Page 1 of Only in the Dark (Bound By Darkness Duet #1)

Kieran Harlowe

Olivia looked so peaceful when she slept, like someone conjured from my dreams. Her hair fanned out across the pillow, catching the moonlight, the pink of her bedding slightly reflecting in its light blonde tone. When she wasn’t asleep, her beautiful long curls rested on her ample chest.

Sometimes she’d mumble in her sleep, her brow twitching as if lost in a memory, but then she’d relax again, her lips parting slightly, her breathing slow and steady.

I could watch her like this for hours, the smell of her jasmine and lavender perfume calming me and making me feel at home.

She had no idea how beautiful she was—how fragile and trusting. That was the problem.

Being in Olivia’s room while she was asleep was becoming a common occurrence.

She would have remained safe from me if she weren’t so predictable.

I installed video cameras last week when I knew she was out, and I had her routine memorized by now.

She never expected her nightly tea to be drugged.

Why would she? She was too sweet and trusting, which was why I had to intervene.

I saw what happened. She didn’t understand it wasn’t her fault, but she needed to.

She needed to leave that prick. I had to be the catalyst to make it happen, no matter what it took.

Olivia Mercer had become my obsession the moment my brother brought her home and introduced her as his girlfriend.

If he hadn’t, I would’ve never known what he was doing to her.

I couldn’t see why she stayed with him. He often refused to stay over—because he was with other women, pressured her into sex when she didn’t want it, and he was a boring douchebag.

The kind of man that materialistic women married to feel secure while they excused their husband’s cheating to keep access to his finances.

Olivia seemed like she was using him to pretend she had the idyllic life, and I wondered what secrets she harbored underneath.

So far, I hadn’t discovered anything. I would, because she couldn’t hide anything from me.

We were soulmates, and soon she’d know it.

Her tiny, purse-sized Chihuahua finally perked up from her spot at Olivia’s feet.

I reached down and scratched her head, handing her the nightly treat I gave her to earn her trust, then petted her tiny head.

“You’re such a good girl for your future daddy, aren’t you, little one?

Not so good at protecting mommy, though.

Maybe we’ll get a Dobermann.” She growled at me.

“Or not. Sheesh, girl.” Pixie might’ve had a small body, but she had a big attitude.

And yes, I knew her dog’s name from watching her.

She talked to Pixie often, telling her how good she was and snuggling together.

Watching her every move through a camera feed or standing in her room could only tell me so much. I needed to bring her closer to me, but without her knowing who I was until I was certain she wanted me. I had the perfect plan, and it started tonight.

We were one week from Halloween, where I’d attend the annual party at Club Obsidian.

Only, it wasn’t a normal club. It was a sex club with private and public rooms, and I knew how to draw my sweet little Olivia toward the dark side.

It meant exposing my brother and inevitably hurting her, but I had a feeling she didn’t care for Matthew too much, and soon I’d prove my theory.

I moved back to Olivia’s side before I had to leave her to sleep, enact the second portion of my plan, and head home…

where I’d probably end up watching her from my laptop, on my bed.

I didn’t need to paint the rest of the picture of what I planned to do.

In fact, I reached down and grabbed the pair of panties she had left on the floor, shoving them into my pocket.

They’d be the perfect aid in my endeavor. I needed her scent everywhere.

Caressing her cheek with my fingers, I said my goodbyes for now.

The corner of her lips lifted into a small, sleepy smile.

Even though she didn’t know it was happening, her subconscious enjoyed my gentle caress.

I knew she had told a friend she felt like someone was visiting her room in her sleep, and she hoped it was Matthew, but reality was about to hit when she woke up in the morning.

“Goodbye, good girl,” I said to Pixie, scratching her head. The little beast was growing on me. One day, I wouldn’t have to leave her room. I’d be in the bed with her, Pixie cuddled between us.

Before I left her room, I grabbed her phone.

I watched her put in the passcode enough times to memorize it—not that it was hard.

Olivia made the rookie mistake of setting her passcode as her birthday.

I’d teach her security one day, phone and home included.

I searched through her settings until I found her phone number, then programmed it into my own.

I knew I’d need to contact her in the future, and it was easier than trying to get my hand on my brother’s phone.

He guarded it so closely, you’d think it contained government secrets.

I grabbed the bag I had left by her window when I snuck in, bringing it with me downstairs into her kitchen.

I set up the flowers in a vase—a mix of daisies, carnations, and lilies, all of her favorites.

I heard her complaining to my brother that he never did anything romantic, and that he didn’t even buy her flowers like she had begged.

He had scoffed and told her she was making a big deal out of nothing, that he’d take care of her in the future and didn’t need to buy her flowers when he’d buy her a house and a car.

Olivia loved her house, car, and career.

She took care of herself and didn’t need him as anything other than a pawn to show off to God knows who.

I’d rather be the pawn she could show off.

And I wasn’t against killing my brother to get what I needed, but I didn’t want to piss off Mom. She loved the idiot, for some bizarre reason. Maybe because he was like our dad—rich, pretentious, a predator, and a cheater.

I was nothing like him. I took everything I saw him do and decided I didn’t want to be like him.

Next to the flowers was a note I had made on the computer since I couldn’t risk her knowing my handwriting. I set it neatly on the counter, folded with her name on top. Tomorrow, she’d know of her stalker’s existence, but she wouldn’t know I’d be watching her from the safety of my house.

I had a secondary plan to finish, which wouldn’t take long.

Taking out my phone and opening the camera, I grabbed pictures of her pantry and refrigerator to gather her favorite groceries and what she needed replaced.

Tomorrow, I’d have them delivered for her.

I needed to show her I could be the one to truly take care of her and give her the things she wanted.

Most stalkers weren’t as thoughtful as me, but I wasn’t as fucking crazy as them.

I’d never hurt my Olivia like they hurt those they claimed to love.

I’d kill for her, burn the entire world down for her, but I wouldn’t lay a malicious finger on her.

I needed only to bring her closer to me.

Once I unmasked myself, she’d understand that she loved me.