Evanesce (The Darkness #2)

by Cassia Brightmore

  “I know you’re awake, baby,” he whispered, seeking out her tender earlobe to nip at.

  Nora rolled over onto her back and let out a soft moan. “Oh, Ricardo, don’t stop. That feels amazing,” she teased.

  Gabe bit her ear in response to her joke. “You little vixen, don’t make me turn you over my knee,” he warned. His words sent a thrill of excitement through Nora. Picturing herself splayed across his lap while he smacked her bottom, was highly erotic. Desire awakened in her swiftly as she pictured the scene, and she slid a hand down Gabe’s chiselled abs, over her dark tattoos and into his pajama bottoms.

  “Maybe you need punishing, Mr. Thornton. I believe I made it very clear that you’re to sleep in the guest room,” she wrapped her hands around his hard cock and squeezed gently. “And this, most definitely is not the guest room.”

  “Your pussy was calling to me, baby. I dreamed of you, could smell your scent in my sleep. Hear those little noises that you make when I do this.” He reached between them and pinched her aching clit eliciting a low moan of pleasure from Nora’s lips. “Why dream about it when I could come in here and have the real thing,” he finished, kissing her hard on the mouth.

  Nora sucked Gabe’s upper lip into her mouth and suckled, all while rubbing the tip of his cock with her thumb. He pulsed beneath her, trying to fuck her hand. Pulling his mouth away, he groaned. “Fuck, Nora. You’re gonna be the death of me, baby.” He tugged her hands up above her head and swept her nightgown up and over her head. Staring down at her, his mouth went dry. “You are so fucking beautiful. So damn sexy,” he told her, lowering his head to draw one of her taut nipples into his mouth.

  Arching her back to give him better access, Nora buried her hands into his hair. He was so strong, she felt so small in his arms; yet so protected. They had loved and lost each other, but finding their way back was a blissful torture she was thriving in. Instead of getting back what they once had, they were building something entirely new. A new, bright future. Instead of him always being the one in control, she was asserting some of her own, and she fucking loved it.

  Gabe had switched to her other breast and his right hand was travelling down over her smooth stomach to tease her dripping pussy. “Jesus fuck, you’re so wet and hot. You want my cock, don’t you baby?”

  Nora sat up and pushed him back in response. Climbing up his body she hovered just over his face. “I need you to taste me, Gabe,” she panted. With a growl, Gabe snatched her hips and crashed her down onto his face, his tongue plunging inside her. Nora let out a shocked breath at the sudden sensation, gyrating her hips over his tongue as he continued fucking her with his mouth.

  Gabe moved his hands to cup her ass pulling her even farther down onto his face. “So fucking tasty. More,” he mumbled. His hand travelled back and then two fingers were inside her as he sucked her clit into his mouth at a furious pace. Nora let out a yell as she exploded, unable to stop grinding until wave after wave of pleasure subsided. Gabe wiped at his chin and grinned at her. “Fucking fantastic, Nora.”

  Nora’s body felt like water, her orgasm had been so intense all her bones were weightless. Sliding down Gabe’s body, she positioned herself over his cock and sent him a wink. “Hope you aren’t tired yet, Mr. Thornton…if you are, I can always see if Ricardo is occupied.” Her words got just the reaction she was looking for. Gabe was on her in a second, flipping her across his lap.

  “Warned you,” he said, moments before his hand came down her ass cheeks in a stinging smack. “Oh!” Nora cried out. It hurt for a second, but quickly turned to a dull throb. Gabe kept up his pace, her cheeks turning a light pink from his ministrations. Moisture pooled between Nora’s legs, her arousal evident.

  Gabe had never been so turned on, the little grunts Nora was making as he spanked her were so fucking hot, he was ready to come all over her stomach, without even being inside her sweet pussy.

  Sitting her up, he pulled her legs around her waist. “Need to be in you, Nora. I’m not gonna last long, baby.” Nora nodded, trying to catch her breath. Her ass was smarting but her pussy was like an Olympian vaulter trying to launch itself onto Gabe’s cock. Lifting her hips, Gabe thrust inside her, filling her until he was balls deep. Their pace started slow, Gabe reveling in the feel of her tight pussy gripping his cock. Nora wasn’t having any of that though, she pushed on his shoulders and rose up and down, gaining speed as she fucked him.

