Mia Knight

“You don’t want a man like me to love you.”

“You don’t want a man like me to love you.”

She nodded. Deep down, she knew he was right. Forever with him would be a death sentence. Roth would never be restful or joyful. The man was so emotionally stunted, he didn’t trust himself. He was damaged, paranoid, controlling… He freel...

He'd kill for you

“You don’t understand our relationship,” she sighed.

“I think I understand better than you,” Lyle retorted. “You’re blind.”

“You have no idea what happens behind closed doors.” She wrapped her arms around her knees and stared at the horizon. “This has to end.”...

Roth's murky business connections...

“Whatever comes out of their mouth, don’t react. They’ll bait you, try to get a rise out of you.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s the kind of men they are.” A pause and then, “And they know you aren’t one of us.”

She hauled back on his hand. “Us?”

On the jet, going to the mountains...

Roth trying to piece together what happened...

“What knowledge did Colette try to protect you from?”

She cursed his eidetic memory and the fact that he’d been close enough to hear Colette whisper that to her.

“None of your business,” she said in a st...

Fuck all of you...

“Jasmine.”

“No. Don’t touch her. Don’t talk to her. I’m still tempted to rip your head off for putting her at risk.”

“Roth,” she began, but he cupped the back of her head, pressing her face into his chest as he growled, “Don’t defend him. He doesn’t deserve it....

Touch Me

“That fuck isn’t allowed to touch you!”

“It’s natural for me to touch someone I care about!” she snapped.

“Then touch me.”

His words hit her in the gut. She turned from him, her focus on the door and avoiding his statement and all it implied. She didn’t make it...

“I just fuck.”

“Are you married?” she blurted.

Grayson stopped with the fork halfway to his mouth. “Pardon?”

“Jasmine,” Roth said in a warning tone.

“Dating? Seeing someone special?” she pressed.

Gold eyes lightened with humor. “No to all of the above.” Grayson snatch...

A call to Sullivan...

“Roth!” Sullivan's exuberant voice held no trace of sleepiness despite the hour and the fact that he had been entertaining all night. “You and Jasmine left without saying goodbye. I wanted to tell her that—”

"Do you have cameras in the library?" Roth interrupted.

His voice ...

Reception

She was talking to Kira and Penelope when two massive arms wrapped around her middle and drew her back against a hard body. Her friend’s smiles widened delightedly when Roth kissed her temple.

“Do we have to leave?” Jasmine murmured.

“No, I was missing you,” he replied cand...

London Residents...

Roth pocketed his phone, but didn’t turn to face her. Instead, he stared out at the view, lost in thought. She waited thirty seconds before her curiosity got the best of her.

“What’s going on? Why are you so worried?”

He stayed quiet for so long, she thought he wasn’t going...

An unexpected phone call...

Roth’s phone flashed as a call came in. Absently, she glanced at the screen and froze when she saw “Kaia,” no last name. She glanced at the empty doorway before she snatched up the phone.

“Kaia?”

“Jasmine?”

Kaia sounded stunned.

“How are you?” ...

Jasmine seizes the opportunity...

She looked up and her mouth opened in a silent scream when she saw a figure in the doorway.

“Find anything interesting?”

She took a step back. He shouldn’t be here. He couldn’t be here. It was impossible for him to make it back so quickly. Unless… he wasn’t where he said ...

Battle of his life...

She sat on the edge of the bed, staring straight through him. She was as substantial as the ocean breeze and just as predictable. He didn’t know how to reach her. He spoke for hours, she didn’t say a word in response. Her eyes were blank, her mind clearly elsewhere. Anywhere but here with him...

An Unexpected Visitor...

The sound of male voices roused her. She raised her head and frowned at the closed door. A glance at the windows told her it was either very late or very early. She wondered if Roth was watching TV unusually loud, but when his voice, unmistakably deep and harsh, was interrupted by a much softer v...

A trip to the men's restroom...

“Go to the bathroom,” he growled.

She straightened. Was he serious? One glance told her he was serious as a heart attack. Her heart sped up. Here?

He squeezed her thigh. “Now.”

When she stood, the men gave her distracted glances.

“I need to powder my no...

