Coming Out of the Dark: Second Chance Series - Book 1

by Joan Davis

  With a start, Risa realized Samson had quietly walked into the living room. How long had she been paralyzed by her inner thoughts? His presence had an immediate calming effect on her fear. He had dressed in faded jeans and a white cotton T-shirt that spanned his muscular chest. Risa stared and still marveled again at his enormous size. His hair was slightly damp and fell down past his shoulders. He indicated a first-aid box in his hand. “I need to treat those cuts and scrapes on your arm and hand,” he said, sitting on the large brown leather sofa. He set the first aid box on the coffee table and opened it to remove the things he would need.

  Risa slowly got up, with the afghan still wrapped around her, walked over and sat down next to him. She held out her arm so it would be easier for him to work on her. “Thank you,” she said softly, as he quickly, but gently treated her wounds. She stared at him as if mesmerized. What is it about this man? Where is the fear? Why is it that all I want to do is to crawl into his arms and have him hold me tight?

  Samson glanced up briefly at her thanks. He smiled and went back to bandaging one of the nastier cuts. “That should do it,” he said, pressing a final bandage in place and then began putting everything away. “I see Christy’s clothing fit you,” he said, eyeing the way the clothing formed to Risa’s figure.

  Risa nodded silently. She absently rubbed her chest bone as his voice, once again, vibrated against her. She had wondered whose clothes he had brought to her. A panicked thought entered her mind. Was Christy his girl-friend, fiancé, wife? What about LuAnne Franklin? Risa felt resentment flare against these women.

  Samson saw the questions in Risa’s eyes that she refused to ask. “Christy is Conner’s little sister. She and her friends like to come out here and use the lake during spring break from high school. They sometimes leave stuff behind, and I just store it,” Samson said with a shrug.

  Risa ducked her head. Because of her past, she often felt so much older than she was. However, at this very moment she felt like she was fifteen again. She had no experience with men. She had only been on one date before she had been taken captive, and that had been a group date with several of her friends. Dealing with Samson was like dealing with a wild animal. Sometimes she felt a deep connection to him, and in the next instance she was off balance and unsure of how to approach him.

  “Risa, does your chest hurt?” Samson asked in concern. He had noticed her rubbing that area of her chest several times since he met her.

  Shaking her head, Risa dropped her hand self-consciously.

  “Then why do you . . .,” Samson began.

  Risa sighed. “It’s your voice,” she said simply, shrugging uneasily.

  “My voice hurts your chest?” he asked in amazement.

  “No, it’s like a bass drum. I feel it here when you talk,” Risa said indicating her chest. “I like it,” she said and then blushed hotly, clapping a hand over her mouth and groaning in embarrassment. Oh my God, not again.

  Samson stared at her in shock for a minute. “Woman, the things you say to me,” Samson said in a low, lusty growl. He leaned towards her, took her hand away from her mouth and then kissed her soundly on the lips. “You are the most surprising woman I have ever met, Risa Landau,” he said, shaking his head and grinning widely. His body clenched. Samson found it incredibly erotic to know his voice affected Risa like that.

  Risa just stared at him mutely, still reeling from his kiss. She had the wildest urge to throw herself on top of him and make him kiss her again.

  “Are you hungry?” Samson asked, breaking into her fantasy. Rising, he began moving toward what Risa guessed was the kitchen. “I have steaks ready to grill, if that’s okay with you,” He stated.

  Risa stood up on rubbery legs and followed slowly. “I don’t think I couldn’t eat anything right now,” she said, knowing her stomach was still knotted with tension and fear. She stopped at the entrance of the kitchen and looked around in awe. Her eyes tried to take in all the stainless steel, granite, and dark cherry wood that seemed to go on forever. “You have a beautiful home. How long have you lived here?” she asked, moving around the kitchen’s center island.

