AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We know a guy who knows a guy,” Evan said simply. “We always do.”
I wanted to ask him how that was even possible. How three men locked away in a secluded fortress could possibly hold such sway over so many things.
“Trust me,” he said, sensing my train of thought. “We’ll get it done.”
Evan reached out his hand and I took it. A warm feeling stole over me as our palms slid together, our fingers interlacing so naturally it was like we’d done it a thousand times.
“I appreciate this so much,” I said. “More than you’ll ever know.”
He squeezed me gently, his inked forearm flexing and unflexing beneath some sexy-looking Latin saying.
“Nothing compares to the sacrifice you’re making for us,” he shook his head solemnly. “Nothing.”
The gates swung wide before us and we finally reached the house, which for some reason looked darker than usual. A gentle rain had started as we left Boston. But now, what started as a summer sprinkle had turned into a full-blown downpour.
“Run,” Evan winked, bailing out before I even had my seatbelt off.
Twenty-Four
QUINN
I laughed alone inside the empty truck, cursing Evan silently as I popped the door open. Then, with the rain now coming down in buckets, I made a beeline for the house.
Shit shit shit shit!
The distance wasn’t far because Evan had parked relatively close to the front door. Even so, by the time I got there I was thoroughly and completely soaked.
“So much for chivalry!” I called out loudly, as I entered.
Once inside the house I found myself in near-total darkness. Evan was nowhere to be found. As the heavy door clicked shut behind me, my spidey-senses were tingling off the charts.
What the—
Then I saw the candles, and emotions of relief flooded through me. They were followed closely by a rising excitement.
“Oh...”
A trail of tiny, flickering flames led through the foyer and all the way up the staircase. The wax candles were thick and heavy, and alternated between a deep crimson and a soothing off-white. With the rest of the house shrouded in darkness, they gave off just enough illumination to keep me from breaking my neck.
And so I climbed.
Step by step I pushed my creeping stomach down, before it could lodge itself in my throat. I don’t even know why I was nervous. Maybe it was darkness, or the silence, or the complete lack of anyone else. I felt isolated and alone; my only companion the steady patter of rain, somewhere high above on the roof.
“Hello?”
I reached the landing without answer. The candles, of course, led straight into my bedroom.
All day I’d been trying to figure out how to break the ice — to somehow discuss the events of last night. Each time I’d failed. In wanting to keep things from being awkward I’d waited too long, and now they were… well… awkward.
Maybe.
I kept going, putting one foot in front of the other as I made my way down the wide, spacious hallway. The house looked especially eerie by candlelight. I felt like the heroine of a horror movie, the one you always scream at in frustration for walking into a trap.
“Well, are you going to stand there?” a firm, deep voice demanded. “Or are you coming in, so we can peel off those rain-soaked clothes.”
I’d reached the doorway to my bedroom. Inside were even more candles, placed strategically across the floor and furniture. They lit the room with a warm, muted glow that reflected beautifully off the three shirtless men who happened to be here as well.
“Welcome home.”
