Evanesce (The Darkness #2) (12 page)

Brooke ignored him. She was living in the bubble where if she didn’t say the words out loud again, they weren’t real. The bubble was nice, safe, comfortable. Delusion was the only thing that got her through the day, trapped in a Hell she couldn’t escape.

Marcus’s hand stilled in her hair and he tugged it, forcing her to roll over and meet his eyes. “Ignoring me is not a smart option, Brooke.”

“You already know, why do I have to say it?” she demanded. He was insufferable with his need for control.

“I want you to tell me the news, Brooke.” He moved closer to her and glared at her until she huffed and gave in.

“Fine, you arrogant prick. I’m pregnant, okay? You already know I am so making me say it is completely ridiculous. But you got what you wanted, I’m going to have your baby. Now, just go away and leave me alone.” Brooke flopped back down, giving him her back once again.

“I’m very pleased, Brooke. Your first child and in such a short amount of time, I know you will give me a magnificent product.” He leaned down and kissed her head, choosing to ignore her silent tears, before leaving her to cry in the darkness alone.

Every day like clockwork, a meal tray arrived to her chamber. Her immaculately decorated, spacious house of horrors. The large, sinister looking man covered in tattoos would saunter into her room and deliver a tray of the most delicious meals. Greta was no longer granted the privilege of delivering her meals, she was simply a companion for Brooke ever since the incident in the dungeon. The aroma was always so hard to resist, even though every fiber of her being screamed at her to grab the tray and launch it at him, and then run like hell for the door.

The nightmares she had witnessed while being in this godforsaken place was the only thing that kept her sitting frozen, watching him approach with careful eyes.

Dropping the tray on the dark wood table a few feet from the bed where she sat, he leveled her with a look.

“You will eat it.” It wasn’t a question, it was a cold command from the brick wall pretending to be a human. In the first few weeks of her captivity, she had learned what happened when she tried to remain stubborn and starve herself. Shuddering, she shook off the horrific memories.

“I want to see him.” She spoke out of nowhere, surprising herself as much as him. He cocked a brow at her, his displeasure at her demand evident.

“He will come to you when you are more ripe.” With those words, he turned and stomped out of the room, the finality of the lock clicking sounding as loud as a bullhorn. She dropped her head in defeat, her hands moving to splay across her belly protectively as silent tears tracked down her cheeks.

I will find a way to free us, little one.

N
ora was giving
Shadow his morning workout before helping the other ranch hands round up the cattle when she spotted Gabe’s truck pulling into the lane. Stroking the soft fur of the horse’s mane, she whispered in his ear to settle him. “I know, I know, I don’t want him coming and going as he pleases either.”

Kicking him into a trot towards the stables, she called a good morning to a few of the workers that were just stumbling out of the bunk. It wasn’t usual for her hands to stay the night but with the busy cattle season around the corner, Nora wanted to start new processes and traditions. It was all part of her grand plan to build Jacobs’ Ranch into the place she knew it could be.

Reaching the stable, she dismounted and walked Shadow the rest of the way inside. She felt Gabe’s presence before she saw him, the heat coming off his body was like a goddamn furnace. Seriously, was the man hot all the time?

“Ah, there she is.” Gabe wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, taking Shadow’s reins from her hands.

“Good morning, baby,” he whispered in her ear, sending shivers through her. Nora closed her eyes and leaned her head back on his chest, his embrace had a way of offering security and peace while promising dark pleasure if she only gave in.

Turning in his arms, she noticed a large duffel bag on the ground behind him.
He can’t be serious.

“Gabe. What’s that?” she asked, nodded towards the bag. Gabe tipped her chin up and placed a light kiss on her lips before answering.

“It’s my bag, Nora. I’m moving in for awhile—remember?” Not giving her a chance to argue, he deepened the kiss, his tongue sweeping inside her mouth to claim hers while his hand got lost in her thick black hair.

