“You’re a good girl,” Andie murmured as she grabbed the reins in her hand.
She began to lead her mare out of the stables and into the brisk June morning. Andie cast her eyes upward, and her eyes sparkled slightly with happiness. The sky was grey, with dark clouds overhead, and a very gentle breeze blowing through Onyx. She loved the overcast weather, the cold, and it managed to cheer her up just a bit.
As Andie paused in her walking to mount the horse, she took time to think about what had been happening in the past week and a half. At first, she thought that she and Vanessa could actually be friends while Vanessa worked with her, even after she found out that Vanessa had been an ex-girlfriend of Jack’s. She was willing to go that far. But because of everything she witnessed and everything she heard fromhis secretary, Melinda, she knew she could never be that woman’s friend.
When Andie was with Pat, an ex-boyfriend from freshman year, he would intentionally make her jealous because he liked knowing that she cared. Her anger and upset at his actions caused her to get bad headaches, and her grades slipped because of the stressful distraction. She promised herself she would never get that way again, even if she had good reason to. She wanted to be trusting and happy, not insecure and upset. But Vanessa was making that harder than Andie had originally expected. The fact of the matter was she couldn’t get rid of the businesswoman. And she couldn’t tell Jack how she truly felt about it lest she come off like an untrusting, unsupportive partner.
Once on the horse, Andie took the reins in both of her hands and clicked her tongue in order to get Rogue to start to trot. The breeze blew back the errant strands of red hair from her face as Andie frowned. She knew she might have to deal with candid photos of Jack and Vanessa out on the town together. She knew anyone who thought they were “a somebody” would speculate on their relationship, and it would probably be a matter of time before somebody realized who Vanessa really was. Then the media would have a field day. And Vanessa would love every minute of it…
Every time Andie even thought of the woman, she felt her blood begin to boil. She had never even heard of her, and now she couldn’t even get rid of that infuriating woman. Andie wasn’t stupid; she knew what Vanessa was doing, even if Jack would never admit it. Vanessa saw a perfect opportunity to swoop back into Jack’s life without any question, and remain here for only God knew how long. Her brow perked at such a thought, her mouth dropping in surprise. How long, exactly, would she be around anyways? If she and Jack decided to accept her offer and Vanessa actually invested in the company, just how long would Vanessa be in the picture? Forever? And why was she talking to only Jack about Andie’s animal shelter, anyways?
“Papa,” she murmured, her voice coming out a bit shakier than she would have liked. She glanced up at the sky once again before allowing a defeated sigh to escape from her parted lips. “I wish you were here. I wish I could run to you like I used to whenever I had a problem, but… Well, I can’t anymore. I know…” Her eyes started to water, but she continued to try and control her voice as the horse led her deeper into the forestry that surrounded the Phillip grounds. “I know I can’t bring you back. I just… I just really need strength right now, and out of all the people in my life, you were the strongest. I used to rely on you to be strong for me, and you were so happy to do so… I know I need to be strong for myself, and I know that I can. I just… I may need your help now.” She paused, trying to blink away the tears that had gathered in her eyes. “I miss you, and I love you,” the young woman finished, before patting Rogue on the head.
The ride was a good hour or so. Andie loved looking at the scenery on the trail, losing her mind in the greenery rather than her plaguing thoughts. When she emerged from the trail, she cast another look up at the sky, and was glad to find no change. She loved Saturdays like these, where she didn’t have to worry about anything. She could just be lazy with Jack, goof off and watch movies together, as well as engage in some physical activity. That is, if he didn’t have another meeting with fucking Vanessa.
When Andie dismounted from the mare, she led Rogue back into the stables, where she found Jack waiting for her. And by the way there was a wrinkle between his brows, she figured he had been there for a while. Hearing Andie enter, Jack pushed himself out of the chair, the wrinkle instantly vanishing as he took her in. She gave him an off sort of look, and he shrugged in response.
“I thought about going after you,” he began, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips as he walked over to her, “but knowing you, you’d probably start your own trail and I wouldn’t know where to find you.”
“And what if I was hurt out there?” Andie asked him as she tucked Rogue back into her stable, giving her long nose a couple of stroke with the back of her long fingers.
“That horse is smart,” Jack said, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. “She probably would have found me and alerted me in some way.” Andie allowed a chuckle to leave her lips as she turned in his arms so she could wrap her own around his neck. “Andie,” he murmured in a husky tone, tilting his head down so his forehead grazed hers. “I am so sorry about the tabloids.”
“Jack,” she whispered, locking eyes with him as she silently melted in his touch. “There’s honestly nothing to be sorry about.” She paused as she thought about what to say next. “You were at a business meeting; I know this. I guess I just wasn’t expecting it so… suddenly.”
“I know,” he said, lifting one hand to cup the back of her head, loving how her silky locks felt against his skin. “I wish I could say it’s going to get better…”
“But it’s going to get worse,” she finished for him, nodding her head a couple of times. “Yeah, I already know. Sooner or later, they’re going to find out who Vanessa is, they’re going to speculate about the nature of your true relationship, blah, blah, blah.” Jack chuckled at this, his grip on her waist tightening. She looked at him pointedly, frowning a bit. “You don’t have some meeting with her today, do you?”
