Dissipate

A fire burns.

It consumes.

It's uncontrollable.

It's irrational.

Rage can become just like a fire, clearing all in its path, killing anything that gets in its way. That's what happens to a man when the woman he desires is put in harm's way.

He doesn't care what happens to him. He protects what is his. He doesn't apologize for what he has to do. He strikes without hesitation.

He is Bane Bryant…and he will protect her.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, to each and every one of you! Without your support, none of this would be possible. Thank you for all the love and friendship. It means more to me than you’ll ever know. Each book I write is a journey I immensely love and I hope you enjoyed this one.

With all my love!

Kristin

I SWIRLED MY red wine in a glass, listening to the happy chatter of the guests at my best friend, Amelia’s, wedding. The newlyweds had left about thirty minutes ago. The entire bridal party had been asked to stay behind so the guests didn’t feel as if the party ended.

It had been a simple but elegant wedding. Tall silver vases with pale-pink cascading flowers were at the center of each table. A petal had fallen down on the silver tablecloth and my fingers caressed it, feeling the softness.

I secretly wished to have something like this one day, but more intimate. Today, I had been the maid of honor. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. That was me. Oh, I was in a relationship, a long-term relationship actually, but there were no wedding bells in my future.

My boyfriend of five years, Harris Huntington the Third, didn’t believe in marriage—at least that seemed to be his outlook now. When Harris and I first met, I had envisioned a different future for us, but as the days came and went—I knew that future was but a dim dream. I loved him, I really thought I did, and that’s why it was hard to walk away.

I was a hopeless romantic. I hoped Harris would walk through the doors of our condo in Manhattan and realize there was more to life than making more money. With the death of his father, Harris had inherited a business empire that had changed him—changed us. It wasn’t a quick change, but a slow erosion that I had begun to notice over the last year.

Forever the eternal optimist, I hoped Harris would come back to me.

While the red liquid made its rotations around the glass, I watched the residue slowly come down the side wall.

Why wasn’t I able to find the love we saw in fairy tales? Everyone I loved eventually left me.

I was alone at this event as Harris had a business dinner that he thought was more important. I sat in a corner, waiting to make my escape at the first acceptable moment.

A slow song came on and bodies moved closer together under the twinkle lights of the dance floor. I sighed to myself. Seeing all this made my heart hurt, knowing I was missing out on this type of love. I wanted to feel those butterflies and undeniable attraction to someone.

Part of me was scared to move on from Harris. That’s why I held on to hope. Maybe, just maybe, Harris and I would be able to find our way back to each other.

The twinkle lights of the dance floor gave a romantic feel as the glow illuminated the embraced couples. Bodies swayed back and forth. I imagined Harris and me out there, holding each other in a blissful love like we used to. Those days seemed but a distant memory. Being given the sign from the wedding coordinator that I could leave, I gathered my things to make my way toward the parking lot. The night was unseasonably cool since fall had set in. My purple chiffon dress didn’t provide much warmth against the occasional wind gust.

To the right, I heard some giggling and quickly glanced over. There was a couple all over e

ach other as they fumbled for the handle on the back right passenger door of a car. It was hard to pull my eyes away, seeing the need those two had for each other. Hell, when is the last time I had even had an orgasm? The truth was, it had been longer than I wanted to admit. As of late, Harris was too time-constrained to give my body the attention it needed. So, I faked that blissful euphoria I loved. Before all of the money had come into our lives, that couple scrambling to get in the car would have been Harris and I as the need to have each other consumed any rational thought.

Driving out of the parking lot, I looked at the time and saw it was approaching nine PM. My Aunt Leelyn, who raised me, would be going to bed any minute. There wasn’t a night that we didn’t say goodnight to each other, even if it was simply a two-minute phone call. Connecting the Bluetooth, I dialed her number.

“Hello,” she answered. I loved Aunt Leelyn’s sweet voice.

“Hey, there. I’m leaving the wedding, but wanted to call and wish you goodnight.”

A yawn came through on the other end as my sixty-two-year-old aunt fought the sandman. “Night, sweetheart. Did it go okay without Harris?”

“It did. I missed him.” The phone was silent on the other end. I knew Aunt Leelyn didn’t approve of the new version of Harris, but she didn’t get involved. I continued on, “Tomorrow night I have a dinner with Harris. So I’ll call you earlier in the evening before we leave.”

“Sounds good, Ashlin. Night, love you.”