Haunted (West Haven Series, book 2): A Second Chance at love, BWWM romance
Page 7
Brook’s truck was coming towards him, she made the turn into the driveway before him. Dean had to catch her, she couldn’t walk into the house. He hit the gas and passed her before she got to the end of the drive way.
“What the hell are you doing? Who the fuck has my bean?” Brook stomped towards the house.
“Stop Brook.” Dean shouted, pushing her behind him. “This is between me and the motherfucker who put his hands on my boy.”
“Our boy. I love him too. You can’t ask me to stay out here when he’s in trouble.”
Dean glanced over his shoulder, terror and love shown out of her brown eyes. “I can’t risk you too, but you’re a part of us, you have the right to fight for our boy.”
He grabbed her hand and opened the door. As soon as he did the strong odor of gasoline overpowered him, burning his nose and eyes. In the center of the living room, sat a large black dog cage. Chris was huddled in the back corner of it and there was an inch of clear liquid filling the bottom. An outraged gasp came from beside him, Brook made to move towards Chris, but Dean stopped her.
He stood at the fireplace, facing away from them. He wore a long black trench coat and a black skull cap. Dean recognized his build instantly. He held up one gloved hand, a book of matches between two fingers. Dean’s heart clenched in his chest.
“Who is that?” Brook whispered.
The man turned to face them. Brook muffled a scream behind her hand. His face was so badly burned and disfigured it was difficult to look at him. Jonas Morton hadn’t died in the fire at the old crematorium. He was burned to hell and back, but he was alive and had his child.
“Yes Hero, please tell her who I am.” His voice sounded like two rocks grating together. “Tell your whore how you tried to stop the Lord’s work, but you couldn’t kill me. I’ve been waiting and watching for you.”
“You used Kevin to distract us.” Dean said.
“Ha, your concentration was all wrapped up in the ex-husband. I used him to mask my movements around your home. Once he was arrested I knew you would let down you guard, feel safe. You were never safe.”
Dean took a step towards him. “My child has nothing to do with this. It’s me you want. Let him go and you can have me.”
“Oh no, sinner. I’m ridding the world of you, your seed and any possible offspring you might ever have with the adulterous whore.” Jonas’ face stretched grotesquely with his attempt at a smile, cracking dry skin fell from him. He nodded his head to the table beside the sofa. A long, sharp knife was placed on top. “Now you have only to take that blade and release the woman’s soul. If you don’t, then I might get a little jittery with these matches.” He struck one match.
Dean felt the rush of anger so hot that finding his voice was hard. “You and I both know that you’re not letting us go. You want to wipe out my family and I’m sure as hell not killing the woman I love for your twisted vengeance.” Dean grabbed the knife and threw it. The instrument flew end over end lodging in Jonas’ shoulder.
Jonas stumbled back on impact, dropped the match next to the cage. Dean tackled him to the ground. Brook was at the cage, trying to unhook the wire Jonas had wrapped around the handle. Beside the cage, fire erupted on the flammable liquid spilt over on the floor. It was right on top of Brook and Chris, but she kept working at the lock.
Jonas struggled twisting in his grasp, Dean only had to hold him down long enough for Brook to get Chris out. A line of fire raced towards her as she struggled with the cage. Dean’s vision blurred as Jonas brought his elbow up and into his nose, as Dean’s grip loosened, Jonas rolled out from under him. Jonas’ eyes were wild and a look of pure evil overtook his face, he looked like the monster he truly was. Turning Jonas headed for his family. Dean kicked him in the back of his knee, bringing him down onto the other. Jumping to his feet, Dean grabbed the knife protruding from Jonas’ shoulder and pushed it in deeper.
“You are not the right hand of God. God doesn’t need help from a piece of shit like you.” Dean pulled the knife completely out, and kicked Jonas back.
The room was filling with smoke and Brook’s desperate screams. Fire was burning the leg of her jeans, spreading quickly, but still she fought. Dean threw his jacket over the flames on Brook, popped the lock with one pull, and gathered his son out. Holding Brook’s hand, they ran outside.
A gurgling scream came from behind, Jonas bolted out the smoke filled doorway, holding the blade from his shoulder, heading straight for Brook. In a flash, she ducked the knife, using his momentum against him, flipped Jonas to the ground. She snatched the knife from his hand and plunged it into his chest. He bucked up, spitting blood. Brook fell back on her bottom and scooted away. Jonas flopped back, eyes vacant, blood flowing from the stab wound a deep red on the white snow.
