Darkness Falls (Darkness Series Book 3) (12 page)

“Great game.” Seth’s smile made my stomach jump in excitement. He was incredibly hot. His shorts were dipped low, showing his tan line and part of his V. I had to look away before my body betrayed me. “Seth.” He extended his hand. I slipped mine into his and noticed how much larger he was than me.

“Emily.” I tried to play it cool. He waited a beat before he released it. “So, Seth.” I leaned against the edge of the pool. “What is it that you do?”

“I just got hired on with the Orange Police Department,” he said proudly, making my bloody brain picture him in the uniform. I could see my chest rise and fall as he stepped closer. “And you, Emily?”

“I’m taking some time off, but I want to eventually enroll in Orange University. I would like to be a teacher.”

His stomach flexed as he reached next to me for his drink. He was close. I could feel his body heat. “Looks like I’ll be seeing more of you, then. My partner and I patrol that area.”

“I think you’ll have to make a better effort than that, Seth. I’m not one for getting into trouble.” I smirked in a playful manner. “But you can find me at the campus pub, The Goose.”

“Is that so?”

“It is.” I looked over his shoulder at Erin, who was coming toward us.

“Sorry for interrupting, Em, but Alex wants to head back. You want to leave or…” She gave me a shake of the head as if to say, ‘stay!’

Seth faced me. “I can take you home.” He looked at Erin. “I’ll get her home safe. You’ve met my partner, and you know who I am.”

“That’s true.” Erin beamed at me. “That cool with you, Em?”

“Umm, sure.”

“All right, call me when you get home.” She waved goodbye.

Once alone again, he turned back to me, still only a foot between us, just an arm’s length away from his perfect steel body. “I have to know something, Emily. Are you seeing anyone?” I was thankful for the darkness because I felt my face heat.

“Why do you have to know?” I played.

“Well.” He leaned against the edge of the pool next to me. “I spent more than half the day watching you, the other half with you, and I want to know if I am stepping on any man’s territory here.”

“Why were you watching me?”

“Because you’re beautiful. I have to know.” He smiled playfully. “Are you seeing anyone right now?”

“If I am, then what?”

“Then I’d be horribly disappointed, but I’d think of a million ways to show you we’re a better match.”

“You’re pretty sure of yourself.” I smirked; his confidence was sexy.

He shrugged. “I am, so?”

“Single.” I saw his blue eyes brighten up in the little light there was. “So now what?”

“Now I make sure you get home safely.” He hopped up and headed to the table where our towels were. I followed and took the towel he offered me.

“It’s all right. I can call a cab.”

He looked at me strangely. “No, I said I’d take you home, so I am.”

“Are you warm enough?” he asked as he pulled out of the driveway and onto the road.

“I’m fine.” I let my hair out of the elastic, and it fell all around me. It was nearly dry. Soft music played in the background, and I felt comfortable with Seth, even though he was quieter than earlier. My phone rang, and I dug it out of my purse.

“Hello?”

“Emily, is it a good time?”

Dammit!

“Hey, Christopher, umm…not really. What’s up?” I snuck a glance over at Seth, whose jaw appeared to be locked in place.

I could tell Christopher wasn’t pleased I wouldn’t give him much of my time. “Are we still on for Friday, six thirty at The Rhubarb?”

“Umm, yeah, Friday, Rhubarb, six thirty. I’ll see you then.” I hung up before I could hear about anything he had planned. I tucked my phone in my purse and stared out the windshield.

“You have a date?” he asked quietly.

“Sort of.” I shrugged. “If you take the next turn, that’s my driveway there on the right.” He turned down the long, dark driveway and into my spot.

“You live here by yourself?” He opened his door as I gathered my things. He came around and offered to take my bag as I stood.

“My father passed away a few years ago, and my mother…” I closed my eyes. I didn’t even know where I should begin. “She’s in Africa saving anyone who’s not me.” I pushed away the painful thoughts. “I love the quiet, so it’s perfect.” It was a bit of a lie, but I didn’t care. I was sure I wouldn’t see this guy after tonight anyway. Men like Seth weren’t interested in women. I could see he was a workaholic.

I unlocked my front door but stopped myself from going inside. “Thank you for the ride home.”

“Of course, it was my pleasure.” He scanned my property, and I wondered what he was thinking.

“What?” I looked around to see what he saw. “You’re kind of scaring me, here.”