  Gabe slipped his hands under her ass cheeks to protect them from landing hard on his thighs which would irritate her tender skin. Looking down at him, their eyes met and the spark was a jolt to the system. She loved this man, this infuriating, moronic, stupid sexy man. He was made for her, her match in every way. Her heart constricted in her chest and tears sprang to her eyes. The intensity of her emotions nearly knocked her over. Gabe captured her lips in a sweet kiss, pouring all the emotion he felt for her into it.

  Nora’s orgasm came from nowhere. A slow eruption rather that stole her breath as she clenched and released, clenched and released. Gabe soon followed, spilling his hot cum into her, both of them moaning into each other’s mouths.

  Rolling over onto their backs, Nora cuddled into Gabe’s arms. Basking in the afterglow, she traced lazy circles on his chest with the tip of her finger. Gabe really was a changed man, he’d grown up in his time away into a man she could trust. Of course, there was still his mouth to be dealt with.

  “Beat that, Ricardo.”

  * * *

  Weeks passed uneventfully. Jacobs’ Ranch was flourishing under Nora’s leadership, finally returning to its former glory decades before. Gabe moved out of the guest room, ignoring Nora’s half-hearted protests that it was too soon. They had wasted enough time during the two years they were apart. He wasn’t willing to wait another second.

  Brady returned to Louisiana to work his part of the case from there and to be with Gwyn, he was expected to return in a few weeks when they would collate all the information they had managed to collect. Strangely, the abductions seemed to have stopped. There was no sign of the Kenner’s baby, which was heart-breaking for them. Nora was devastated for Sydney. The pain she was in was obviously excoriating over the loss of her child.

  Theo and Quinn were still knee deep in researching crimes of the past and families that may have ancestors with a grudge against Norton Springs. They disappeared for hours at a time to work at the local library. Nora suspected there was more going on there, but wisely kept her mouth shut. Gabe would go bezerk if he thought his best friend was hooking up with his little sister. That wasn’t a fight she was ready to be involved in until her suspicions were confirmed. She’d made a mental note to corner Quinn at a later date to get some answers. At the moment, she had other things to worry about.

  Standing up from the toilet, Nora wiped her sweaty brow. This was the third day in a row she had woken with nausea and subsequently vomited. Her breasts felt tender and she was having trouble remembering her last menstrual cycle. All the signs were pointing to…

  “No. I can’t be. Can I?” Thinking back, there was several times that she and Gabe had sex without a condom. But she was on the pill.

  “Ugh, Nora, you sound like an ignorant teenager,” she muttered to herself. Splashing cold water on her face, she sighed. She had no choice. She had to go into town to get a test and find out forsure whether or not she was pregnant.

  Stomping down the stairs, she grabbed her keys and headed out the front door. “Stupid, Nora. So bloody stupid.”

  “Hey, don’t talk about my girl like that,” Gabe’s voice startled her from behind. Plastering a fake smile on her face, she turned to face him.

  “Where are you going?” he asked, eyeing her purse and keys. Play it cool, Nora.

  “I don’t have to tell you my every move. You’re not my father,” she snapped. Great, just fucking great.

  Gabe looked stunned at her outburst, hurt flashing across his face. “I damn sure don’t think of myself as your father, for God’s sake, Nora. But
you do need to tell me where you’re going. You know things aren’t safe at the moment.” He was completely bewildered at her attitude.

  “Look, I’m sorry okay. It’s just—it’s just the tension and worry getting to me. I’m just going to run to town to pick up a few feminine things and I’ll be right back,” she told him, leaning up to place an apologetic kiss on his cheek.

  Gabe had been ready to fight to accompany her, but at the mention of “feminine things,” he changed his mind. He did not want to be carrying maxi pads and Midol around for her. He loved her, but not that damn much.

  “Alright, baby. Pick yourself up a bottle of wine too while you’re there. We’ll have some with dinner tonight. And keep your cell on,” he ordered. Nora nodded and then made her escape, forcing her legs not to run to her truck.

