Deep Dark (The DeLuca Family Book 3)

by Amy Reece

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Epilogue

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  Deep Dark

  By Amy Reece

  Deep Dark

  Copyright © 2017 by Amy Reece.

  All rights reserved.

  First Print Edition: September 2017

  Limitless Publishing, LLC

  Kailua, HI 96734

  www.limitlesspublishing.com

  Formatting: Limitless Publishing

  ISBN-13: 978-1-64034-224-8

  ISBN-10: 1-64034-224-9

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.

  Dedication

  For my mother. Thanks, Mom, for instilling a love of reading and writing in my life. I love you!

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Epilogue

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  Chapter One

  Izzy

  “Why can’t I go to the mall with you and Aunt Chrissy?” the small girl whined while her mother fastened her long, brown braid with a pink plastic ponytail holder.

  Lord, give me patience! “For the fifth time, Janey, you can’t go to the mall because I need to shop for your birthday presents.” And because I desperately need a short break from this adorable tyrant! Janey’s fifth birthday was less than two weeks away and Izzy hadn’t purchased so much as a candle yet.

  “But I could help you pick them out,” Janey offered helpfully.

  “I really don’t think you want that, sweetheart. You love surprises. Besides, you get to spend the day with Hugh and Seamus. They’re taking you to Chuck E. Cheese.” Izzy would owe them both big time for this. She held back a grin at the thought of her two brothers dealing with the noise and general chaos always present at the children’s pizza parlor, especially on a Saturday. She would rather clean the bathroom than take Janey there.

  Janey crossed her little arms and frowned. “Is Sloane gonna be there?”

  “I doubt it.” Izzy couldn’t imagine Seamus’s glamorous girlfriend wanting anything to do with screaming kids and greasy pizza.

  “Good. I hate her. She’s a total b-yotch!”

  “Janelle Mackenzie! I will wash your mouth out with soap if I ever hear you say that again! Do you understand? Where did you learn that word?”

  “That’s what Aunt Cara calls her.” Janey stuck her bottom lip out; she didn’t appear remotely repentant. “It’s true.”

  Lord, preserve me from my loving, yet profane family! “And do you even know what it means?”

  Jane shrugged. “Not really, but she’s awful and I don’t like her.”

  Neither did Izzy. “Well, it’s not a very nice word, and certainly not one I want my four-year-old daughter using.”

  “I’m almost five!” Jane was inordinately proud of her upcoming age advancement and was chomping at the bit to finally attend kindergarten in the fall. She could already read at a first grade level, and Izzy worried she would be bored when she started school; bored children tended to get into trouble.

  “Yes, you are. But you won’t have any birthday presents if you don’t cooperate and let me go shopping today. Without you.” Izzy gave her a pointed look that brooked no further crankiness.

  “Fine,” Janey mumbled. “I bet Gramma already got me presents.”

  “I’m sure she has. Your grandmother is retired and has more time to shop than I do.” Izzy spoke around the hair clips clenched between her lips to restrain the baby-fine brown hairs at the nape of Janey’s neck. The color was so similar to his, as were the piercing green eyes shared by father and daughter. They certainly stuck out in the sea of brown and blue eyes in the large DeLuca clan. She mentally chastised herself for bringing Janey’s father to mind; she was usually better at keeping those thoughts at bay. Lately, though, he’d popped into her mind at the most unexpected moments. Enough! It’s ancient history and has absolutely no bearing on your present life. Leave it be! She finished clipping Janey’s hair as the doorbell rang.

  “I’ll get it!” Janey flung herself off the bathroom stool and ran for the front door. “Uncle Hugh! Hi, Aunt Chrissy! Where’s Uncle Seamus?”

  “Hey, squirt!”

  Izzy entered the room in time to see her older brother grab his niece and scoop her into a bear hug that had the small girl squealing with laughter. His wife was more restrained and simply leaned over to kiss Janey on the cheek. Hugh was definitely a favorite with Janey, mainly because he made a point of spending large amounts of time with her. He had even turned one of his spare bedrooms into a playroom for her. Now that he was married, Izzy fully expected changes, especially once he and Chris decided to start their own family. She watched them exchange a private look and experienced a pang of envy. Sometimes the whole single mother bit was hard to bear. I’m just tired. That’s why I’m thinking about him and what might have been. It’s too late now, however. Snap the hell out of it, girl! She shook her head to banish the silly thoughts that seemed to plague her more and more often lately. “Did Seamus weasel out of helping you with Janey?”

  “No. We’re going to pick him up on our way to the aquarium. You up for that, Janey-bear, before we go to Chester Cheese?”

  Janey giggled. “It’s Chuck E. Cheese, Uncle Hugh! Chester is the Cheetos cheetah! Chuck E. is a mouse!”

  “Oh, that’s right!” Hugh pretended to be confounded. “I can’t keep them straight. Go get your coat, squirt.” He set her on the ground and sent her off with a playful swat. “You okay, Iz? You look tired.”

