by Robyn Roze
KEEPER
Book 1
By Robyn Roze
PUBLISHED BY:
Robyn Roze
KEEPER
Copyright © 2013 by Robyn Roze
Cover design and illustration by Patricia Schmitt aka Pickyme
Edited by Christie Giraud
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental.
PLAYLIST
Abel Korzeniowski: And Just Like That
Clint Mansell: Finish It, First Snow, Lux Aterna, Stay with Me, Together We Will Live Forever
Christina Perri: Arms, The Lonely
Daughtry: It’s Not Over, Start of Something Good
Evanescence: Breathe No More, Hello, My Heart Is Broken
The Fray: Fall Away, Never Say Never, She Is
Hans Zimmer: Time
Howie Day: Collide
Lifehouse: All In, Broken, Falling In, First Time, Hanging By A Moment
Nickelback: Someday
U2: All I Want Is You
Uncle Kracker: Follow Me
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
PROLOGUE
He waited, cloaked in the shadows, and remembered - the pain, the disorientation, the smoke, the smell of fuel, the disembodied cries, the flames licking debris and the incessant pounding against metal.
More than anything, he had just wanted to sleep, but opened his eyes and painstakingly turned his head toward the persistent clatter. Thinking he glimpsed movement under rubble, he rolled over with great effort and crawled in agony toward the wreckage, forcing himself to his hands and knees to push the debris away. She was moaning and thrashing underneath. Instinct plugged in. He knew the flames and fuel would meet. He had to find cover. With great difficulty, he sluggishly dragged her behind a hillock.
Then the explosion and the loss of everything he loved deafened him.
Now she needed to know what he had done for her. She never wanted to talk about it, but she was going to listen this time. She needed to understand the enormity of his loss and his gift to her. She needed to stop taking and start giving. He would make her understand the debt she owed.
She entered her room wrapped in a thick, white bath towel, her long, wet hair trailing over it. She was oblivious to him sitting in the chair in the dark corner of the room. His elbows rested on the arms with his fingers tented and rubbing the underside of his chin. Humming to herself, she dropped her towel and rummaged through the dresser drawer. That was when she heard a noise from the dark corner in the room. She turned, startled to see him rise from the chair and stalk toward her. Alarmed, she quickly bent to pick up her towel.
“That won’t be necessary,” he rasped.
CHAPTER 1
The warm breeze feathered against her face as she hugged her knees and scanned the lake panorama. Glistening, sun-licked water lapped lazily under the dock and boathouse, finally unrolling onto the large crescent-shaped lakefront.
Flopping onto her back, she did a summer ‘snow angel’ in the lush green lawn beneath her. The grass tickled a bit and she chuckled quietly. There were no blotches above in the dazzling blue sky, except for some frantic birds chasing away an interloper. Warm rays from the sun expanded her chest and she arched her back as the ambrosial scent of lilac tickled her senses. She exhaled with eyes closed and smiled dreamily. How she loved her life and never wanted it to change.
Just as she was lulled into a gentle nap, a chilly torrent of water blanketed her. She jolted, hearing gleeful giggling and seeing devilish, crystal blue eyes that peeked through a messy blond mop of hair.
“Oh, you little…” She shook like a dog and smiled with raised brows. “You’d better run, boy!” She held her hands in a gesture of ‘gotcha’ and he threw the plastic red pail behind him, tearing off giggling and stumbling as the descending slope to the sandy shore swallowed him and his rolling red pail. She started running after him, laughing and yelling, “When I get my hands on you! I’m going to tickle you senseless!”
They were laughing, giggling and zigzagging all around the big back yard headed down to the beach of their lakefront estate. Faltering, the young boy toppled and tumbled onto the sand. Before he could get up, she was on him and tickling him unmercifully. Then they tossed and twirled together to the edge of the lake. She scooped him up and started carrying him out further into the warm water.
The little boy’s eyes widened. “We have cwothes on, Wivi!” He was pointing frantically back up to the house.
She smiled with an arched brow and replied with mock seriousness, “That didn’t stop you from throwing a bucket of water on me, now did it?”
He bit his lips together and pinched his brow. Then a slow mischievous smile lit his face. He wasn’t supposed to swim with clothes on, but if she took him in that was a different story. He smiled big and clasped his hands around her neck, “Wet’s go, Wivi!”
She trudged out until she was waist deep and then plunged them into the cool waters. He started squealing and thrashing around in utter joy. They were giggling and laughing as she swirled them around, and he leaned back so his floppy blond mop could catch some of the glittering water.
Oh, how she loved him. His crooked smile, his infectious giggle, his white blond hair and crystal blue eyes forever branded on her heart. He made her life wonderfully complete. He was so perfect and he belonged to her. She would never let him go.
Then she smelled smoke and felt the licking flames of reality that woke her from her dream, delivering her to the waiting nightmare that engulfed her into its unforgiving emptiness.