His face changed into a sexy smile. “Sorry, habit, I guess. It’s just you live in such a remote area. Are you all right with being here all on your own?”

“I don’t want to give up my house. I fought hard enough to keep it. Sometimes it gets a little big, a little lonely, but that’s the price I paid to keep what’s mine.” I was curious as to why in the hell I was telling him so much. “Wow, that got heavy quick.” I stared down at my shoes and mentally kicked myself. “Sorry.”

His finger lifted my chin so I’d look at him. “Why are you sorry? You’re very refreshing, Emily, in so many ways.” I nodded and resisted the urge to step forward and kiss him. “Now.” He handed me my bag. “Please go inside, lock your door, and call Erin so I can say I dropped you off safe and sound.”

A tiny ping of disappointment hit me that I wouldn’t get a goodnight kiss, but at the same point, Seth seemed like the perfect gentleman, so it was nice.

“See you around, Seth.” I opened my door.

“Yeah, you will, Emily.” He gave a nod and watched me close my door on quite possibly the sexiest man who ever lived.

***

“She’ll have a margarita,” Christopher said to the waiter, “and I’ll have a whiskey.” He scanned the menu without even so much as a look at me or a request for my input. “She’ll have the duck with baby potatoes, and a salad with light ranch, and I’ll have the duck with mashed potatoes and coleslaw.”

Wow, really? I leaned over the table. “Actually, I’ll have a dirty martini with three olives, and a steak, medium, with fries.” The waiter grinned a little as he took my menu. I noticed he made a quick retreat.

Christopher closed his eyes in frustration. “That was rude and demeaning for me.”

“What was rude, Chris, was you not asking me what I’d like. You just assumed.”

He pulled at his tie and glanced around the busy restaurant. “You really should eat healthier. Too much red meat is fattening, and the fries are full of salt.”

I wanted to toss my water at him for even referring to my weight at dinner. I ate healthy and exercised every day. If I wasn’t fit enough for him, then find someone else!

After a mind-numbing dinner, a painful dessert, and three martinis, I found myself looking out the window. I wanted to be anywhere else. Christopher talked about his father’s company he was taking over, blah, blah, blah. If he thought it impressed me, he was so wrong. He was cocky in all the wrong ways.

“So,” he muttered as we walked along the sidewalk, “that was a nice time.” Really? I barely said two words while he chatted the entire time. “You want to come back to my place?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Christopher.” I stopped at his car and wished I had driven. “I had a nice time, but I think we’d be better off as friends.”

I didn’t see him coming in for a kiss until his sloppy lips smacked into mine. I squeaked and tried to push him off. He took it as an invitation and stuck his tongue into my mouth like a dead slug. He pushed his body into mine against the car and pinned me with his weight. I pounded on his chest, but he didn’t stop. He was the worst kisser. He barely moved his tongue, and he created too much saliva.
Get off me! I want to vomit!

One moment he was on me, the next he was slammed to the ground and rolled across the pavement.

“You all right?” Seth held onto my hands while he madly looked me over.

“Yea-yes, I-I’m okay.” I was a little shaken, but no harm done. Christopher moved to his feet and held his elbow.

“What the fuck, man!” He cursed at Seth, who turned and tucked me behind him. “She’s with me.”

“No, she’s not,” Seth said calmly. “You forced yourself on her. I should be arresting your ass, but I won’t if you leave right now and never talk to Emily again.”

Christopher looked at me, then Seth. I thought he was weighing his options. “Whatever.” He dug his keys out and shimmied into the car, then spun the tires as he drove off.

I wiped my mouth dry. “Just in the neighborhood?”

“No.” He looked at me after Christopher was out of sight. “I wanted to make sure you got home from your date.”

Then I remembered Chris called when I was in the car with him the other night. “Well, thanks for following me.” I laughed. “You’re handy to have around.”

“Someone told me you get yourself into situations without meaning to. Thought it was my duty to make sure this one went all right.”

“Someone?”

“Erin.” He shrugged.

“Oh, you spoke to my friend?” He nodded as he led me toward his car. “Why?”

“I wanted to know more about you.” He helped me inside. “I ran into her and asked.”

“Ran into her?” I asked, knowing that was a flat out lie. He winked and shut my door.

We chatted a little on the way home, but mostly he stayed quiet. I moved to face him better, right before we turned into my driveway, and studied his face. He had a strong jaw, dirty blond hair just a little bit long, and the bluest eyes I’d ever seen.

