MIDNIGHT HEAT
Moonlight Romance, Book 2
(Second Edition)
By
HALEY WHITEHALL
MIDNIGHT HEAT
Published by Expanding Horizons Press
Copyright 2014, 2016
by Haley Whitehall
Smashwords Edition
No part of this publication may bereproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in anyform or by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise,including photocopy, recording or any information retrieval system,without the written permission of the publisher. This e-book islicensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not bere-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to sharethis book with another person, please purchase an additional copyfor each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of thisauthor.
This is a work of fiction. The characters,incidents, and dialogue are products of the author’s imaginationand are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actualpersons, living or dead, is entire coincidental.
Cover Design: Jenny Q
Stock Image from The Reed Files
Blurb
Re-Release: (Midnight Heat, Haley Whitehall,Liquid Silver Books. This is a re-edited and lengthenedversion.)
After the Civil War slavery ended but Allisonwasn’t set free. Still held prisoner by her master in 1868, shewelcomes a fiery death as her final escape. When a passing manrescues her from the flames, it soon becomes clear he desires morethan her gratitude. But Allison isn’t ready to give her trust tothe tall, dark, and handsome man, no matter how proper hisintentions.
George rescues Allison from the fire andintends to make the skittish woman his bride, if she’ll have him.But the stubborn woman is haunted by ghosts from the past. Whilehe’s busy soothing her fears the ghosts turn all too real, forcinghim into a final confrontation that may cost him his life.
Dedication
To all the women who have overcome atraumatic past to find their happily ever after.
Chapter 1
St. Louis, Missouri
September 1868
MR. GRIER KNELT in front of Allison, his hotbreath bathing her lips. Her heart stilled, she braced herself forthe unwanted kiss. Her captor hadn’t shaved recently and hisprickly beard reminded her of a dried out cactus.
“So tense?” he asked, his blue eyesgleaming.
She gritted her teeth, mentally cursing. Yes,she was tense. He was a monster.
He reached over and brushed the side of hercheek. She relaxed a fraction. Just because he was taking it slowtonight didn’t mean she wouldn’t be beaten if he got it into hishead she’d disobeyed him. He tucked a stray strand of hair behindher ear. His touch turned her skin cold. After all these years ashis unwilling lover, she ought to be accustomed to his touch bynow. Trouble was, she yearned for a different kind of touch alltogether. One she could experience in freedom, with the man of herchoosing. Not this cruel master.
“Come now,” he said, “give me a littlesugar.”
She spat at him. She’d never willingly givehim her body and he knew it. He liked the struggle, the conquest.It made him feel like a big man. She refused to play the roletonight.
Grier slapped her across the face.
She inhaled sharply through her nose and didnot utter a sound. That would have given him more satisfaction.At least she hadn’t borne themonster any children. After eight years, she reckoned her wombwould always be empty. Thank God.
“You better show me some respect, girl.” Hisharsh voice grated on her ears.
She glared at him wishing looks could kill.If that were the case, he would have died a long time ago. Instead,her internal feeling had faded over time, her insides now numb. Sonumb she might as well be dead. What could a slave do? She wastired of being numb, of being used, of enduring this life. If onlyshe could end Grier’s abuse. Tonight she wanted to die.
He slapped her again, this time, harder. Tears sprang to her eyes and sheblinked them away. Slavery had ended over five years ago, but notfor her. Grier had not set her free. None of the soldiers had cometo her rescue. No one cared about her welfare.
Allison bowed her head, her blood simmering.She jerked her leg, rattling the chain on her ankle keeping herprisoner in this small shack. Nine months ago she’d ran away, andhe would not risk losing her again.
He looked down at her foot and half-grunted,half-laughed. “You should thank me. I saved you from Mr. Coswell.He’s still fuming I didn’t hand you over to him to clear my debt.He’d have you on your back in one of his bawdy houses pleasuringevery stranger who gave him money.”
Grier picked up the plate of cornbread andbeans she hadn’t touched and carried it out of the room. If heguessed she was trying to waste away, he didn’t seem concerned.She’d started out with plump curves but had dropped several pounds.Now she had a more desirable figure. Was her starvation protestactually working against her? Getting later in the year the aircontained a chilly bite, and her dresses were now too big to wear.Grier preferred she stayed in her shift anyway. It made access toher forbidden place easier.
After several precious moments alone hereturned, souring the air in the room. Bare-chested, he did notlook the least bit appealing. He used to be muscular, but the yearshad not been kind to him. His stomach had turned flabby and asmattering of light brown hair covered his chest and narrowed intoa path leading to his trousers.
But her dreams were of a different kind ofman … a tall, handsome, colored man with caring eyes and a gentletouch. A colored man who would take care of her and protect her andsoothe her fears.
“I saw Mr. Coswell today.” Grier sat on thebed. “He asked about you.”
Fear stabbed her gut, but she kept theemotion bottled deep inside. Grier had forced her to service hisfriend—former friend—Mr. Coswell a few times. That bastard was aruffian disguised as a gentleman, and he bullied everyone to gethis way. Thankfully Grier realized his true colors in time anddespised him as equally as she did. Allison never wished to sufferhis violent advances again.
Grier laughed. “You left quite an impressionon him. When he looked at you all he thought was all
