Deadly Prophecy: A Second Sight Series Spin-Off

by Heather Topham Wood

  “Thank you,” she whispered, blinking back tears. He pulled her into him and vowed to himself never to let go. He wouldn’t make the same mistakes as before. He would cherish Jenna in the way she deserved. He couldn’t continue being a man-child. Nor did he want that life anymore.

  Brianna’s wobbly voice interrupted the quiet intimate moment he was sharing with Jenna. They both pulled apart from the embrace, staring at her with surprise as she spoke directly to Derek’s cross. “You were irreplaceable. I probably didn’t realize that until you were gone. And I made hundreds of mistakes when it came to us. Mistakes I can’t ever fix. But I love you. Always will love you. You were my heart and I probably never got a chance to tell you that. I hope when you died you had no doubt about my love. Be at rest, my Derek.”

  As she finished, Brianna dissolved into tears. Hurrying away from the cross, she tore through the woods, heading straight to the park. Jenna sent Declan a questioning look, clearly wondering if she should go after her. Declan shook his head. His gut told him to let her be. The more emotional Brianna got, the more likely she would be to fill in the blanks about Derek. Chelsea instructed everyone to give Brianna a minute and offered to wait for her return.

  Walking back toward his car, Declan watched Jenna switch her phone back on. A series of beeps sounded. She slowed down her walk to check the messages. She gave him a strained smile before quickening her pace to keep up with him. She linked her arm through his. “The texts were from Kate.”

  Jenna was likely judging his reaction, so he kept his expression neutral. He asked low enough for her ears only. “Any breaks on her end?”

  She stopped walking, allowing Adam and Liam to continue ahead without them. When they were well out of earshot, she said, “She had a weird vision about Liam.”

  “What was the vision?”

  She turned her head from side to side, carefully checking the forest before answering. “She wants me to call her for more details as soon as possible. But she said in the vision Liam was driving Brianna to Planned Parenthood.”

  Slipping the phone out of Jenna’s hands, Declan dialed Kate’s number immediately. He didn’t want to call from his phone in case she was still labeling him public enemy number one.

  “Hello.”

  “It’s Dec,” he said shortly.

  He could hear her swallow over the phone. “Jenna let you know about Liam.”

  “What was the vision?” He was all business. They both had said lots of ugly things last time they spoke, but he wasn’t going to apologize just yet. All their personal drama had to take a momentary backseat.

  “The memory was brief, but Liam picked up Brianna from her house and gave her a ride to Planned Parenthood. He tried to talk to her, but she kept shutting him down. He brought up Derek and she snapped at him about never speaking his name again. Based on her reaction, the vision felt like it was after Derek’s death.” She took an audible gulp of air. “When he pulled up to Planned Parenthood, she asked him to wait in the car until she was finished. I lost the vision after she walked into the entrance of the doctor’s office.”

  “That’s fucking weird,” he said in response.

  “Very fucking weird,” she agreed.

  He looked over at Jenna before asking rhetorically. “So what? Brianna asks Liam, of all people, for a ride to Planned Parenthood? And for what? Suffice it to say, I’m doubting she went there for birth control.”

  Sadness crept into Jenna’s feature. “She had an abortion,” she said flatly. She looked out into the distance to where Brianna had walked off after the memorial. Chelsea was heading in the same direction, most likely tracking her down to convince Brianna to return with them to the beach house. “Why would she have an abortion?”

  Declan was fumbling for a response. He wouldn’t pretend to understand what circumstances made a woman decide to not go through with a pregnancy. Jenna was likely thinking of the baby as a piece of Derek still left in the world. But from what he witnessed thus far, Brianna likely saw the pregnancy as too much to bear. Single parenthood wasn’t for everyone.

  As Jenna seemed to grow increasingly upset, he decided to cut the call short with Kate. “Thanks, Kate,” he said formally. “Call us if you see anything else.”

  “Oh, okay,” she said with uncertainty. “I will.”

  “Bye.”

  “Dec, wait,” she called before he had a chance to disconnect the call.

  “I’m here,” he said while placing a hand on Jenna’s shoulder. He started to massage the area lightly.

