Burning Frost

By G.D. Madsen

Lucas:

She was supposed to be a distraction. A careless fling. 

One innocent kiss - and I craved more. 

She ignited my sinful, revenge-driven heart, but happiness is not for a man who's life's goal is to hunt down his father's killers.

And if I am not careful enough, I and everyone around me might turn into a pile of ashes. 
Including the girl I desire more than the revenge itself.

 

Aurelia:
Moving across the ocean turned my life upside down. The first day of my senior year ended with one friend, a handful of foes... 

And him. 

Handsome, confident, dangerous, and eight years older.

I wanted to run, but his hypnotic touch caused the frost in my body to crack, and his forbidden kiss melted the ice that kept my body shackled for years.

We were perfect together, and despite the world against us, I embraced his darkness. 

I just did not expect to be abandoned there. 

 

Note: This is a sweet, steamy, and heart-wrenching prequel to the enemies-to-lovers second chance romantic thriller Frozen Ashes. If you prefer a steamier story with a HEA, you can dive in straight into the Frozen Ashes (it can be read as a stand-alone).  

• Language: English
• Publisher: G.D. Madsen
• Release date: Dec 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393965039

G.D. Madsen

I am an indie author of Romance and Romantic Suspense stories for adults with strong heroines and alphas ready to sacrifice everything for their women.Born in Lithuania, I have been traveling the world for most of my life, and five years ago settled in the small French village in the middle of vineyards with my Greenlander husband and our crazy cats - Cookie and Godzilla. This is where my first book was born and was soon followed by others.

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Thank You Note

I am insanely grateful to have found an incredible writing community on Instagram. Thank you all for your kind words and daily motivation! Also, to the readers of my debut novel Imperfect Forgery for your reviews, comments, and expressed wishes to see more books from me – thank you! I hope you will enjoy this story just as much.

Last but not least – my husband! I don't believe I would have done this without your support, encouragement, and unbelievable patience when dealing with my mood swings and self-doubt. And for proving to me that men like you still exist in this world!

Chapter 1

Aurelia

"ABOUT TIME YOU LEARN how things work around here, new girl," the perfectly painted and styled diva squad leader says the instant she blocks my way.

I cannot help but grunt, silently wishing for the thousandth time I had been born two months earlier to this day.

To my annoyance, my eighteenth birthday is only next month, and my mother used those missing thirty-something days against me. She convinced my biological father to sign the consent form so that I could join Mum, my stepdad, and my half-brother.

Although moving across the ocean from my friends, my dreams, and my future had never been part of my plans, saying no to my mother was out of the question. I owe her my life in more ways than one.

After all, I was the one responsible for making it nearly impossible for us to continue living in Lithuania, and if this was my price to pay for seeing Mum smile again, I was ready to pay it.  Even if that meant settling in a small town outside Chicago.

Yet, had I known I’d be thrown into a damn parody of a high school Hollywood movie on my first day at school, I might have agreed to move to London for my senior year to live with my paternal grandparents.

Unfortunately, just when I thought this day could not turn any worse, I am being confronted by the squad of entitled bitches.

What gives you the impression I haven't figured it out already? I tilt one eyebrow slowly. Surely, my impressive academic record, as your principal put it, should have provided you with some clues to my intelligence. Oh, wait... I cross my arms over my chest. Must be my clothing.

My gaze travels from the diva's long ebony curls, down to her tight black top and leather jacket – unzipped enough to show her hardly school appropriate cleavage. To tell the truth, she is quite pretty, somewhat Snow White like. That is, if the Snow White caked her face with about twenty layers of makeup, and dressed more like her evil stepmother. Her short pleated skirt and thigh-high stiletto boots only enhance the entire inappropriate image. "I am sorry, I must've missed the paragraph that said to come to school dressed like a slut." The posh notes of my British accent reign over every word. Especially the last one.

You bitch, she snarls, stepping closer to me, but I don't move. In her heels, she towers over my five-foot-six frame, but I have tackled bigger and tougher opponents during my fighting days.

If anything, my knuckles are itching to dig into her face after this disaster of the first day. Much thanks to the company in front of me. Only because Mum made me promise to behave, those previously mentioned knuckles are not slamming into the pointy nose inches away from mine.