Grayson

Jasmine blinked when the spa employee extended a phone to her. Believing only an emergency would make Roth call the spa, she grabbed it hastily and said, “Hello?”

“Hi, love.”

The deep, British drawl was the last thing she expected. For a moment, she was at a loss and then, “...

August Recap/September Update

So, a recap of August: I didn’t work on the book as much as I wanted to. I moved into my own place at the beginning of the month and seriously underestimated how much time it would take to unpack, transfer things over, acquire what I need (the only chair I’ve had is my office chair for nearly...

Fuck Love

“The most foolish thing I ever did was believe I could make a difference.” She shook her head and let out a choked laugh. “I was so arrogant, but now I know better. I’m going to break my generational curse. I’m going to do what my mother should have done. I’m getting out. Fuck the mon...

Roth has a nightmare...

She sat in the oversized rattan chair, legs crossed, eyes closed. The warm, tropical breeze tugged at her loose hair and pale blue silk slip. The distant roar of the waves crashing on the shore put her into a hypnotic state. She drifted, mind filled with static, until an odd noise brought her bac...

“Make Aunty happy again.”

Jasmine lunged at him. If Roth’s reflexes were any slower, she would have gouged his eyes out. Instead, she clawed empty air as Roth hauled her backward. She fought like a madwoman, screaming and kicking, her temper completely unleashed.

“Fuck you, Lyle!” she spat. "All these years of...

"I like you"

“I like you.”

She wasn’t sure why those three words made her stomach contract. “Thank you.”

He slipped his hands into his pockets and leaned against the doorjamb as he regarded her silently.

“Roth’s a lucky man,” he said finally.

Her smile wavered for a m...

A familiar face...

“Jasmine.”

She blinked. It took several seconds for the scene she was working on to fade enough for her to register that Roth stood in her office doorway. Before she could ask him what he was doing here at this hour, he stepped aside, revealing a black woman in an immaculately tailored ...

Broken Promises

“You promised!” he bit out.

“So did you.” Her eyes burned as she whispered, “You promised you’d make me happy. You promised it would be different this time around, that you would make up for the past. You tried to convince me that I was your dream…” Her voice broke, but she ...

Jasmine, 10 Years Old, PT 2

Kira’s petulant expression eased into a genuine smile when she was approached by an acquaintance of her father. Kira spoke in rapid Russian. Jasmine understood bits and pieces of what they were saying, since Kira switched between her native tongue and English often when they spoke on the phone....

Jasmine, 10 Years Old, PT 1

Jasmine turned her head to the side and bit her lip to stop herself from laughing aloud as her friends bickered.

“Her dress is horrid,” Kira said in appalled tones. “It looks like she tried to sew it herself.”

“Kira!” Penelope gave her an admonishing nudge. “Ple...

Jasmine tells her family the truth...

“Our marriage was a business arrangement,” she announced and was aware of the sudden stillness of everyone in the hall. “I was so determined to save Dad’s legacy…” Her stomach rocked with humiliation and anger. “I shouldn’t have interfered. I should have let you all handle it and ...

“I don’t want to go with you.”

She rounded the corner and stopped in her tracks. Her family stood in front of the door, dressed in their winter gear with their suitcases off to the side, clearly ready to depart.

“You’re leaving?” she asked.

“Yes.”

Colette came over to her and gave her a side hug ...

“I need you.”

“I need you.”

Six hours ago that line snapped her out of a panic attack and gave her the strength to take on high society with a smile on her face. Now, it did nothing for her because she knew he didn’t mean it. They were empty words he knew she desperately wanted to hear. He knew she...

“When are you going back to New York?”

She was hyperaware of Roth watching her. It was getting on her nerves. He never said a word, just sat silently, observing her as she watched the waves crash on the shore. She would have suspected he was dozing behind his shades, but the moment she moved, so did he. She couldn’t remember the las...

Bitter Heat Bonus Scene, PT 4

He was grateful when she slid down his body and slipped his rock-hard cock inside of her. He bared his teeth, fighting his orgasm, as her tight sheath enveloped him. Her low moans filled the room, but the sorrow etched on her face and the almost frantic way she moved told him she was still trying...