“Gabe,” she panted. Pushing on his chest, she pulled out of his arms. “Stop. Wait. We talked about this already,” she said, flushed from his kisses. Her panties were damp, her breasts straining against her t-shirt. The damn man had too strong of an effect on her.

“Yes, we did. So glad you remember, baby. This was already discussed and decided…that day at the pier,” he added, winking.

Grabbing Shadow’s reins from him, she stomped him over to his stall, unaware that Gabe was watching the sway of her hips with appreciation.

“I don’t need you moving in here, Gabe. I can take care of myself just fine. And with the ranch hands starting to stay in the bunks, I’m covered,” she argued.

Gabe came to stand behind her. “Look, Nora, I’m not doing this as a ploy to have a repeat of the other day. I just need to know you’re safe. I’ll take one of the guest rooms. Just for a few nights until we get a better handle on what the fuck is going on around here. Deal?” Nora shoulders sagged in defeat. Why did he always have to make so much fucking sense?

“Fine. Just for a few nights. And you’re taking the guest room. On the 1
^st
floor. And don’t think you’re getting any hanky panky, mister,” she added, shaking her finger at him.

Gabe snorted. “Hanky panky? What, are you my 80 year-old grandmother?” Nora smacked him on the arm.

“Shut up. You know what I mean. No sex. There will be no sex if you move in here,” she warned.

Gabe stepped close into her space, forcing her to tilt her head back to meet his eyes. “Okay, baby, sure. I won’t fuck you again until you beg me to. And make no mistake, you
will
be begging me to,” he promised before scooping up his bag and sauntering out of the barn, whistling.

Nora let out a frustrated growl and pulled on the ends of her hair.

“I won’t be begging you to breathe, let alone fuck me!” she shouted after him, refusing to let him have the last say.

“Ahem,” a voice called out from behind her. Whirling around she found Bobby regarding her with curiosity.

“Ugh, just don’t ask,” she ordered him and returned to the task of brushing out Shadow’s mane. Goddamn Gabe probably knew Bobby had been there the whole time.
Asshole.

Bobby held up his hands and backed away. “Wasn’t gonna,” he replied, stifling a laugh. His boss sure was a spitfire when she was angry.

A few hours passed uneventfully. Nora kept a watchful eye on Gabe from across the ranch. He had inserted himself right back into the thick of her life. Joking around with the ranch hands and jumping into the pit to help with some unruly cattle. Seeing him splattered with mud, his shirt sleeves rolled up revealing his tattooed arms, was a sight not to be ignored. As though someone had walked up to her pussy and tapped it on the shoulder, she was now fully aware of his presence. And she wanted more. She wanted to be rolling in that mud with him, riding his cock until he had her screaming his name in release. Gritting her teeth and clenching her thighs together, she looked down at herself. “Traitor,” she muttered. At this rate, she’d be begging him in front of her entire staff to please fuck her.

“That’s a hell of a steed there, isn’t it?” Nora jumped out of her fantasy at the sound of Theo’s voice. The idiot was standing directly beside her and she was so lost in her daydreams she hadn’t even heard his approach. “Oh and the cattle are looking in good shape too, aren’t they,” he went for a conversational tone, but his grin gave him away.

“Fuck off, Theo.” He laughed and swung an arm around her shoulders.

“I just want to see you two happy again, sweet cheeks,” he told her. “But on a more serious note, I do have a bit of information that we should discuss.” Nora nodded and put her fingers in mouth to let out a loud whistle, gaining Gabe’s attention. Waving him over, she pointed to the house. Gabe nodded back in understanding and hopped the small wooden fence out of the pit in one fluid motion. He strode toward them, his jeans riding low and his shirt blowing open.

“Jesus Murphy,” Nora muttered and turned to head inside, leaving the two boys to follow in her wake.

Nora headed to the kitchen to pour them all a cold glass of iced tea. The hot Texas sun could be a killer most days.

