Into the Blackness (Blackness Series Book 4)

by Norma Jeanne Karlsson

  If you told me six months ago I’d be where I am right now I would have laughed in your face and advised you to get your head checked. I found my flavor though and I can’t imagine wanting a different one in this lifetime. And apparently I’ve turned into a pussy, so there’s that.

  “I’d like to head up to Chicago to check in with Kieran after we finish up house shopping,” I say to Kat.

  “All right,” she responds tentatively.

  She knows what I’m going to do in Chicago. She’d rather be at my side than here in Kansas City, but I’ve got to do this on my own. It’s time to remove the demons. I’m ready to rid this world of the evil that has caused the people that I love torture and anguish. I’m going to kill my uncle once and for all.

  Nick

  “I’m worried about my swimmers,” Kieran grumbles as we sit and wait for my uncle to be brought into the visitation room at the federal penitentiary he’s currently serving a life sentence in.

  “How’s that?” I ask, thinking that’s the weirdest thing he could say to me right about now.

  “You knock up Kat after one maybe two tries. Kellerman knocks up Shannon in one shot…with twins. It took me a few months with Quinn. There’s gotta be somethin’ wrong with me.”

  “You’re fuckin’ insane,” I say through a chuckle.

  “No Mancini Family left in the city. I took the last two out last night,” Kieran informs me bringing us back to business. “We take care of your uncle today and you’re good to go, man.”

  “I owe you.”

  “Nah, this motherfucker’s had it comin’ since he went after Shannon. He fucked with my family, so I killed his,” he states nonchalantly.

  The door opens and my uncle staggers as his eyes land on my sapphire blues. No more contacts after today. I’m coming back to the life I fought to earn.

  The guards sit the stunned old man down and handcuff him to the table before leaving the room with knowing nods at Kieran. I’m not here as Agent Nick Cooper. I legally changed my name when I joined the DCA, but today, I’m in this room for the last time as Nick Scarso, nephew and enforcer for Vito Mancini. Today Nick Scarso dies right along with his uncle.

  “Nick,” my uncle says in a haunted voice.

  “Vito,” I return coolly.

  “So the feds got to you?” he asks in a resigned tone.

  “I am the fed. I’ve been the fed since I walked into your office almost eleven years ago,” I admit confidently.

  His classically Italian features harden at my admission. I see him plotting who he can get to carry out a hit on me. Nice try old man. Not happening. He’ll be dead before he can get to a phone or a contact in here.

  “You fuckin’ ratted on your own family?” he growls in disgust.

  “I did my job and helped bring down the biggest piece of shit to ever grace the streets of Chicago and I did it with fuckin’ pride.”

  “And now you’ve aligned with this fuckin’ mick?” he spits.

  “This fuckin’ mick has eliminated every last person in your family,” Kieran snarls.

  “You’re a sad excuse for a boss, Delaney. Your day’ll come sooner than later,” Vito threatens.

  “I’m not a stupid old man that kidnaps women and sells his own children. I’ll take my chances, Mancini.”

  “Sells my own children?” Vito questions.

  “I found Cara,” I state simply. “I’m here to find out what the fuck you did with her.”

  “How?” he grunts.

  “How did I find her or how am I gonna find out what you did?”

  “How’d you find her?”

  “Naked in my backyard runnin’ from a sex slave dungeon,” I growl, feeling my fury begin to boil at the memory.

  “Deidre Murphy was a fine piece of ass,” he says through a grin.

  “I guess you have a thing for sex slaves,” Kieran grumbles.

  “She’d been on my cock for two years before I offed her pussy husband.”

  “So you lied about how you killed her?” I ask trying to get answers to questions for everyone involved in this crazy shit. When Vito was finally brought down last year he pled guilty to the murder of Shannon’s mother. Only he fucking lied and said he killed her a few months after he murdered Shannon’s father and tried to kill Shannon.

  “I didn’t kill her. She died a few months after she gave birth to Cara from complications from the birth or some shit.”

  “Why the fuck did you say you killed her then?” Kieran demands.

  “Didn’t want anyone pokin’ around for Cara,” he answers blankly.