  “Be careful. We had a fight and things are weird between us, but I really don’t have a good feeling about you and Jenna down there,” she said in a rush.

  An uneasy feeling washed over him as he heard the fear in her voice. “Did you have a premonition?”

  She waited a pause. “No, but I have a very strong feeling you’re in danger. You’re recreating a vacation where someone ended up dead.”

  “I’m not going to let anything happen to Jenna,” he said while staring at Jenna intently.

  “Declan, take care of yourself too. Don’t do anything stupid to save the day,” she said with a dramatic rise in her tone. “You know what you always said about heroes.”

  “In real life, the heroes die and the monsters live on.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The hotel suite was extravagant: silver and gold fixtures, marble flooring, tasteful leather furniture. The room was spacious with a sitting room area complete with a big-screen television, fireplace, and wall-to-ceiling windows overlooking the New York City skyline. It was the kind of room costing upwards of a thousand dollars per night.

  Brianna moved to the end of the California king bed, snatching a bottle of champagne set within a bucket of ice. Ignoring the glasses set next to the champagne, she took a large swig right from the bottle. At the sound of the hotel door unlocking, she tossed the bottle back inside the bucket and readjusted the nightie she was wearing. The teddy was tacky and out of sync with her normal style. The teddy was made from red lace with a plunging neckline and a high-waisted thong. With her dark hair cascading down her back, she looked as if she belonged on the hood of a car from a 1980s hair metal music video.

  When the suite door opened, she transformed her grimace into a sultry smile. She launched down onto all fours and did a finger wag to greet her guest. As she continued the motion, Liam breezed into the suite. The door closed with a click behind him. His stare was hungry as he gave Brianna a full, broad smile.

  “Damn, girl, you would make someone a good wife one day,” he said while slipping off his suit jacket. He pulled his dress shirt out of his pants, taking heavy steps through the sitting room straight to the bedroom.

  “A wife? That’s what you think when I send you a text to meet me for a night of fucking,” she said teasingly.

  Instead of replying, he yanked her out of the bed roughly, crushing her against his chest. He clawed at her teddy, pulling down the straps and tearing the top from her body. As he kissed her, he sunk his finger pads into her ass. She groaned loudly as his mouth roughly covered hers. They were comfortable with each other in a way clearly showing this night was not the first time they were intimate.

  His hand circled her hair and he yanked back. As her head tilted back, he began to kiss at her exposed neck before moving down lower. She moaned in pleasure as his lips covered her nipples. He gave her ass a light smack as she began to buck against him.

  “Fuck me now,” she begged in a small voice. Her fingers began to work at his pants buckle. Once loosened, she reached over top of his boxers and placed her hand inside. Finding him hard and waiting, she slid her hand back and forth. While she continued to work his cock, he slid his pants and boxers down in one fell swoop.

  “You’re such a dirty whore,” he said licking his lips.

  She took her hand off of his cock, slapping him hard against the face. As she went to pull away from him, Liam grabbed her hand and held it roughly against his cheek. “Fuck
you,” Brianna spat at him.

  He laughed at her. “Don’t pretend like you don’t want it this way.”

  “Which way? Last time you were so fucked up when you came over you couldn’t even get it up,” she said with derision, trying to shake her hand out of his hold.

  Liam didn’t budge an inch. “Babe, if you want the rose petals and missionary-style lovemaking,” he said with a laugh, “then you should go back to your boyfriend.”

  She got her hand loose and punched him hard in the chest. “I really fucking hate you sometimes.”

  “No you don’t, you’re in love with me,” he said still laughing.

  “Sleeping with you when I’m horny doesn’t constitute love,” she said haughtily.

  He snatched at her wrists and then pushed her down on the bed. He climbed on top of her, using his thighs to keep her from wriggling in place. “You’re too ashamed to admit what you want. You’re ashamed of what you desire.” He pulled apart the front of her thong to completely expose her. “You want to be owned and I do that for you.”