  “Actually, all my life. My family has owned this property for over 100 years,” he said, seeing the kitchen through her eyes. “We had a small cabin that stood here, but when I became financially able, I built this house. There are several bedrooms, bathrooms and even a home office on the other side of the house. A few years back, parts of the house were remodeled,” he said and pulled out two large coffee mugs from a cabinet. “Risa, how about hot cocoa? It should be warm and relaxing?” Samson coaxed.

  Risa nodded and smiled at the thought of this huge man fixing hot cocoa. It just seemed a bit surreal. Once Samson had the two cups filled with the warm, sweet liquid, they went back into the living room. Risa grabbed the throw and sat back in the big leather chair she had been in previously. Samson chose to sprawl out on the big sofa.

  “Samson, do you mind if I ask a question?” Risa asked tentatively, after taking a few warming sips of the delicious cocoa.

  “Go ahead. You can ask me anything,” Samson replied comfortably.

  “Were you really a bounty hunter?” Risa asked.

  “Yes,” Samson said simply. “I worked for my father. It’s a family business. He is retired now and my cousin Zek runs the operation now.”

  “You hunted bad people and put them in jail,” Risa stated.

  “Yes.” Samson replied and waited for her to continue.

  “How did you find them? I mean, what sort of information did you need to find these people?” Risa fidgeted and then said quickly, “I’m just curious about it. Is that okay?”

  Samson stared at her quizzically for a few seconds before saying, “We get leads from family, friends, enemies, or whoever is willing to give them to us. We also follow any paper trails like credit card charges, bills, utilities, or rental agreements. Snitches or other people we stay in contact with also give us information regularly. Once we obtain credible information, we work up a plan of action and then go hunting.”

  “When you went looking for these people were you always successful? What happened if they weren’t where they were supposed to be?” Risa asked intently.

  Samson relaxed back onto the sofa and gave his full attention to Risa. “Then we would keep trying. We would continue to follow leads until we apprehended them.”

  Risa nodded and looked thoughtful for a moment. “Why did you quit doing it?” she asked quietly.

  “I was injured on one of our operations. A man we were after got in a lucky strike with a big serrated hunting knife. The blade went in under my arm in between a small opening in my armored vest,” Samson said, frowning at the painful memory. He hadn’t thought about his last case in a long while.

  “The scar on your right side, was that where he stabbed you?” Risa asked unconsciously pointing to the spot she meant on her own body.

  Nodding, Samson said, “Yes,” while rubbing the old scar through his T-shirt. He got an unexpected thrill that Risa had paid enough attention to his body to remember seeing it. He lifted his shirt up to show her and she gazed at the faded jagged scar. Memories of the pain that went on for weeks played over in Samson’s mind. He looked at Risa and gently asked, “Do you still think I’m beautiful despite this thing?” He asked gently.

  Risa stared at Samson quietly, recognizing that he was making a point and then nodded slowly.

  Samson smiled warmly and then continued, “The stabbing resulted in a collapsed lung and a ton of other complications. I almost didn’t make it. At least that’s what my family tells me. I was in the hospital for a couple of months and then I was in rehab for another four months before I felt normal again.”

  “And that convinced to you quit?” Risa asked.

  Sighing, Samson said, “I had a lot of time to think while I lay in that hospital bed. My father wanted me to take over the business when he retired. It was expected. But I realized during my recovery that I didn’t want th
at life. Don’t get me wrong. I made a ton of money and saved most of it since I barely had any expenses, but I had put aside my dream of being an architect and builder to help my father. I decided that life was just too short to give up on my dream. I finally told my father that I wanted to leave and get my builder’s licenses and start my own company.

  “Was he angry?” Risa asked curiously.

  Samson smiled at an old memory. “My father was amazing. He was totally supportive. My cousin Zek stepped up and became Dad’s second-in-command. That move gave me the freedom to leave without guilt. I went back to school and got my licenses. My father helped me out financially with seed money for the construction company. It gave me the freedom to grow slowly and get my name out in the community as someone who did quality work. I was able to pay him back within the second year. Over the years, I have invested my savings wisely and have been lucky enough to have that cushion since the economy is so shaky right now. My company has fared better than most.