  “Thanks a lot! I guess I should cover my dark circles better.” She loved all four of her brothers equally, but she was closest to Hugh, due, in part, to their position as the oldest children in the DeLuca clan. The fact that they now owned the family business together and worked side-by-side on a daily basis merely cemented their bond. His recent marriage was keeping him busier than usual, but it hadn’t affected their closeness; his wife, Chris, was wonderful, and fast becoming one of Izzy’s best friends. She was incredibly happy for her brother, even as it caused a jolt of envy once in a while. He’d gone through a tough relationship a few years ago, although Izzy had thought for a long time he would marry Lauren. Their sudden breakup two years before had been a shock for everyone. A few weeks before his and Chris’s wedding, he’d sat the entire family down and told them the true cause of the breakup with Lauren: she’d gotten pregnant and had an abortion without consulting Hugh. She knew how much something like that must have devastated her tenderhearted b
rother.

  He put his arm around her and pulled her to his side, kissing the top of her head. “Now don’t be cranky, sis. You’re gorgeous, as usual. It’s just my super-sensitive spidey sense picking up on your overall exhaustion. Let us keep Janey for the night. How long has it been since you had a night all to yourself?”

  “About a hundred years. Thanks. If Chris is okay with dealing with my demon spawn all night, I’ll gladly let you have her.” She glanced at her sister-in-law, who nodded. Janey had plenty of clothes, pajamas, and a toothbrush at Hugh’s house, so she wouldn’t even have to pack her a bag.

  “I’m ready!” Jane skipped back into the living room. “Let’s go, Uncle Hugh!” She tugged on his hand and tried to budge his large frame toward the front door.

  He chuckled and scooped her up again, then leaned over to kiss his wife. “Make sure you stop by Victoria’s Secret for that item we talked about.”

  “I may vomit. Remember there’s a child present,” Izzy said. She waited until the door closed behind them to continue. “I’m not sure I can stomach helping you choose lingerie for my brother to take off of you.”

  Chris laughed delightedly. “Oh, don’t be such a prude, Izzy. We’re still newlyweds, so cut us some slack.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Whatever.” She tried to laugh it off, but the thought invaded her brain: I never had the fun of being a newlywed; I went straight to motherhood. She mentally slapped herself for the micro pity-party and turned away from Chris. “Give me five minutes. I was so busy getting Janey ready, I haven’t had a chance to finish my makeup. The coffee’s still hot in the kitchen.” Once in her bathroom, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. God, I do look tired. Great. She reached for her concealer stick and smudged a bit under her eyes. Have I stopped trying? Maybe I should think about dating. Ugh. Maybe not. The thought of having to meet someone new and go through all the rigmarole of starting a relationship was horrifying. And what about Janey? She knew it would be better for the little girl to have a father figure in her life, but what if she picked a loser? Her track record wasn’t all that stellar, after all. Janey had her uncles—all four of them—and her grandfather. That would have to be enough, at least for now.

  The mall was crowded, even for a Saturday. “I was hoping the after-Christmas rush would have died out by now,” Chris said as they exited Victoria’s Secret. Izzy had helped her choose some classy-yet-naughty teddies for her collection, saying she had been mostly kidding about vomiting. “This is horrible. When can we escape for lunch?”

  “Soon. This makes me hate people and doubt the future of humanity. If I have to walk behind one more group of giggling teenage girls, I’m going to commit murder. Can’t you wave your badge around or pull your gun?”

  “Maybe the badge, but I don’t carry my gun off-duty. But I might make an exception today. No!” She fairly exploded at the kiosk troll trying to sell her an over-priced hair straightener.

  Izzy chuckled. “I just need to stop by Macy’s for a new dress for Janey, then we can make our escape. God, this place is brutal!”

  “Bella? Is that you?”

  Izzy froze. The voice coming from behind them was a punch straight to her gut. No. No way. Not possible. She turned slowly, noticing Chris still walking, apparently unaware Izzy had stopped.

  “It is you. Oh, my God!” The man stepped from the shadows in the side hallway leading to the mall’s administrative offices. He looked to be around thirty-five or so with short brown hair, bright green eyes, and a muscular build. His infectious smile, complete with dimples in his cheeks, highlighted an extremely handsome face, one she hadn’t seen for nearly six years, except in her dreams. He wore a gold law enforcement badge of some sort on a chain around his neck and had a black gun hanging from his belt.

  Izzy swallowed audibly, and struggled to not pass out in the middle of the mall. “Mac?”

  “Yeah. Hi! How have you been? God, I barely recognized you! You look…amazing.” He grabbed her hands as he looked her up and down. “Hey, are you okay? You look kind of pale.”

  She snapped herself out of the mental fog and attempted a smile. Chris had reappeared and was standing beside her, glancing between the two of them curiously. “I’m fine. It’s, uh, great to see you, Mac. It’s been a long time.” Oh God, oh God, oh God!

  “Almost six years, right? I wondered if you still lived here in Albuquerque. I just got transferred here last month.”

