Ascending Darkness (Shattering the Darkness) (31 page)

Breccan begins
to shake with silent laughter and I hear a few other chuckles around me from some men. Clearly this bitch gets around.

“I can’t believe you would talk to me like that!” She huffs. “He’ll get tired of your foul mouth.”

“I doubt that.” I tilt my head to the side like I am actually considering her words. “He rather likes this foul mouth wrapped around his cock. Don’t ya babe?” I ask him and look up to him.

“Jesus Christ,” he is openly laughing now, “Yes.”

“See,” I look back to her, “He’s thinking about it right now and can’t wait to take me out of here so that I can wrap my lips around it.”

Breccan leans down and kisses me on the cheek. A silent pat on the back in front of this bitch.

“You disgust me,” she spits out.

“Step off, bitch. He’s taken,” I say completely serious now, “And if I were you, I would walk away in the next three seconds or you can look at you
r blood on the floor.”

“H… W…. You….
Hrmph!” she huffs out and storms away.

“Have I told you lately how much I fucking love you?” Breccan laughs out.

“Not since that bitch came around,” I reply.

“I fucking love you so much,” he says and kisses me passionately in front of everyone.

“You got yourself a live one, Breccan,” a handsome older gentlemen says as he steps up to us, interrupting our kiss.

“That is no lie, Duncan,” Breccan answers
, still laughing, shaking the man’s hand, “This is my girlfriend, Harper,” he introduces me, causing a small thrill to go through my body by calling me his ‘girlfriend’, “Harper this is Duncan Peters. He is in charge of a company named Blackcard in the UK.”

“I’ve heard of it,” I answer and shake Duncan’s hand, “It’s nice to meet you
.”

“You as well,” he says. “Breccan has spoken highly of you. This is my wife Simone,” he introduces a stunning blonde woman. I would imagine she is about Duncan’s age with the way she carries herself, but she has aged so well, she hardly looks it.

The conversation continues and I fall almost as much in love with Simone as Duncan obviously is. She is sweet and kind and keeps the money grubbing whores away. Duncan is a bit intimidating and, oddly enough, it makes me feel a bit more secure. Almost like Nikko is here with us all.

As the night winds down we say our goodbyes and make plans to see each other again before Duncan and Simone leave town. We make our way back out to the cars and get in the limo that Hank has waiting for us.

“Thanks, Hank,” I say leaning heavily into Breccan.

We get into the car and I rest my head on Breccan’s shoulder, yawning.

“Tired?” he wraps his arm around me pulling me closer.

“Yeah, what time is it?” I ask groggily.

“About two in the morning,” he answers quietly.

“Oh,” I mumble back and promptly pass out, not waking up until the next morning.

The next day I wake up to an empty bed and a note from Breccan.

Dove

I had an early meeting and didn’t want to wake you.

Hope to see you at lunch.

I love you.

Brecc

I smile to myself and crawl out of bed. Bane and I go for our run with Hank following in the car. When we get back I shower, dress in jeans and a t-shirt and then decide it’s time to think about what I want to do with the bar.

I feel like it has been tainted. Stevie accomplished that. All it will forever hold is a memory of what he did. On the other hand building it back up could be a big slap in his face. And I love all of my employees and I would hate to have them out of work.

I write down ideas of what I could do with the space and ultimately come up with a plan I think will work. After the conversation with Breccan last night about taking over his charities it would be a nice little headquarters for something like that.

But then the whole roof collapsed in so it would never be what it was and the architecture is what drew me into the place.

I sit and think about it all morning, going over the pros and cons of each plan without ever reaching a decision. Before long it is almost noon and time for me to leave for lunch with Breccan. I leave the list on my desk and resolve to go over the ideas with Nikko later this afternoon. I call down to Hank and let him know I am ready to leave.

We get to Caldwell, Inc. at a quarter past noon, lunch in hand. Hank walks me up to the top floor but stops at the front reception desk, letting me walk back to Breccan’s office on my own. He has done that the past couple of days and I have learned that her name is Rebecca and that they have silently flirted for months whenever he is in town. Being on this assignment of protecting me has allowed them to get to know each other a bit better and they have a date for tonight.

I step through the doors to Breccan’s reception area and walk up to Denise’s desk, dropping some food off for her.

“Oh, baby! You are buttering me up! What do we have today?” she asks, digs into the bag and squeals before I have a chance to answer. “
Ooooeeee! I love Sal’s! Greatest seafood in town!”

“Yeah,” I smile at her, “It’s pretty good.”

“Mwah! Love you dollface,” she blows me a kiss, “Go on in, he’s alone.”

“Thanks Denise,” I say and walk to Breccan’s door, calling over my shoulder, “Enjoy!”

“Oh you know I will!” she laughs.

I’m laughing when I enter the office, Breccan leaning against his desk, waiting for me.

“You’re spoiling her,” he mock scolds me.

“Hey, it’s
always a good idea to get in good with the assistants. They have all the dirt on people,” I explain and set up our lunch on the table.

It has become quite a routine for us now: joke, eat, talk about our days, have mind blowing sex, then part ways until he gets home. I finish setting out our food and we both have a seat, continuing our routine that I am hopelessly addicted to.

I’m walking home from Breccan’s office when it happens.
I left without Hank, because he was not back from lunch with Rebecca and I really wanted to talk to Nikko about some new plans that Breccan helped me come up with. I thought I would just hop into the escalade and send Hank a text that I had taken it. I had a key after all.

