed with menace directed at a certain Terrence King. “And I’m not saying he’s going to get away with it. I’m asking that you leave him to me. Let me deal with him. My way. I want to take care of this.”

  Blake scowled, staring at his father for several moments before he expel
led his breath in a harsh gust of air. “Anyone else ask me that, and I’d tell him to go jump off the nearest cliff. But then…”

  Bretton knew how hard it had been for Blake to entrust the matter in his father’s hands. But finally, he had. And Bretton would make sure he didn’t disappoint his son. Terrence King had hell to pay, and this was just the beginning. Bretton was going to take a lasting pleasure in bringing Terrence King to his knees. And Bretton wasn’t going to stop until the debt had been repaid in full.

  Bretton’s eyes strayed to the photographs on his desk.

  They were the new ones he’d placed next to Blake’s graduation picture. One was of Blake and Kira, smiling up at each other against a background of blue sea and mountains. That was from their summer vacation in Santorini, Greece. And the other frame was of his incredibly lovely grandchildren, boy and girl twins, Ashton and Kayla. It had been so mischievous of Kira and Blake to hide from everyone the fact that they were expecting twins, no one finding out until the babies were born. Bretton had felt like the proudest grandfather alive that day and the feeling hadn’t ebbed even months later. Amazing how much he loved them all.

  He only hoped he’d shown it in enough ways, especially to Blake, that he meant that. Over the months they’d bonded and Bretton knew they were both on the road to healing after the time they’d lost from Blake’s childhood.

  Bretton wasn’t a man who liked excuses so he never gave any. But even he knew he’d messed up as a father and he wasn’t averse to taking all the blame for the way his marriage ended. One thing Bretton was proud of; was the way Blake turned out. Blake was exactly the man Bretton would have wanted to be if circumstances hadn’t set him on a different path. Blake’s mother hadn’t understood him nor had she wanted the baggage of Bretton’s extreme drive to succeed in the business world.

  He’d known Sophie would be happier without him, so he’d regretfully let her go. But did all this success and all the money make up for what he’d lost in his young wife and only son? Bretton needed no one to answer that for him. He hadn’t wanted Blake to grow up anything like his father and that was why Bretton let Sophie raise their son alone. She made sure she kept Bretton far away from them, only sending pictures and sometimes letters telling Bretton about Blake’s progress.

  Now that Bretton had not only Blake, but Kira and his grandkids, he began to wonder how he could’ve settled for so little contact all those years. How blind he’d been.

  He rose from his desk a few minutes later, preparing to make his way home. It was lonely staying in that big old villa by himself, but it helped to know that his son and his new family lived not too far away. Bretton knew a man like him couldn’t ask for more – only that God would keep him alive long enough to make up for his mistakes – and long enough to show how grateful he was for being blessed with so many people he loved.

  Bretton vowed he’d never take them for granted. That was an error he’d never make again.

  Maybe I’ll retire; thought Bretton as he descended to the private parking where Chase waited in the Mercedes to drive him home. I need more time to devote to my family.

  This time, he’d see to it that his family knew for sure he’d always be there for them; a guardian angel whenever they needed one…

  THE END

  ***

  If you’ve enjoyed this book please check out my other titles on Allromanceebooks.com.

  BOOKS BY DEZ BURKE:

  Trapped by Marriage

  Gents 4 Ladies (A Fan Favorite and probably mine too!)

  Captivated by the Soldier

  Claimed by the Marine

  Forbidden Love with the Marine

  Captured by the Bodyguard

  Jamaica Nights

  Seduced by the Football Player

  If you’ve enjoyed this book you might also like:

  “Trapped by Marriage” by Dez Burke

  #1 Bestseller in African American Romance on Amazon!

  Nick Vitale, devilishly handsome, forbidding - and heir to a billion dollar fortune.

  Keyonna Hayes, beautiful, success-driven and ripe for love and passion beneath her ambitious shell.

  Blackmailed into marriage to the insufferably rich and gorgeous, Nick Vitale, Keyonna is determined to teach him a thing or two about love which he so despises. Only things never really go as expected...

  Soon intrigue, heartbreak and betrayal ensue and Nick and Keyonna fight to regain a love that was always destined to be theirs.

  Excerpt:

  “Why impossible?” Nick asked with a thoughtful frown. “Am I that detestable?”

  “That’s not the point,” Keyonna said through tight lips. “You and I…we aren’t even friends. And let’s face it, I know there’re tons of females out there who’d gladly fill up the vacant post.”

  “But it’s not them I want, is it?” Nick rumbled. He reached out and wrapped his hand snugly around her wrist and tugged her hard against him. Keyonna swallowed with difficulty and strained away as much as his steel hold would allow. As her heart rate increased alarmingly at his closeness, Keyonna wondered if she’d ever be immune to his overwhelming magnetism. She only had to look at him and she desired him – felt weak to resist his physical as well as psychological dominance. But even as he brought out the submissive nature hidden beneath her tough shell, resist him she would…

  He cupped her face in his hands, and Keyonna’s lashes fluttered low as he slowly bent down and slanted his lips across hers. Limp with pleasure, Keyonna could only gasp as Nick’s tongue suddenly plunged deep into her parted mouth.

  So much for resisting him. He ran his hands down from her throat and slipped them over the curve of her spine to grab handfuls of her jean-clad bottom. Keyonna shivered over and over.

  She longed for his kiss and touch; that she couldn’t deny. Hell, she was only human. And Nick effortlessly left her feeling aroused, confused and longing for more. She could hear his breath grow raspy with lust as he deepened the kiss, urging her into a more wanton response. Moaning, she opened wide to his invasion, eager for the lashings of his tongue around hers. He let out a throaty growl of pleasure that vibrated against the stiff nipples she had pressed up against his hard torso.

  About the Author

  Dez Burke grew up in rural Alabama and spent most summers reading worn copies of her Grandmother's Harlequin Romances. Even as a young girl, she noticed the absence of African American characters. So today, she writes hot, steamy romance books featuring black women and gorgeous men of all races.

  Copyright 2013 Dez Burke

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author. All characters are a work of fiction. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events or locales is purely coincidental. All characters are over the age of 18.

  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 person. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Table of Contents

  Burned by Passion