Page 6 of Dark Things (Payback Duet #1)

Haunt

R eb walks alongside me toward the nightmare this dinner is going to be. Anytime I need to be in my sperm donor’s presence it feels like a piece of my soul shrivels a bit more.

I wish Reb and I could share our affection openly regardless of who is in front of us. She’s the only one besides Cat who helps me get through with dealing with Stan. But if we did, he would use it against us, so I have to suck it up until the time is right, and then we can end this.

The kitchen smells amazing when we walk in, and my mouth waters. We don’t get home cooking at the compound. More like the gruel that’s in prison, or so Reb says.

“Haunt,” Stan calls. His normal pockmarked face turned down into a frown.

He’s forever disappointed in the world. While he isn’t as tall as me, we do share our black hair and blue eyes, but that’s where the similarities end.

I look more like my mother. Cat has the unfortunate genes that makes her look more like him, even though his looks are pretty on her.

“Father, how are you?” I ask before taking a seat at the dining room table.

“Fine. I imagine Haunt explained our new situation?” he says to Reb before Cat joins us at the table. He completely ignores Cat, not even a hello. I really wish I could throat punch him.

Reb’s back goes ramrod straight, and her fist clenches behind her back. The hate in her eyes wouldn’t be clear to anyone else, but I’ve studied her. I know her every tell and move. We’re the best at what we do because we can anticipate each other so well.

“Yes, sir. When will he get here?” she asks.

“Tomorrow. I expect you at the track after classes to warm him up.”

“Oh, who are you warming up?” Cat asks, joining us.

Stan needs to be careful here. He doesn’t want Cat to be involved in any of our “extra activities.” It’s really the only good thing he’s ever done. I wouldn’t want this life for her. It’s bad enough that Reb was brought into it.

“Reb is going to work part time at the track exercising the horses. She used to do it in Kentucky and overseas as well. Your brother is her groom.”

Cat’s eyes go wide, and I can tell the next thing that’s going to come out of her mouth. She’s been deprived of family for so long. It breaks me how alone she’s been.

“I’d love to come see you!” she exclaims, jumping a bit in her seat.

Stan’s scowl takes over his semi-pleasant expression before he shuts her down. “Maybe another time. There’s a lot going on right now with the move. You understand, right, pumpkin?”

“Yeah, sure, Dad.” she says, tucking her head and taking a bite of her food.

Stan nods and turns his attention back to us. “There’s also something else I’d like to discuss before I leave. You both will come to my study after dinner.”

I clench my jaw and Reb grabs my hand under the table, giving it a squeeze before letting go. I can’t wait for this all to be over and for Stan to become another one of our kills. Then he can no longer hurt any of us.

“Reb, how was your first day? I didn’t get to ask you before,” Cat says, grabbing the drink in front of her and taking a huge gulp.

“It was okay. My classes are going to be challenging, but I’m confident that I can make it through. How about you?” she replies, glancing at Stan under her lashes.

“Well, even though business is what Daddy wanted me to major in, I’m glad most of those classes are done with. I’m finishing up this year with a few electives. I’m even in a pottery class. ”

The one thing I’ve always loved about Cat is her ability to bring happiness even in the shitty times. I’ve missed being with my twin. In some ways I feel like a stranger, but in others I feel like we’ve never been separated.

“Pottery? Is that what I’m paying for? You should be taking advanced business courses, not fooling around with clay,” Stan scolds.

Cat swallows her food, cheeks flaming. “Daddy, I needed to take an art class to graduate, and pottery was the only one open to me without having an art major. I assure you, the rest of my classes are more business oriented.”

He humphs, but doesn’t comment further. If that was me, I’d be taking a belt to the back. Another reason I’m grateful that Cat never had to come to the compound. I would take all the beatings for her, same as I’ve done for Reb on occasion.

The rest of the dinner is uneventful, but the crackle of tension in the air is palatable once the dishes are cleared. Reb and I still have to sit through whatever torture Stan has planned for us.

Marc comes in to offer dessert, but Stan shuts it down. “Come, we need to discuss some business. Cat, make sure your grades are maintained, or that allowance you receive will be cut off.”