  She continued to thrash, but he ignored her and slid into her. “Stop it,” she yelled at him. He pushed down her wrists harder into the mattress. He didn’t take his time moving in and out of her, he slammed into her hard. His hips swung back and forth in rapid succession as he began to cry out in desire. His hold on her loosened as he pounded into her. Brianna stopped resisting and wrapped her legs around the back of his ass.

  “Oh fuck, oh yes—”

  ***

  “Declan….”

  “Declan….”

  Coming out of a vision sometimes felt like drowning. He was submerged underwater and he had to fight his way to the surface. While the vision dissolved around him, he swam toward the sound of Jenna’s voice. His eyes shot open and he took a second to find his grounding. He was on the floor of the bedroom in the beach house sitting cross-legged with a single candle burning in front of him. Seeing Brianna and Liam having rough sex was the last thing he had expected. Declan hadn’t witnessed simmering sexual tension between Brianna and Liam at all. If he remembered correctly, Liam had repeatedly called Brianna a cunt. Belatedly, Declan realized the name-calling was a ruse. Liam didn’t want anyone finding out about the affair.

  Jenna furrowed her brow as she watched him rub at his cheeks anxiously. “Brianna and Liam were sleeping together,” he said looking up at her.

  “What?” she demanded.

  “The vision I just had was of Liam and Brianna sleeping together before Derek died.”

  Jenna sank down on the floor to sit next to him. “Are you sure?”

  “I’ll spare you the gory details, but there’s no doubt about it,” he said, looking over her shoulder to the door.

  After the memorial service, he had fled upstairs while the rest of the group lounged in the living room. The mood had turned dark after the service, especially once Brianna rejoined them. The original plan had been to head out into town for the night, but no one had seemed particularly enthused over the idea. Before retreating to the bedroom, Declan had heard Chelsea suggest to Adam about leaving that night instead of waiting until morning.

  “So, that’s why he drove her to Planned Parenthood. The baby was his,” she said with a gasp.

  Declan shook his head in disgust. “Maybe. Or maybe she wasn’t sure and didn’t want to take the risk.”

  “That bitch was cheating on him,” she said, her voice turning deadly. Before he could respond, Jenna was back on her feet and storming to the doorway.

  “Jenna, wait—” he called, scrambling to follow her. Before he could reach her, she was treading heavily down the stairs.

  “Brianna!” she screamed with hellfire in her voice. Holy shit, he thought, this was not good at all. They weren’t supposed to show their hand before they had all the facts.

  “Hey, what’s wrong?” Liam asked with alarm as he met her on the stairs. Jenna pushed against his shoulders with full force. He stumbled backwards in surprise.

  “You fucking backstabber!” she fumed. “What kind of sick freak are you to show your face here?”

  Adam and Chelsea hopped off of the loveseat, rushing over to the base of the stairs. They both looked around in confusion. Declan peeked in the living room and saw Brianna still on the recliner with her back stiff. Her posture remained immobile as if she hadn’t heard Jenna’s screams.

  “What are you talking about?” Chelsea asked.

  “Jenna, maybe we should take a walk and relax. Emotions are kind of high right now,” Declan said soothingly. She was reacting without thinking. The entire purpose behind the weekend was about to fall apart.

  “No! I’m done pretending. Do you think I could spend another minute with him or Brianna without feeling my skin crawl? Without wanting to punch them in the face?” Declan had to applaud her for having the readiness to fight against injustices. Being nice didn’t make Jenna anyone’s doormat.

  Chelsea gave Liam and Adam a questioning look. Adam took a step away; potentially relieved he wasn’t a part of the sordid mess. Finally, she said with growing frustration. “What the hell, Jenna? Feel like cluing us in on what Liam and Brianna did?”

  Liam looked defiant while Brianna remained transfixed in the same motionless position on the couch. From all appearances, she wasn’t compelled to defend herself. Declan was still having a hard time merging together the two sides of Brianna: the depressed loner and the wild sex-crazed cheater.

  Jenna’s eyes narrowed as she stared down Liam. “Liam and Brianna were having sex behind my brother’s back.” She made herself appear taller by rising up on her tiptoes. “You were like a brother to him. Even when my entire family warned him about what a loser we thought you were, he stood up for you. I hope he didn’t die regretting how much time he wasted on you and his lying piece-of-shit girlfriend.”

