Unlocking Darkness (Keys to Love Series, Book Five)

by Kennedy Layne

  The cool air brushed over her nipples, but the intense sensation was nothing to when he drew one of her nubs into the heat of his mouth. It was when he brushed his tongue over the tip that she had to dig her heels into the edge of the mattress.

  “Yes,” Allie managed to hiss out between clenched teeth. She lifted her hands above her head in order to grab the comforter for something to hold on to. She knew from experience that he would take his time with her breasts before continuing downward to her core. “More…”

  Mitch was now tracing his tongue down her abdomen to the edge of her black underwear, which somehow miraculously began to be pulled down her legs. She certainly wasn’t going to stop the progression of pleasure. With each inch downward, his lips followed.

  Allie couldn’t stop the groan of ecstasy from leaving her lips when he remembered how sensitive her inner ankle was on her left foot. That was not the kind of thing that friends were supposed to know, but she shoved that small problem away from her thoughts for another time that would certainly come around sooner than either of them wanted.

  “I’ll give you as much pleasure as you’d like,” Mitch said before settling in between her legs and doing just that. “My name falling from your lips is going to be my reward.”

  He tenderly kissed each of her inner thighs, slowly licked each fold, and even ever-so-gently used his middle finger to breach her opening. Never once did he touch her clit, which only made her bundle of nerves swell even more.

  “Mitch…”

  Apparently, her soft moan of his given name wasn’t enough.

  He continued to indulge himself without ever stroking her clit until he had somehow brought her right to the edge of that steep precipice. Every part of her body was primed for the fall, but she was left hovering over the abyss.

  “Please,” Allie begged, tightening her grip on the comforter as she strived for the pleasure only he could give her. “Mitch, please!”

  Allie exploded the moment his warm lips covered her clit and the brush of his tongue created a burning path straight into euphoria. Her back arched to accept the waves of desire that continued to wash over her as lights danced behind the lashes she’d closed against the blissful fall.

  His name being called out over and over again began to penetrate the rushing blood through her ears. She was the one chanting and hadn’t realized that her response was the one he’d remembered from before. He was right. She’d intimately called him by his given name in throes of passion.

  And this time…she couldn’t blame the tequila.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “We have thirty more minutes before that alarm goes off,” Mitch said without bothering to open his eyes. It was still dark outside anyway, and they’d shut the light off a couple of hours ago. “You can’t tell me that you’re not tired.”

  “How could you possibly know that we still have thirty minutes?”

  Allie’s warm body was pressed tightly against his, but her head was tilted too far back on his shoulder for her to be sleeping comfortably. The weight of her stare through the shadows for the last five minutes told him that this latest development between them was weighing heavily on her mind.

  He wasn’t ready to discuss this sharp turn in their relationship, either.

  Hardly anything ever truly frightened him, with the exception of losing his family. But Allie? Her foregone conclusions about their future scared the shit out of him.

  “It’s five thirty-one.”

  Allie shifted so that she could look over him toward the neon red clock next to their firearms. He couldn’t help but smile.

  “How did you do that?”

  “You should know by now how talented I am,” Mitch said against her neck as he rolled her over onto her back. “Seriously, we’re running on like two hours of sleep and today is going to be hell after that press release Thorne issued.”

  Allie tensed slightly at the mention of the workday, but she slowly relaxed as he began to kiss her temple and then work his way down behind her ear.

  “I’m surprised we’re not running out of condoms,” Allie muttered, wrapping her legs around his waist. His throbbing shaft rested in between her folds, and he would have given anything to work himself inside of her without a barrier. That wasn’t smart on either one of their parts, so he reached underneath the pillow where he’d stored the few remaining foiled discs. “You need to put those on your grocery list, although I’m certain that will make the news.”

  Mitch didn’t ponder long over her request, but it did slip across his thoughts that it was one way to catch the attention of the residents in this town. Blyth Lake had a small pharmacy tucked in between the bakery and an antique store that he’d yet to step foot in since his return, but maybe that would change later today. Allie by his side while they purchased a crate or two of condoms would no doubt have the locals talking up a storm.

  “Hey,” Allie whispered, resting her hand on the side of his face. She couldn’t hide her concern, either. “Let’s just take this one minute at a time.”

  Mitch used his teeth to tear the foil and remove the condom. He pushed the outside world to the back burner so that he could focus on what was in front of him—Allie. He wasn’t the type of man who took the day minute by minute, but he’d indulge both of them for the time being.

  He rolled the latex over his cock and rested his tip against her entrance. She lifted both of her legs until they were wrapped around his waist, bringing his body closer to hers.

  Would he ever get enough of her?

  Mitch leaned down just enough so that his chest was pressed to hers, needing as much contact with her warmth as he could get…he wasn’t sure how soon the empty cold would seep into his bed.

  He didn’t rush this moment. Instead, he ever so slowly worked his way inside of her until her heated sheath was wrapped snugly around his shaft. He closed his eyes and rested his cheek against hers, staying locked in place to savor this unending intimacy.

