Ghostly (Darkly Devoted Book 1) (15 page)

Chapter Twenty-One

The clicking of heels woke me from my nap. I sat up in the cold room and looked around. The clock showed two pm. No one else was home, and no one who lived in the house wore heels. There was a stranger in my house.

Jumping up from the bed, I raced down the hall to the top of the stairs. An unfamiliar woman walked into the basement below. Knowing it wasn’t some crazy man, I decided to stop her. I crept down the stairs and into the kitchen to grab a knife in case I needed it. There weren’t any places she could hide in the basement, so I tiptoed down the stairs to find her. I could hear whispering.

“That girl, Briar. I know you care about her but you need to leave her alone. You will only end up hurting her or giving the house what it really wants.”

“No, I won’t. Not Briar,” Cade’s voice said. I hadn’t expected him to be with her.

“You can’t know that. You’re willing to take that chance? She’s wanted badly.”

He didn’t answer her.

She continued. “You have to stop acting like you own this house! It belongs to the rest of us as much as it belongs to you.”

“It
is
my house!”

I ran over to where they were before I realized what I was doing. I grabbed her by the back of the shirt and pulled her away from him. “Who the hell are you?”

When she looked at me, she threw her hand over her mouth. “Oh my God.” She straightened her hair and her clothes as her eyes moved to the knife in my hand.

I grabbed her by the front of her shirt and pulled her to me. I recognized her as the woman I’d seen in the field, and she was ice cold. I dropped my knife. It would do me no good if she was a ghost. “I don’t know who you are, but I won’t let you bother him.”

“Aww, so protective. You can’t tell me what to do, little girl. This child needs to be kept in his place.”

I pushed her back against the wall. “I will call someone over to exorcise you out of this house, so help me. You aren’t going to mess with him as long as I have something to say about it.”

She looked over at Cade and opened her mouth to say something.

I stepped in front of him to block him from her view. “Don’t you even talk to him.”

Her gaze faltered under my hard stare, and she disappeared. It took me off guard. When I turned back to Cade, shock played over his face.

“I’ve never…I’ve never seen you act like that.”

“I’m just…” I looked away and shook my head. Normally, I let things slide. But when it came to my family, I was loyal to a fault, and apparently that included Cade.

His hand cupped my cheek. “You took up for me.”

“Yeah? So?” I tried to act nonchalant.

“You don’t have to act tough for me. I love you.”

I changed the subject. “Who was she?”

“She’s crazy, Briar. You need to stay away from her. Don’t piss her off; she’s dangerous. They all are.”

I wrapped my arms around his waist. “Well, I’m not scared of her.”

“You should be,” he whispered. He planted a kiss on the top of my head and then disappeared into thin air. It was the weirdest thing, him being there in my arms one second and gone the next.

I headed back up stairs and into the kitchen. A figure stood there, and I jumped. “Shit, you scared me.”

Sandy threw her perfectly manicured hand over her mouth and shook her head. “I’m so sorry, sweetie. Your dad had to go out, so I’m here watching Dillon.”

I rolled my eyes. She was only a few years older than me, no need to talk to me as if I was a baby. I could have watched him.

“I didn’t think anyone was home.”

She frowned. “Do you want me to warm you some soup? It always makes me feel better when I’ve had a bad day.”

“Sure.” I took a seat on one of the bar seats.

“How is college treating you?” She glanced at me as she pulled out ingredients for the soup.

“Fine, I guess.”

She turned her big blue eyes to me and studied me for a moment before speaking again. “I know we don’t know each other very well, and you think I’m some preppy girl you want nothing to do with but…I’ve been there. I wasn’t very popular when I first started.’’

I snorted. “Yeah right.”

“I wasn’t.” She put the large spoon down on the counter and turned to me. “I really enjoy babysitting your brother, and I wish that you and I could spend more time together.”

“I don’t want your sympathy.”

“It’s not sympathy.” She laughed. “More like a peace offering. I still take some night classes. We could hang out.”

“I don’t think so.”

She shrugged and poured the soup into two bowls. “Do you think this house is really haunted?”

I paused. “Yeah.”

“Me too. I’d always heard that before I came to babysit, but I really think it is.”

I lifted one shoulder and dropped it as I finished my soup. I didn’t want to talk about ghosts of all things. “Thanks for the soup.” I stood up and returned to my room.

Chapter Twenty-Two

The next morning I rolled over and dropped my feet to the floor. Glancing back over my shoulder, I saw Cade lying there with his eyes closed; his hair was plastered in a wet mess over his from the night before. He looked so real that I could almost convince myself of it. The night before had been amazing; I’d given in and we’d made love for most of the night. He was careful and sweet with me, showing me just how much he’d missed it.

I grabbed his t-shirt and threw it on, crossing the room to my desk to check my messages. There were several from Meredith.

Hey girl, just checking in to make sure you are safe.

Briar? Answer me please. Making sure you are alive.

BRIAR! Are you okay?

If you don’t answer me, I’m coming over there or calling the police.

“Shit,” I mumbled as I typed out a quick reply.

I’m fine, just had a long night.

I felt Cade’s presence around me before he laid his chin on my shoulder and wrapped his arms around me from behind. “I could stay here with you forever.”

“That’s an awfully long time.” I closed my eyes as he trailed kisses down my neck.

“It would be worth every moment,” he said.

My phone erupted into song. I opened my eyes and looked down to see Meredith’s reply.

Yogurt?
“What’s she want?”

“To hang out.”

“You should go.”

I cocked an eyebrow. “I…I’m not feeling very social.”

