Wild Rapture: A Chiasson Story (Book 5) Read online

  Danny blew out a long breath. “Is there anyone new he’s been hanging around with?”

  “No,” she assured him. “Not that I’ve seen.”

  After the last incident when Brice was about to enter a house that his friends had broken into, he’d sworn he wouldn’t get into any more trouble. Abby truly believed that the brush with the law had set him straight.

  Her heart sank as she realized that her brother could very well go to jail. She knew she was a poor substitute for their mother, but she’d done the best she could.

  “What happens now?” she asked, racking her brain to come up with memories of past shows she’d seen to indicate what would happen next. “Is there a bail hearing or something?”

  “That depends on Clayton.”

  Just what she needed.

  But Abby was willing to do anything for her brothers. She sat up straight and looked Clayton in the eye. “My brother is young and stupid. I’m not making excuses for him, but he’s had a hard time since our mother left. I’m doing everything I can to—”

  “You’re raising him?”

  She halted at his interruption before nodding. “Both Brice and Caleb.”

  He stared at her for a long, silent minute.

  Abby wasn’t too proud to beg. And she’d even get on her knees if that was what it took. “Please don’t press charges. I’ll pay back whatever it is you’ve lost with the theft.”

  “Abby,” Danny said in a harsh whisper.

  “Is that so?” Clayton asked as he crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re really going to repay my family?”

  Abby looked between Clayton and Danny before returning her gaze to Clayton and nodding. Her throat clogged because she knew the amount would be enormous, but if it meant her brother wouldn’t go to jail, she’d gladly pay it.

  “There were a hundred cows stolen. Thirty of them were recovered when your brother was arrested, which leaves seventy unaccounted for. Let’s round it to $2000 each. That’s $140,000. Not to mention that each of them is about to calf. Each calf will go for a minimum of $500 each. That’s an additional $35,000.”

  Oh, God. She would be paying for the rest of her life. And she was fairly certain Clayton wanted the payment now. How in the world was she ever going to come up with that kind of money?

  But Clayton East wasn’t finished. He had yet to deliver the killing blow.

  “Then there’s Cochise, one of our prized bulls. He’s worth $100,000.”

  She put a hand over her mouth as her stomach rebelled. She really was going to be sick, and at the moment, the idea of vomiting on Clayton East sounded tempting.

  There was no way she could come up with $275, much less $275,000. Worse, Clayton knew it. It was written all over his face.

  Danny rose to his feet and stood at the end of the table. “Abby, you need to get Brice to tell you where the rest of the cattle are.”

  The words barely penetrated her mind. She stared at the metal table, her mind blank. Usually, she was able to think up some way to get her brothers out of whatever mess they’d gotten into—and there had been some real doozies.

  She’d toiled through various jobs until she landed a position at the CPA company where she was currently employed. Despite the fact that she worked sixty hours a week, they wouldn’t put her on salary because that would mean they’d have to give her health insurance.

  Even with those hours and every cent she scraped together, it still didn’t cover their monthly bills. But the one thing she’d promised her brothers was that she would take care of them.

  And she had.

  Up until today.

  She scooped up her purse and stood before facing Danny. “I’d like to see my brother now.”

  It took everything within her to walk out of the room without giving the high and mighty Clayton East a piece of her mind.

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  Contemporary Paranormal

  REAPER SERIES

  Book 1: Dark Alpha’s Claim

  Book 2: Dark Alpha’s Embrace

  Book 3: Dark Alpha’s Demand

  Book 1-3: Tall Dark Deadly Alpha (Bundle)

  Book 4: Dark Alpha’s Lover

  Book 5: Dark Alpha’s Night (December 2017)

  Book 6: Dark Alpha’s Hunger (March 2018)

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  Book 0.1: Dark Craving

  Book 0.2: Night’s Awakening

  Book 0.3: Dawn’s Desire

  Book 0.1-0.3: Dark Heat

  Book 1: Darkest Flame

  Book 2: Fire Rising

  Book 3: Burning Desire

  Book 4: Hot Blooded

  Book 5: Night’s Blaze

  Book 6: Soul Scorched

  Book 6.5: Dragon King

  Book 7: Passion Ignites

  Book 8: Smoldering Hunger

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  Book 9.5: Dragon Fever

  The Dragon King Coloring Book

  Book 10: Firestorm

  Book 11: Blaze

  Book 11.5: Dragon Burn

  Book 11.6: Constantine: A History, a short story

  Book 12: Heat (January 30, 2018)

  Book 13: Torched (June 2018)

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  DARK WARRIORS

  Book 1: Midnight’s Master

  Book 2: Midnight’s Lover

  Book 3: Midnight’s Seduction

  Book 4: Midnight’s Warrior

  Book 5: Midnight’s Kiss

  Book 6: Midnight’s Captive

  Book 7: Midnight’s Temptation

  Book 8: Midnight’s Promise

  Book 8.5: Midnight’s Surrender

  Book 1-8.5: The Dark Warrior Series, The Complete Collection

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  THE KINDRED

  Book 0.5: Everkin

  Book 1: Eversong (November 20, 2017)

  Book 2: Coming April 2018

  Book 3: Coming December 2018

  * * *

  CHIASSON SERIES

  Book 1: Wild Fever

  Book 2: Wild Dream

  Book 3: Wild Need

  Book 4: Wild Flame

  Book 5: Wild Rapture

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  LARUE SERIES

  Book 1: Moon Kissed

  Book 2: Moon Thrall

  Book 3: Moon Struck

  Book 4: Moon Bound (January 2018)

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  Book 1: Seized By Passion

  Book 2: Enticed By Ecstasy

  Book 3: Captured By Desire

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  Book 4: Untamed Highlander

  Book 5: Shadow Highlander

  Book 6: Darkest Highlander

  Book 1-6: The Dark Sword Series, The Complete Collection

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  ROGUES OF SCOTLAND

  Book 1: The Craving

  Book 2: The Hunger

  Book 3: The Tempted

  Book 4: The Seduced

  Book 1-4: Rogues of Scotland Box Set

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  THE SHIELDS

  Dragonfyre (connected)

  Book 1: A Dark Guardian

  Book 2: A Kind of Magic

  Book 3: A Dark Seduction

  Book 4: A Forbidden Temptation

  Book 5: A Warrior’s Heart

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  Book 2: Highland Nights

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hland Dawn

  Book 4: Highland Fires

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  Book 2: Echoes of Magic

  Book 3: Dangerous Magic

  Sisters of Magic Boxed Set

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  THE ROYAL CHRONICLES NOVELLA SERIES

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  Book 1: Prince of Desire

  Book 2: Prince of Seduction

  Book 3: Prince of Love

  Book 4: Prince of Passion

  Royal Chronicles Box Set

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  Military Romance / Romantic Suspense

  SONS OF TEXAS

  Book 1: The Hero

  Book 2: The Protector

  Book 3: The Legend

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  HEART OF TEXAS SERIES

  Book 1: The Christmas Cowboy Hero (October 31, 2017)

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  Stand Alone Books

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  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Donna Grant has been praised for her “totally addictive” and “unique and sensual” stories. She’s written more than seventy novels spanning multiple genres of romance including the bestselling Dark King stories. Her acclaimed series, Dark Warriors, feature a thrilling combination of Druids, primeval gods, and immortal Highlanders who are dark, dangerous, and irresistible. She lives with two children, a dog, and three cats in Texas.

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  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Table of Contents

  Pronunciations & Glossary

  Acknowledgments

  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

  Epilogue

  Thank You!

  Excerpt: The Christmas Cowboy Hero

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