  Their breathing eventually became uneven as the building arousal eventually stole their patience. He gradually pulled out until he could begin all over again. He settled into a rhythm, using deliberate thrusts that weren’t too fast or too slow. Time passed slowly as he continued to love her, both of them eventually falling into each other’s embrace as pleasure consumed them both.

  *

  “You’re Mitch’s friend, aren’t you?”

  Allie had been searching for an open booth at the diner when the question caught her off guard. She and Mitch had agreed to meet for lunch today when both of them had been using the shower at once to conserve water. At least, that’s what they’d told themselves to justify their continued playfulness.

  She didn’t believe for a second that they weren’t fooling each other about last night, but the consequences of their actions would come later—enough of a later that she didn’t need to think about it right now. He’d texted her mid-morning to let her know that there were no new developments concerning Charlene Winston. The good part to that was no one had stumbled across her body. The bad part, obviously, was that Charlene was still missing and in the hands of a serial murderer.

  Had the unsub killed Charlene and found himself a new gravesite? Or was he now torn after hearing that press release? Did he realize he’d destroyed an undeserving woman?

  They most likely wouldn’t receive the answers they sought anytime soon.

  Hence today’s outing.

  “Yes, I’m Allie Delaney.”

  The diner was full of life, with numerous patrons talking over one another and clanks of silverware being scraped across plates. The sound of meat sizzling on the grill could be heard from the open kitchen, and two waitresses were handling the busy lunch hour with grace—one of them being Molly Stewart.

  “I’m Rose Phifer.” She could easily pass for a woman in her early forties, though Allie knew her to be much older. At least, according to the case file. Rose and Tiny Phifer were the loving couple who’d taken Brynn in after she’d l
ost her parents. “This is my husband, Tiny. Please join us.”

  Allie came close to declining their offer, wanting to have Mitch to herself for a little longer. Unfortunately, the importance of the case overruled her needs.

  “Thank you,” Allie said, returning the woman’s smile. Handshakes were exchanged and it wasn’t long before she was settled in one of the two remaining chairs. “Mitch should be along to join us shortly. He got held up at the station, I’m guessing.”

  “Is there any word on that reporter?” Tiny asked in concern, his voice so deep it reminded her of that one entertainer who could memorize people by simply reading a grocery list. Allie thought Mitch was tall at around six feet, but this man was literally a giant like those guys in pro-wrestling. “I’ve been thinking that the killer revealed too much in one of those letters he’s been sending her way. Maybe that’s why he snatched her up. I’m sure Mitch and those federal agents already thought of that, though.”

  “Mitch texted me a little bit ago that they didn’t have any new developments,” Allie shared, taking the napkin out from underneath the silverware. She draped the white paper over her lap, not needing to glance around the diner to know that several gazes had landed on her presence at the table. “It’s horrible what’s been happening here in this beautiful town. Watching all the youngsters march around in their costumes yesterday made me wonder what it would have been like to grow up here in Blyth Lake.”

  Rose reached for her coffee, causing her bracelets to give off a charming melody. She had a calming presence that immediately told Allie the woman was a peacemaker, an empathizer, and that she cared for those around her. Her gaze had softened the second Tiny had brought up Charlene’s status.

  “It is horrible. I’ll tell you, we’ve lived here all our lives.” Rose paused to take a sip of her hot tea, holding the string aside with her index finger. “Blyth Lake was the most peaceful town in existence until this monster came in and took from us everything we held dear.”

  Tiny shook his head as he stared into the depth of the coffee cup as if it held the key to turning back time.

  Maybe he could.

  Before Allie could jog Tiny’s memory, Molly came out of nowhere with a tray of cold drinks.

  “Afternoon, Allie.” Molly set down a glass filled with ice and what looked like Coke. “I figured Mitch is joining you, so I already placed your orders. Tiny and Rose, your plates should be out in about three minutes.”

  “Now that’s service,” Allie complimented with a smile. She wanted to ask what had been ordered, but she’d never been put in this type of position before and decided she’d just fall in line with the local routine. Breakfast and lunch were two entirely different meals, so how had Molly known what Allie would have ordered? Occupations such as waitressing and bartending were very similar to profiling, because those types of personnel were observers. But they weren’t mind readers, so how had Molly known that Allie had been going to order a soda? “Thank you, Molly. By the way, I met your son the other day over at Mitch’s house.”

  “Really?” Molly seemed truly in the dark about Jack’s short visit. She tilted her head as she waited for an answer. “What was Jack doing over there at Mitch’s place?”

  “Oh, it was nothing. Jack was just concerned about Shelby and thought that Mitch should know.” Allie waited for Molly to move on to the next table before continuing on the same path of the conversation. “Shelby is around Jack’s age, right? Did they go to school together? It was nice that Jack was looking out for his welfare.”

  Tiny’s sideways glance and upturned lip told Allie more than if she’d directed her question toward the man himself. She slid the straw off the table and began to take the wrapper off.

  “Jack was more than a handful when he was young,” Tiny said, keeping a soft tone so that Molly couldn’t overhear him. His attempt at privacy didn’t get very far, especially seeing as the couple in the booth across from them was listening to every word. “That boy only ever thinks of himself. As for Shelby, let’s just say that he was taught at home more than he ever attended public school.”