He doesn’t say goodbye or offer her any affection, just walks away, expecting us to follow. I kiss the top of Cat's head as we walk past and give her shoulder a squeeze. She offers a watery smile before following Marc into the kitchen.

“Let’s get this over with,” Reb whispers, marching in the direction Stan walked.

I follow behind, because there’s no place I’d let her go alone.

Some may say that I’m obsessed or a stalker, but it’s much deeper than that.

Reb is my reason for living, the other half of my soul.

The escape from this fucked up existence, and I will stand by, protect, and offer myself to her for the rest of my days.

Where she goes, I go. There’s never been a second’s doubt when it comes to Reb.

I knew right away she was my fate, my everything.

“Shut the door,” Stan says once we enter the study. I haven’t been inside here yet. It’s just a room with a desk and empty bookshelves. I don’t know why it’s even here if he isn’t going to use it.

Reb stands at attention while I close the door. I come up beside her, holding the same pose. Two perfect soldiers to do his bidding. Nothing makes me more violent than Stan.

“You both have a mission. There’s a client who wants this man to be neutralized. Here’s the information. You have seven days to complete it. Don’t disappoint me, or you won’t like what happens.” He throws a flash drive on the desk. Neither of us make a move to take it.

“I’ve also had the team begin to track Mario’s movements. His ranch is a fucking fortress, but I expect to have blueprints and security details for you in the next few days. Any questions?”

Neither Reb nor I speak up. Questions lead to beatings, and that’s not something either of us need right now.

He goes on, not noticing our scorn. “Mario’s done…

everything I’ve been planning over the last five years—it’s here.

Quel bastardo brucerà. ” His stare bores into us.

“He’s gonna die, and then it’s going to be my turn.

” He thumps his chest for emphasis, then points to each of us.

“So don’t fuck it up—you know who’ll pay the price if you do. ”

His stare drills into my head before he pushes past and leaves us. I let out a breath of relief but don’t say a word until I hear the front door slam.

“He’s becoming more unstable, Haunt. I’m afraid this Mario thing is pushing him too far,” Reb says.

Gently pushing her back until her back hits the bookshelf, I cup her face.

“No matter if he wants to take all of New York, we’re going to end this.

After we take care of Mario, you and I will make Magnus a priority.

We need Stan out of the way and too busy with taking back the Russo family before we can start searching.

He won’t care so much once he has all that power back. ”

“But why? He’s never said what Mario did to make him hate him so much,” she asks.

I kiss her lips softly before pulling back and looking into her eyes.

“I don’t know the specifics, but Stan had a life as a capo for the Russos before this all started.

Mario was his friend and he betrayed him.

That’s all I really know. I don’t remember much of my life in New York, I was a kid when my mom took us away.

But five years ago, something set him off and Stan became the monster he is. ”

I slide my hands down to her neck and squeeze a bit, giving her a rakish smile. She leans forward and bites my bottom lip. Groaning, I slide my thigh between her legs and push forward. Her gasp allows me to claim her mouth. Our tongues tangle, bodies pressed impossibly close.

“Fuck, we need to stop before I wrap those legs around my waste and slam into you.”

She hums and pushes me away, grinning. “Let’s go see if there’s dessert before we open up that drive. I want to pretend we won’t be tempting the grim reaper so soon,” she says, walking out the door.

I pocket the flash drive and make my way out of the office. Reb and I will discuss it once we’re alone. She’s right, the death that follows us is never something I’ll get used to. I just need to make sure it never touches her, even if it means I’ll lose myself in the process.

Rebelle

Fucking Stan and his bullshit. I should have known that he’d fit in as many jobs as he could while we’re at Skyton.

After we opened the drive to look at the profile of the man we’re supposed to eliminate, I sent Haunt to bed.

I couldn’t get my mind off of all the shit that’s happened in the last few days.

Moving back to New York, starting college, finding out Colter and the guys are here, and now this.

Another kill, another way for Stan to control our lives.

If it wasn’t for Magnus this would have been over a long time ago.

I don’t even care about the money he stole from my trust fund.

I would leave it all behind to have my brother back.

I huff out a breath and change into a pair of black cargo pants, my combat boots, and a black T-shirt. My guns go into my shoulder holster, and I slip my knives into various sheaths on my body. I put a light jacket on top of it and secure my hair in a braid.