  “Fake news,” Chelsea said, shaking her head. “Liam and Bri hate each other. She wouldn’t touch him if he were the last man on earth.” She raised her voice to call over to Brianna. “What did you used to call him, Bri?” She then added with suppressed laughter. “Dickless Boy Wonder.”

  “Thanks, sweetie pie,” Liam muttered while shooting an annoyed look her way. He crossed his arms over his chest while addressing Jenna. “How did you find out?”

  Chelsea let out a shocked squeak. “It’s true?”

  Liam ignored her. “Taylor call you? She swore if I ended it with Bri, she wouldn’t say anything.”

  “Taylor never said a word to me,” Chelsea said glaring at him.

  He shrugged as if the entire situation was insignificant. “She found a few texts I had forgotten to erase on my old cell phone. Derek was already dead, so she didn’t see the point of putting me on blast. She did dump me though. Not that Bri gave a flying fuck.”

  Brianna finally rose slowly from the recliner. Her eyes were dry and emotionless as she scanned each one of their faces. “I’m going home.”

  Jenna elbowed by Liam to confront Brianna. “You’re going home?” she demanded incredulously. Jenna kept unclenching and clenching her fists. She was likely struggling to decide whether to punch her or not.

  Brianna shriveled under Jenna’s fury. “I’m done, Jenna. I can’t be here any longer. I’ve been trying to do what I can to earn Derek’s forgiveness, but it’s never going to happen. He’s dead. Gone forever. And there’s nothing I can do now to erase my betrayal.”

  “You’re un-fucking-believable. Go, then,” Jenna snarled. “All of you go. But don’t think this is over. I will find out who killed him. And if any of you are responsible, I’m going to make you wish you died right with him.” Her eyes were wild as she gave each of them a defiant stare.

  “Fucking his girl doesn’t make me a murderer,” Liam hissed at her.

  “No, it doesn’t, but gives you a motive. Expect the cops to be in touch,” Jenna retorted.

  It was on. Although Declan wished Jenna had taken a more passive approach to confronting Liam and Brianna, he respected her
fierce loyalty. Derek might have been dead, but Jenna wouldn’t rest until all of the wrongs committed against him were set to rights.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  The beach house was eerily quiet once Derek’s friends fled. Brianna was the first to depart, quickly followed by Liam, and then Adam and Chelsea. Adam and Chelsea were apologetic, swearing up and down they knew nothing about Liam and Brianna’a affair. Chelsea still seemed shell-shocked by the admission. Before leaving, she admitted to knowing about Brianna’s pregnancy, but had always assumed Derek was the father. About a month after Derek’s death, she had reached out by phone to Brianna about the baby. Instead of a call back, she received a curt email saying Brianna suffered a miscarriage and never wanted to talk about the pregnancy again.

  Declan’s vision undermined the tale Brianna tried to spin. But Jenna conceded confronting Brianna about the abortion was a mistake. Brianna was poison to Derek, but what she did about the baby was her business. Jenna’s attachment to the unborn child lessened exponentially due to the questionable paternity.

  Declan sat down across from Jenna at the kitchen table once the house emptied. He folded his hands on the table, trying to process the last few hours. Jenna’s breathing was labored and her eyes red-rimmed. Confronting Liam and Brianna had drained the life out of her.

  “Should we pack up and go?” Declan asked delicately. He was trying to give her whatever support she needed, but he wasn’t sure how to best console her. He could continue to have visions and find out more about Derek’s murder, but he didn’t want to leave her while she was suffering.

  Declan cared a hell of a lot about the woman across from him. He actually couldn’t remember ever wanting to cast aside everything else to ensure another person’s happiness. With Kate, he didn’t make an effort to change who he was for her betterment. His destiny said they were meant to be together and she was supposed to accept that. He wasn’t a giver in their relationship—he was the one waiting for her to change her heart. When she never saw him as a romantic partner, he became resentful and hurt.