“Hmm… I think I should check my books,” Jack teased, a smile touching his lips. “Can you hang on a bit while I call Melinda?”
“No,” Andie said, pulling him closer to her. “I was just wondering because you’re going to have to cancel it.”
“Oh really?” Jack asked, raising his brow and pretending to be surprised. “And why is this, might I ask?”
“You may,” Andie replied, nodding once but keeping her forehead touching his. “And to answer your question, the reason you are going to have to cancel any and all appointments is because you are going to be indisposed for an undisclosed amount of time.”
“Am I?” he asked her, turning his head to the side a bit so his lip nearly caressed the corner of Andie’s.
She nodded once more. “You are,” she confirmed.
“Andie,” Jack began, his tone suddenly serious as he regarded her with his steady, jade green eyes, “if I ever hurt you with this whole thing… I don’t mean it. The last thing in the world I would ever want is for you to believe that I would intentionally hurt you.”
“I know, Jack,” she murmured in response, easily reading the sincerity in his eyes. “I know. But let’s just forget about work for a moment, and run away somewhere where no one can get to us. Even if it is the manor.” She stood on her toes, pushing herself up so her lips could easily graze his ear. “We have the whole weekend to do whatever we want, and worrying about work is not allowed.”
11
Reese felt sore. A little sore.
More than that, she felt content. Satisfied. Happy.
She turned on her side and watched Ollo sleep. He looked peaceful, well-rested. She hadn’t seen him look that way in a long time, if ever. In fact, she hadn’t felt that well-rested since before her coma, before Ollo had magically appeared, kissed her awake, and disappeared before she could get a good glimpse of his face. One of his arms was thrown around her, not necessarily to hold her close to him, but just to touch her, to make sure she was still there a
nd present and not just a dream. She kind of loved that more than someone holding her in her sleep; it connected her to him while still maintaining her space. Plus, the nights were getting warmer and she didn’t want to feel smothered while trying to sleep.
Her thoughts drifted back to last night, where she was confronted with the blunt reality that she couldn’t save everyone. Crime was constant no matter what she did. There were times when she would be too late to do anything except for apprehend the suspect. How was she supposed to be a savior if she couldn’t save everyone?
The confusion, the hopelessness of the situation, had made Reese realize that sometimes, it was okay to be selfish. Sometimes, it was okay to forget about her responsibilities just for a little bit, to focus on her own needs. And she needed Ollo.
She had surprised him last night. Every now and then, Ollo fell asleep in her bed–his bed, if they were being technical–because it was cooler in the room than anywhere in the apartment, and Ollo was someone who had a difficult time dealing with the heat. It made it all the more convenient finding him there. Without hesitation, she crawled on top of him. He woke with a start, which was unusual, because he was normally such a deep sleeper; she realized he had probably been trying to wait up for her. The minute he saw her there, sitting on top of him, he lunged for her. His hand cupped the back of her head and he crushed his lips with hers. She let him kiss her, only slightly surprised by the passion, as though he thought she might not have made it back to him.
From there, clothing was shed, kisses were placed all over the body, and moans and sharp breathing and gasps were the only things that pierced the silence between them. No words were spoken, but none were needed; they spoke with their eyes, their mouths, and their hands.
Before he finally took what she was giving him, he stopped only to make sure she was ready. Things would change not only between them, but with her; she would officially choose a side, and that meant she could be tortured and killed by the opposite side.
Of course she said yes. Of course she wanted to pick his side. There was no doubt in her mind that this was what she wanted, and there was nothing that could change her mind or stop her.
It hurt, which wasn’t something they told you in the movies or books. But Ollo was patient and tender. He still hadn’t told her how he felt, but in that moment, he didn’t need to. He showed her by worshipping her body, by pleasing her and making her feel as though she were the first and only woman he had ever experienced this with.
When they finished, he held her in his arms, kissing the back of her shoulder, murmuring things like, “I’m so glad you’re all right” and “You’re here, with me. You’re okay.”
She fell asleep to the sound of it, and it never made her feel more alive.
Now, it was morning, and the dawn crept over the horizon, chasing away the night. She felt a rush of emotions flow through her, but not one of them was regret. If anything, she was more in love with Ollo today than she was yesterday. She was bursting at the seams to talk about it with someone, anyone. And that was when the sharp pain of loss stabbed her full heart. Her mother would have been the perfect person to share this with. She wouldn’t have lectured her or judged her; if Reese was genuinely happy, she would be happy for her daughter. That was just the type of mom she was.
Instead of letting the feeling consume her, she remembered that her mom was still with her, and she was just as happy for her. And that made Reese feel a little bit better.
“Good morning, beautiful.”
“Hey.” She leaned into the hand he placed on the side of her face and held onto his forearm with both of her arms. It would seem she needed some sort of connection with him as well.
“How’d you rest?”
“Well, actually.” For whatever reason, Reese felt herself blush. Was this what people discussed after having sex for the first time? Well, she had had sex for the first time that night; Ollo, on the other hand, was much more experienced, so she thought it was safe to take her cues from him. “You?”