When I got outside and saw it was gone, I knew I couldn’t interrupt his time with Rebecca, so I just decided to walk home, maybe catch a cab and then text him when I was safe. I would just deal with the wrath from all three of the overbearing men in my life
, later.

I had no idea my world was about to change and I honestly never thought twice about my reaction
once it happened.

My life cannot bleed into his… destroying it.

My cell phone rings and I pull it out of my purse. I look at the caller ID and see Landon’s number is flashing across the screen and an alarm goes off in my head.

Something very wrong is waiting for me on the other end of the line…

“Hello,” I answer the call, “Landon?”

*****

Breccan pulls into the underground garage at his and Harper’s apartment just after six o’clock. He enters the code in the elevator that takes him to their apartment after he steps in and waits for the lift to take him to his dove.

He has big plans for tonight and for the first time in a very long time, he is extremely nervous. They’ve made a lot of progress over the past weeks, but that doesn’t mean Harper is ready for this step.

All he can do is pray.

His first clue that something is amiss is when the elevator opens and there is no noise coming from their apartment. Harper is almost always playing music when he comes in. He has come to look
forward to the comfort of it. He never knows what she will have playing; there is always something different flowing through the speakers. Her taste in music is a constant surprise; from classical to alternative and country to hard rock.

But not today…

He walks down the hallway where Bane comes trotting up to him; clearly in need of a bathroom break.

“Hey, boy,” Breccan bends to scratch his head, “Where’s Mom?” he asks then calls out, “Dove?”

He exits the hallway and heads to the kitchen where she is usually preparing supper. She’s not there so he heads up the stairs and checks the bedroom, continuing to call out for her. Still she is nowhere to be seen so he goes from room to room frantically looking for her and calling out, “Harper!”

And then the panic
takes hold…

He pulls out his phone and dials with trembling fingers.

“Nikko…” he chokes out.

His vision begins to change and he can’t hear Nikko’s response. Breccan continues to talk but is not sure what he even says to the only person in this world who can help him…

*****

It’s been years since I lived and breathed this way. Years since I had to wonder what would happen next. I’ve been lucky; living the good life and having whatever I wanted. I suppose I couldn’t really have it all; too greedy.

I don’t know if Nikko and Breccan know yet what has happened, or if they can even do anything about it. I imagine they will try and I hope they succeed, but how in the hell are they even going to find me? I don’t even k
now where I am or how I got here. How can two people that weren’t there do anything about it?

After I answered the call, it was not Landon’s voice that greeted me. It was Stevie’s. No real big surprises there when I stop to think about it. I knew something was wrong, but a small part of me still hoped.

Still hoped that maybe my gut instincts were wrong for once.

But they weren’t.

Of course they weren’t.

Stevie answered and told me to head to the warehouse on Adams Street, so I immediately got in a taxi and headed to the abandoned area. Shortly after I got out of the car and it drove off, an old black sedan pulled up. A large man got out of the car and walked towards me. He was easily six and a half foot tall and stacked with pure muscle. His dark chocolate skin was marred by scars across his face and bald head.

“Phone,” he growled at me, “and your bag.”

I immediately hand over my phone and then my purse. He threw my phone on the ground and then stomped on it. He then grabbed me by the arm and walked me towards the car. I didn’t bother fighting. I needed to know where Landon was and make sure that he was safe. Mr. Big and Scarred opens the car door for me and I slide into the backseat, him following me in. He tosses my bag into the front
seat and that’s when I see him…

“Hello, H,” he greets me with a big smile, a new scar covering the left side of his face and I wonder who he pissed off to earn that nasty fucking thing.

“Fuck you,” I answer back, as the car begins to move.

His eyes widen slightly with anger and shakes his head at me.

“Watch your mouth, whore,” he spits out at me.

“Like I said,” I raise a brow at him, “Fuck you.”

Stevie makes an annoyed sound in the back of his throat and begins to go through my purse. He pulls out my wallet and searches for my cash. He pulls out the two hundred dollars in it and pockets it.

“All that money and this is all you brought with you?” he asks me. “Didn’t think baby brother was worth more?” he sneers at me.

“Cut the shit, Stevie,” I spit at him, “We both know that no amount of money would have freed Landon. It’s me you want.” He roams his eyes over my face and down to my blouse, stopping to stare at my breasts. “So where is he?” I snap at him, pulling his attention from my chest.

“See, H, that’s what I’ve always liked about you,
” he leers at me with his elbow on the back of the seat. His eyes travel down to my chest again as he answers my question, “You’re right, of course, I couldn’t care less about the little shit. He’s safe enough,” he smiles smugly as his eyes travel back up to mine, “for now.”

“Make the call Stevie,” I order him. It’s not that I have any real power here but I have to make sure that Landon is safe or this was all for nothing. “I know you have someone with him. Make the call and tell them to let him go.”

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” he laughs at me. “You have no say in this scenario. At all.” He nods to the big guy next to me and I see him reach in his jacket pocket.

I quickly throw my arm out and make contact with his windpipe, temporarily incapacitating him. I reach inside his jacket and pull out the gun and the knife in his pocket. I put the blade of the knife against the big guy’s throat and point the gun at Stevie.

“Make. The. Call.” I order him again. “Then I’m all yours.”

I have to make sure Landon is okay, before Stevie finds a way to overpower me. Which he will. That little maneuver was pure luck, mostly because neither of them were expecting it. Stevie’s face is so red it is almost purple. He pulls out his phone and begins dialing.