Free BURN by Suzanne Wright Page A

keep her out of Carla’s reach?
    “Soon after that, I met Bray and we eventually had our sons. My focus had to be on them.”
    “In short, you’re saying that if Jolene and Lucian hadn’t tried to come between you and Harper, you would have been a mother to her?”
    “Yes, of course.”
    “Hmm. She’s been in Vegas without Lucian since she was eighteen. Yet, you’ve made no effort at all to see her. That strikes me as odd for someone who claims to be so unhappy about not having their daughter in their life.”
    “I thought about going to see her, but I knew Jolene and Lucian had filled her head with a pack of lies. I worried that she’d slam the door in my face. I don’t think I could take that.” Carla swallowed hard, the image of an emotional mess. “Do you think she would ever want to speak with me? Has she given you any indication that she might be prepared to do so?”
    “Anything Harper tells me will remain between her and me. I’d never break her confidence.”
    “Naturally. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that.” There was a pause before Carla timidly enquired, “How is she?”
    “That’s a question for Harper to answer. I’m her anchor. But I don’t speak for her. Now if you’re finished, I’m a busy man.” But he got the feeling that she wasn’t finished, that there was something else.
    Carla immediately shot to her feet. “I understand. Thank you for your time, Mr. Thorne.” When she reached the door, she glanced at him over her shoulder. “Before I go…”
    And here it is . “Yes?”
    “Please give Harper a message for me. Please tell her that, whatever she may think, I have always loved her. I never stopped thinking about her, wondering where she was and how she was doing. Not even for a single day.” Then Carla was gone, and Levi slipped inside.
    “You heard that?” Knox asked him.
    The sentinel nodded. “Do you believe her?”
    “I’ll concede that there are always two sides to every story, but that’s not to say that I believe Carla’s account. You?”
    “She sounded truthful. But…”
    “Yes. But.”
    “If you asked her sons whether she’s a good mother, I think you’d get conflicting answers. Roan is a self-righteous prick who hops, skips, and jumps at her say-so. Her youngest, Kellen, seems to despise her.” Levi tilted his head. “Are you going to give Harper the message from Carla?”
    “I haven’t decided yet. You think I should.”
    “I think you want her to trust you. She won’t if you keep things from her – even if your reason is to protect her or her feelings.” Levi grinned. “It bugs you that you can’t control this.”
    Of course it did. Knox took control of whatever situation he found himself in. “And that amuses you far too much.”
    An unrepentant shrug. “I always figured you’d be indifferent to your anchor, since you don’t need one.”
    “It’s not that simple, which you’ll learn for yourself when you find yours. Then I’ll be the one who’s laughing.”
    Knox?
    He instantly tensed at the wariness in Harper’s voice. What’s wrong?
    Who the hell is Silas Monroe? Because he just walked into my office.
    Shit. I’m on my way.
     
     
    Harper eyed her visitor with a mixture of distrust, irritation, and confusion. She’d been going through the accountancy books when there had been a rhythmic knock at the door followed by the immediate entrance of a dark, gangly guy who apparently didn’t have the manners to wait until he’d been summoned to enter someone’s office.
    She could sense he was a demon, so he should know better than to invade the personal space of another demon uninvited. That had annoyed her, and because she was in a shitty mood after arguing with Royce again, she’d simply asked, “Who the fuck are you?”
    He’d presented her with a huge grin, ignoring the disapproval radiating from her colleagues in the doorway. The grin was pleasant enough, yet…there was something sly in the curve of it. A