Page 9 of Only in the Dark (Bound By Darkness Duet #1)

Olivia Mercer

Unknown

Things are different now, Little Serpent. I know about your past. I know what you’ve done.

The first text I woke up to had activated every cell in my body, urging me to pack and run.

Mother taught me not to get caught, but here I was, ready for the police to show up at any moment.

My stalker knew too much about me, but I didn’t know how.

I didn’t talk about my past, nor did I kill anyone recently.

Unknown

Don’t flee. I’m not interested in turning you in unless you run from me. I’ll hunt you down, because you can’t hide from me. All I want is for you to show up tomorrow. I promise it’ll be worth it in more ways than one.

The message felt akin to blackmail. I wasn’t na?ve—I knew what showing up at a sex club to meet my stalker meant, and I knew how dangerous it was.

Now he knew how dangerous I was, and he was still choosing to meet me.

But was he someone who wanted revenge on me?

Would he tie me up and hurt me to satisfy a sick game?

Had I hurt someone he loved? Or did the stalker I caught the attention of not care about the past he allegedly knew about?

Of course, it wasn’t far off to think that a stalker might be capable of murder, too. Maybe he was equally dangerous.

I hadn’t told Sarah about the new discovery, nor did I plan to.

She’d be pleased I decided to show up. I told her I’d meet her for lunch soon, where I’d tell her my decision.

I hoped she’d accept my answer and choose not to hassle me about why I changed my mind.

I was adamant earlier this week that I had no intention of going to meet a masked stalker.

He intrigued me when he came into my room, but I froze instead of trying to unmask him, and then he was gone.

He admitted to watching me for weeks, and truthfully, I was going to go even before the threatening message.

When he sent me the address, I didn’t respond. I did my best to ignore his messages until this moment.

Me

I have a boyfriend. I think you’ll be disappointed tomorrow.

My response wasn’t entirely false. Matthew didn’t understand that we weren’t together anymore.

He tried texting me a few times, begging for another chance, but I ignored him.

He refused to acknowledge the girl’s age, stating he wouldn’t cheat again, as if that had been the main issue.

I dropped her off, and she told me they had met online.

She told him to stop, and he didn’t. It sounded too familiar.

Listening to her story made me see things in a different light.

I was stupid to stay with him as if he were the only stable guy in the city.

I’d find someone right for me one day, but it wasn’t a blackmailing stalker or a pedophile.

I could walk to the financial district, point in any direction, and find another Matthew. Same dusty brown hair, boring job, and rich prick attitude. I wouldn’t be missing anything, but he seemed to be.

He struggled to understand what I meant when I told him I never wanted to talk to him again.

I was already brainstorming ways to ruin his life that didn’t involve murder—contrary to what I was taught growing up.

Mother said I’d never be anything but a cold-hearted bitch before I killed her, and I wanted to prove her wrong.

Killing someone didn’t say I had a warm heart, so I needed a better solution, but it’d take time to come up with one.

I didn’t have any proof to turn in to the police, but maybe I could get some.

Would his family and their money get him out though?

It was worth trying to take him down through the legal system.

I walked down the street to the hotel restaurant I told Sarah I’d meet her at. It was one of our favorite spots in the city with incredible views, situated in the middle of a hotel, on a large outdoor balcony. I stopped outside when I felt my phone buzz in my pocket.

Unknown

Are you sure about that?

Had he been there when I confronted Matthew?

What did he know? I felt my breathing turning more shallow, my thoughts running wild with questions before someone’s hand on my shoulder snapped me out of it.

I simultaneously turned and pulled my body away, ready to land a punch on someone, when I realized it was Sarah.

“Down, girl. It’s just me. What’s got you so freaked out today?” she asked, as if she didn’t know I had a stalker. Wouldn’t anyone being stalked be a little on edge at all times?

“As if I don’t have a stalker running around. And he just implied that he knows me and Matthew aren’t together. He texted me the address I showed up at, but I didn’t see anyone around. I’m creeped out, okay? Let’s just get inside. I have so much to tell you.”

“Breathe. You’re speaking at a hundred words per second.

Let’s go get a drink and our antipasto platter.

” Sarah led the way, and I followed behind, fidgeting with my fingers as we rode the elevator to the balcony bar.

Sarah’s opinion of me would likely change after I gave her the news I had hidden from her this week.

Our waiter, Gus, gave us our favorite seat at the edge of the balcony, giving us a beautiful view of the Chicago River.

“Okay. Spill. You look like you’re going to fall out of your skin,” Sarah said. She clasped her hands together, rested her elbows on the table, and leaned forward.

I took a deep breath. “First things first…there’s something I didn’t tell you.

The night the groceries were dropped off…

I was pretty sure he had been drugging me somehow, so I didn’t drink my nightly tea.

Then, he came into my room in a Ghostface mask.

He may have fingered me, spanked me, and given me an orgasm better than I had ever had in my life,” I explained, my eyes looking down at my hands folded in my lap.

When I looked up, Sarah’s jaw was on the floor, and the couple behind her were looking at me with disgust. I guess I wasn’t as quiet as I thought I was. I felt warmth flood my cheeks at the realization.