  “What’d you do with Cara?”

  “Gave it to a black market baby selling ring. I couldn’t keep a baby with me when Deidre died. I didn’t want the kid anyway. I only let her keep it because she didn’t want an abortion. Horny as hell when she was pregnant. She didn’t want that fuckin’ baby. She never paid it any attention. More work than it was worth in the long run. Killed Deirdre in the end.”

  “You’re a sicker motherfucker than I gave you credit for,” I huff.

  “I’m not a pussy like you.”

  “You know what, if bein’ a pussy means I’m nothin’ like you I’ll wear the title proudly.”

  “I’m disgusted I gave you anything in this life. I shoulda let the O’Boyle Brothers take you out when they wanted to,” he growls.

  “Well, I blew those motherfuckers’ brains out so you can ask me to take out Nick if you need some help,” Kieran taunts.

  “Fuck you, Delaney,” Vito snarls.

  “The only one gettin’ fucked in this room is you,” Kieran retorts pointedly.

  I see the realization seep into his features as he figures out he’s a dead man. A smile breaks across my face as fear etches itself in his.

  “You’re nothing to me. You’ve never been anything more than a mark to me. These are your last breaths in life. I hope you can enjoy them.”

  I climb to my feet and pull on the crime scene coveralls stored in my messenger bag. The cameras have been turned off in here so there will be no evidence of what I’m about to do. Kieran’s paid off the guards and the warden to make this mess I’m about to create go away with no question. The only reason I’m covering my clothes is so that I won’t be covered in Vito’s blood when I walk out of here. I remove my knife from my messenger bag and approach my uncle slowly.

  I meet eyes with Kieran and his murky blues are sparkling in anticipation. If he could kill Vito he would and he’d do it in style. This is my life to take. This man has hurt every person I love either personally or in some weird six degrees of separation. My monster is ready to retire with Vito Mancini’s blood.

  “You may be a nark now, but you’ll always be the monster I created. You can try to have a normal life, but I’ll always haunt you,” Vito threatens as I stare him down.

  “After today anything you’ve ever been to me will be gone,” I purr sadistically.

  I set about carving his body up like a turkey. His screams go unanswered as they should. As my blade drags through his flesh like a knife through warm butter I shudder in relief. As his blood pools on the floor the gleam brings a smile to my face. As he gasps and gurgles on his own blood I relish the sound of death capturing the evil life he’s lived.

  When there’s nothing but silence in the room I peel out of the suit and retake my seat across from Vito Mancini’s corpse. His skin is flayed from his body exposing bones, tendons and organs. That body didn’t have a soul to release, but if it did, it ran like a scared little bitch when I worked him over.

  “Fuckin’ poetic,” Kieran beams, clapping me on the back. “You ever wanna put those skills to work, just give me a call.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” I say through a chuckle at the bizarre relationship Kieran and I have with death, murder and torture.

  “Let’s head out,” he says climbing to his feet, grinning at the corpse one last time.

  I look once more as well, feeling peaceful for the first time in my life
. Nothing from my past can touch me now. I can be Nick Cooper without shame from this day forward, a father, a husband and a protector. The blackness is gone as I stride from the room into the light.

  “It’s done,” I murmur into Shanny’s hair as I hold her close.

  She nods into my chest in relief. The last monster to harm her and her family is gone. She can live in peace.

  “Thank you,” she whispers, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek.

  “Nothin’ to thank me for.”

  “You took care of me. I’ll always be thankful for that.”

  I kiss her forehead before crossing the room to Kat beaming a full smile at me.

  “Hey, Sunshine,” I mutter against her lips before capturing her them in a passionate kiss that steals her breath.

  I tangle our tongues and palm her ass until a throat clears behind us. I break from the kiss and look over my shoulder to find my sons furrowing their brows at me in disgust.

  “Dad, you’ve gotta stop doin’ that,” Cole admonishes me.

  “Never.”

  They all smile and approach me for hugs as I release Kat from my hold.

  “So the blue eyes are fuckin’ weird,” Sawyer says, staring at me.