“What?” A little grin appeared.

“Nothing, just looking.”

“Thanks for the ride home, again,” I said as we climbed the porch steps. I stopped at the door. I made a face and remembered the taste of Christopher. Suddenly I wanted to gag.

“What?”

I felt stupid. “I can still taste him.”

Seth suddenly cupped my face, dipped down, and pressed his strong lips to mine. It was a closed-lip kiss, but then he pulled back slightly to see if it was all right to continue. I moved toward him; I wanted more. My hands slid up his chest, over his shoulders, and around his neck to get closer. He whirled me around so I was flat against the wall, then he grabbed one of my bare legs and hooked it over his hip. He ran his fingers down my thigh and squeezed my ass, while his other hand ran into my hair. He took over the kiss in a dominating way. My body jumped awake, my breasts strained against my bra, my hips rolled into his giant erection that made me moan as his tongue swept mine. Yes! This was the way you were supposed to feel when a man touched you. I finally let go and allowed him to steer the way, and it was amazing. I felt the moment he realized I gave myself over to him, and I swore he was even more turned on by it.

His hip started to vibrate, and he pulled away and took out his phone. His face dropped, and he looked down at me as if he were torn.

“I’m sorry, I have to go.” He seemed a million miles away. I lowered my leg off his hip and felt the mood shift between us. “Umm, I’ll call you later.” He kissed my lips one more time, but it was different.

“Right, yeah…sure.” I just wanted to be alone now. Something seemed off. Oh my God, what if it was a girl? “Well, thanks again for being there. Drive safe, Seth.”

He sighed as I closed and locked the door behind me. I listened until I heard the engine fade away. What the hell was that?

Little did I know Seth would spend the next two years fighting off any man who spoke to me, but would keep me an arm’s length away.

CHAPTER FOUR

Seth

I glanced down to find Emily was still awake. “You’re quiet.” I rubbed her leg under the blanket.

“Just remembering the night you rescued me from
nasty
Chris,” she whispered with a smile, but she still had an uneasy edge to her. The party slowed down. Only Vanessa and Campbell were left, and they were on their last drink.

“Well, guys,” Campbell huffed just as his cab pulled up in the driveway, “thanks again for a great night. It’s always a pleasure.”

“Yeah, thanks, guys.” Vanessa sagged into his side and waved goodbye as they veered toward the cab. I turned off the fire pit and walked Emily back up to the house.

Emily fell asleep right away, draped over my body, and my hand rubbed along her arm while my other was tucked under my head. I stared at the ceiling, remembering that night with Emily and Chris. It was the night I got the text.

Maddy: Please come home, Seth! Dad’s here and drunk.

I looked down at this amazing, sexy woman. We were both so pent-up we could hardly catch our breath. And now I had to go. This was fucked up!

“I’m sorry, but I have to go.” She pulled away from me, and I ached all over. I said the first thing that came to mind. “I’ll call you later.”

She nearly smiled. “Right, yeah…sure.” She paused. “Well, thanks again for being there. Drive safe, Seth.” She closed the door, and I waited for the click of the lock.

I wanted to scream at my father. He had perfect timing for when to fuck with my life again! I hurried down the steps and made my way back to my parents’ house.

Seth: Be there in ten.

Maddy was on the front steps in tears, and she jumped to her feet when I headed toward her, “Seth, he’s really scaring me and Mom. I don’t know what to do.”

“Where is he?”

“His office, the last I saw. Mom is in the kitchen with Gretchen.”

“Go to your room, lock your door, and stay there until I come get you.” She ran inside and upstairs.

First I headed to the kitchen where Mom, with bloodshot eyes, sat quietly at the table. Gretchen gave me a sad look as she poured my mother a cup of tea.

“What’s happening, Mom?” I asked from in the doorway.

She took a moment to gather herself before she addressed me. “He lost a case, dear. He just needs some space right now.”

“Did he hurt you?”

“No.” She pulled her sweater around her more. “You know your father. He’s just verbally lashing out. Your sister got caught in the crossfire, though. Poor baby didn’t need to hear she was a mistake.”

My blood boiled to the point of pain when I heard that bastard hurt Maddy.

“He didn’t come alone. One of the Marrone family members is here.” Her face twisted. “He’s a delight.”

Is that so?
I sent a quick text to Garrett to let him know the situation in case I needed him. I made my way over to my father’s office. I didn’t knock before I walked in.