He cupped my face. “Just go. You need to have a good time and enjoy your life. You can’t stay locked up in here with me all the time.”

“But I like it here.”

Cade looked around as if he was looking for something and then leaned in to whisper to me. “Please? For me?”

“Alright, but you’d better be here when I get back.” I poked him in the chest and laughed.

“Do I have the choice?”

He closed his lips over mine and pulled me close, reminding me just what I would be missing when I left.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Ding dong.

“I’ll get it!” I exclaimed and took one last look at myself in the mirror. I’d thrown on my favorite dress—black with a large white skull on the front— and boots. I was ready to take a small break from the house. No ghosts or death, at least I hoped. Things were actually starting to look up. I walked towards the front door and flung it open.

The bright green eyes on the other side lit up as Meredith smiled at me. “Hiya!”

“Hey. Wanna come in?”

She looked past me into the house, and looked around, shaking her head. “Nah, I think I’m good. You ready to go?”

“Yep.”

Her eyes went around me, and she pointed into the room. “I don’t think he’s in agreement.”

I looked over my shoulders and saw Cade standing there. For wanting me to go have fun, he didn’t seem too pleased. I waved at him and blew him a kiss before stepping onto the other side of the door and shutting it behind me. “He will be fine.”

“He’s looking uber creepy these days,” she commented as we walked down the pavement to her car.

“That’s just because you know that he’s dead.”

She pushed the button on her keys to unlock our doors. I settled into the leather seat and pulled on my seatbelt.

After she did the same, she started to pull away from the house and looked over at me. “Does he always do that?”

“What?” I asked as I followed the direction of her stare. Cade stood on the porch and watched me. I waved. “He just worries about me.”

“Worries that someone else will kill you before he can.”

“Shut up.”

“It’s the truth.”

I rolled my eyes. “He’s not going to hurt me.”

She looked over at me, clearly unimpressed.

I gasped as she swerved to the right. “Would you drive?”

She eyed me again suspiciously.

“Eyes. On. The. Road.”

She turned to focus on the road ahead of her. “I think you should move out of that house.”

“I can’t. I have to stay with Dillon.”

“Your dad can take care of him.”

“Maybe…He seems to be doing better.”

“Then leave.”

“I’d have to get a job.”

She nodded. “Well, yeah. I can probably get you on at the mall with me.”

“I don’t think so.”

We spent the rest of the short drive in silence. She pulled up to the curve of the shop and parked. I followed her inside and trailed behind her to pick out my yogurt. It was one of those dress up as you go places, and I loaded mine to the brim with candy and chocolate.

Meredith laughed as she added more fruit to her  more healthy bowl. “Geez, that’s a lot of chocolate.”

“Geez, that’s a lot of healthy nastiness.” The corner of my mouth tilted up in a smile.

I followed her to a table.

“You’re too funny. Celeste says the same thing. She lives for candy.” She laughed. “See, this is why I think you’d be better off finding someone
alive.
You deserve someone who is going to take care of you. Love you. Someone less crazy than Cade. Someone that goes better with your sign.”

I took a large bite of my dessert, closing my eyes and enjoying the taste of heaven. “I don’t believe in that astrology crap. And I think Cade
does
love me.”

“You deserve more than a dead boy. I don’t think you’re listening to me.”

“I know it doesn’t make any sense, but he protects me. He’s saved me when…”

“When what?”

I shouldn’t have opened my big mouth. “Well, some of the other ghosts decided they should um…try to kill me. And he saved me.”

“Are you freaking serious? Briar, you gotta get out of there. It’s not safe.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“He can’t be there with you all the time.”

“Maybe,” I said, gazing out the window and trying to figure out how to change the subject. I jumped when I saw a man across the street staring at us.

Meredith noticed my freaked out facial expression and followed my gaze. “What are you looking at?”

“Don’t you see that guy?” I pointed out the window. He sat his sunglasses on top of his head and leaned over in a bow, smiling as he replaced the sunglasses on his face.

“No…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“He’s right there!” I insisted. “I’m going to go see what his problem is.”

Meredith sighed. “Well, I’m coming with you. I’m not letting you go see some random man by yourself.”

I continued out the door with her on my heels.

“Why hello there,” he said as I stepped in front on him.

“Why are you watching us?” My irritation grew into anger as I glared at him. No one messed with those close to me.

“I need your help with something. I heard you could see us, but I wasn’t sure. Not until you looked out here and saw me.”

“What are you talking about?”

He laughed and returned his eyes to me. “Don’t act so innocent, Miss Summers.”

“Briar…” Meredith’s voice was scared. She reached out to take my arm and try to pull me away.

“Fine, how about I give you some advice? Then maybe you will be persuaded to help me.” He stepped back. “Your house will swallow you up if you don’t get out. They know about you.”

“How do you know about my house?” I asked.

“We all know about that house. Don’t let your feelings for
that boy
get in the way.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” I hissed.

“Oh, but you do. Now are you going to help me or not?”

“No. I don’t know what you want from me, but I can’t help you.”

He frowned. “Fine, have fun dying in that house. It’s a miserable set of ghosts to join. If the house wants you, it will have you, and there’s nothing you go can do about it.”

“Briar!” Meredith’s voice was more insistent now.

“What?” I asked and turned to look at her.

“Who are you talking to? You’re freaking me out!”

My eyebrows pulled together in confusion as I gestured to the guy. “This weirdo.”

She reached out to put her hand on my shoulder. “Briar, there’s no one there.”

When I looked back in the direction of the man, he was gone.