Repentance (The Darkness Series Book 4) Read online

  “I—I brought coffee,” she explained, eyes wide as saucers. He reached her side and grabbed hold of her upper arm, dragging her to the door. Her hands shook and coffee sloshed onto his floor as he pulled her along behind him like a rag doll, not stopping or slowing down.

  “Fuck your fucking coffee. Get out. This is my house. You don’t belong here, your job is to work the desk in the warehouse, not come snooping around.” He was panting, his nostrils flaring as he barked out his words at her. She stared up at him, terrified and fascinated at the same time. He was clearly furious with her, but underneath that was an extreme sadness. He was grieving; and that grief was threatening to break him. Cautiously, she laid her one hand over his, feeling a spark of electricity when their skin touched.

  “Sam. Who is she?” she asked, sympathy evident in her tone. He flinched as though she’d slapped him and just when she thought he was going to tell her, he shut back down. He pushed her own the door onto the porch.

  “Get to the warehouse. No more fucking around or you’re gonna get a late start and I have emails that need to be sent right away.” He slammed the door in her face.

  At her desk, Emma shook her head, clearing away the memory of the run-in they’d had all those weeks before. Neither had mentioned it, although she was hoping that it wouldn’t be long before he would confide in her. She found herself watching him when he wasn’t looking…there was a definite attraction between them; something about him called to her. Whether it was the demons he was so clearly fighting or just his overly sexy physique; she wasn’t sure, but she knew she wanted to find out more about him. To be let in and trusted with his darkest secrets. Every time their eyes met, she felt as though she could glimpse into his soul, the damage and heartache he was carrying around was clearly starting to take a toll on him. If he didn’t let someone in soon, he was bound to break. Her own heart ached for him and she was determined to help him even if the stupid man couldn’t see that he needed it.

  Sam couldn’t take the way Emma looked at him with those big blue eyes of hers. When he wasn’t wanting to snap at her for looking at him with such sympathy, he was imagining bending her over his workbench and fucking her into oblivion. Thank fuck she’d given up wearing those tight little skirts that molded to her delectable ass. If he’d had to see her bending over once more in one of those fucking skirts, he would have lost all self-control. As it was, his hand had been getting more of a workout than it should have been every night after he finished up in the shop.

  That morning when she’d showed up unannounced in his house, catching him off guard, he’d been so fucking furious. No one had ever seen him let out his grief the way he was that morning thinking of Hailey. Ironically, the only reason he’d even had that photo out was because of Emma. Guilt over his reaction to her was weighing on him; he wanted her. That sexy little body wrapped up in the exterior of a sweet woman was calling to him. He didn’t know how much longer he was going to be able to deny himself the desire he felt for her. He was hyper aware of every move she made, if she got up to use the bathroom, he wondered where she was going. And then when he realized, he wondered what color panties she was wearing. He’d bet they were black and lacy and would look fucking fantastic on the shop room floor while he fucked her senseless.

  He walked past her little desk in the corner of the warehouse to his utility closet to get some fresh sandpaper for his machine. Humming, she was humming to herself while she put some stupid fucking tabs on files. “Jesus fucking Christ,” he mumbled under his breath.

  “Sorry? Did you say something?” Emma asked, looking at him curiously. Her curly hair was tucked behind her ears and her gaze held way too much trust. He didn’t deserve her fucking trust. He wasn’t fit to share the same air as her.

  “No.” he snapped and yanked open the door and walked inside the storage room. He scrubbed a hand over his face and tried to even his breathing. What was next? Were fucking birds going to start circling her head? He should fire her. Yes, that’s what he needed to do—get her the fuck out of his sight before he did something they’d both regret. Armed with a new plan, he marched out of the closet, forgetting the sandpaper that he’d gone in for. He barreled right into Emma who had just rounded the desk with an arm load of papers. Letting out a tiny squeal of surprise, the papers flew up in the air as Sam grabbed her around the waist to steady her before she fell on her ass.

