Cold Heat (Seasons of the Heart #1) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Acknowledgements

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  COLD HEAT

  Seasons of the Heart, Book 1

  LEEANN WHITE

  Cold Heat

  Copyright © 2014 LeeAnn White

  Cover Artist: DeLaine Roberts, www.drgraphicexpressions.com

  Warning: All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and occurrences are a produce of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places or occurrences, is purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN:

  ISBN-13:

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to my family

  and friends who kept encouraging me

  to follow my dreams, but most importantly, to

  Margaret. I love you, Mama.

  Acknowledgements

  This, my first attempt at telling a story would never have happened if it weren't for some very special people.

  Barney. Daddy. Thank you for encouraging and supporting me while this story ran its course from my mind and into this book.

  Kaitlynn and Kaleb, no matter how out of reach it seems, you’ll never get anywhere without trying.

  Melinda, my coffeehouse writing partner slash sounding board slash proofreader. Here’s to many more brownies, coffees, words, and laughs.

  Roman, for wonderful information on the US Navy.

  The women and men of my Twitterhood, Amy, Ashley, Natalie, Kim, Marci, Sal, Claire, and David, who stood by me through so much this year, never wavering in their love and support, no matter how elusive I became. There are so many more of you, my friends. Know I love you all.

  Kira for the mental butt kicking and encouragement.

  Erik Chwick for the amazing facts and information needed to place the correct weapons in the hands of my characters.

  My students to whom I would always tell to follow their dreams. Well, kids, I’ve taken my own advice. It’s your turn to chase the dream.

  Prologue

  Kaylie laid on her side on the kitchen floor, gasping for breath after Brian walked out of the house; the slamming of the door echoing through the house like a gunshot.

  She sat weeping on the kitchen floor in her now shredded and ruined, designer silk dress, curling up into herself, hoping to protect herself in case he came back. This episode had been the worst one yet. He’d never pulled a gun before, and she could only thank God that he’d merely threatened her with it tonight.

  She didn't think her wrist was broken, but she knew that it was more than just bruising, and she could already feel the tightening and swelling in her jaw and lip from a particularly vicious punch. God only knows about her ribs after the kicks she’d received, but with the piercing pain and the effort it took to breathe, she’d be lucky if they weren’t broke. She knew she needed to get help, but who could she trust? Breathing in deep through her nose she managed to get up off the floor, black spots dancing in her vision. She whimpered with every bone jarring move she made. It seemed like an eternity before she managed to get to the foyer, retrieving her purse and keys; she made her way out of the house.

  She took her car and what was left of herself across town to a 24 hour emergency room clinic. Walking in took everything she had left, but she knew she was running out of time with Brian. The look of support from the nurse who was assigned to her, and her gentle questioning burst open the dam that Kaylie had erected so long ago to hide the truth.

  Answering the nurses questions about what happened tonight, and whether it had happened before. The police had been called at Kaylie’s request and this time, unlike when Brian’s friends had shown up to “question” her, it was a fatherly detective who took her statement, promising to do everything he could to help her.

  “Kaylie, I’m Detective David Stewart.” He cautiously reached out his hand to shake mine, turning it over in his, looking at it in the light. “The first thing I want you to know is that you are completely safe right now. No one is going to hurt you as long as I am in here, and my partner, Detective AJ Herndon is right outside the door, I’m going to ask your nurse to stay in the room with us, with the door closed, while I ask you some questions. Is this all right with you?”

  Kaylie nodded, but couldn't make eye contact with him. Knowing that he could see the swelling and bruising on her face, the split lip, and the evidence of where her nose had been bleeding was enough. Tears clouded her vision and ran freely down her face while answering the Detectives questions about that night, and previous nights with Brian… Was this the first incident? How many others? Had she ever reported him to the police?

  Chapter 1

  The divorce was final; it was, at long last, over and done with. The last fifteen years, which had started off with such promises of loving, honoring, and cherishing, had deteriorated into a living hell, had finally been dissolved with the slash of a judge’s pen. Kaylie Blake Peterson had gathered the proof and the courage to seek help against Brian for abuse. Filing the papers for the divorce was easy after that, especially when she found out about the other women.

  Eighteen months in jail is hardly worth what he has done to me, Kaylie thought as she carried her suitcases out to her car But it was enough time to dissolve the marriage, get counseling, and pack up the things she wanted to keep, selling the rest of her belongings, and leaving before he had the chance to strike back against her. The threats, or promises, were already coming in.

  You’ll pay for this, bitch.

  I won’t forget.

  I won’t be so easy on you next time.