  Risa licked her lips and took a deep breath. “I’m glad you do something you love. Not everyone gets that chance.” She hesitated before asking, “Do you think you would be willing to go back to hunting for someone if it was really important?”

  “I don’t know. It would depend on the circumstances, I guess,” Samson said slowly. He was starting to wonder about her questions.

  “When you worked for your father did you ever search for people like me? Missing people, I mean.”

  Watching Risa closely, Samson noticed she was avoiding his eyes. “Sometimes we were called in for a friend, or to help law enforcement or an investigator. Why are you asking me these questions, Risa?” he finally asked.

  Risa bit her lip and gathered the throw around her until her hands were clinched tightly together. In a faltering voice she asked, “Samson, if those people get me again, could you help my dad? I don’t want him to have to try to find me on his own again. I’m just wondering if you would help him try to find me.” Risa stopped when tears choked her throat. “I don’t know if I can last as long as I did the last time, but, maybe if you can find me faster this time . . .,” Risa stopped, unable to say more.

  Samson’s heart broke in half. How long had she lived with the fear of death hanging over her? He could see the resignation in her eyes. She didn’t trust that she would ever be safe again. How does someone live with fear like that? He wondered if he would be as strong in spirit as Risa. Clearing his throat and clenching his jaw, Samson made a decision and slowly got down on his knees next to Risa’s chair. He gently cupped her face in his hands. “Risa, I want you look into my eyes and hear every word I’m going to say to you.” Risa stared into Samson’s eyes with such dread and pain that it nearly took his breath. “From this point on, I want you to know that no one will ever hurt you again. When we find the bastard who attacked you today, I will become his worst nightmare. Keeping you and your dad safe has now become my primary focus, and I am very good at hunting down scum like this guy. Do you believe me?” Samson asked as he stared into her beautiful, sad eyes.

  Risa could only nod, tears still clogging her throat. She trusted that Samson meant what he said, but she had five years to learn better. They would never let her be free for long. That had been drummed into her psyche over and over again. Today had proved it to her. A small shudder of relief went through her. Maybe, when they take me again, Samson will find me before it’s too late.

  “Good, now drink more cocoa so I won’t feel insulted that you didn’t like it,” Samson said teasingly. He sat back down on the sofa and was pleased when Risa took a satisfying drink of cocoa and smiled.

  Once they finished their cocoa and Samson cleaned up, they sat at opposite ends of sofa and relaxed. Since the cable had been knocked out by the storm, Samson put on a DVD and they settled into a comfortable silence. Exhaustion finally took its toll on Risa and she curled up in the corner of the couch and fell into a deep sleep. Samson waited a few minutes and then gently picked her up in his arms and carried her to his bedroom. He was afraid he wouldn’t hear her if he put her in one of the guest bedrooms. He placed her gently on his king-sized bed. He stood back, debating with himself and finally removed her pants, leaving her in her top and the underwear he had provided earlier. She looked so tiny, but oh so tempting, in his big bed. Sighing, he pulled the warm quilt out from under her and covered her with it. He left the bedside lamp on, just in case she awakened.

  Samson returned to the living room and called the Landau house. Bill answered on the first ring. “Is she okay?” Bill demanded, having recognized the number on caller-ID.

  “She’s fine, Bill. She didn’t want to eat, but I was able to get her to drink a little cocoa and now she is sleeping soundly,” Samson said.

  “Conner said he thinks it was one of those cult bastards that tried to take her again,” Bill said, breathing hard. “Samson, you and Conner know people. I can’t lose my girl again.” Bill’s implication was clear and his tone desperate. “You’re sure she’s okay? I want to get over there, but this damn storm . . .?”

  “You have my word, Bill. She is sleeping peacefully right now. She is a strong woman. She fought him off and got away,” Samson said, swallowing his own protective nature. “You’re not going to lose Risa again. You have my word.”

