Dark (Beautiful Ashes #1) (18 page)

Chapter
Twenty-Six

Leith was agitated as he waited in the alley for Keeley. Everything felt wrong to him. After this meeting, he was telling Tar himself. He was tired of waiting for Keeley to do it. Also, Sheridan needed free of that monster. He was convinced there was enough evidence between the two women for a proper arrest. His concern was actually Ms. Jones. Somehow she was more involved in this than she let on. He didn’t buy it for one minute that she was working for the good guys. If he were a betting man, he’d say she was double-dipping. Dangerous game to play.

Keeley finally arrived. “Sorry.”

“I really don’t want to hear it,” he bit out. “Let’s get this over with.”

She nodded in acquiesce. Leith couldn’t help but notice something was different. On closer observation, he noted she was hugging herself and seemed wary of her surroundings. “What the fuck happened?”

Ms. Jones opened the side door before Keeley could reply. Probably for the best. The less Leith knew, the better.

Keeley’s radar went into high alert when that woman brushed her arm as she entered. Bells and whistles going off so loud in her head she couldn’t hear anything else. Ms. Jones and Leith went down the corridor, she was used to them taking, as she entered the torture chamber.

Unlike all the times before, Braxton was lounging in a chair. Belt in hand, chest bare, leather pants on, and he oozed power with each drop of sweat on his body. The power to take anything and everything from her
whenever
he pleased. Why was he sweating? And aroused? There was no way she didn’t notice the hardness between his legs. She stepped backwards, internally screaming,
No! No, I can’t do this!
Her foot met another against the wall. Keeley spun on a, “What the hell?”

Wide, terrified eyes met hers. Keeley tried to wrap her brain around what she saw. But the horror of it brought her hand to her mouth to hold in the scream. “Sheridan?” she whispered, looking for a place that she could actually touch on the young woman. There wasn’t any spot he didn’t rip open with his damnable tools that she now noticed covered in blood. “My God,” escaped as Braxton hand came around her throat.

“Hmmm, so other’s pain and suffering bring a normal reaction from you.” He squeezed making breathing difficult. “I wonder how you respond when one is tortured
in
your place.”

Her heart was now in her throat. She could not be reliving this nightmare. Surviving it once was almost too much to bear. No way she would make it through another time. Braxton pulled her tight against him and rubbed his dick along her ass. “Careful, my lovely. Fear is my aphrodisiac,” he confessed through clenched teeth, proving he meant what he said.

Keeley searched desperately within herself for that place, that one spot where she could lock in and give her mind peace with everything. The
will
to survive.

Braxton shoved her, hard, away from him. “Strip!”

She gaged, according to his hunger, that a titillating tease might bring him to heel. By his reaction, she was spot on. He sagged back into the chair, eyes on her body. Keeley did her best to act like she wanted him, touching places as their gazes met. The moans of suffering were not lost on her from across the room. She prayed silently that help would get there soon before Sheridan lost her fight to live. Where was everyone? A sidelong glance told Keeley more than she ever bargained for.

Leith was nude and strapped down to an old-fashioned electric chair. The head piece was missing but another rather gruesome one was added to the barbaric contraption: a leather cuff with the wire connecting was attached to his penis.

Keeley swallowed the hot and burning bile that rose. They were all going to die! Her eyes continued their search wondering where Ms. Jones was. On cue, the door swung open. Ms. Jones was restrained to some kind of medical table, naked and fighting like hell. Keeley locked gazes with her, willing her to understand:
that
was what he wanted. “
Stop!”
Keeley silently commanded. She seemed to comprehend as her thrashing halted. Thank God.

Braxton called over to the attendants. “Put that one on the cross.” His head inclined toward Keeley. If she fought, he’d rape her. If she didn’t, he was going to do unspeakable things to the others. Fuck, this had lose-lose written all over it. To prove her theory, he inserted an egg beater inside Sheridan. Her screams were gut-wrenching and Keeley couldn’t take it anymore. “You wanna fuck me. Then do it,” she yelled with all that was in her. “Be a man and take me,” she challenged.

He shook his head. “My dear, I will. But
my
way.”

The lights flickered and Leith could be heard from corner to corner. His anguish so acute Keeley whimpered, “Please. I’ll do whatever you want.”

“Better.” He yanked that horrid device from Sheridan, who had long lost consciousness. At least that was what Keeley was choosing to believe. With a wave of his hand, the lights brightened and she could no longer hear Leith.

He walked over to Ms. Jones and ran his hands roughly over her exposed pussy. “I have a friend for you.” Her eyes doubled in size as he pulled out a scorpion and dropped it right between her legs. “Be very still and it
probably
won’t sting.”

Keeley cried out, “What did you do, study torture for kicks and giggles?”

His sadistic grin said it all. Hell yes, he did. And by his demeanor, he absolutely wasn’t new to experimenting either. He approached her, calculation in his gaze as he pulled his cock free. She closed her eyes silently begging for someone to rescue them.

*****

“On my signal,” Mitch told the team.

There was a slight movement of every head before he dropped his fist.

Go time.

With swift accuracy, they evacuated the place in a few short minutes. All except where Braxton was practicing cruel and unusual acts.

Tar observed Keeley with detachment as he covertly released Leith. Poor guy was in no shape to walk. Tar tossed a towel over his groin, trying hard not to wince at the sight, as he was carried out.

Leith surprised him with a hissed, “Th-th-thanks, man.”

“Anytime,” Tar responded on automatic pilot. He hurried around the corner to help others.

Tar stepped right into the path of a fuming and handcuffed Braxton, who swore indignantly before mouthing off, “Do you know who I am? Release me this instant. Those people are consenting adults.”

No forethought whatsoever, Tar pulled back his fist and let it fly, cold-cocking the son of a bitch into silence.