  Our friends, no, she corrected herself, his friends. They chose his side, despite her proof. But he has the money. The power. She was leaving with nothing except what she came with. There was no one to really say goodbye to. She would leave, taking as much of herself with her as she could, leaving as little as she could behind. After taking one last look around, satisfied that she had not missed anything, she walked out, locking the door behind her.

  Throwing her two suitcases in the backseat, Kaylie set out on her way out of Las Vegas toward California. She knew she should wait to leave, but there was an urge, a feeling deep in her gut telling her to go, go now. She had a full gas tank and a long road to cover. No, there was no waiting on the weather.

  She drove for a few hours, grateful that every mile was taking her further from Brian, but the roads were becoming more and more hazardous. The fierce winds whipped her car as she climbed higher up the mountains that were the Sierra Nevada’s. Kaylie was struggling to maintain traction on the icy mountain roads. She steeled her nerves to keep moving forward, the road behind her was worsening. The last town she had passed was too far behind her to turn back n
ow. White knuckling her grip on the steering wheel, she took deep breaths as fat snowflakes began falling faster. Could things get any worse? She tried to stifle the panicked thoughts building in her head. Surely there was bound to be something just a few more miles up the road.

  Kaylie felt as if she was barely inching her way up the mountain. Slowing her speed, she hit a patch of black ice, losing all traction. Her muscles tightened in panic as Kaylie screamed.

  She came around with her car cradling a tree. Shivering in the cold air, she gasped in pain as she reached beside her for her coat and scarf. Thank God she had put on extra layers of clothes to combat the unseasonable cold that had settled over the state. She couldn't remember how she’d ended up here, but she knew she needed to call for help. She climbed out of the car, feeling aches and stiffness settling in. “Come on!” Kaylie yelled at the useless cell in her hand as the combination of pain, cold, and fear began to take their toll on her. Not knowing what else to do, she tightened her coat and scarf around herself. She fought to get back into her battered car as a wave of dizziness overwhelmed her.

  “Stupid. Stupid. Stupid! Of course November is the perfect time to pack up and go on a road trip. Add in that I had no idea where I’m headed. For the trifecta, let's follow up with not telling anyone? Like there was anyone really left to tell I was leaving,” she muttered.

  She hurt everywhere. The initial adrenaline rush flooding her system after her car lost traction and started its dance toward the trees was fading, leaving her body to realize the pain that came from the impact. She took an inventory of herself while attempting to settle back into the car, feeling the tenderness in her chest, she winced as her fingertips brushed over the battered area where her motion was stopped by the seatbelt. Kaylie sniffed and tried to wipe away the tears that all at once began falling. She winced when she realized that the throbbing in her arm had to have come when she braced for the impact. She knew she the soreness would last for a few days, but she’d seen worse at Brian’s hands.

  Her body shivered as the snow continued burying her car in thickening layers. The car cooled quickly to an uncomfortable temperature. She managed to turn the engine on again, getting some heat in the car.

  Her head ached and the stress that had built over the past few years became too much to bear. Her last thought as she slipped into unconsciousness was how grateful she was that her flashers were working when everything else looked so very bleak.

  Drake Givens was headed back up the mountain from town, his truck loaded up on supplies, when the weather started to turn from bad to worse. Why he had waited until the last minute to stock up was beyond him, and now he realized he had to be the only driver idiotic enough to be on the roads right now. Thank God he was paying attention to the road and surroundings because he suddenly caught sight of the emergency flashers of a car partially off the road and wrapped around a tree. Stopping his truck, Drake realized he had stumbled across the car by sheer luck as he headed up the mountain to his cabin; even his 4X4 was having a hard time on the ice and snow covered road.

  He didn't want to stop and get caught up in the worsening conditions, but his years of training in the military, and his status as a reserve police officer, had him both honor and duty bound to check the car for any passengers. Running on instinct and training, he pulled his truck over to check the car, hoping to find it empty. As he scraped back the snow from the windshield and driver’s door he felt relief flood him that he had stopped, there was a female, unconscious, and clearly needing help. He tried the door, but it was locked, or stuck, banging on the window and willing the door open, he tried to get the attention of the woman he saw, still and pale in the driver’s seat.

  The pounding must have startled the woman awake. A scream tore from her throat as her head whipped towards the sound of his voice. Pain covered her face with the movement. She must be in pain. He moved so the lights from his truck lit up his face.

  “Ma’am? Are you okay? Ma’am, can you hear me? I’m trying to help you, can you hear me, Ma’am?” The man’s voice, muffled by the wind and glass, was coming through the window. His hands were already bitterly cold from the frigid wind and the snow he had brushed from the window, but the blowing snow and the dark sky made it difficult to see clearly. Relief coursed through him when he heard the faint click of the doors unlocking. Wrenching the door open, he bent down already noticing a good-sized lump on her head, bruising already around it.