  “Wow, that’s great.” She could hear a faint buzzing in her ears. Were those spots raining down in her vision or was it snowing inside the mall?

  “Hi. I’m Chris.” Her sister-in-law stuck her hand out, forcing Mac to drop Izzy’s.

  “Oh.” He recovered quickly and shook it. “I’m Mac. Bella and I are…well…we used to know each other.”

  A slightly hysterical hiccough escaped Izzy.

  “Bella, huh?” Chris directed the words toward Izzy, then turned back to Mac. “Nice to meet you, Mac. What brings you to Albuquerque?” There was a slight edge to her question and Izzy could sense the protectiveness bristling.

  “I work with Homeland Security.” He turned back to Izzy. “God, it’s good to see you.”

  She swallowed, trying to find her voice. “Yes, you too. How have you, um, been? You’re not in the army anymore?”

  He shook his head slowly. “Not for a couple years now. What about you? Are you, uh, married?”

  “No!” The words exploded from her mouth, unbidden. She glanced quickly at Chris, who raised her eyebrows questioningly.

  A slow smile spread across his handsome face. “That’s great. I mean, uh, we should catch up. Soon.”

  “Mac!” The man calling to him from farther down the hallway was dressed similarly, in crisp khakis and a long-sleeved denim shirt with the same kind of badge and gun. “Let’s go! What are you—” He stopped speaking as he jogged to where they stood. “Oh, I see.” He flashed his co-worker an amused look as he took in the sight of the two beautiful women. “I’m Darius Rogers. Mac and I work together.” No introductions from the two women were forthcoming, so he rocked on his heels awkwardly.

  “Well, I better get going.” Mac took a small step toward Izzy, effectively blocking the other two. “Bella, can I call you?” He pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “What’s your number?”

  She rattled off a number; she hoped it was actually hers. Or maybe she didn’t. She had no idea what she would say to him if he did call. She watched him wave and walk away with his co-worker. “Get me out of here, please.”

  “Sure.” Chris took her arm and supported her as they walked away. “Don’t you dare pass out on me.”

  “I won’t.” She spied the women’s bathroom next to Kid’s Gap and veered that way. “But I am going to throw up.”

  Chris, bless her, said nothing until Izzy emerged from the bathroom stall. She handed her a damp paper towel. “Are you okay?”

  Izzy nodded. “I’m fine. Sorry about…” She gestured vaguely back toward the stalls.

  “Not a problem. Why don’t we get out of here? I’ll bet you could do with a stiff drink.”

  “Or five. Yeah, that sounds good.”

  To her credit, Chris waited until they were seated at a nearby restaurant and the waiter had placed their drinks on the table—white wine for her and a single malt whiskey on the rocks for Izzy—to bring it up. “So, that’s Janey’s father.” It wasn’t a question.

  Izzy took a large swallow of her whiskey. “I don’t suppose it would do any good to deny it?”

  “Those green eyes look awfully familiar. So,” she said, and paused to sip her wine. “I’m all ears.”

  “Oh, God, Chris! I never thought I’d have to talk about this. Please.” She shook her head, pleading to not have to explain.

  “Sorry, sweetie.” She laid her hand atop Izzy’s on the table. “It’s time, Iz. You’ve kept this secret long enough. Tell me.”

  Izzy reached for her drink, but nodded at her sister-in-law, realizing the time had fin
ally come to tell her secret. “You’re right. Okay, here goes.” She took another large gulp of her whiskey, craving the momentary burn. She angrily wiped away the tears that she couldn’t manage to stop. “Did you know I was engaged? Did Hugh ever tell you?”

  “No.”

  “His name was Brent.” She laughed, once. “I guess it still is. He’s not dead. Nothing that romantic.” She took another drink and signaled to the waiter to bring another. “We were engaged for three years. He would never set a date. He never even bought me a ring; he said he was saving up for a really good one. The sad part is I believed him. I believed him right up to the day I came home early and found him screwing his law partner in our bed.”

  “Oh, shit,” Chris murmured.

  “Yep.” She flashed a watery smile at the waiter as he set her fresh drink on the table. “We’re going to need a few minutes.” He nodded and left them alone “So, I did what any self-respecting woman would do: I kicked him out. I cried for three days. Then I got dressed up and went to a bar to get drunk and get laid.” She sipped her drink. “It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

  “I’m sure it did. And you met Mac?”

  Izzy shook her head. “Not right away. Some other guy hit on me first, but he was kind of a creeper. I couldn’t shake him. That’s when I met Mac.” She smiled crookedly as she remembered the bold young man who’d come to her rescue. “He told the creeper to get lost and then stuck to me like glue for the rest of the night.”

  “The whole night, huh?”

  Izzy laughed, loving Chris’s dark sense of humor.

  “Yeah, well, we kind of hit it off. He was about to ship out for Iraq, and I’d just come home to find my fiancé having sex with another woman. We had way too much to drink and ended up in bed together. I woke up the next morning before him and left without saying goodbye. Nice, huh? I’m a real prize.”