Mitch chuckled. “That had to feel damn good.”

He nodded. “Fucker couldn’t even take a punch.”

The hall filled with more than one snicker.

Tar stood in the doorway watching Keeley. She was wrapped in a robe and talking to Sheridan before they rushed her out. The helicopter could be heard as Ms. Jones was carrying on about how they should’ve been there sooner. One in every rescue, Tar thought. Keeley raced toward him once they were alone. His hands came up to stop her. “Don’t.”

Her head angled, “What?”

“I just wanted to make sure you were alright.” He backed away from her.

“Wait! What’s wrong with you?”

“Are fucking kidding me?” incredulity laced his voice.

Keeley followed him into the hallway. “I’m sorry but I don’t understand.”

That did it. He spun around and yelled, “What don’t you understand, Keeley? You let another man
touch
you,” he grit out, anger bringing a tremble to his hands.

“Kinda the way it works, Tar, when you’re undercover,” she retorted.

“Oh, no you don’t. Do NOT use ‘I was helping the good guys’ as your damn excuse.” He threw up his hands, fighting the urge to pin her against the wall.

“But I was,” she pleaded for him to hear logic.

“No. Call it, Keeley. You were feeding the demon demanding pain and found the perfect way to do it.” He waved his hand around. “It wasn’t enough under close guard. You went and did
thissss
,” he hissed, “on the side and
behind
my fucking back.”

Keeley couldn’t deny it. But he had to know, “I was going to tell you truth.”

“Really? When? Because in case you missed it, sweetheart, it needed to be before the shit hit the fan!”

“You’re right,” she admitted.

“Yeah, lot of damn good that does me.” He raked his hair. “How long?”

She didn’t even pretend to misunderstand. “Same time frame.”

“No wonder Braxton was sooooo familiar with your body,” he accused.

What could she say? The truth. “I thought I could control it. If I got my fix, then I could have a
normal
relationship with you. It was only supposed to be temporary. In my mind, I was helping others while taking care of my cravings.” Tears slid down her cheeks. “I’m sorry. Apparently I was being deceived.”

“Ha! Now that’s priceless,” he mocked. “The deceiver being deceived.” He shook his head and stormed outside.

Keeley wasn’t accepting that and ran after him. “Tar, you have to believe me!”

“Why the hell should I?” he roared, “You’ve lied to me from day
one
!”

Okay, maybe that was true, but never to wound him. “I never meant to hurt you,” she confessed.

“Too late for that, Viper. Damn name really does fit you,” he sneered, “in more ways than one.”

“Tar, pl-please,” she sobbed. “Tell me what I can do to fix this?”

“Can you take back that orgasm you had by his hand?” He spun around and hauled her up by the shoulders. “You let him, Keeley,” his jaw clenched tight. “God damn you…you let another man have what was MINE!”

She swallowed the lump in her throat. He was there. How could he hold her responsible for a forced orgasm? She meant to ask that very question but what her heart latched on to was the past tense he used. “Was?”

Tar let go of her and turned away. God this hurt! But he couldn’t be with a woman who didn’t love him. She proved that. Nothing she said would change the visual locked in his memory bank forever. “I could’ve forgiven you for the addiction. I would’ve helped you with it. Done anything for you. But you crossed a fucking line, Keeley. One I can’t forgive you for.”

She hit her knees on the unforgiving concrete. “Please, Tar. Let me make it right.”

He shook his head. “I’m afraid it’s too late.”

“N-n-nooooo,” she cried, “I don’t believe that. You love me.”

“I. Did.” Tar never turned back as she wailed his name.

Keeley screamed and screamed until he was out of sight. Until her voice was gone. Her knees a bloody mess from the bite of the road beneath them as she cried and cried and cried. But he was gone.

To be continued………

Playlist

Bird On The Wire – Katey Sagal

Waiting For Superman – Dautry

Enter Sandman – Metallica

Blackbird – Sarah McLachlan

Hero – Enrique Iglesias

Heaven Knows – The Pretty Reckless

Supermassive Black Hole – Muse

Welcome To The Jungle – Guns N’ Roses

Promiscuous – Nelly Furtado

Freak Like Me – Halestorm

I Get Off- Halestorm

Bring Me To Life – Evanescance

Monster- Eminem ft. Rihanna

I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry – Amy Lee

Listen here:
http://spoti.fi/1LEEmwo

Acknowledgments

No book I ever write is written alone. Many people are involved in the process but two particular ones really held my hand on Dark. In vain I tried to silence Keeley. Her story has been with me since I wrote Bound. I wanted to try and write on the lighter side and have actually started three books in my attempt. But Jan and Lucian were right all along, Dark was the book I needed to write. So thank you for some awesome advice and, Lucian, for your words of wisdom.

Let me take a moment to really give some credit to an amazingly talented man, Lucian Bane. Not only has he rocked this cover and all the graphics with it, but he’s a spectacular author, coach, and friend. From the bottom of my heart, thank you! Hugs to you and your wonderful wife.

I have an amazing team of ladies who work their bums off for me. So thank you Suzanne, Jenny, Doris, and Jan for all you do for me.

To my beautiful beta readers who helped me find all my typos:  Suzanne, Jan, Dorisa, Louise, Doris, Jenny, Chasiti, and Dianna…thank you for your time and help.

To all the bloggers and fellow authors out there, thank you for all you do in this Indie book world.

My dear readers none of this is possible without you…so thank you!

My friends and family deserve a huge shout-out here. Thank you for supporting this dream of mine and simply being there for me. Love you all!

My boys are amazing in sharing their momma with the book world, huge hugs and kisses to each of you for putting up with me. I’m proud to be your mother and love you all so very much.

As always, I give the biggest thank you to God for planting this little seed of writing in me. May He continue to give me stories to share.