  Looking up at him, she smiled and blinked her eyes once. “Thanks for the save,” she said quietly. Her lips were shiny and looked so fucking soft.

  “Fuck it,” he swore and crashed his mouth down on hers. She rose up on her tiptoes to meet him head on, eliciting a low moan that shot straight to his straining cock. Her lips parted just enough for him to force his tongue inside, claiming her mouth as his. Their embrace was angry, delicious and full of dark desires. The taste of her sweetness on his tongue awakened the sleeping beast inside him; he was standing at full attention and wanted a piece of such a delectable treat. His grip on her slim waist tightened as he ground his hips against hers. He fisted his hand in her hair and dragged her head back. The white slim line of her throat called to him and he answered it with his teeth, sinking into her tender flesh and marking her as his. She gasped and her hands tightened their grip on the back of his shirt as she pushed her body closer into his.

  When she moaned out his name, he snapped out of the daze he was in and stepped back. She took his breath away, her hair was mused and wild from his hands and her lips were swollen from his kisses. He couldn’t wait to see what she looked like when she came; he knew it would be a fantastic sight.

  “You’re fired,” he blurted out at the same time she said, “that was amazing, Sam.” It took a moment for his words to register, but when they did, her face turned bright red.

  “Wait…what? I’m fired? Why am I fired?” Emma was completely disoriented, one second he was kissing her like he never wanted to stop; the next he was firing her.

  “I just don’t need you here. Finish out the day and then we’re done. I’ll mail you a check with an extra two weeks of pay.” Panic started to rise in her as she saw all her dreams start to slip away. If he fired her now, she’d never meet her uncle’s stipulations and be able to start her bookstore.

  “Sam, please. What did I do? If I made a mistake, I’ll fix it. I can call suppliers…just please, I need this job. Everything I want is banking on me making this work,” her eyes were locked on his again, but this time they were full of desperation and pleading.

  “What are you talking about? You’re far too over skilled to be working here anyway. I’m doing us both a favor by letting you go.” He started to step around her. Her hand shot out and wrapped around his tattooed bicep, stopping him in his tracks.

  “No. You don’t understand. My uncle…he forced me—” Sam’s head whipped around at her words.

  “Forced you? Forced you how? Did he hurt you?” His eyes roamed over her body searching for any signs of injury. If he’d harmed her in any way he’d fucking kill him.

  “Of course not. Would you just please listen to me? He forced me to take this job to prove to him that I’m ready to run a business on my own. I have to stay and succeed at this job for six months, and if I don’t; well, he won’t help me with opening the bookstore and wine room that I’ve always dreamed of running.”

  “Bookstore and wine room? What the fuck is that about?” Sam sighed, not wanting to be involved in any family drama.

  “When my parents passed away, my uncle gained control of my family’s corporation. It’s what my father would have wanted. They were very close; best friends in fact. Well, he’s always been very protective of me but this…he’s being completely unreasonable about it. It doesn’t matter to him that I’ve always been very level-headed, that I completed my business degree at the top of my class—no he ignores all of that and says that I have to prove that I can handle it.” Bitterness coated her voice, her displeasure at the situation apparent. “My mother…she loved books.
It was her favorite pastime. If I can achieve this, I know she would be proud of me,” Emma finished. Her tone had softened and dropped a few octaves when she mentioned her mother.

  “Look, I’m sure if you just explained to your uncle that it was my needs that terminated this arrangement, he’ll understand.” Sam told her, anxious to get her out the door before he ripped her clothes off and had his way with her.

  Seeing that it was useless to try and convince him to let her stay, Emma’s shoulders sagged in defeat. “Right. Well, thanks for the opportunity.”

  Sam couldn’t stand the dejected look on her usually upbeat face. Knowing that he was the cause had his stomach rolling knots. She walked back to her desk and sat down, staring straight ahead, not saying a word. He wished like hell she would start humming one of the lame songs he usually hated or pester him for a signature on an invoice, but she’d just completely switched off. When four o’clock rolled around, she picked up her few belongings and headed for the door, not even glancing in his direction. As he watched her retreating form, a sense of dread filled him. Letting her walk out that door was a mistake, everything in his being was ordering him to stop her; screaming at him that if he let her slip away now, there’d be no second chances for him at love. She could be his salvation, if he opened up to her.