She, whatever her name is, must sense my anticipation, because she actually leans back before adding, You may sound impressive with that accent of yours. A flashy grin takes over her face. But know this, in here I am the royalty. And so is my boyfriend whom you insulted so stupidly today. This kind of attitude is not going to serve you well.

So, the dumbass with overly styled hair and little knowledge of geography, who told me to return to my country, the same one who pushed me into a door after I suggested he returned to his, is the boyfriend. Unsurprisingly so.

Unintentionally, my tongue runs over the cut on my lip – the result of my meeting with the doorframe, and those blue eyes in front of me twinkle.

That's right, new girl. She miserably fails to imitate my accent. I would be careful next time you choose to insult any of us. Bradley might make you bleed elsewhere.

My jaw literally drops. Are you seriously implying what I think you are? I cock my head to the side, trying my best to appear unaffected when in reality I am struggling to keep the images from resurfacing from the darkest corners of my brain. Do rape fantasies get you two off? Or maybe he cannot raise his tiny friend without fantasizing about other women?

The face intrudes my private space again, this time in a beetroot shade, and I'm afraid the fight is inevitable. Sorry, Mum. The royalty opens her mouth, but only a loud gasp leaves it. In a split second, her demeanor takes a full turn.

Actually, the entire group’s attitude turns from intimidating to... flirty? Eyes wide, cheeks staining beneath all that makeup, they fix their hair and adjust their postures as if on command.

I follow their stares fixated behind me, only to spot Stella – the only pupil who treated me nicely today – rush towards us, pulling a guy by his wrist with her.

I noticed them hugging in the parking lot earlier. The moment looked so intimate I did not dare to approach them.

Hey, Aurelia, she shouts and waves from afar.

I wave back, and examine the guy... no, the man behind her. Now I understand the change of mood.

He is tall, athletic, but not bulky. He may be wearing simple clothing – straight, dark blue jeans and a white button-down shirt, and a black autumn coat is hanging across his free arm, but there is nothing simple about how he moves.

Lucas! The voice behind me is like ten octaves higher. We are headed to the bowling alley. Would you and Stella like to join us?

I am tempted to look back at the squad, but my body refuses to comply, my eyes still glued to the spot where the few undone buttons expose his olive skin and dark hair, the same colour as the wavy strands, flying over his face with each gust of wind.

He brushes the hair back, tucking the wildest strand behind his ear. From the very little distance separating us now, I notice somewhat dark honey hues of his eyes, and they are looking straight past me.

For some reason, it pisses me off enough to turn around and face the lusting squad instead.

Until his voice shakes the ground beneath my feet.

How kind of you, Susan.

So that's her name – the only semi-coherent thought passes through my brain.

If I didn't know better I would believe you are actually inviting my sister.

Sister?

Alas, we made other plans. Alas? Who on earth uses this word anymore? Don't worry, were I ever to run out of options, I now know where to find you. I heard you are quite good with balls. Bowling balls, of course.

I roll my eyes, my back still to Stella and her brother. Surely, Susan is going to say something to counter that suggestive remark. And yet, all her previous self-confidence seems to have evaporated. She giggles like a ten-year-old, says something incoherent to her friends, and they all retreat, ignoring me completely just like the man behind me did.

Yet, for some strange reason, now my back feels like it’s on fire. I slowly turn around, my heart fluttering like never before.

What is going on?

Hey, meet my brother Lucas. Stella pushes the guy in front of me, and he complies, although evidently without his consent my new friend would not be able to move him one step.

I stare at him wide and tall and taking all too much of my space. Handsome? Sure. An alpha? No doubt. The type to stay away from. To his excuse, it was not exactly his fault to be shoved right into my face like that.

Now, that he is close, the resemblance between Stella and him, and also the history teacher, Clara, is somewhat evident. Except that Stella’s older siblings both have darker skin and black hair, unlike Stella’s auburn waves and ivory complexion. Only their eyes share similar hues.

And now, those of Lucas scan my body up and down.

A few times.

With an arrogant smirk.

My jaw tightens. Nice to meet you, I say through clenched teeth and mimic the smirk.

That only draws his attention to my mouth, and his smirk transforms into a full grin at the sight of my pursed lips.

And then it fades away. He takes another step in my direction and stops so close to me his breath tickles the tip of my nose, and yet, I am unable to move away.