  Gabe watched her disappear down the long drive and out onto the main road. Shaking his head, he wondered about her snappy temper. Women, he brushed it off and wandered off to find what Theo was spending the morning working on.

  Nora pulled up to the shopping mart and cut the engine. Her hands were shaking on the wheel and her breathing was coming in shallow pants. Calm down, it’s probably nothing but something weird you ate. You aren’t pregnant.

  Entering the store, she headed straight for the family planning section. Rows and rows of pregnancy tests stared back at her. “Jesus. How do you pick,” she mumbled, examining a few boxes. Choosing one that guaranteed results in two minutes, she headed to the cashier. Thankfully, the young girl behind the counter wasn’t someone she recognized. Paying for the test, she asked, “May I use your restroom, please?” The girl sent her a sympathetic look and pointed to the back of the store.

  “Sure, ma’am. It’s in the back by the drink coolers. You don’t need a key or anything.” Muttering a thanks, Nora rushed into the bathroom and locked the door. Peeing on a damn stick was not fucking easy. She got more on her hands than she did on the test and swore out loud. Panicked, she set it on the counter and yanked the other test from the box to try again. Squatting lower, she repeated the steps and then had nothing to do for two minutes but wait.

  They say before you die, your life flashes before your eyes. The same can be said for those monumental moments. Two minutes felt like a lifetime—images of her love story with Gabe flowed through her mind. Their first kiss. The first time they rode a horse together. Pulling cattle and kissing while covered in the most disgusting fluids, not caring since they had just witnessed the miracle of life.

  Nora’s eyes popped open. The miracle of life. Gabe would be a good father, he had more than proved that over the years. The fear she had now was would he be ready now…or would the news send him running again? Opening her eyes, Nora eyed the two tests. It was time to find out.

  Picking them up, she took a deep breath and turned the tests over. Two pink lines on one. Two pink lines on the other. Positive. The test was positive. She was carrying Gabe’s child. Like it or not, she was about to find out how serious he was about being back in her life.

  Throwing the tests into the plastic bag, she stuffed it all in her purse and rushed out of the bathroom. “Ooomph!” she burst out when she collided with a hard chest. Strong arms came up to steady her before she went crashing to the ground.

  “Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you there,” she apologized. Looking up, she gasped when she saw the handsome man.

  He grinned at her and pulled her in for an embrace, her head fitting perfectly in his arms. “It’s quite alright, beautiful girl. The fault is mine. Although, I’m not sorry to see you again, Nora.” His voice was exactly how she remembered it, smooth as silk.

  “Marcus Drake. What are you doing back in town?”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  “It’s going to be complicated and horrendously painful, however I believe we can grant your request, Mr. Drake.” The doctor had a nasally voice that grated on Marcus’s last nerve. Stifling the urge to put his fist through the man’s face, he forced a tight smile.

  “Wonderful. I expect to get started right away. No delays. No mistakes.” His tone left no room for argument, his stare hard as he held the doctor’s eye. The temperature dropped a few degrees as Marcus stood, straightening his tie.

  “Remember what I said, Dr. Lowe. No mistakes. I am not the man you want to cross.”

  Dr. Lowe’s hands crunched the photographs in his hands as he audibly swallowed. Was it wise to be getting involved with the self-proclaimed king of the Black Market? Definitely not.

  Shady doctors such as himself had heard the tales of Marcus’s wrath, but also of his generosity if he was pleased with the work provided to him. All he could do now was pray that his genius with a scalpel would save his ass from being chopped up for parts and sold to the highest bidder. This request from Marcus was unlike anything he had ever attempted before, but if he valued his life…he had to pull it off. There was no turning back now.

  “I understand Mr. Drake. I assure you, I can make this happen. You just need to understand…to undo a change as drastic as this—it will be impossible. This will be permanent.” Dr. Lowe didn’t want to be in the line of fire if Marcus changed his mind a few months down the line.

  “All you need to worry about is pleasing me with this job, Dr. Lowe. The rest is not your concern. When can we begin? I do not want any delays, the timeline of this needs to be perfect,” he informed him.

