Page 14 of Embrace the Darkness

I just needed one night of peace. Just one night!

Staring at Jamie, I asked myself if his conditions were really the price I was willing to pay. Could I do it? Was one night of silence worth it?

I nodded but reluctantly. “But I get to tell Stefan. Do we have a deal?”

Jamie nodded and put the car into drive.

We took Louie home first before we got to Jamie’s condo. The entire drive was awkwardly silent. I could tell Jamie was on edge. He appeared calm, but the air around him was tense and almost suffocating. Once inside his condo, he dropped his keys on the coffee table in front of the couch on his way into the kitchen. I stood awkwardly in the living room as he ripped open his fridge. He pulled out a beer, then a water bottle.

Not one word was spoken as he walked back to me. He put the bottle of water in my hand, not really giving me any other option but to take it. He twisted off the lid on his beer before taking a seat on his couch, then took a swig all while staring at me.

He’s waiting.

The entire ride here I'd debated how I was going to do this. I felt dirty. The strength I’d thought I had was shattered. For Jamie to see that… he’d never look at me the same again.

But I needed time.

It would only be one more set of eyes.I'd repeated that in my head over and over again on the way here, trying to convince myself. It wasn’t until we'd gotten here that I'd figured the faster I got this over with, the faster I could let myself fall apart and cry. Before I lost my nerve, I set the water bottle Jamie gave me on the coffee table and started untying the hair tie holding my shirt closed.

“What are you doing?” Jamie asked when I tossed the tie to the floor and removed my shirt.

“You wanted to see what they did. You wanted to inspect every injury. Well, in order to do that, I have to take off all my clothes. That was the deal.” I dropped my shirt on the floor, then winced as I reached behind to unclasp my bra. As Jamie’s eyes zeroed in on the bite mark on my breast, I saw the foreshadow of comprehension. I unbuttoned my skirt next and started to move it down my hips.

“Maura, stop,” Jamie ordered, jumping to his feet.

He was too late. My skirt and underwear hit the floor. I stood naked before him, but he wouldn’t move his eyes from mine. It pissed me off. This was what he'd asked for.

“Look at me!”

He jumped from my loud outburst. Relenting, his gaze traveled down. I could feel his eyes landing on each spot they'd hurt me. When his eyes reached between my legs, he turned away from me as if the sight offended him.

Tears blurred my vision, then fell before I even realized what was happening. My time to be strong had run out. I didn’t have it in me anymore. I didn’t ever cry, but I was going to let myself tonight. When a sob escaped me, Jamie’s head whipped around. I covered myself the best I could with my arms.

“I tried to fight them, Jamie. I promise I did, but they were too strong,” I cried and crumbled to the floor.

Not a heartbeat later, he was pulling me into his arms. I tensed up and he froze, noticing. Before he could pull away from me, I fisted his shirt in my hands and buried my face into his chest. I cried, letting myself completely fall apart in his arms. My sobs were loud, messy, and wet. His shirt became soaked as he rocked me back and forth, soothingly.

CHAPTER 7

Seven years ago…

Jamie held me until my sobs subsided into hiccups. Iwas exhausted both mentally and physically. As the awkwardness of being naked set in, I asked to take a shower. I made him promise me again that he wouldn’t tell Stefan before I shut the bathroom door. I set the water to scalding, hoping it would burn away the dirtiness Zack and Tyson had left in their wake.

Jamie had laid out sweatpants and a hoodie on his bed for me to wear before leaving me alone in his room to go sleep on the couch. I tossed and turned in his bed for what felt like hours. My brain kept replaying everything that had happened over and over again. When lying there became unbearable, I sat up against the headboardand I tried to focus on what was going to happen after Stefan found out.Would he blame me? Probably.

He was going to kill them. There was no doubt and that really pissed me off. Shouldn’t I be the one who deserved to get revenge? Why did Stefan get the satisfaction of watching them die? He’d never let me watch. After this, he’d never look at me the same. No one in the family would. I’d be nothing more than a weak, damaged female in their eyes.

I jumped out of bed in a fit of rage and started pacing. There had to be a better way to handle all this. I paced and paced some more, until I came to a decision. I was going to get revengemyself. I wasn’t going to roll over and allow men to take control. I wasn’t a weak female.

I quietly started going through Jamie’s drawers and closet looking for things I’d need. I found a loaded pistol in his nightstand, a pretty sick switchblade in his dresser, handcuffs and zip ties in a bag in his closet. I put everything in the bag before creeping out into the living room.

Jamie was in a deep sleep. I could tell by his even breathing and soft little snore. Moving as quietly as I could, I collected my shoes and scooped up his car keys from the coffee table. I spotted his phone and grabbed that, too. I didn’t want him calling Stefan the moment he noticed I was gone.

I backed up slowly, never taking my eyes off him until I reached the front door. I turned the deadbolt to unlock it and twisted the knob all the way before I pulled open the door. The door made a littlewhooshnoise when it opened. I cringed but Jamie was still sound asleep, none the wiser. I slipped out into the breaking dawn and closed the door most of the way, but not all the way because I was too afraid I’d wake him.

I didn’t take a deep breath until I put his car in reverse and I pulled onto the main road.

It was evening when I parked Jamie’s car in front of my house. Everyone was there. I didn’t know if it was because I'd been missing all day or because of Stefan’s weekly family meeting.Only one way to find out.