Denouement (The Darkness Series Book 3) Read online

  “Fuckkkk! Stop!” Leanne yelled, the pain immense. She’d fucking cut her with a machete!

  Mila ignored her pleas, focused on the blood. She took her pinky finger and ran it through the blood, moaning at the feel of the warm liquid. She spun her head around and pinned the man with her crazed stare.

  “Get out. I want this time alone with her, I’ll call you back when I’m finished.”

  The man nodded and moved towards the door without question.

  “Oh, and Deputy Ridley? Sam,” she corrected herself, remembering how he didn’t like to be referred to his official status in these situations. “Be sure that my son is behaving himself out there.”

  “Understood, Mila,” Sam replied and left the room. The screams that followed him were ones from the blackest of nightmares. The girl would suffer immensely, that much he knew, before Mila was satisfied enough to call them both back into the room to be involved in finishing the deed. That was just the way she operated. A fact he’d learned all too well over the past two years being under her instruction. Heading for their partner, he flashed back to the day she’d tracked him down.

  Two Years Ago

  Deputy Sam Ridley walked along the beach for the third time that day. He liked to hear the sound of the surf washing up along the sand, to watch the families spread themselves out on towels; either cooking like lobsters or hiding from the sun under huge umbrellas. He’d been in Florida for six months, escaping there after his beloved wife, Hailey, was the victim of a gruesome killing. A victim because he’d failed to save her. She’d trusted him with her life and he’d let her down in the worst way possible. The guilt and grief followed him like it was a part of his shadow; he couldn’t escape her or the ghost of the life he’d lost.

  Brady James, his Sheriff and best friend, called him repeatedly, trying to get an answer on his well-being—on when he thought he’d be returning to Durham Heights. Sam avoided the calls, avoided his old life as much as possible. His parents and Hailey’s parents both did their best to hound him into an answer as well, but the truth was, he didn’t think he would ever go back. That life, the one he’d left behind in that small town, he hated it. Hated it with a gut-wrenching anger that was threatening to consume him. It wasn’t just him that had failed Hailey, it was everyone. Why hadn’t Brady been smarter? Why hadn’t the FBI arrived sooner? Why wasn’t there more evidence that would have led them to Jed and Mila sooner? Why was Gwyn alive and Hailey dead? That question burned him more than any of the others. Knowing that Brady was still going to get his happily ever after, it was an injustice he just couldn’t face.

  And feeling that way made him feel like scum. Hailey would be ashamed of him. She’d be disgusted at his thoughts and would beat his ass for even blaming one single person besides the ones actually responsible. That was just who she was. A kind, caring, fierce woman who loved with her entire being. Sam had no doubt she’d put up one hell of a fight to survive and the fact that she’d lost that battle, well, that knowledge dragged him deeper down into Hell with each passing moment.

  The warm Florida sun beat down on his back as he finished his regular loop on the beach and headed back to the main road. Unlocking his car door, he took one last look out at the crystal blue water and sighed. If only he could find some peace here. Regain at least a small portion of his lost soul. The man he’d been had ceased to exist the day that Hailey’s body had been discovered. He’d died right along with her and left behind in his place was a shell of a man. One that fed on his anger and rage and nurtured the darkness growing inside him. He didn’t just want justice for Hailey. He wanted vengeance.

  Arriving back at his beach house, he opened the sliding screen door that he never bothered to lock—not because of a low crime rate—simply because he didn’t care what happened to him. The beach house was spacious and white. An open concept floor plan stared back at him. The kitchen was clean granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and light blue cupboards which accented nicely with the pale yellow painted walls. It had been furnished when he moved in with a large couch in the living room that faced a stone fireplace and flat screen TV hanging on the wall. Moving into the kitchen, he pulled open the fridge door and grabbed a cold beer, popping the top and taking a long swallow.

  “I’ll take one of those.” Sam jumped at the voice behind him, beer spurting into the air from the bottle. Bewildered, he turned towards the voice and froze. Standing in his living room dressed in a white sleeveless blouse and white shorts was none other than Mila Stevenson. The fucking bitch responsible for ruining his life. For taking Hailey away from him. The murderous fucking cunt that had escaped while they were all left behind to pick up the pieces she’d left in a pile in her wake. And she was smiling at him, her dark hair twisted in some fucking bun thing and sunglasses on her head like she’d just come in from a day shopping by the beach.