My father was in front of the fireplace with a large glass of scotch, and his friend was sitting at my father’s desk with his feet propped up.

“What the hell do you want?” my father hissed at me from the corner of his office. “Larry, meet my oldest, Seth, the cop who will do no wrong.” Larry looked me up and down, and I mirrored his action with a hard expression. He was one greasy son of a bitch, and looked as if he just walked off the set of
The Sopranos
.

“Ah, yes.” Larry grinned. “Nice to meet you, boy.”

“Wish I could say the same,” I grunted. “Dad, why are you here? Drunk?”

Larry snorted. “It was wise for your father to get out of town. He lost an important case, one that might get him into some trouble.”

“Hold on.” I held up a hand. “You lost a major case, and people are looking for you, and you came here?” I nearly shouted, appalled. “You’re putting your family in danger now, Dad! What the hell?”

“You yelling at me, boy?”

“I’m trying to understand why you’d do that.” I couldn’t even look at him. I started to leave, but stopped.

“If I ever hear you speak to Maddy like that again, I’ll give up your location.”

I heard his footsteps and turned just as his fist met my left eye, hard. I ducked when he swung again. I slammed my fist into his stomach and sent him backward. He came at me again and clipped my jaw. I elbowed him in the nose, heard a small crack, and hoped I broke it.

“Enough!” I shouted and raised my fist again to show I would keep going if he didn’t stop. Blood drained from his nose as he scrambled to his feet. “Enough, Dad!” Larry clapped and announced how entertaining that was. I turned to leave, but Dad spoke up before I got out the door.

“You nail that little blonde yet, Seth?” I froze, but blood shot to my head as my heart pumped like mad to catch up. “Yeah, that’s right, son, I know all about your fascination with the McPhee girl.” I could barely see now; my anger took over. “You should invite your little girlfriend over for dinner tomorrow night. We’d love to meet her.”

“You see,” Larry came around the desk and continued the conversation, “we know all about her, where she lives, that she lives alone, that her only neighbors are elderly and hard of hearing. I followed you.” He smirked darkly. “Her mother is a million miles away, and she attends Orange University. Other than her bra size, I think we have it covered, and really that wouldn’t be too hard to find out, right, Jack?”

I swallowed past the massive lump in my throat and faced Larry. “What’s your point?”

“My point, son, if you hurt someone I like,” he pointed at my father, “I hurt someone you like. Think about that when you want to make that call to the men who are after him.”

I swung open the door and headed upstairs, and once alone in my old room, I vowed I wouldn’t bring Emily into this mess.

Little did I know I couldn’t stay away from her. I wouldn’t touch her for another two years, but I sure as hell couldn’t let anyone else either.

As time went on, I couldn’t keep it up, and I gave in. I loved that woman with all my heart. She started to get bolder, and my body couldn’t take it. The time we kissed in the kitchen, I was done for, but then Lasko got in the way, and I thought maybe Larry had something to do with it. I found out Larry was killed in a shooting six months before Lasko even came into the picture, so the odds they had a connection were pretty slim.

My father and I had never been the same since. When he was in town, I avoided him. It broke my heart that my mother loved him so much that no matter what he did, she tried to see the good in him. There was no good in Jack Connors, just pure evil. I hated I was his son.

“What’s wrong?” Emily asked in a husky voice. “Why are you awake?”

“Nothing.” I rolled her over and spooned her from behind, and I kissed her shoulder before I fell into a restless sleep.

***

Avery

They never knew I was there, never knew I watched their most private moments, never knew I heard some of their darkest secrets. I stood in their bedroom door and pointed a gun at Seth’s head. The silencer would muffle the noise and allow me to clean up the mess and escape with plenty of time to get home before I received the call that Connors didn’t make it in to work. I shifted the gun to Emily. I didn’t feel the same rush with the idea of her death as I did with his. Maybe because Jims never wanted her dead. He just wanted her to be his.

I loved this part, the part where I toyed with Seth’s sixth sense. I stepped outside the doorframe and cocked the gun. Immediately, Seth woke and ripped his gun from the Velcro strap on the bed frame. Once his feet hit the floor, I slowly stepped across the hall into his old bedroom behind the door. I was dressed all in black, and it helped me move throughout the house undetected. I also wore Jims’s mask on the off chance someone spotted me. It was fucked I wore this mask. I really hoped one day Emily would see it again.