  “My wife was murdered.” Emma stopped in the doorway and slowly turned back, horror written all over her face at his words.

  Sucking in a breath, he continued. “Hailey and I were high school sweethearts. She was amazing…this ball of energy that people couldn’t help but gravitate towards. She was my world; I loved her more than anything. But she was taken from me and everything in this life ceased to matter. What was the point in going on, in living, if I didn’t have her to share my joy with? The way she died…” he trailed off, keeping his gaze trained on Emma as she crossed the room and took his hand, a silent show of support and understanding. Just that one simple act was all he needed to force the rest of the words past his lips.

  “She never should have died that way. I should have been there to protect her; to bring her home safely. I failed her. I failed them all.”

  Heartbroken at what he was telling her, Emma sought to reassure him. “Sam, no. Whatever happened, it wasn’t your fault. I know we haven’t known each other very long but I know that you’re a good man. I have no doubt that you did do everything in your power to save your wife. And if I’m right about the type of woman you married; she’s looking down at you right now pretty pissed off that you’re beating yourself up like this. Loss is never easy. Death has a way of creeping up on us when we least expect it and blowing our world apart. Time doesn’t necessarily heal the wounds, but I’ve learned that it does make it little more bearable to get through the days. We just have to do what we can to get through it.”

  “Emma, I’ve done terrible things. I was obsessed with getting vengeance for Hailey. I let it rule and make all my decisions for me. I got a taste for the depraved and I liked it. I’m not proud of my actions, but at the end of the day, I was successful. I got my revenge on the woman responsible for my wife’s death and I made sure that she’ll never do to anyone what she did to so many others. I could tell you tales that would have you running screaming from this warehouse,” he added the last part as he broke her hold on his arm and paced a few feet away.

  “While I’m sure that’s true, I have to believe that you did what you felt was best. If you’d done things differently, would Hailey’s killer have been caught? Or would you still be locked in a downward spiral fighting your way through your grief?” Refusing to let him brush her off, she returned to his side.

  “Tell me what happened. Let me help you, Sam.” Looking down into her face, he knew without a doubt that he could trust her with anything. That she’d be there by his side to listen to his sins and not view him with disdain. Maybe letting everything out wouldn’t be the worst idea. Deciding to give it a shot, he took a deep breath.

  “The most devious woman that ever lived, Mila Stevenson, single-handedly destroyed countless lives. I was her right-hand man for two years.” When Emma didn’t turn away in disgust at his revelation, he continued; filling her in on all the crimes he committed while at Mila’s side.

  THEY’D BEEN SITTING in silence since Sam had finished re-telling everything that he’d been a part of while working endlessly to bring Mila down. Emma would be lying if she said she wasn’t shocked by some of the details of what Sam had done. The sheer torture that some of those victims had been through at the hands of such an evil being; well it was heartbreaking as well as more than a little disturbing. While she felt some disappointment that he hadn’t fought harder to save some of the victims, she could see very clearly that he was trying to repent for his sins. That he was in desperate need of absolution if he had any hope of moving on from the hell he’d lived through.

  Most of all, what he needed was forgiveness. Not from anyone else, but from himself. Having been through a loss that left her suffering as well, she understood on some level what he’d been feeling and how easy it must have been to steer from the path of the good. Now that he’d served his time and had made considerable changes to his life, it was time that he let go of some of the guilt and to start trusting in love again.

  Gathering her courage, she walked over to his workbench and hopped up, letting her feet dangle beneath her. His eyes followed her every movement, widening when she gripped the hem of her t-shirt and pulled it over her head, tossing it aside. Clad only in a black lacy bra and her tight yoga pants, she nervously awaited his reaction. The fear of rejection was creeping closer as he stood frozen in his spot and just when she thought she’d made a grave error, he let out a groan and was on her, claiming her mouth once more in a kiss that packed a punch of power and passion.