  With a roar, he reached for his gun at his side, looking down in confusion when he came up empty-handed.

  “Ah,” Mila raised her brows. “Not carrying these days, are you Deputy Ridley?” Hearing her say his name, the name that he’d given to Hailey on their wedding day, it was too much. Even just looking at her was too much and he fucking snapped. With a roar, he charged at her and crushed his hands around her neck, seeking the squeeze the life right out of her. Anything to get her to stop fucking talking. Stop existing.

  Mila sputtered and slapped at his hands, her eyes wide and locked on his as she fought for air. The longer he stood there, watching the life drain from her eyes, the more he channeled all his rage through his fingertips and into her.

  Destroyed.

  Enraged.

  Broken.

  She’d stolen everything from him and now he was going to repay what’d she’d done and steal her life. Rid the world of her once and for all.

  “YOU KILLED MY WIFE!” he screamed in her face, ignoring her flailing arms and scratches on his hands.

  Mila gurgled, trying to speak and then went limp, slumping down the wall he had her pinned up against. Breathing heavy, Sam let her body pool at his feet. Shock set in and he stared at her open-mouthed.

  “What the fuck. What the fuck.” He repeated the words over and over. He’d killed her. He’d killed a woman. Mila fucking Stevenson had just shown up at his house and he’d murdered her like he’d dreamed of doing ever since the day she’d escaped.

  Staggering back a few steps, he lost his balance and landed hard on his ass on the tiled floor. His hands trembled as he stared down at them. Hands that had just taken a human life.

  “Fuck me, fuck me,” he whispered. He had no idea how long he’d been sitting there, unable to pull his gaze away from Mila. “What have I done?” Hailey would never forgive him for this. Justified or not, he’d just committed cold-blooded murder. He was no better than Mila. The darkness inside him was slowly consuming any and all the good parts of his soul it could sink its claws into. Soon, he’d be worse than she ever was. He’d be an unpredictable murderer and there was nothing more monstrous than that.

  Feeling his pants get wet, he glanced down and realized he’d fallen in a pool of beer. He must have dropped the bottle when he rushed at her. Looking around there was broken glass all over the floor, confirming his suspicions. He put his hands beneath him and pushed to his feet, robotically heading for the broom and dustpan to clean up the mess.

  Loud coughing and wheezing startled him. Mila clutched a hand to her chest and to his horror, sat up, looking around in confusion. Spotting him holding the broom like a baseball bat, she tried to speak, her voice low and hoarse.

  “Well done, Deputy. I knew you had it in you. I knew deep inside there was a dark nature just waiting to be let out.” Mila patted her hair and brought a hand to her throat, grimacing when she prodded the tender skin. Sam could already see the purple imprints of his finger prints starting to pop out.

  She gained her feet and walked towards him, not breaking their connection. “You’ve kept it inside, you’ve been hiding out
here, away from everyone because you know—you know what you’ve become.”

  “Stop it. Shut the fuck up. How are you alive? I fucking killed you!” Sam yelled. She kept coming closer, kept worming her way inside his head with her words, slicing down into the very core of him.

  “You killed me. You wrapped your hands around my throat without any hesitation and didn’t stop until I was dead on the floor. You know what you are, Sam. You’re a killer. A monster. You’ve got the devil dancing in your veins waiting to be unleashed. You just need the right instruction.” She stopped in front of him and took the broom from him, setting it aside.

  Sam looked away, refusing to meet her eyes. She took his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her.

  “You killed me, Sam,” she repeated. “You. Are. A. Killer.”

  “No,” he shook his head, trying to knock her hands away. Mila stayed put and knew she had him when his shoulders slumped and he locked eyes with her once again.