His footsteps got louder, and I saw him enter the room through the crack. Once he opened the closet, I stepped out around the door, back into the hallway, and to their bedroom. I didn’t have much time, but I moved his family picture so it faced the window and turned my attention to Emily, who was still sound asleep. I slipped into her closet just as Seth came back into the room.

Instead of going back to bed, he pulled on some pants and sat in the corner of the room with his gun ready to fire. Most men, if they felt a threat, would leave. Not Seth. I swore the man had a set of cast iron balls.

I checked the time—one fifteen. I propped myself up and settled in for a long night. I would have preferred to have slept in the attic like normal, but this would have to do.

“Will I ever see her again, Grandmother?”

“Who, your mother?” she snarled. “No, never. Her body is six feet under, and her soul is even further south.” I stared at Grandmother and wondered why she hated my mother so much. “Alexander!” She snapped her ruler. “Eyes on the book.” They dropped back down to the words that talked about good and evil.

I wondered if I’d see Jims again. I missed him a lot.

At four thirty, Seth headed to the bathroom to get ready for his shift. I slipped out and made my way downstairs, where I disarmed the alarm and hurried into the woods down my usual path and into my car.

***

“Hey, Ronnie.” I dropped a folder on the desk. “You overlooked the cousin’s address. You’ll need to grab that before you submit this to Sarge. It has to be finished tonight. If you need any help, Connors will be off at five. I suggest you use his help before you get in shit.”

“Thanks.” Ronnie gathered the file and hurried out.

“Ready?” Riley asked with his crap coffee in hand. Thankfully, he got the hint I hated that shit. I despised this man; he annoyed me in so many ways. I supposed it could be worse. I could have gotten stuck with Ronnie, and that idea made my stomach knot.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

After my shift, I stopped off at The Brick. I needed a fix. With my bag hooked over my shoulder, I headed inside. Once again she was at the counter, wearing barely a scrap of material. I stared at her boots that stopped at the top of her knees.

“Got something you wanna say?” Her hands were on her cocked hips. I shook my head as I moved across the small reception area and entered the code to get in the back. “I’m having a good day, thanks for asking,” she hissed as the door closed behind me.

My room was four doors down on the right. I undressed, before hanging my clothes neatly in the closet where I made sure everything was placed the way I liked it. Crossed laces in an ‘x’ form, my socks hung over the top, and my watch and wallet were squared away in a personal safe that I set with my own combination to ensure privacy.

The green light blinked above the side door to indicate she was ready. I slipped on a pair of silk pants and stepped into the dark room.

My finger swiped through the songs on the iPad attached to the wall. I selected “Make it Rain” by Ed Sheeran and turned up the volume to five, the perfect level.

My attention was pulled to the woman chained to the wall, securely bound by metal handcuffs. She was blindfolded; I never let them see my face. Sherry liked it rough with a lot of pain. She was the right match for my mood right now.

“Safe word,” I commanded sharply.

A slow, lazy smile spread across her sweet little mouth. I knew she knew it was me, Number Six. We’re all called by numbers to keep things private. “More.” She grinned and licked her lips. It was a standard question we must all ask, but we both knew she’d never use it.

I reached for the studded paddle and made my way over to her. I could smell her arousal as I uncuffed her hands and bent her over a bench so her ass was stuck up in the air. I palmed her pale skin before I smacked her hard with the paddle. She cried out, which made her scent even stronger. I closed my eyes and relished her pain before I continued to pleasure her, being careful not to reach the point of damage.

The song switched to “Creep” by Radiohead, and I changed my method. I choose the cane and stood over her and waited for the chorus. My fingers twitched as my grip tightened. This was the best part.

***

Emily

“All right, I wanted to change it up a little this year.” Professor Dean turned off his projector. “I want you to come up with the perfect murder. You will present a photo of the fake crime scene, give us a detailed summary on the victim and their family. You will present the assignment, and the class will try to solve it together.” He waited until the excitement died down. “You may pair up with a friend, or you can do it solo. It’s completely up to you. You have two weeks to complete this assignment. You will be marked on creativity, detail, depth, presentation, and overall outcome.” He checked the time. “This is supposed to be a fun project. My only rule is don’t murder anyone for extra credit—you won’t get it—and the whole ‘my professor told me to do it’ defense won’t stand up in court.” The class broke out in laughter just as the bell rang. “Have a great day.”