The burnt heart, p.1
The Burnt Heart, page 1
The Burnt Heart © 2023 by Mae Pierce.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system without the prior permission of the publisher.
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Edited by Dark Ink Publication
Cover Design by Starfall Designs
Contents
Dedication
Please Read: Content and Trigger Warnings
Prologue
1. Adelaide
2. Logan
3. Adelaide
4. Briar
5. Adelaide
6. Jesse
7. Jesse
8. Adelaide
9. Logan
10. Logan
11. Briar
12. Jesse
13. Adelaide
14. Briar
15. Adelaide
16. Briar
17. Jesse
18. Adelaide
19. Adelaide
20. Adelaide
21. Adelaide
22. Adelaide
23. Adelaide
24. Adelaide
25. Jesse
26. Adelaide
27. Adelaide
28. Adelaide
29. Logan
30. Adelaide
31. Adelaide
32. Adelaide
33. Adelaide
34. Adelaide
35. Jesse
36. Adelaide
37. Adelaide
Six Months Later
Six (More) Months Later
38. Lara
Thank You
Also By
To all the readers who search for that gut punch moment and a grovel that lasts longer than one chapter. I got you.
I know I’m not the only twisted reader who likes a good dash of angst with their HEA.
Let's break your heart and glue it back together again, shall we?
Please Read: Content and Trigger Warnings
Dear readers,
If you are searching for a lighthearted, warm fuzzy story please reconsider reading this book. The HEA in this story is hard fought and fraught with angst for the majority of the book. This story deals with heavy themes (detailed below) and if you are in a dark place with your mental health this may not be right for you.
If you are triggered by other woman drama or emotional cheating type behavior, this may not be a book you enjoy.
There is OW and OM drama in this book!
The characters in this book are not perfect, they are broken, flawed and in Briar’s case, needs a frypan to the head at times. This story has heartbreak, and it will hurt but they work hard to earn their forgiveness.
I love spoilers and I want readers to feel safe so if OW drama or emotional cheating is a trigger, but you are still interested in reading, please see below for more spoiler details. Feel free to reach out and ask me any questions on my social media as well.
Content Warnings:
Abusive foster parents, foster parent neglect.
Other man drama (fake dating/no cheating)
Touch aversion
Anger management
Violent intrusive thoughts
Violence
Gore
Death via gun violence, motor vehicle and knives.
Mutilation
Scars
Parent/child physical abuse (historical)
Stabbing
Infertility due to injury
Mention of child sexual assault (historical)
Attempted sexual assault of MMC (on page)
Drugging
Sexually explicit scenes
Submissive scene with no aftercare
Cum play
Femdom
Orgasm Control/Denial
Degrading sex talk
Choking via cock
If you feel something should be added to this list, please email me at: maepierceauthor@outlook.com
SPOILER ** SPOILER ** SPOILER ** SPOILER
The other woman drama occurs between Briar and Nicole.
Briar grew up with Nicole in the foster home and considers her a friend. He confides secrets about his best friends fears and Adelaide's infertility to her. He leans on her emotionally during stressful times, by having dinner with her and venting about stressful situations. When Adelaide mentions how uncomfortable this makes her feel, he dismisses her feelings.
Briar has never been physically/emotionally attracted to Nicole. He allowed her to cross boundaries because of their past and a secret he holds. When he was younger there was a man in his life who abused him over many years and after this abuse he would spend time with Nicole. She was his shield from Logan and Jesse when they asked questions about why he wasn't acting like himself. But he never considered his relationship with her to be anything but that of a friend. He feels guilty because he used her in the past (as a shield) and this causes him to allow her to cross boundaries with him. He doesn't prefer her company or seek her out over Adelaide or think of her in lieu of Adelaide.
Briar is guilty of being willfully obtuse when it comes to Nicole.
There is a moment in the book in which Nicole drugs him and attempts to physically touch him. Briar is 100% an unwilling victim. There is another moment where he is ordered to reenact sexual acts with Nicole but it doesn't progress further than light touches. Both of these instances are horrific for Briar and not something he enjoys at all.
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 a young 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 hi s 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 declaring that he wasn’t marrying a butterball.