  “Yes, Sam. You have become me. And I’m going to teach you exactly what that means.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Aubrey placed a plate of buttered toast on the kitchen table and began cutting the slices into fours. Greta was behind her chopping up an apple while Caleb and Hope banged their plastic cutlery on the table, impatiently waiting for their breakfast. She smiled as she put a few pieces on each of their plates and they grabbed them up to stuff into their little mouths. Hope was rougher than Caleb, filling her mouth until her cheeks puffed out.

  “Hope, that’s enough,” Aubrey warned, watching to make sure the little girl didn’t choke. She chewed and swallowed, grinning up at Aubrey.

  “Jam,” she demanded, pointing at Greta. Greta rolled her eyes and cast an apologetic look at Aubrey.

  “She loves strawberry jam. Do you have any?” she asked.

  “In the fridge. I think there’s grape jelly as well if they like that,” she told her, watching as Greta pulled open the fridge and hunted through the jars of condiments stored in the door. Nora came into the kitchen just as Greta shut the door, strawberry jam in hand.

  “Good morning,” she called out as she kissed Caleb and Hope on their cheeks. Caleb made a face and Hope squealed happily at the contact. Bringing over the new slices of toast coated with a thick layer of strawberry jam, Aubrey smiled at Nora.

  “There’s fresh coffee in the pot. Help yourself, Greta and I have breakfast handled.” Nora smiled gratefully as she pulled down a blue mug from the cupboard.

  “How did you sleep?” Aubrey asked as they watched Greta clean the children’s sticky faces with a wet wipe. She cleared the remnants of the toast away and placed the apple slices in the center of the table.

  Nora offered her a weary smile. “Not bad. Had some crazy dreams. I was really hoping coming here for a few days would help me relax and concentrate on why things with Gabe feel so tense and off.”

  “What’s going on? Are you two having problems?” Aubrey laid her hand over Nora’s and gave it a gentle squeeze in a show of comfort and support. Seeing her cousin this conflicted broke her heart, she knew how hard Gabe and Nora had fought to get back what had been taken from them; what the horror of Caleb’s kidnapping did to them. If they’d lost their way, she wanted to do everything she could to help them find their way back to the love they once shared.

  “He’s different, Aubrey. I know this is going to sound crazy, but I feel like he’s not the same man. He’s changed. There’s nothing about him that reminds me of the man I gave my heart to. I’ve tried so damn hard to get past it, but I can’t. He doesn’t want to be involved with the kids,” she furrowed her brow as she watched Caleb and Hope munching on the apples in a contented silence. “It’s like pulling teeth to get him to show any interest or pay any attention to them. Every now and then he will take Hope outside to play, but Caleb…he’s just shut off from him.” Nora let out a long sigh as she sat down at the table with her coffee.

  “I just…I just can’t help thinking that I made a mistake by agreeing to marry him.” She held up a hand at Aubrey’s sharp intake of breath. “I know. I know I sound like a horrible bitch, but Aubrey, you know me. You know that I’d never say something like that unless I really thought something was wrong.” Nora’s eyes pleaded with her to understand.

  Greta discreetly herded Caleb and Hope into the family room of Aubrey’s modest cottage style house. A few moments later, the sound of a children’s program came to life on the TV, leaving the two women to chat without any listening ears.

  “Nora, you don’t need to explain anything to me. If you feel in your gut, if you’re instincts are telling you that something is off–then you’re probably right. I’ve never doubted you before and I’m not about to start now. Have you asked Gabe to talk to someone? Maybe things seem off because he’s dealing with some sort of delayed post-traumatic stress from the kidnapping,” Aubrey suggested, hating the way Nora was doubting herself.

  “I brought the idea up once, and he shut it down. He’s not involved in the ranch as much anymore, doesn’t hang out with Theo. I’m completely at a loss as to what to do,” she confessed, draining the last sip of her coffee.

  The front door opened with a loud bang followed by a low, “Fuck.” Autumn entered the kitchen, looking between them with a frown.

  “Jesus, who died? What’s with all the long faces in here?” She headed straight for the coffee pot, her long red hair flowing out behind her. “Don’t tell me there’s been another murder, the whole town is already scared shitless of this lunatic.” She kept up a steady stream of chatter while she poured the hot liquid into the bright yellow mug that was reserved for her. Adding a healthy amount of creamer, she joined Nora and Aubrey at the table.

