Amelia Autin - A Father's Desperate Rescue

So I knew I would have to write Dirk’s story, especially since heartbroken readers begged for Dirk to have his own happily-ever-after ending. Now Dirk is back, a man at the top of his game professionally. But personally? His life is a shambles. His beloved wife of twelve years is dead, and the twin daughters she gave him before she died are a constant reminder of the worst day of his life. It’s not until his daughters, Linden and Laurel, are kidnapped while Dirk is on location in Hong Kong filming a movie that he realizes keeping them at an emotional distance hasn’t protected them from the sins of his past. He’ll do anything—even trade his own life—to rescue them. Enter Mei-li Moore, private investigator and hostage negotiator. Dirk is more than willing to pay the ransom—no matter how high—until he learns ransom isn’t the true motive. Can Mei-li help Dirk bring his daughters safely home in A Father’s Desperate Rescue, and at the same time rescue Dirk himself by breaking through the concrete shell guarding his bruised and battered heart? I love hearing from my readers. Please email me at AmeliaAutin@aol.com and let me know what you think. Amelia Autin

Title Page A Father’s Desperate Rescue Amelia Autin www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author Award-winning author AMELIA AUTIN is an inveterate reader who can’t bear to put a good book down…or part with it. She’s a longtime member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), and served three years as its treasurer. Amelia resides with her PhD engineer husband in quiet Vail, Arizona, where they can see the stars at night and have a “million-dollar view” of the Rincon Mountains from their backyard.

Dedication For Andrew Marvell, who wrote, “The grave’s a fine and private place. But none, I think, do there embrace.” For my mother, Lorraine Ruby Leydecker Autin, who set my feet on the path, and who made my week when she said I made her cry with one of my books. And for Vincent…always.

Prologue Prologue Terrell Blackwood was picked up by a limousine and driver when he walked out of prison a semifree man on the second day of the New Year, experiencing two luxuries he’d once taken for granted. Not just the luxury of freedom to walk in the open air, but the luxury to once again enjoy the best that his money could buy. His millions had availed him little while in prison...other than to have five years—for bribing three prison guards—tacked onto his two concurrent fifteen-to-life sentences for attempted murder. At least, that’s what the self-righteous prosecutor had called it when Terrell had gone to trial all those years ago, what the pompous judge had called it when passing sentence. Attempted murder. Terrell had called it attempted justice. Justice that had not been meted out to the man who’d murdered Terrell’s only child, or to the woman whose lies on the witness stand had gotten the man off. Justice had been deferred for years while Terrell had rotted in prison...but now that he was finally free on parole, justice would most assuredly be carried out. Sabrina Weston had been struck by divine retribution—dying on a hospital operating table seventeen months ago—but Derek Summers would not escape that easily. Terrell would see to it. Summers would suffer the torments of the damned, just as Terrell himself had suffered for nearly twenty years. “‘Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord,’” Terrell whispered to himself. God had been remiss where Summers was concerned—so Terrell would be the hand of God. “What did you say, Mr. Blackwood?” the limo driver asked as he pulled away from the prison, heading for Minnetonka, Minnesota, where Terrell’s ancestral mansion awaited the return of its owner. A long-awaited return. “Nothing,” he replied, settling back against the comfortable seat, luxuriating in the feel and smell of fine leather after all these years. “Nothing at all.” But he smiled to himself as he did so. A cold, calculating smile. A frightening smile that boded ill for Derek Summers—whom the world knew as Dirk DeWinter—and his twin daughters.

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

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Prologue

Terrell Blackwood was picked up by a limousine and driver when he walked out of prison a semifree man on the second day of the New Year, experiencing two luxuries he’d once taken for granted. Not just the luxury of freedom to walk in the open air, but the luxury to once again enjoy the best that his money could buy.

His millions had availed him little while in prison...other than to have five years—for bribing three prison guards—tacked onto his two concurrent fifteen-to-life sentences for attempted murder. At least, that’s what the self-righteous prosecutor had called it when Terrell had gone to trial all those years ago, what the pompous judge had called it when passing sentence. Attempted murder. Terrell had called it attempted justice. Justice that had not been meted out to the man who’d murdered Terrell’s only child, or to the woman whose lies on the witness stand had gotten the man off.

Justice had been deferred for years while Terrell had rotted in prison...but now that he was finally free on parole, justice would most assuredly be carried out. Sabrina Weston had been struck by divine retribution—dying on a hospital operating table seventeen months ago—but Derek Summers would not escape that easily. Terrell would see to it. Summers would suffer the torments of the damned, just as Terrell himself had suffered for nearly twenty years.

“‘Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord,’” Terrell whispered to himself. God had been remiss where Summers was concerned—so Terrell would be the hand of God.

“What did you say, Mr. Blackwood?” the limo driver asked as he pulled away from the prison, heading for Minnetonka, Minnesota, where Terrell’s ancestral mansion awaited the return of its owner. A long-awaited return.

“Nothing,” he replied, settling back against the comfortable seat, luxuriating in the feel and smell of fine leather after all these years. “Nothing at all.” But he smiled to himself as he did so. A cold, calculating smile. A frightening smile that boded ill for Derek Summers—whom the world knew as Dirk DeWinter—and his twin daughters.

Chapter 1

She was the most exotically beautiful woman Dirk DeWinter had ever seen. Which was saying a lot, since he worked in the movie industry, where beautiful women were a dime a dozen. Not to mention he’d starred for ten years opposite the incomparable Juliana Richardson, acknowledged as Hollywood’s reigning queen long before she became a queen in real life by marrying the king of Zakhar. Even Sabrina’s all-American blond beauty had paled in comparison—though he’d loved Bree more for the beauty of her soul than for her looks.

But it wasn’t just this woman’s perfect Eurasian features, flawless skin, and gently curving figure in a red dress designed to tease and tantalize that had caught his attention. It was what she wasn’t doing. Unlike every other woman in the room, she wasn’t trying to catch his eye.

He knew she’d seen him when he walked into the exclusive jazz club near Causeway Bay in Hong Kong, a club that was a favorite with British and American expats as well as Chinese jazz aficionados. And he’d known by the slight widening of her eyes she recognized him as internationally famous movie star Dirk DeWinter, just as everyone else in the club had. But after that first moment she’d kept her attention riveted on the older man she was with and the jazz pianist on the stage. And Dirk had been intrigued.

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