Embrace the Darkness (The Maura Quinn Series Book 1) - Ashley N. Rostek Page 0,11
you before. When I needed you, you were always there, and in the back of my mind I figured that’d always be the case. It was wrong to assume that. I left everyone without looking back. Six years is a long time and people change.” I failed to hide the disappointment in my voice. Maybe it was a little harder than flipping a switch.
Jamie’s shoulders slumped. “No one blames you for leaving. It wasn’t easy to let you go, especially for Stefan. But anyone close to you knew if we didn’t, we would have lost you a different way without the option of you ever coming back.”
I didn’t argue that he was wrong. I was surprised they'd been able to see it. It had been a very dark time in my life. I'd been spiraling, consumed by internal turmoil that I'd believed I was the only one privy to. I'd challenged Stefan at every turn. Sometimes, I'd wanted him to punish me so my anger could focus on something else. Other times, I'd wanted him to kill me.
“And I’ll always be there for you, Maura. Why do you think I’m here now? So if you want to be all emotional like a regular female, I guess I’ll have to adjust. I just hope you haven’t turned into a complete whack job who might murder us all in our sleep after we get you home.”
And just like that, I felt like we were two young kids again, together, up against the cruel world. I smiled at him. “You should have just asked. We made a promise not to play each other, remember?”
He nodded. “At least you seem sane.”
I snorted, shaking my head.
He gave me a small smile and looked like he was about to say something else when Louie walked back inside carrying two large black duffels. He dropped the bags on the floor with a loud thunk. Rubbing his hands together, he grinned evilly. “Are we ready to get this party started?”
CHAPTER 4
It took a lot longer than expected to clean up a murder. Not that I had any experience to go off of. I was restless and ready for this day to be over. Jamie and Louie did most of the work while I was told to pack a single bag of things I couldn’t live without. When I questioned as to why only one bag, Jamie explained it had to appear like I had intentions of coming back even if I wasn’t. I didn’t understand what that meant, nor did I push him to explain further. It was an easy task. I had very little I couldn’t live without. My one bag held my laptop, a few albums with old photos in them, a file folder full of important documents, and my jewelry box.
With my task complete, all I had left to do was watch the guys work. That didn’t last long. Once Jamie pulled out a bone saw from one of the black duffels, I took my leave. Louie laughed at my back as I practically ran from the room.
Sitting back on the couch, I scrolled through my phone for hours trying to tune out the sounds of the saw and the occasional thump coming from upstairs. My phone’s battery was in the red when Jamie came looking for me, asking for Tom’s car keys. Then I had to watch him and Louie cart heavy-looking black trash bags to the back of Tom’s Jeep.
They left after the last bag was loaded, with Louie driving Tom’s Jeep and Jamie following in his car. By the time they returned, I had finished off Tom’s bottle of cheap bourbon and was sporting a really good buzz. They walked right in without knocking, startling me. I was about to blow up on them, but the smell of greasy food filling my nose pulled my focus, making my mouth water. Noticing Louie had a brown fast food bag in hand, my body moved before my brain could catch up.
Watching me approach him like a hunger-crazed zombie, Louie quickly lifted the bag of food out of my reach as I went to snatch it. I stumbled a bit, falling against his chest. His free arm circled around my back, steadying me. “Aw, Maura, I always knew you wanted me.”
I chuckled. Man, I missed him. “What’s a girl got to do for a cheeseburger?” I asked suggestively, yet showed him I was completely joking by wiggling my eyebrows.