Fate, page 23
Brad
Present Day…
Thank God for that faulty condom, or I wouldn’t have my son Jonah. He was perfect, and as he grew, he became strong and determined. Of all my children, my firstborn resembles me the most, not only in looks but also in personality.
Today, he refuses to speak to me.
I’ve tried.
I’ve tried with all of them.
I thought for sure my baby girl would come around, but she hasn’t yet.
Oddly, the one who speaks to me now is the one I failed in the worst way. My second born. Talon.
He’s visited a few times, and we’ve had some deep conversations about guilt and blame. Wendy told Talon a fabricated story about Joe’s conception. She said I had a one-night stand with Daphne during one of our off-again periods, and that I was dating another woman at the time.
All lies, except for the fact that Wendy and I were off at the time.
I wasn’t seeing anyone else, and I loved Daphne from the moment I saw her. She was never a one-night stand.
Wendy told so many lies over the years. So many.
I may have a chance with Ryan and Marjorie. But my firstborn, the one whose conception led me down this path, will never forgive me. I know that now, and I must accept it. He’s quick to anger, quick to judge, and even quicker to draw his weapon.
I didn’t teach him to use a gun. I never wanted to—not after what teaching someone else had cost me.
I didn’t know until much later in life that Tom Simpson had taught him, and that Jonah had taught his younger brothers.
Now? After all they’ve been through? I’m glad they know how to handle weapons. I’m glad they can protect themselves and their families, even if Tom had something to do with it.
Tom…
That iciness I identified in those early years was colder than even I thought possible, though I didn’t know the extent until much later.
I spend a lot of time thinking. But I’ve stopped counting my regrets. Even I don’t have time enough for that—and all I have is time.
So I think. I think about the past, let myself fly backward in time and relive what I cannot change.
I remember the legacy I vowed to create after Daphne and I wed.
A legacy for my wife.
A legacy for my children.
A legacy for my grandchildren.
A legacy born in heaven.
And in hell.
Continue reading the Steel Brothers Saga with Book Fourteen
Coming June 30, 2020!
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Enjoy Steel Brothers: Fate?
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Message from Helen Hardt
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading Fate. If you want to find out about my current backlist and future releases, please like my Facebook page and join my mailing list: http://helenhardt.com/signup/. I often do giveaways. If you’re a fan and would like to join my street team to help spread the word about my books, you can do so here. I regularly do awesome giveaways for my street team members.
If you enjoyed the story, please take the time to leave a review on a site like Amazon or Goodreads. I welcome all feedback.
I wish you all the best!
Helen
Also By Helen Hardt
The Steel Brothers Saga:
Craving
Obsession
Possession
Melt
Burn
Surrender
Shattered
Twisted
Unraveled
Breathless
Ravenous
Insatiable
Fate
Legacy
Descent
* * *
Blood Bond Saga:
Unchained: Volume One
Unhinged: Volume Two
Undaunted: Volume Three
Unmasked: Volume Four
Undefeated: Volume Five
* * *
Misadventures:
Misadventures of a Good Wife (with Meredith Wild)
Misadventures with a Rock Star
* * *
The Temptation Saga:
Tempting Dusty
Teasing Annie
Taking Catie
Taming Angelina
Treasuring Amber
Trusting Sydney
Tantalizing Maria
* * *
The Sex and the Season Series:
Lily and the Duke
Rose in Bloom
Lady Alexandra’s Lover
Sophie’s Voice
* * *
Daughters of the Prairie:
The Outlaw’s Angel
Lessons of the Heart
Song of the Raven
* * *
The Cougar Chronicles:
The Cowboy and the Cougar
Calendar Boy
* * *
Collections:
Destination Desire
Her Two Lovers
* * *
Non-Fiction:
got style?
Acknowledgments
Ever wondered how the Steel family saga truly began? Fate begins that story. I hope you enjoyed reading about how Brad and Daphne Steel met.
Huge thanks to the following individuals whose effort and belief made this book shine: Jennifer Becker, Audrey Bobak, Haley Byrd, Yvonne Ellis, Jesse Kench, Robyn Lee, Jon Mac, Amber Maxwell, Dave McInerney, Michele Hamner Moore, Keli Jo Nida, Chrissie Saunders, Scott Saunders, Celina Summers, Kurt Vachon, and Meredith Wild.
Thanks also to the women and men of Hardt and Soul. Your endless and unwavering support keeps me going.
To my family and friends, thank you for your encouragement.
Thank you most of all to my readers. Without you, none of this would be possible.
Stay tuned for more Brad and Daphne in Legacy!
About Helen Hardt
#1 New York Times, #1 USA Today, and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Helen Hardt’s passion for the written word began with the books her mother read to her at bedtime. She wrote her first story at age six and hasn’t stopped since. In addition to being an award-winning author of romantic fiction, she’s a mother, an attorney, a black belt in Taekwondo, a grammar geek, an appreciator of fine red wine, and a lover of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. She writes from her home in Colorado, where she lives with her family. Helen loves to hear from readers.
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For more information, please follow Helen Hardt at:
www.HelenHardt.com
Helen Hardt, Fate