He’d sneered afterward, teeth flashing before the room erupted in chaos. Gun muzzles flashed under a torrent of rising voices. 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.
My life is crumbling around me.
That was what I wanted to say. But I had a lifetime of holding my tongue.
“I had a fight with my boyfriend,” I diluted the reality of the situation. “Ex-boyfriend, I should say.”
I shrugged with a watery smile. Something about the way Briar was washing my hands stemmed the spiraling emotions inside me. I managed to snag the fried ends and tuck them away. I pulled my hands back and tucked my feet under my butt. It was then I noticed the dark looks on the boys’ faces. I stiffened, realizing too late how it looked. My dress ripped into pieces, scratches on my skin like someone had sliced their nails into me.
“Point us in his direction, please. I just want to talk to him.” Jesse cracked his knuckles. The lighthearted smile had vanished. He had one silver hoop in his ear, and it glittered wildly against his dark skin. He flashed his teeth again, but the smile he offered was hungry with violence I recognized.
A laugh cascaded out of me at the incredulity of this situation. The idea of these three kindhearted guys rolling up to take on Raimondo was preposterous. They didn’t realize I was more than capable of doing it myself. Given some time to regroup, I would destroy him. I didn’t need anyone to do it for me.
“There’s no need,” I assured them, my chest glowing a little at their immediate protection. “I don’t care about him so much as I hate the hit to my reputation.”
“Your reputation?” Logan leaned on the nearby tree. It towered over us, its branches covered in vines. Unease flared in my stomach, I needed to change the subject.
“Why are you out here?” I asked, wiping the residue of tears off my face, careful to avoid messing with the scrapes. My heart was tender, but lighter than ten minutes ago. They looked shifty, Jesse blowing a breath to the clear blue sky.
“We’re celebrating our emancipation,” he said, and shrugged at my quizzical look.
“Foster kids,” Briar hurried to add. I didn’t miss the slight stiffness that locked Jesse’s shoulders and the way Logan’s drooped. “The group home we were in is just around the corner. But we’ve aged out and have to get our own place. We’re here saying goodbye. This lot was where we spent a lot of time growing up. It could get chaotic in the home.” Briar’s cheeks flooded red, and he made an embarrassed noise. “Sorry. I rambled a bit. You don’t want to know our life story.”
“Well, congratulations? Is that appropriate?” I leaned over to give Briar a little squeeze. He froze in my arms, and I pulled back with a grimace.
“Sorry, I’m a hugger. Should have asked you.”
“Don’t need to ask me,” Jesse chuckled, wrapping his arms around me. Logan lined up behind him with a wink and pulled me into a brief squeeze. Jesse and Briar shared a shell-shocked look that I couldn’t decipher. The sun crawled across the sky, forgotten by the words that sprang up between us. For the first time in a long time, I didn’t weigh every word I spoke. I still dissected every minute movement they made. But it was like collecting small, precious treasures. Briar twisted his hands together when he impatiently waited to interject. Jesse cracked his knuckles to diffuse the awkwardness. Logan tugged on his left ear when he considered an answer. They’d all sneaked surreptitious looks at my cleavage, but they hadn’t made one gross comment or move that might make me uncomfortable. Honestly, the stroke to my ego was welcome. It wasn’t until the light turned golden on the tree trunk that I stretched and stood. Father would be worried sick. I couldn’t delay the embarrassing return any longer.
“Thanks for keeping me company. I would have been stuck in my head all afternoon and instead I made three new friends.” I smoothed down the now grubby dress, reluctantly.
“Hug it out?” Jesse offered, opening his arms, and I laughed as he bundled me up. I softened in the cradle of his embrace, my high walls obliterated by the disastrous morning. But I didn’t bother to erect them again, the drugging warmth from our connection too tantalizing to resist.
“Make sure you put some disinfectant on those scrapes, and if you need someone to help with an ex-boyfriend problem, we’re the ones to call.” Briar gave me a soft smile. I offered him back his jacket, which he protested. But I knew if I came home with a strange man’s clothing tied around my waist, it would send my family berserk.
“Three new friends who can definitely use their fists,” Logan added with a raised eyebrow. I walked back to the house like I was stepping on clouds. A silly little smile on my face that didn’t fade even when father tore strips off me for my reckless behavior.