  “I never thought Shelby was the killer in the first place,” the man in the booth said before taking another bite of his sandwich. He chewed, swallowed, and then wiped his mouth with a napkin. “If you ask me, I don’t think it’s anyone living here in this town. I think this monster has got all of you feds fooled. A neighbor wouldn’t do so something so horrible to another neighbor.”

  “I agree,” the woman exclaimed, leaning forward to get in her two cents worth. She must have had her hair done this morning, because there wasn’t a strand out of place in the net of hairspray. Her greyish eyes were directed straight at Allie. “You’re Mitch’s friend, right? The woman from the FBI headquarters?”

  “Yes, Mitch and I go way back.” Allie pulled her glass closer and dipped the straw in between the ice cubes. “We were in the Marines together.”

  “But you’re with the FBI now, right?”

  “Yes,” Allie said with a smile, knowing full well this woman had something important to add to the conversation. Who was she to stop her? “I work out of Quantico, but I’m just here on vacation. And you are?”

  “Oh, I’m Stella Mayer. This is my husband, Chester.” She leaned down until her upper body was practically laying across the table. She even held up her hand against her cheek, as if she was about to share trade secrets. “Chester doesn’t believe me, but I keep hearing noises out in the backyard.”

  “Stella, I keep telling you that it’s those darn raccoons rattling around in our barn. They’re getting into the garbage cans, because you’re not putting the lids back on tight enough.” Chester shook his head in irritation, but it sounded as if this was an old argument that went back quite a long time. “Miss, I apologize. You’re here on vacation and to spend time with your beau, Mitch. We shouldn’t be talking out of turn about our raccoon problem.”

  “Mitch is doing a fine job as sheriff,” Rose complimented, giving Allie an apologetic smile about the exchange between Chester and Stella. Allie found it sort of endearing that the two bantered back and forth over mundane things like garbage cans and could still love one another after most likely forty years of marriage bickering about animals digging through their trash. She’d seen the way Chester had snuck fries off Stella’s plate. “We’re lucky Mitch took over for Sheriff Percy. Now that man was just all wrong for the job.”

  “Don’t you give that man such an honorable title. Percy doesn’t deserve it, and he should have been run out of town on a rail after his role in Deputy Wallace’s murder.” Tiny rested his elbow on the table as he filled Allie in a little on the history of the two men. “I had to do my own law enforcement when it came to The Cavern. I ran that bar with an iron fist, and all because I didn’t have a choice. Percy allowed almost every drunk in the neighborhood to play the friendship card, but that shouldn’t have prevented the man from doing his job. Thankfully, Brynn has Lance, but also Sheriff Kendall to back them up. I knew Mitch from the time he sat on his mama’s knee, and that boy has the courage it takes to do a damned fine job as our sheriff.”

  “Now you know as well as I do that Frank was devastated over Deputy Wallace’s murder,” Rose admonished with a wag of her finger. “Granted, he wasn’t the best sheriff this town has ever seen, but he did view Deputy Wallace as a friend and solid member of the community.”

  “You’re more forgiving then most, Rose.”

  “Wasn’t Mr. Percy the sheriff back when Emma Irwin went missing?” Allie asked, believing she could stay in the diner all day to gather pertinent data to the case. These people were a wealth of information. “I guess he wasn’t any better at his job earlier on in his career.”

  Tiny and Rose shared a knowing look with each other, and Chester was shaking his head as he took the last bite of his sandwich. Allie wasn’t sure who the family was behind her, but they didn’t seem inclined to join in on the discussion.

  Sheriff Percy hadn’t come up mu
ch in the case files that Mitch had sent Allie, but the way the investigation was handled back then played a big part in what law enforcement was dealing with now. Had Frank Percy purposefully mishandled evidence in the case to help out a friend? It was something that Thorne had more than likely already looked into, but it couldn’t hurt to get someone else’s opinion outside of the case.

  The bell above the door jangled as someone entered the diner, and Allie didn’t even have to look to know that it was Mitch. It had always been that way, but it was even more so now. Thankfully, his presence didn’t deter Tiny from continuing his train of thought.

  “I don’t doubt that Frank Percy messed up that investigation from the second he’d declared Emma a runaway. If you ask me, the man knows exactly who has been terrorizing this town for so many years…and it’s most likely one of his hunting buddies from across the lake. Most of those folks don’t live here year-round like we do here in town. They have that snowbird mentality.”

  Allie wished she could have reassured Tiny and the rest of the patrons that he could have been onto something there, but that just wasn’t the case. The killer they were looking for was definitely a local, and he could possibly be sharing a meal with them in this very diner.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  “You look like you’ve been having fun,” Mitch declared with a half-smile before reaching out and adjusting the light scarf that Allie had around her neck. Her cheeks were flushed from the cold November temperatures that had arrived with the start of the month, but her smile could brighten the darkest day even in gloomy weather. “What have you ladies been up to? I don’t need to break out the handcuffs, do I?”

  Two days had passed since he’d met up with Allie at the diner for lunch, only to find out that she’d already started her so-called undercover operation by chumming up to some of the locals. She’d done her best to blend in with the townsfolk, all on the basis of being more to him than an old friend.