CHAPTER 2
Olivia bristled at the venom and whiskey in his voice. “You’re seriously mistaken if you think this stunt of yours changes anything, sunshine.” She could hear the fury in his controlled breathing. “All I have to do, little girl, is come down there, throw you over my shoulder and bring you back.” He stretched his arms, interlaced his hands and pressed them against the back of his head as he reclined in his black leather wingback. “In fact, I find that little scenario tantalizing.” He waited on the phone for her quivering remorse.
Olivia squeezed her eyes shut. She hated it when he called her little girl. That’s exactly why he did it. She imagined him on the other end of the call swaying hypnotically back and forth; as his darting forked tongue awaited her response. She blurted out, “You just try that in front of my roommate and a dorm full of students and see what happens!” Whoa, girl, take a step back, had she really just said that to him? Apparently, the distance from him made her bolder. The way she had always imagined herself to be. It felt good, but her instincts told her to back pedal as quickly as possible. “Why’s it such a big deal? You’re gone so much anymore with MoreSpeed I don’t see why it matters at all where I go to school.” Okay, that might have been more like backpedaling o
n a stationary bike. Then, Olivia heard what sounded like a hand slamming down hard on his desk.
“You of all people know why it matters, Olivia!” he said impatiently with rising anger.
She swallowed hard and decided to back pedal for real this time so she wouldn’t find herself in one of his dark fantasies really thrown over his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Nick, but there has to be a way that we can compromise on this. It’s really important to me. Please?” Right now, she hated herself for having to beg him for anything.
Now when he spoke, she could hear his smiling superiority. “I want you back here on weekends,” he replied coolly.
“What! That’s impossible! I’d be flying every week! And besides you’re not even there every weekend!” Calm down, Olivia chided herself. She closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and then exhaled wishing that her life had turned out very differently. When she opened her eyes, Olivia spoke with a calm measure. “That’s just not realistic, Nick. You have to know that.”
Nick huffed loudly into the phone, “Maybe you should’ve thought about that before you left me, sunshine.”
“I didn’t leave you. I’m just living my life. What’s so wrong with that?” If he wanted something waiting at home for him that was always happy to see him and didn’t mind being kicked around once in awhile, he could get a damn dog. She was sick of being his pet. She was sick of everything. “I’ll come back once a month, but no more.” She held her breath waiting for his reaction. Had he hung up? Or had he spontaneously combusted?
Olivia shivered from the icy chill that blasted through her phone. “I’ll try it your way for now, sunshine, but I will pick the weekends or I will pull the plug on your little game, Olivia. Got it?” he spit out.
This had never happened before. He caved. She was flabbergasted.
“Yes,” she replied quietly.
Olivia was dazed as she ended the cell call and stepped into oncoming traffic.
CHAPTER 3
Honking horns and squealing tires vaporized the fog surrounding her, and a bulky Human Anatomy text hurdled out of her arms and rebounded off the hood of a red FIAT Spider. “Oh, shit!” Olivia yelled.
Just then, a motorist in a tirade went barreling around the Spider and screamed, “Watch where you’re going, dumbass!”
The driver of the red car jumped out and hollered, “Hey, are you alright?” He shot around the front to inspect Olivia for injuries without noticing the sizable depression on his hood.
“Oh, yeah, I’m fine. Really…but…” She looked at the hood and winced.
“Are you sure I didn’t hit you?” he questioned emphatically.
“No, you really didn’t,” she remarked while inspecting herself. “The thud you heard was my textbook. Bouncing. Off. Your. Car.” Her eyes pinched together as she pointed at the dent on the hood. “Oh, God, I am so sorry about that,” she said, cringing.
Jake McCloud appraised the girl standing in front of him. She seemed remarkably calm considering he had almost cut her off at the knees just moments earlier. As she bent to pick up her book, he knelt ahead of her saying, “Let me get that for you. Human Anatomy,” Jake read aloud, “You pre-med?” he asked looking at Olivia directly.
Wow. She had killer emerald green eyes sprinkled with gold flecks. Or was that the sun playing tricks? Shimmering, thick chestnut hair with a rich burgundy undertone swayed from a high ponytail accentuating her delicate features and creamy complexion. Long bangs partially curtained her left eye and he stopped himself from tucking the stray strands behind her ear. Then he noticed her full crimson lips just as she licked them. He swallowed as his mouth went dry. Damn. She was more than pretty. She was a natural beauty.
“No, PT.” Had he heard her? He looked confused. “Physical Therapy?” Olivia offered with pinched brows when the acronym didn’t seem to register with him.
“Right. Oh, yeah, I know what PT is,” Jake mumbled along scratching absent-mindedly at the back of his head. “I’m sorry,” he chuckled, “Uh, I guess I was just thinking that I should at least know the name of the girl I almost ran down today.” Jake smiled as he tried to regain his composure. He knew she had caught him staring. Holy crap, the only thing prettier than her eyes was that knockout smile. This could turn out to be the best accident he ever had.