Why am I not telling him to back off?

But my mouth feels too dry to say a word, and if I did manage to speak, I fear the wild beating of my heart would drown the sound of my voice. 

His hand reaches for my face, and still, I am not moving. If anything, my knees buckle when his palm touches my overheated cheek and I lean into his touch for balance. My gift of speech is still nowhere to be found.

What, on Earth, am I doing?

His thumb trails across my upper lip and brushes against the cut on the lower one.

Who did this?

Chapter 2

Lucas

FOR THE PAST WEEK, I felt like a hamster stuck in its spinning wheel. I knew that coming to see my baby sister would help me relax.

Her positive energy and warm hug eased my tension instantly, allowing me to forget all the troubles back in Chicago for now. I was more than ready for a calm afternoon to begin, but instead, Stella decided to drag me straight across the lawn towards the group of high school princesses with Susan in front.

Then again, seeing Susan and the rest all flustered, relaxed me even further. I wonder if she actually believes I’d fuck her one day. I could, though, just to get back at her daddy for stabbing my father in the back. But to be honest, the possibility of hell freezing over is more likely than me pounding Susan out somewhere in the dark corner of the bowling alley. 

I follow the sight of the group leaving, their hips swaying way more than necessary, and suddenly realize that one of them stayed behind.

Only then does it dawn on me, she must be the new girl Stella was ranting about as she was pulling me with her. Of course, I should have guessed immediately that the girl was not part of the group – wide, dark grey trousers instead of a miniskirt, soft sweater instead of an all too revealing top, and chestnut hair in a bun.

What I could have never guessed was my reaction to her the moment she turned around. The jolt in my pants was not something I’d expected to happen. At the age of twenty-seven, I’ve had a pleasure of being in the company of beautiful women, but not once did any of them cause this immature reaction.

Annoyed with myself, I search for some distraction and decide on evaluating her baggy clothes instead, wondering what flaws is she trying to hide.

Then she speaks, and all the blood rushes from my brain down to my groin. Fuck! That sultry voice combined with the accent – the combination only a royal could master the way she does...

With an equally royal attitude, nonetheless.

If those blue eyes, hiding behind coal-black eyelashes could kill, I'd be six-feet-under already.

I like that.

She must be quite the firecracker in bed. Unless she only has been with boys who care about finishing themselves.

The things I could teach her... My eyes find her full, pursed lips, and the bastard in me cannot stop wondering how perfect they would look around my... Shit! The cut on her lip catches my attention and every last drop of blood returns to my brain.

Before I know of it, my hand reaches for her face, and the softness of her flaming cheek makes my hand linger there for longer than appropriate. I swear, for a moment I believe she leans into my palm.

Who did this? I ask, tracing the contour of her lower lip, unable to resist the temptation of the velvety smoothness.

Her lips part slightly and she gasps, jumping back as if my hand was a scorching hot iron.

Just an accident, she says, her eyes following my hand as I bring it to my face.

I brush my thumb, that's just been on her lips, across mine and her cheeks go aflame. You're lying.

Her eyes meet mine, but the girl remains silent.

Stella?

It was Bradley, Stella grunts. He pushed her.

That little bastard! I drop my coat on the lawn and turn on my heels, heading stadium direction, but my baby sister catches my arm.

Please don't. Don't give them any excuses to hurt you or Clara. She would be fired if you beat up the Mayor's son!

I'm fine, really. No worries, the reason of the worries I had no idea I’d find today, says.

'No worries.' Honestly? How am I supposed to not worry when a simple cut on a girl’s, whose name I cannot even remember, lip made me lose all my cool in a matter of seconds?

This isn't me. I am calm. I am patient. I am calculated. Especially when it comes to the untouchables of this town.

I exhale loudly and kiss my sister's cheek. Her friend, the one who somehow messed up with my head in no time, extends me my coat.

Thank you. I take the coat, and my hand covers hers. She yanks it away instantly, wrapping her arms around her waist. I didn't quite catch your name.

Aurelia, she replies, without looking at me. Stella, thanks for helping me today. I don't know how I would have made it through without you.

My sister snorts. "Are you kidding me? I should be thanking you. You were the highlight of my day. Notably, your stance against those idiots."

And look where it got me.