  “Ma’am, my name is Drake. You’ve been in an accident. I need to see if you’re hurt anywhere before I can move you to safety. Do you understand what I’m saying?” The very last thing he wanted to do was frighten her; she looked to be in shock when she once again met his gaze, her eyes wide, her skin pale, and her face creased with tension. “Can you tell me your name?”

  “Kaylie,” she answered him quietly. She flinched away from him and, gentling his hold on her a bit, he began talking in a softer tone. One he had used too many times in the field over wounded brothers and sisters.

  He was running his hands over her arms and checking her for anything that was in obvious need of medical treatment. “Ma’am, I can see a knot on your head from where you hit it, but can you tell me if you know of any other injuries I need to be aware of? Are you hurt anywhere else?”

  The woman struggled to concentrate on the voice of the man who was trying to help her, but once again, she felt the pull of darkness from the pain as the icy fingers of stress dragged her back into unconsciousness.

  “Shit,” Drake said, as he watched her eyes lose focus and her head drop to one side. Reaching up and letting out a sigh of relief as he felt a strong pulse. Time was running out to get home safely before a complete whiteout made driving impossible. Drake reached in to lift her out of the car, being careful to avoid hurting her any more than she already was. Settling her into his truck as best as he could with the seatbelt, he made sure she was safe and that her airway was not blocked before going back and grabbing the cases he’d seen in her back seat.

  He set back up the mountain, towards his cabin, the only place that allowed him to battle back the memories of missions that were clouded in darkness and shadows that had plagued him since Afghanistan. Knowing he wasn’t focused on the road like he should have been, his attention divided between the road ahead of him, the storm around him, and the passenger beside him. He was concerned about her wounds, but he knew that waiting for rescue would take a long time even under normal circumstance’s, but with the storm that was suddenly slamming the area, who knew how long that would be?

  He had to go on his gut instinct and move the woman from her vehicle in order to save her. He was confident that she had not sustained any life threatening injuries, and there were no broken nor dislocated bones when he was checking her over. The head wound would need watching but he knew from his days in the field that he could keep an eye on her from home; if she started to display any serious or concerning signs, he would call in for help.

  He was curious about her, he admitted to himself. Why was she out on this road, and in this storm, alone? Was she headed to meet someone? Was she running from something? He hadn’t taken the time to search her car for anything other than her purse and the two cases he saw in the back seat when he scooped her out of the car. He knew that his plan to work through his demons alone, were scrapped, for now. He wound his way the last few miles up the mountain toward his home with this stranger who would be staying with him for the time being.

  Chapter 2

  With the severe weather, it took them nearly an hour to navigate roads that normally took Drake 15 minutes. Drake was finally making his way down the long, dirt drive through the field in front of his house. Kaylie had been awake, but quiet, for the duration of the ride to his home, for which he was grateful, while he concentrated on staying on the road. He’d let her have her silence for the time being, knowing they would have more than enough time to talk, especially if this God-awful weather held up.

  “Drake Givens,” he
said, introducing himself and turning to her after he put his truck in park. “I realize you're probably more than a little concerned about a few things right now, but I promise, you are okay with me. I do, however, have some questions for you, but I know for damn sure I’d rather talk in the house and out of this fucking cold. I grabbed your cases, hoping I got everything, from your car before we left it behind.” Turning the engine off and pulling his keys free from the ignition, he handed her the house key, “If you don't mind going up and unlocking the door, I’ll be right behind you, I’ll check out your injuries better inside?”

  “Kaylie Peterson, I mean Blake. Kaylie Blake,” she replied as she tentatively reached out and took the keys from him with her opposite hand, keeping her left arm snug against herself. “Thank you.” She knew she confused him when she’d changed her name but she had to remember she was no longer Kaylie Peterson. “There’s no real need to hurry. I know I’m not hurt too badly; I can wait, if it’s all the same to you.“ She carefully got out of the truck, taking stock of where the aches and stiffness were located.

  Kaylie looked around at her new surroundings. The stone and log cabin, bordered on three sides by woods, looked like it had always been a part of the mountainside. The logs that made up the exterior were a beautiful honey color, with smooth river stones at the corners and the front. The steep pitched roof had a long stone chimney rising up out of it. She slowly climbed the couple of stairs to his door, unlocking the heavy wood door and holding it open for him as he came in carrying her bags, setting them inside.

  Kaylie stood, motionless, while she took in the section of the main room of the cabin that she could see. The walls were covered in the same smooth, honey colored wood as the outside, the wood floors a darker shade that had area rugs scattered around. There were floor to ceiling windows lining one wall that looked deep into the woods behind the house.