Olivia eyed him and snickered a little on the inside. Guys looked for every opening didn’t they? Always angling for the next lay. Poor things. “Olivia Marshall,” she responded.
He extended his hand. “Jake McCloud. Nice to - almost hit you - Olivia Marshall,” he said, rolling his eyes and grinning expectantly.
Olivia noticed the firmness and warmth in his strong padded hand that led to a sizable forearm and the promise of more under his rolled sleeve. He really was good looking in that classic Greek god kind of way. If she were into that sort of thing, she thought. Broad shoulders, classic v-shape, square jaw centered with soft lips, and the best-looking five-o-clock shadow she had ever seen. Boy, he wore that well. And wow. How had she missed his stunning electric blue eyes? He raked his hand through his wavy tousled hair and some of the coal-colored waves crashed back down onto his forehead. Okay, she was definitely into that Greek god sort of thing. Wait. Was he saying something to her? She gave her head a quick shake. He started grinning. Oh, crap, he caught her staring at him. Olivia shifted her feet and looked away to regain her composure.
She felt flushed. “I’m sorry, um, Jake, you said…right?” He nodded with that silly ass grin that said yeah this one’s in the bag and soon to be tagged. Olivia cleared her throat. “I didn’t catch what you said. Mind repeating it?” She was going to start paying attention. He was going to have to work for it, because she had a hunch that he was use to panties dropping at that smile.
Jake chuckled and slid his foot back and forth on the pavement with his thumbs hooked at the top of his faded jeans. “I was just wondering if I could make it up to you. You know, the almost killing you thing.” He was grinning like The Cheshire Cat.
“Oh, that.” Olivia looked down at her flip-flops and then glanced at his car. He still had said nothing about the obvious dent on the hood. “It’s really not necessary, um,” she flicked her thumb and finger together pretending not to remember his name, “Jake. But if you insist, I’m sure we could work something out,” she baited, flashing a nuclear smile with the hint of a promise that she noticed caused him to change his stance so he could discretely adjust himself. “But right now I have to get to my next class,” Olivia said as she smiled sweetly and walked away.
He turned to say something and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the loveliest ass in a pair of white yoga pants walking away from him. She just keeps getting better he thought as he rubbed absently at his jaw. If karma was real, Jake decided he must have been damn good to deserve this bounty. Just as she reached the other side of the street, he remembered what he was going to say, and called out, “Olivia! I don’t have your number!”
She glanced back over her shoulder with an arched brow and replied, “I know.” She knocked him back with another smile and continued walking away laughing to herself, because he didn’t know she was done with classes for the day and headed back to her dorm.
Jake stood and watched her walk away until she was no longer in sight. He smiled with hooded eyes and shook his head. Oh, Miss Marshall, you naughty, naughty girl, he growled to himself. This was going to be fun.
****
As Olivia unlocked the door to her dorm room, she heard her phone buzz with a text. She dropped her keys, books, and bag on the bed and plopped down very pleased with the way she had handled Mr. Jake McCloud. What a player she thought. Oh, well, it certainly wasn’t his fault he was so hot. Real cross to bear, she snorted to herself.
Olivia retrieved her cell from the heap on her bed only to find a text from Nick.
*flight tomorrow night.
ck email for itinerary.
george will pick you up.*
Olivia swallowed hard and her stomach cons
tricted. She shuddered, fell back on her bed and crossed her arms over her face. Why did he save her? Why couldn’t he have just left her to die with the others?
CHAPTER 4
Dusk had just begun to blanket its gravelly haze over the City of Lake Abyss. What an appropriate name, Olivia thought numbly. Her surrendered soul had been circling those depths for a long time. When would her body follow she wondered? She should have known yesterday’s phone call with Nick would result in swift punishment. The long tormenting drive from the airport to his house left her struggling to expel the images of the dark shadows that awaited her. Moreover, he would know and relish her anxiety.
Olivia envisioned him in his dimly-lit office sitting behind the oversized claw-foot desk with his mouth slightly upturned at one corner. There would be a mostly empty whiskey bottle in front of him and he would lean back coolly in his chair with his elbows resting on its black leather armrests, chin pressed on tented fingers while he assessed his chattel. His dark eyes would narrow as he slowly smoothed the underside of his chin across his fingertips continuing to appraise his plunder. He would take time making his decision knowing that the escalating dread would be boiling in her belly. Then he would lick his lips with all the charm of a cobra as that hideous sneer crept slowly onto his mouth. His dead eyes would demand her full attention. Then he would tell her what was to come next.
****
As George pulled into the circular drive, Olivia glimpsed the steep pitch of the bleak Tudor-style estate on Janus Lane. Post-mounted lights lined the drive and walkways with some of the bulbs flickering or burned out, but the hanging overhead fixture at the front entrance glared with severity. The old, overgrown trees swayed in a dusky breeze casting long, menacing shadows in the moonlight. Come here, little girl, they beckoned in a depraved whisper. Olivia shivered.