Dean pulled Brook up into his embrace. Gavin and Carter pulled into the driveway, spitting up gravel in all directions. Raven and Gabby jumped out and rushed to take Brook and Chris aside, hugging them both up and making sure there were alright.
The three men stood over Jonas’ body. The sound of the fire engine’s sirens was coming closer. Carter pulled out his revolver and put a bullet in the man’s head.
Gavin and Dean turned questioning expressions Carter’s way.
“Just making sure.” Carter shrugged.
EPILOUGE
“This is ridiculous.” Brook said, fiddling with the blindfold.
“One more minute and you can take it off.” Dean promised as he helped her from the truck.
“You can at least tell me why I need to be blindfolded. I know what West Haven looks like you know.” She grumbled as he led her through the snow.
“Ok, now. Take it off.”
Brook pulled down the bandana, and stared at a store front. There wasn’t a sign and the place was larger than the other stores on the street. It looked like two stores combined into one.
“What’s this place?” She asked, looking up into Dean’s sparkling eyes. He had a secret and he wasn’t telling her. Life was so complete now with him and Chris. Dean was free with his emotions and affections. He talked about his life with Natasha without guilt, accepting in his heart that she understood and approved of them.
Dean opened the door and led her inside. He flicked on the light and Brook gasped. “Is this what I think it is?” The walls were painted with murals of animals, numbers, and the alphabet sprinkled around in bright yellow, blue and green. The space was separated into three sections, classroom, and two play areas. Everything a day care could need lined shelves, even cots for nap time were stacked neatly in the back. The place was ready for opening.
“Dean, what is this?”
“You can’t tell, sweetheart?”
“This is for me, you can’t be serious?” Brook felt the hot tears joy streak down her cheeks.
“Yeah, I’m serious.” Dean pulled her close and wiped away her tears. “You’re a teacher and I’ve never known anyone that loved children the way you do. West Haven doesn’t have a Day Care Center and all you need to do is sign the license and it’s all yours.”
Brook screamed, pulled free of his arms and spun around the room. Her heart was flying. Dean Mills was the most incredible man in existence. Her own Day Care and her own family in her very own new hometown. He’d given her everything she could ever hope for.
Brook threw herself into Dean’s arms, kissing him with all the exploding love she felt in her heart.
“Thank you isn’t enough. I love the way you take care of me, even though you know I can take care of myself. I love this place and I’m going to fill it with children.” She hugged him tighter.
“I want you happy. Chris is doing great, even after being abducted and that comes from your affection and devotion to him. You’re a top notch housekeeper, but your true talent is the connection you make with kids.” Dean brushed away a curl from her forehead and kissed her. “The town’s going nuts over their heroine and I know the place will be bursting at the seams with parents wanting you
to take care of their babies.”
“Damn straight hero. You’ve given me so much, your love, a new home, and a new life. I love you beyond words.” Brook placed her head on his heart.
“We both have a fresh start, no more ghost from our past, just our future waiting for us.”
Brook nodded, Jonas Morton was dead, Kevin was out of her life, and Dean was at peace with loving her. West Heaven, population 3001, was most definitely the place for new beginnings.
**
The brown skinned woman watched the door more than she did her patrons. If he was correct, his target would be walking in any second now. He’d been searching for a long ass time for this guy. Never in a million years did he imagine he would find him in a rinky dink place like this. Elliot Fuller, that was the name he went by now. He owned a small auto repair shop on Main Street. Just as he expected, Fuller strolled through the door, as tall and broad shouldered as he remembered him. Only he knew him as “Trigger Man”, a killer, cold and calculating, the bringer of death. The woman’s eyes lit up when she saw him and Elliot smiled back at her. Oh yeah, she was the ticket. A smile pulled across his face and his mind raced with plans. Elliot Fuller, aka, trigger man was his. West Haven harbored the deadliest man in the world and they didn’t even know it. Soon they would and what he had planned for this place was something each and every person here would never forget. Time to play with his prey. He moved, head down, across the room and out the door. Time to pull the trigger.
Author’s Note
Thank you for reading Haunted, (West Haven Series, book 2). If you enjoyed Brooklynn and Dean’s story, please leave a review, and check out book one, Killer Among Us.
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Other Books by
Rhonda Lott
Killer Among Us (West Haven Series, book 1)
On the Run (Men of Honor, book 1)
Hide and Seek (Men of Honor, book 2)
On Borrowed Time (Men of Honor, book 3)