  “She has been through so much already. I thought I’d be able to protect her.” Bill’s guilt and remorse was evident in his voice.

  “Bill, you can’t blame yourself. These people are obviously more extreme than anyone thought. We will just have to take steps to make sure they can’t get to her again,” Samson voice was absolute.

  Bill was silent for a moment. “Samson, this isn’t your fight, but I don’t have anyone else to turn to at this point. The D.A. and police tell me they can’t act until those bastards make a move against Risa. Even after what happened today, they are more concerned about the damn trees falling into the roads instead of finding this guy,” Bill said in angry frustration.

  “I’m making this my fight, Bill,” Samson said darkly. “I will do whatever it takes to keep you and Risa safe. You were right. She has been through enough. These people are going to pay for what they did to you and your daughter, and if they continue to come after her, that price is going to be permanent,” Samson stated with deadly purpose.

  Again, there was silence on the other end of the phone, but then Bill said quietly, “Whatever it takes?”

  “Whatever it takes,” Samson confirmed. “Bill, I need to speak to Conner. Can you put him on the phone?” he asked.

  Bill handed the phone to Conner. “Hold on a second,” Conner said. After a few seconds Conner was back on the line. “I’m on the front porch, go ahead,” he said.

  “I want more information on these assholes. I know you were stonewalled before, but I want everything, no matter what it takes to get it. I want to know when they take a damn breath. You read me? This is going to end and end soon,” Samson growled. These monsters needed to be stopped before they did any more damage.

  “I’m already on it. I’m also looking into security measures. Do you want me to call in the boys?” Conner asked.

  “Not until we know more. Right now I just want information,” Samson said

  “Samson, how did she recognize you?” Conner finally asked the question he had been wondering about for hours.

  “Not now Conner, maybe later,” Samson stated with a sigh.

  CHAPTER 3

  Harsh, biting rain beat against his face, but he ignored it. His focus was on the house where the large man had taken the witch. Rage filled him. He had almost had her and then lost her again. But she would pay for the death of his brother. No matter what it took, she would face the same torturous death.

  The man muttered to himself, “Saren lied to us all, and my brother was slaughtered because of it. He brought the girl into the coven and she destroyed it. They all have to pay the price.” Saren, the witch, and anyone who stood in the way would die.

  No one had any i
dea who he was and how close he was to them all. He had made sure the girl had never seen his face when she was with the coven. No one knew he had anything to do with Saren. Saren was waiting for him to help him. But soon, Saren and everyone else would realize their fate. It would be too late to save them. They would feel the terror that his brother felt and he would look into their eyes as they met death’s grip.

  *****

  Samson and his bounty hunting team pulled up quietly in two big SUVs. All ten of his men were wearing protective vests and each was armed with a gun and handcuffs. They were hunting for Richard ‘Duke’ Mueller who was wanted for failure to show up to court on an outstanding warrant. He was a big man at six foot and nearly 300 pounds. It would take several men to subdue him if he put up a fight. Nothing was routine in the bounty hunting business. Samson knew he could never let his guard down or become blasé about his job. It could mean the difference between life and death if he did.

  They got word from Duke’s ex-girlfriend that he was hiding out at his grandfather’s trailer. The trailer sat on five acres of wooded land near Charlotte, North Carolina. The team would have to be stealthy to get close enough to keep Mueller from running before they could get into place and surrounded the trailer.

  Samson signaled for the SUVs to come to a stop about a quarter mile from the Mueller’s trailer. They would walk in on foot and avoid the chance of the vehicles giving them away. A thick mist hugged the ground and swirled as the men moved into teams. “Zek, take your team and flank to the left side. Have Uriah, Frank and Chris cover the back. I don’t want him slipping into the woods and disappearing. I’m going straight in with the rest of the boys. I’m giving you a five minute lead on me, so let me know when you’re in place.”

  Twenty minutes later everyone was in place and Samson stood to one side of the of the trailer door and knocked. The television’s volume had been high but now was suddenly silent.