“Why are you blushing?” he asked with a gentle smile as he gazed up at her from his position on the bed. She felt so beautiful when he looked at her that way.
Reese shrugged her shoulder, feeling awkward. “I don’t know,” she admitted.
“Do you regret what happened last night?” His face, for once, was vulnerable and his murky eyes were big and patient. As strong and as arrogant as Ollo projected himself to be, he was still worried about her feelings. Which was just silly, since he should already know how she felt about him. That hadn’t changed.
Before she could reply, a distinctively familiar and uncharacteristically strong voice filled the apartment. “Ahem, ahem!” it called with an obvious tone, as though it knew both Ollo and Reese were indisposed. “Ahem, ahem! I know fate has changed from this point forward, but a lot has transpired in the past twenty-four hours that we need to discuss!”
Reese rolled her eyes and blushed even more furiously than she had been before while Ollo started chuckling under his breath.
“We’ll be out in a moment!” he barked, his voice still laced with slumber. When his eyes fell back on Reese, his entire demeanor softened. “You know he’ll have no problem coming into the room if we don’t hurry.”
“We should probably get dressed,” she agreed, not quite sure if she should keep a blanket wrapped around her body or if she should bare it all as she looked for an outfit.
Before she made her decision, Ollo handed her his t-shirt and a pair of shorts. “There’s no reason to hide, darl,” he told her. “You’re beautiful.” He gave her a cheeky grin. “I’ve already seen all of you anyway.”
Her blush turned excessive but she laughed anyways. Ollo was the only person who could make her feel both nervous and comfortable at the same time.
When the two emerged from the bedroom,wearing wrinkled clothes and scraggily hair, they found Henry sitting at the small table, his fingers running against the surface of it. It was the only sign of his impatience. That, and Reese noticed a slight dip in his brows. He looked… troubled, an attribute very unlike Henry.
“What’s wrong?” Reese asked, striding over to Henry without giving much thought to it. If something was troubling Henry, something was terribly wrong. It didn’t have to do with what happened between her and Ollo last night, did it?
“Oh good, you’re both up.” He shot them a dry smile, but Reese paid his snarkiness no mind; she held her breath, waiting for Henry to go on and tell them what they needed to know.
Luckily, it didn’t take him long.
“Yesterday, I had a very interesting meeting with Miss Shepherd,” he said, and then quickly amended, “Keirah Shepherd. She wanted information on the whereabouts of Noir.”
“He died for her, didn’t he?” Ollo asked, crossing his arms over his chest so his biceps popped. “As an Excom, dying here on earth would get him sent straight to Purgatory.”
“She wanted information on how to get him back.”
“Is that even possible?” Reese asked.
“Yes, in exchange for her soul.”
“She gave up her soul just for information on how to get an Excom back into her life?” Reese asked, completely flabbergasted.
“Actually, no.” Henry’s black eyes turned blacker, and for the first time, Reese was genuinely afraid of him. “She took something important to me, and refused to give it back until I gave her the information.”
Ollo and Reese both dropped their jaws.
“And did you?” Ollo asked, after recovering.
“Not yet,” Henry said, “but I have no other choice.”
Piper. It had to be Piper. Nothing else mattered to Ollo as much.
“What does this mean?” Reese asked.
“It means a human being,a regular, insignificant human being,is affecting the outcome of this war in her own way,” Henry said in a slow, controlled tone. “The war before painted opponents as black and white, like a chessboard. You knew who your enemy was. Now.�
�� He shook his head, pausing, looking for the right words. It was another uncharacteristic task for Henry. “Now we have a wildcard on our hands.”
12
By the time Keirah got home from her meeting, it was dark. The majority of the lights were off because she didn’t want people to inquire whether or not she was home, if anyone was with her, or invest any time in their lives trying to decipher hers. The truth of the matter was she lived isolated, by herself, with no nearby neighbors. Her only visitor was a mailman who brought her coupons she would immediately throw away after receiving them.
It was easy for her to maneuver through the mansion, even with the absence of light. She unlocked the door,only having two keys made it all the more convenient to find the right key and fit it in the slot, walked down the hallway over to the grand staircase and walked up the twenty-seven steps. Normally, she would have made a left and headed down another hallway, past the stock pictures still hanging in their simple black frames, past what was supposed to be a game room, a living room, a second kitchen, and a grand bathroom, all the way to the master bedroom she shared with Noir.
Instead, she looked to her right, where the darkness seemed almost overwhelming, dominating over the east hallway. Unlike its usual makeup, however, there was a sliver of light peaking under the doorway of the first room on the right.
Piper.
The subtle reminder that she wasn’t alone anymore made her feel more complete, as though she wasn’t as isolated as she had been before. Even seeing Andie again hadn’t made her feel this way.
It was probably why her feet started leading her in that direction, rather than her bedroom. She knew if Noir were here, he would chastise her for her sentimentality. She wasn’t supposed to be compassionate; she wasn’t supposed to see her victims as humans, or else that would completely defeat the purpose of holding them captive until they gave her what she wanted.
Sacrifice: Book 3 of The Dark Paradise Trilogy Page 8