Bring the Heat by Margot Radcliffe (13 ebook reader .txt) 📕

could have missed the resemblance between the two of them. They both had light hair and eyes, though Daphne’s eyes were a shade or two lighter than Oliver’s.

She was also lovely.

After Daphne freshened up in the room she’d be staying in, disregarding that Oliver had told her she had to stay in a hotel on the island, the three of them settled on the main deck for lunch. Liam had cooked a huge spread—mini sandwiches, sushi, salad, the works. Molly ate while she listened to Daphne chastise Oliver for leaving her in New York to deal with their parents on her own.

“Molly, would you do that to your own sister?”

“I don’t have one, but I doubt it,” she admitted, siding with Daphne and receiving a grateful smile for it.

Oliver rolled his eyes. “They’re not going to make you take my place in the firm, Daph. You have made it quite clear that you’re not interested, starting with the fact that you’ve never set foot inside the building.”

Daphne shrugged. “Stranger things and all.”

“They’ll get over it,” Oliver said, unconcerned.

Daphne leaned back in the chair, setting her hands on the armrests. “They’ll get over being mad about it, Oliver, but they’re not going to stop taking you down. If you think for one minute they’re going to let you walk away easily, you’re kidding yourself.”

“They have no clue what I’m doing instead,” he told her, confident. “I’m doing everything under multiple layers.”

“It won’t be enough,” Daphne said, unconvinced. “Dad will use every avenue available to thwart you until you come back to the company. He knows who Molly is.”

Molly’s eyes flew to Oliver’s and his face was mottled in rage, eyes dark and the flush high on his wide cheekbones. “Yeah, they called a few nights ago asking about her, Daphne,” Oliver bit off. “And you were the only one who knew where I was.”

“I didn’t tell him, Ollie,” Daphne insisted, and Molly believed her. “But I talked to you on the phone and anyone could have been listening. That’s why I got a new phone after we came because I felt sure he’d track me.”

Oliver shook his head. “I can’t believe you brought him right to me.”

“I didn’t, Oliver,” Daphne promised.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “You flew under your name and he’ll find out from the airline where you went.”

“I really don’t think so,” Daphne said. “I left in the middle of the night, I purposely chartered a flight under a different name and the only person who knew where I was going was the pilot.”

Molly laughed. “That’s a lot of subterfuge to cover what could be said on a phone call.”

“And yet it still wasn’t enough.” Oliver grimaced, his jaw tensing.

Daphne exhaled. “I still don’t know why you’re even doing this anyway, Oliver,” Daphne said. “It’s not as if you actually have to do work at the firm. Dad has been a figurehead since Grandpa passed. Once you’re at his level, you just do whatever you want to do anyway.”

Oliver shook his head. “That’s how you think I want to spend my life, Daph? Just half-assing a job I don’t want? Do you understand how empty that sounds? Christ, I just want to do something that makes a difference.”

“With all due respect, brother,” Daphne said, “I don’t know how much yacht building really contributes to society, but I mean, I get what you’re saying.”

“I’d create a lot of jobs for people,” he told her. “And I’m trying to create eco-friendly luxury. I want to build my own legacy, not live off someone else’s. At least give me some credit, Daph.”

“I give you a lot of credit,” she insisted.

Molly watched them go back and forth, stuck on every word because it sounded as if Oliver was in the fight of his life while up until this point he’d just made it sound like he and his family played at business together. But tapping and tracing phones, trying to sabotage Oliver before he began, Daphne having to sneak out of their house during the night, seemed intense and very real. It all just sounded incredibly awful, and while she felt for Oliver to have had to deal with it for so long, she also didn’t want to be a part of such a toxic world.

“They’re going to use her,” Daphne said, giving Molly a wan smile. “They already know where she works.”

At the words, Molly got a little light-headed because her boss hadn’t been thrilled when she’d asked for that much time off at once even though there were only a handful of people in the world who could do her job.

Oliver rose from his seat, the sound of the metal chair scratching loudly over the teak, tearing at her nerves. He leaned over the table to get into his sister’s face. “What are they planning, Daphne?”

Daphne shook her head, giving Molly a sad look, reaching out to take her hand. “I don’t know exactly, Ollie, but she’s not safe.”

Molly spoke then. “You mean my life is in danger?” she squeaked.

Daphne recoiled immediately. “God, no,” she choked. “They would never.”

Oliver pulled Molly’s chair closer to his and put an arm around her, drawing her close. “They’re deviants, not murderers, Molly, I promise. You’re going to be just fine,” he assured her, his hand warm on hers.

“Um, it doesn’t actually sound that way,” Molly pointed out, icy blood running through her veins. She’d known she didn’t belong in Oliver’s life, but damned if she was going to die for it. Good God, who in the world were these people?

Daphne was shaking her head, too. “You haven’t explained the family to her, apparently?”

Oliver shrugged. “I did, but it’s hard to believe unless you witness it.”

Placing her chin in her hand, Daphne sighed wistfully. “That must be nice.”

Molly’s gaze shot to hers. “Yeah, having parents who don’t want to murder your friends is a pretty big mark on the plus side as far as family goes.”

“No one is going to murder you,” Oliver growled. Then