Read Online Darkness Falls (Darkness Series Book 3) by J.L. Drake - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: J.L. Drake
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hand. “You ready to go back to the party?” She nodded but stopped me when she spotted the ass who taunted her. “Is that the guy?” He was next to go in.
“Yes.”
“Stay here.” I rushed inside through a side door, gave instructions to one of the directors, and returned a moment later.
“What did you do?” She reached for my hand.
I grinned down at her. “Nothing.” I kissed her head and wished I could witness what that asshole was about to walk into.
***
After the dinner was cleared, everyone seemed to be in good spirits. Emily was back to her old self. Although she bounced back quickly from things, I was not completely blind to the fact that she was struggling. We were, after all, right around the date I killed Jimmy, ending that whole ordeal. There were many questions that came to mind about that case, but the one that haunted me the most was how and why Jimmy picked Emily. I wondered if I’d ever know the answer to that question.
My arm was wrapped around the back of her chair, my thumb brushing the back of her neck. There wasn’t a time when she was near me that I didn’t want to touch her. She still had the pull that gravitated me to her. She grounded me, awakened things in me I didn’t know I had. I loved this woman with all my heart, but sometimes I wondered if it was enough. We had a huge history, one that she didn’t have with someone like Travis or Scott. Christ, those two were like sharks circling, waiting for a chance to swoop in and snatch her away. There was no doubt she loved me, but I knew history could sometimes destroy the future if you weren’t careful.
Her hand fell onto my leg, and I looked down as she drew circles over my pants. Such a simple act to let me know she was thinking of me.
Nicholas’s curse stole my attention. He stared at his cell phone, then looked back at the house. He slammed his glass down and headed inside.
Garrett had seen it as well, and he nodded to let me know he would keep an eye on Emily for me. I leaned over and kissed her on the neck. “I’ll be right back.”
“Everything all right?” she asked as she looked around the property. I hated that it was a reflex for her.
“Save me a dance.”
I headed inside and checked the kitchen, the living room, my father’s office, then I heard something coming from upstairs. I took the stairs two at a time and followed the noise to the library, where the doors were not completely shut.
“I need this, Nicholas!” my fathered shouted in my brother’s face.
“I can’t, I just can’t anymore. You’re out of control, Dad.” Nicholas was nervous. “I won’t lose my job digging in places I don’t belong.”
“Lose your job?” My father laughed. “Nicholas, I can have you thrown behind bars for the shit you’ve done.”
“That’s nice!” Nicholas tossed his hands in the air. “Trying to win father of the year, here? ’Cause you’re doing a fine job.”
My father turned and pointed a finger in his direction. “You want to get smart with me, son?” He shoved Nicholas in the chest, which sent him back a few feet. “You think you can talk to me that way, boy?” He shoved him again, but this time Nicholas was ready and stood firm. “You’re a dirty cop, son .”
“Yeah, well, you’re a dirty lawyer, Dad .”
My father hauled back to punch Nicholas, but he ducked and sent my father tumbling forward. I’d seen enough and hurried into the room and stood in front of my younger brother.
“What the hell, Dad!” I shouted and felt my fists harden as they curled. “You think it’s all right for you to hit us?” Father stepped forward and hissed with anger. “We’re your children, your fucking blood. If you’re going to treat one of us like a punching bag, at least punch the one you despise the most.” He went to swing like the coward he was, but I ducked.
“You’re a disgrace,” Nicholas spat at his feet.
Father turned his attention on him and sent a sucker punch
“Yes.”
“Stay here.” I rushed inside through a side door, gave instructions to one of the directors, and returned a moment later.
“What did you do?” She reached for my hand.
I grinned down at her. “Nothing.” I kissed her head and wished I could witness what that asshole was about to walk into.
***
After the dinner was cleared, everyone seemed to be in good spirits. Emily was back to her old self. Although she bounced back quickly from things, I was not completely blind to the fact that she was struggling. We were, after all, right around the date I killed Jimmy, ending that whole ordeal. There were many questions that came to mind about that case, but the one that haunted me the most was how and why Jimmy picked Emily. I wondered if I’d ever know the answer to that question.
My arm was wrapped around the back of her chair, my thumb brushing the back of her neck. There wasn’t a time when she was near me that I didn’t want to touch her. She still had the pull that gravitated me to her. She grounded me, awakened things in me I didn’t know I had. I loved this woman with all my heart, but sometimes I wondered if it was enough. We had a huge history, one that she didn’t have with someone like Travis or Scott. Christ, those two were like sharks circling, waiting for a chance to swoop in and snatch her away. There was no doubt she loved me, but I knew history could sometimes destroy the future if you weren’t careful.
Her hand fell onto my leg, and I looked down as she drew circles over my pants. Such a simple act to let me know she was thinking of me.
Nicholas’s curse stole my attention. He stared at his cell phone, then looked back at the house. He slammed his glass down and headed inside.
Garrett had seen it as well, and he nodded to let me know he would keep an eye on Emily for me. I leaned over and kissed her on the neck. “I’ll be right back.”
“Everything all right?” she asked as she looked around the property. I hated that it was a reflex for her.
“Save me a dance.”
I headed inside and checked the kitchen, the living room, my father’s office, then I heard something coming from upstairs. I took the stairs two at a time and followed the noise to the library, where the doors were not completely shut.
“I need this, Nicholas!” my fathered shouted in my brother’s face.
“I can’t, I just can’t anymore. You’re out of control, Dad.” Nicholas was nervous. “I won’t lose my job digging in places I don’t belong.”
“Lose your job?” My father laughed. “Nicholas, I can have you thrown behind bars for the shit you’ve done.”
“That’s nice!” Nicholas tossed his hands in the air. “Trying to win father of the year, here? ’Cause you’re doing a fine job.”
My father turned and pointed a finger in his direction. “You want to get smart with me, son?” He shoved Nicholas in the chest, which sent him back a few feet. “You think you can talk to me that way, boy?” He shoved him again, but this time Nicholas was ready and stood firm. “You’re a dirty cop, son .”
“Yeah, well, you’re a dirty lawyer, Dad .”
My father hauled back to punch Nicholas, but he ducked and sent my father tumbling forward. I’d seen enough and hurried into the room and stood in front of my younger brother.
“What the hell, Dad!” I shouted and felt my fists harden as they curled. “You think it’s all right for you to hit us?” Father stepped forward and hissed with anger. “We’re your children, your fucking blood. If you’re going to treat one of us like a punching bag, at least punch the one you despise the most.” He went to swing like the coward he was, but I ducked.
“You’re a disgrace,” Nicholas spat at his feet.
Father turned his attention on him and sent a sucker punch
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