“Make sure you add rum to mine,” Theo called out as he took a seat at the large oak table. Nora loved this kitchen, it was her favorite room in the house. Filled with memories of her grandparents, it was the only part of the house that had felt like a home to her growing up. The delightful aromas of warm homemade pie would fill the air and the table was hand carved by her grandfather. Nora pushed the memory of her mother fucking one of the stable hands on top of it out of her mind—she would not let either of her parents rip away the only happy memories she had from her childhood.

“I second that,” Gabe said as he strolled in. Nora rolled her eyes and prayed for patience.

“Knock it off you two,” she said, carrying the drinks to the table. When they were all seated, she raised her eyebrows at Theo. “Well? What’s this new information you’ve learned?”

Theo took a long drink of his iced tea before answering. “I’ve still got buddies in the Sheriff’s Department here. One of them let a few details slip. Apparently the higher-ups are concerned that this is a bigger problem than just some sick fuck kidnapping women and newborns. A much bigger problem,” he added.

Gabe took off his hat and set it on the table. “So what is it? The mob or something?” he asked.

“Not exactly,” Theo told him. “They are convinced that the Black Market is involved. These women…their babies, they are being taken and sold into the fucking Black Market.” Nora covered her mouth in horror at his explanation.

“Dear God…are you sure? That can’t be right. Who would want to buy a newborn baby? For what?” she asked, bewildered. Those poor women. These heinous crimes were beyond her comprehension. It was clear they were dealing with individuals with no souls.

“The better question is—how? How are these babies or these women getting from their homes into the Black Market ring? There has got to be a middle man somewhere,” Gabe said, scratching his jaw.

Theo grunted in agreement. “I was thinking the same thing. Whomever they are using, this guys is smart. Calculated. There has been almost no evidence at any of the crime scenes. The boys down at the department are completely fucking stumped. Over at the Kenner’s,” he cast an apologetic look at Nora, “There was no sign of forced entry. The fucking alarm was still on. They are looking hard at Brent and it’s really hitting him and Sydney hard. They would never let something happen to Sophie. She was their miracle child,” he finished, shaking his head.

Nora cradled her head in her hands. “That is just unbelievable. What kind of morons have they got running that department if they are wasting any of their time looking at Brent? For God’s sake,” she burst out. “Clearly they need to hire better law enforcement officers.” Theo and Gabe exchanged a look.

Looking between the two of them, Nora knew they were up to something. “What? What are you two up to? I know that look and it never means anything good,” she accused.

Gabe tried to look innocent and failed miserably. There was a smudge of mud across his forehead driving her to distraction. Standing up, she leaned over and wiped it away softly with her hand.

“You’re filthy. Grams would have never let you in here in that state.” Gabe’s heart pounded in his chest at her simple touch. She was caving more and more each day and he couldn’t be more pleased. It wouldn’t be long before she was back in his arms where she belonged. Living without her had shown him without a doubt that he was not whole without her. Nora was one hell of a woman, beautiful, smart, funny and a force to be reckoned with when she was angry. The passion they created when they were together couldn’t be replicated. There was no better match out there for him, no woman he wanted more than her. She was his forever and he was damned well going to be hers. Whether she liked it or not.

“Theo and I are going to look into this some. Under the radar. I have some contacts that will be willing to help us out. It may mean infiltrating some shady businesses which is another reason that we want you to be extra careful, Nora. We don’t quite know yet what we are going to be getting into and the last thing I want is you getting mixed up in this, baby.” Gabe revelation shocked Nora. Straightening her spine, she pointed her finger in his face.

“You. Outside. Now.” Without waiting for a reply, she turned on her heel and marched out the sliding glass doors that led to the ranch’s private backyard. She didn’t want any witnesses for what she had to say.

Theo looked at Gabe. “Dude. You’re in for it. Bad call letting her in on the plan so early,” he told him.