  “So, spill. What’s going on?” she pressed.

  Nora nodded at Aubrey, silently giving her permission to reveal the details of their conversation about Gabe.

  “Something has been off with Gabe lately. Nora came here to give them some time apart and make some decisions,” she explained.

  Autumn raised her eyebrows, surprised at the news. She snapped her mouth closed at the warning glare from Aubrey, swallowing what she was going to say and clearing her throat before attempting to speak again.

  “Well a little time with the girls never hurt anything. And you know what they say, distance makes the heart grow fonder,” she said with a wink.

  Aubrey rolled her eyes. “Absence. Absence makes the heart grow fonder,” she corrected. Aubrey waved her hand, not caring that she mixed up the saying.

  “Whatever. The point is, by the time you get back, you’ll have him eating out of your hand—maybe even begging to eat something else, if you know what I mean,” she teased with a knowing look. Aubrey groaned and threw a napkin at her.

  “What? She’s hot, Gabe’s hot…they might just need one night of passion to sort their shit out. My point is that this absence thing,” she shot a pointed look at Aubrey, “will have him ready and willing to do anything you ask to set things right again. I mean, come on, it’s you guys. Nora and Gabe. Y’all are meant to be,” she finished, taking a sip of her coffee.

  Nora let out a laugh and shook her head. “I wish it was as simple as that. I really do. Even Theo has noticed something is off. He doesn’t say much to me about it, but I know he sees it too.”

  Autumn let out a sigh. “Theo. That man could snatch my panties off with just one single look. Shit, I don’t know why women even wear panties around him.”

  “Autumn,” Aubrey said her sister’s name on a groan. “You know that he’s involved with Gabe’s sister.”

  “So? Doesn’t mean a girl can’t appreciate a fine ass man when she sees one. And trust me, Theo is one very fuckable man. Jesus, the things I’d do to him. I bet that he’s an expert with his—”

  “Building blocks!” Aubrey interrupted as Greta rounded the corner with both kids in tow. “Theo is an expert with building blocks. Isn’t that right, Nora?”

  “Yes, I’m sure he is an expert
with his…building blocks,” Nora agreed with a chuckle as she scooped Caleb up and onto her lap.

  “I was only going to say hands,” Autumn muttered under her breath, annoyed. She smiled at Greta as the older woman collected their coffee mugs and brought them over to the counter to refill them.

  “Greta, you’ve been with them for a while now, what do you think of this situation?” Autumn called out, curious to get the quiet woman’s opinion.

  Greta’s hand froze spooning sugar into the mugs. “I didn’t know Mr. Thornton before…” she cast a sideways glance at Nora, “before. To me now, he seems to be a very loving husband.” At Nora’s crestfallen expression, she hurried to continue. “More time with the children wouldn’t hurt, however I’m sure it’s just a phase and will pass. You know what men are like,” she finished. Her hands shook slightly, spilling a few grains of sugar onto the counter. She was uncomfortable with the conversation that much was obvious. Her reaction was suspect to Autumn who studied her for a few minutes, curious about the elderly woman. They didn’t know much about her besides that she had been in the employ of that fucker, Marcus and had been rescued by Gabe, Theo and Sheriff Brady James when they located Caleb and baby Hope. How anyone could work for such a sadistic monster was beyond her comprehension. Nora and Gabe seemed to trust her, so who was she to question their decisions? Greta carried the freshly topped up mugs over to the table, setting them down without making eye contact with anyone.

  “Well, you know what we need? A night out. A chance to unwind from all the craziness surrounding this town and give Nora a break from this worry about her and Gabe,” she raised a finger at Aubrey, who opened her mouth to protest. “Don’t argue, Aubs. My mind is made up. Tonight, we hit up Shorty’s. Greta, you can watch the kiddos, right?” She turned her back without waiting for an answer, expecting it to be a yes. She took a big gulp of her coffee and kissed her twin’s cheek. “I’ve got to get to work, but I’ll be back at eight,” she warned.