“Okay, so you didn’t mention that in our last phone call. Wow. I truly don’t think I have words right now beyond I am jealous,” she said, laughter taking over her face. “What a wild ride. Good on you. You deserved a mind-blowing orgasm,” she teased.

“So, you don’t think less of me?” I asked. Of course, the girl who read dark romance wouldn’t think less of me. I don’t know why I hid this from her and thought it’d change our friendship. Sarah was the least judgmental person I knew.

“Of course not, babe. You’re my best friend. No matter what. I am a little jealous you have a dedicated stalker who buys you groceries, but just know, if he turns out to be a real weirdo or hurts you like Matthew, I’ll kill him. Speaking of…what are we doing about Matthew?” she questioned.

I sighed. “I have no idea. I want to see how Saturday goes first. Maybe I’ll send him an invitation, and he can watch me fuck someone else.

It would destroy his ego,” I suggested, shrugging.

Sarah probably expected me to say I’d kill him, but I was trying to be on my best behavior.

There was a reason Mother and I fought, and I decided to kill her. I wouldn’t become her.

“You should destroy him,” Sarah muttered before quickly changing the topic. “How is the business going these days? I know you decided to only take on contracts with extensive evidence of wrongdoing. Has it helped?”

I sighed. “I suppose. I just don’t think I have the passion Mother had, honestly. Not on the business side. I miss killing men, watching their pathetic lives drain from their faces as they realized what had happened.” Thankfully, the couple had left, but I still whispered to keep from prying ears.

“Olivia?” a man’s voice asked from behind me.

I jolted at the unexpected noise, my heart skipping a beat as I quickly spun around.

My gaze settled on Matthew’s older brother, standing there with an air of quiet confidence.

It felt like an idea for revenge had fallen in my lap.

Kieran was massively attractive, single, and Matthew’s brother.

That would surely piss him off before I had him sent to jail.

Or would his detective brother protect him when I gathered evidence and turned him in? There was only one way to find out.

“Kieran, hi. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve seen you. This is my best friend, Sarah,” I said, pointing in her direction.

Being up close, I could admire Kieran’s beauty better.

He has beautiful brown eyes to match his tousled dark brown hair that fell to his eyebrows, and there was a faint dent that would perfectly fit my thumbprint on his chin—the same type that his brother had.

I was used to seeing him in nothing but long sleeve shirts, so the tattoos that donned his arms were surprising but nothing short of stunning artwork.

And to top it all off, he had the most mesmerizing smile.

“And Sarah is single,” she responded, licking her lips like a sex-crazed lizard. I reached over and playfully slapped her arm, shooting her a look to back off. She flashed a knowing grin and silenced herself.

“Will I be seeing you at family dinner next week? The last one was so boring without you,” he said, smiling. My heart thrummed in my chest. “I prefer never to be left alone with two alcoholic investment bankers again, thank you.”

“Oh, uh…Matthew and I aren’t together anymore,” I responded, clearing my throat.

“But she’s still available for family dinners,” Sarah responded. I shot her a death glare.

“Matthew said you were fighting, but he had a plan to win you over. But if he fails, I don’t mind stirring a little drama and bringing you along.

” He winked. I guess I wasn’t wrong when I sensed tension between him and his brother in the past. “I’m not against you using me for revenge. ” Could he read my mind?

“We’re not just fighting, and in the words of Taylor Swift, we are never ever, ever getting back together. I’ll let you know if I decide to take you up on that offer. Sometimes, a little drama can be fun. It’s not like your family doesn’t already hate me,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“Well, what are you doing tomorrow night?” he asked.

“My friend Sarah and I actually have plans tomorrow night. But maybe next time,” I responded.

Sarah’s jaw was on the floor. She knew what it meant, but he didn’t. Though I hadn’t told her yet, we were going to the club. She put the pieces together instead of believing I was lying to him.

“I hope you have fun. Maybe next time. I have to get back to work. I stopped by to get some food on my lunch break. Good seeing you.” He smiled and ran off before I could say goodbye or ask for his number. One thing he didn’t do was grab any food.

“He’s cute. Why’d you say no to hanging out tomorrow? No better way to get over a guy than to get under his brother. Or on top. Whatever you’re into.”

I shook my head, laughing. Sarah cracked me up. She had no filter, never had. “Because you and I have a masked stalker to go meet at a sex club.”

Sarah squealed with excitement. “You’re not going to regret this. It’s going to be so fun, even if nothing happens or if we have to kill him or something. Let’s meet before and I’ll do your makeup and we can take a few shots,” she suggested.

“I sure hope I don’t. I’m ready to kill him if I need to, but for now, let’s go shopping for some black lingerie after lunch.” One of Sarah’s favorite activities was shopping, and I knew she’d know where to go.

“You’re in the right hands, babe. I’ve been waiting to take you shopping for years.

Maybe I’ll pick up something cute with the hope of getting railed by a psychopath, too.

” She beamed, way too excited at the prospect of getting laid on Halloween night.

But then again…I was kind of, too. He had already shown me what he was capable of, and I couldn’t wait to see more as he awakened more of my dark side.