  Their hands were frantic as they pulled at clothing, fighting to discard them as quickly as possible. Emma reached behind her back and unsnapped her bra, letting her breasts fall free. Sam’s mouth trailed down her neck and latched onto a nipple, pulling it tightly between his teeth. She scooted her ass closer on the table, needing to feel more friction between her thighs.

  “I want you so fucking bad, Emma,” his words sent a thrill through her as she ran her hands over his tattooed arms and let them slip into the waistband of his pants. She wasn’t surprised to find him going commando and when her fingers brushed over the tip of his already rock-hard cock; she gave a silent cheer over the sheer size of him. Her pussy contracted, desperate to find relief. Sam lifted her up easily with one arm and made quick work of stripping her of her pants and panties. Sparing a moment to glance down, he grinned at the sight of her lacy thong laying on the floor.

  “I knew they’d look fucking good,” he muttered, before settling his eyes back on Emma. She was absolutely stunning. Rose-tipped nipples stood proud as she panted, trying to catch her breath. Her cunt was bare and so fucking pink and pretty. Laying her back on the table, he couldn’t resist and dragged his tongue across her folds and up over her clit in one swipe. She bucked her hips off the table, letting out a gasp at the contact.

  “Oh, my fuck. Jesus. Jesus, Sam,” she babbled as he kept up his assault. She tasted so good on his tongue, her sweetness was intoxicating. Sucking her hard nub into his mouth, he inserted two fingers and nearly blew his load feeling how tight and warm she was. Her hands were in his hair, digging into his skull as he pumped his fingers in and out, loving the feeling of her juices coating him.

  “You taste fucking amazing, Emma,” he mumbled against her. The words were barely out before she went off, her orgasm forcing a scream out of her throat. Her loss of control snapped something inside him and he pulled away from her pussy to look down into her eyes. She was flushed and dazed, still glowing in the after effects of her climax. In that moment, she was his. Ripe for the taking and willing to do whatever he desired.

  The darkness fought to be released; to be reborn and given a new purpose. His hands trailed through her thick hair and wrapped arou
nd her slim throat like tentacles, his fingers morphing into one as he slowly pressed down on her windpipe. He thrust his hips against hers roughly, the sickness inside him rejoicing in the fear in her bright blue eyes. “I’m going to fuck you now, Emma. I’m going to fuck you and I’m going to hurt you. I need to hurt you. But I promise, you’re going to love every fucking second of it.”

  Without waiting for an answer, he pulled a condom out from his back pocket and rolled it on. Emma’s eyes were bright with excitement as she took in the length of him, overshadowing the fear his words had put there. With one powerful thrust, he filled her, burying himself deep.

  “Fuck,” he groaned, feeling her pussy walls grip him. She was so damn tight. Pulling back, he slammed back in again, relishing in the feel of her warm, wet heat. His hands found her throat again and he squeezed, unable to resist mixing a little pain with the pleasure.

  Emma had heard of “choking out” during sex before, but she’d never experienced it. The way Sam was pounding into her, with his hands tightening and loosening with each thrust; it was a massive turn on. His eyes had turned a dark, black onyx and bore into hers, searing their connection with his hot gaze. He bent his head and bit down on her nipple tugging it taut until she arched her back, loving the sinful torture he was inflicting on her.

  He pulled back and flipped her over, grabbing her ass and lifting it in the air before driving himself back inside her, groaning as her pussy engulfed his cock once more. He could feel her shock at his actions, but he couldn’t stop; he needed to possess every inch of her, claim her as his and his only. Grabbing her hip, he steadied himself and then brought his other hand down over her ass in a stinging slap. Her body jerked forward at the contact and she cried out, surprised. He repeated the same action over and over, loving the way her ass pinked up for him with the imprint of his hand. She was fucking perfect.