  “I have cleared my schedule after this week. We can begin on Monday.”

  Marcus’s grin was cold and full of malice. “Splendid.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Gabe fingered the ring box in his pocket and pulled on the neck of the damned dress shirt his mother had insisted he wear. Telling his mother about his plans to propose to Nora was the worst mistake he’d ever mind. She had promptly burst into tears and started fluttering about. Nattering his ear off about how he needed rose petals and candles and a moonlight walk to set the mood. “A girl only gets a moment like this once in her life, Gabriel,” she had scolded him when he started complaining she was going overboard.

  So thanks to his mother, he was stuffed into an uncomfortable suit next to an elegantly decorated candlelit table for two on the farthest point of Nora’s ranch. There was twinkling yellow lights strung up in the trees and rose petals surrounding their chairs. His father had been no help at all, he had just shrugged and told him to “get used to it.”

  To make matters worse, Theo had caught him up on the ladder hanging the damn lights and just about had a heart attack from laughing so hard. He was lucky he had got away with all his teeth intact. Gabe shifted his feet and checked his watch. 7:05pm. The note he had sent Nora told her to arrive promptly t 7pm, just for fun he had added for her to dress in her sexiest dress. So where the fuck was she? A few more minutes went by and no sign of Nora. Dread started to fill him, had something happened to her? Anyone that touched a hair on her head would die a bloody death. Pulling out his phone he started dialing Theo’s number.

  The sound of approaching hooves had his hand freezing, about to press the send key to connect the call. Nora was atop her prized steed, Shadow; her long black hair flowing out behind her as she flew across the grounds. She was magnificent; a vision. Pulling on the reins, she brought Shadow to a stop a few feet away from Gabe. Dismounting, she secured his reins to a nearby tree and walked towards Gabe. In simple jeans and a plaid shirt. She had clearly disobeyed his instructions on the card he sent, probably pissed at his bossiness.

  Jealousy filled him as he stared at her comfortable jeans in dismay. There he was dressed up in a monkey suit and she looked ready for another day on the ranch. Damn you, Mother.

  Walking towards him, Nora hid a giggle behind her hand. “I guess you weren’t kidding about wanting me to dress up,” she teased him, a sparkle in her eye. Gabe snatched her into his arms and kissed her hard, dipping her slightly.

  “You know damn well I wasn’t kidding. And you’re late,” he added, letting her go. Nora sighed happily and wrapped h
er arms around him in a tight hug.

  “Sorry about that, I lost track of time going over the accounts. I really need to hire an accountant,” she told him. The truth was, she had been a bundle of nerves ever since she had learned she was pregnant a month earlier. She’d been searching for the right moment to break the news to Gabe, but so far, hadn’t found the courage or opportunity to share the news. She was running on borrowed time; as she was starting to show. It was miniscule, but it was there and all that Nora could see when she looked in the mirror.

  When the note arrived from Gabe to meet him for dinner, she thought she had been found out. That Marcus had spilled the beans to a mutual friend and Gabe had heard it through the small town grapevine. When she read the part about the sexy dress, she realized that must not be the case, as he wouldn’t ask her to dress up just to break it off and leave town again. Thinking of the day that she had discovered she was pregnant, she realized that she hadn’t told Gabe about him being back in town. She made a mental note to fill him in later.

  “We’ll look into it next month for you, we can put up some ads in the paper.” Gabe smiled at her and did a slow half-turn with her still in his arms. Seeing the beautifully decorated clearing, Nora gasped.

  “Gabe! You did all this?” Nora was shocked. Gabe was by no means a selfish lover, but grand romantic gestures weren’t really his thing.

  Gabe was under strict instructions from his mother to take credit for all of the ideas and work, even though she did most of the planning. Not willing to risk the consequences if he said otherwise, he obeyed. “I sure did. I wanted tonight to be special for you, Nora. You deserve it. You deserve this and so much more.”

  Taking her hand, he led her over to the table and pulled out the chair for her. Once she was seated, he turned her toward him and then dropped to one knee.