  “I love ’em,” Kat and Shanny say in unison.

  “You’ll get used to it, bud,” I assure him.

  The boys amble off to find Cara based on the conversation I hear as they climb the stairs.

  “Got some good news while you were gone,” Kellerman says, walking in the room with Kav.

  “Yeah?”

  “They accepted your offer on the house. Willing to close next week,” he informs me before offering his fist for a bump.

  “Welcome to the neighborhood,” Kav says with a clap on my back.

  “Thanks, man.”

  I turn to see Kat and Shanny talking excitedly about the new house, both of them glowing with pregnancy. They’re so bright I feel the need to squint.

  “So, you ever fuck up with her,” Kav says nodding toward Kat, “I’m goin’ in for the kill.”

  “Not happenin’,” I respond with a chuckle.

  “Just sayin’. She’s fuckin’ hot, funny as hell and cool as shit. I bet she’s awesome in bed too.”

  “Jesus you’re an asshole,” I scoff. “Stay away from my wife.”

  “Uh…you put a ring on it when I wasn’t lookin’?”

  “She’s my wife and don’t forget it,” I warn with a pointed look.

  He offers me a cocky smile and then beams a panty-dropping grin at Kat before leaving the room. Such a dick. He’d never go after Kat. He’s just making sure I know what I’ve got. I’m aware of what I have without his shit, but I appreciate him looking out for Kat. He’s got a soft spot for her already. That’s saying something for him because soft spots for women are not what he’s known for.

  “He’s got a point,” Kellerman says, offering me a beer.

  “Which one?” I ask, bringing the bottle to my lips.

  “She’s not your wife.”

  “She’s my wife. I just haven’t married her yet.”

  “That’s some fucked up math,” he responds with a deep chuff.

  “Do you think of Shanny as your fiancée?” I ask through a quirked brow.

  “Not really,” he says in a shrug. “She’s just mine.”

  “There you go. I’m no different than you. I just use the word wife because Kat would cut off my nuts if I referred to her as mine all the time.”

  “I don’t think chicks work like that, man,” Kellerman replies, gazing at Shanny with love and pride as her and Kat pass Johnny between the two of them.

  “Work like what?” I ask, watching the Kat with the same amount of love and pride as Kellerman.

  “Kat called you her partner to the real estate agent earlier. You’re lucky Kav was there because that real estate agent was comin’ in for the kill until Kav swept his guns around her shoulder and offered a glare I was proud of. I had the same issue with Kid. That rock on her finger gives men at least a warning there’s something out there that’ll kick their ass if they don’t stay away. It’s not much, but it’s something.”

  “She called me her partner?” I ask incredulously, shocked that’s the word she’d use to describe me.

  “What else should she call you?”

  “Her husband or boyfriend or something more than that fuckin’ business term,” I huff, draining my beer.

  “There’s no ring on her finger. She seemed lost at what to call you. I get you’re in a weird situation, but you need to make that shit solid sooner rather than later,” he says with a pointed look.

  “I just bought her a fuckin’ six million dollar house. We have four kids together and she’s pregnant with my baby. I don’t feel like there’s a lot of question in my level of commitment,” I scoff.

  “Five point eight,” he says with a cocky grin at his win in negotiating our house price. “Women are different from us. I should already have Kid at an altar. I swear her Pop coulda killed me when he found out I knocked her up with the twins and we still weren’t even engaged. Kid’s in no rush to get married. She never wanted to get married so she doesn’t have a dream wedding she’s already got planned. I want it more than she does, but I’ve been goin’ at her pace. She’ll be my wife a few months after the twins are born if I have to drag her to the courthouse.”

  “Which Pop was gonna kill you,” I ask curious what it’s like to have in-laws to worry about.

  “All three,” he retorts in a chuckle.

  I don’t doubt that. Her having three fathers has to be a lot to contend with. Not to mention the nine brothers. Kellerman’s a brave man to take all that on, but I swear it’s one of the things that made him love her.

  “You doin’ anything tomorrow?” I ask quietly.

  “Saturdays are family dinners around here. Otherwise it’s just sports and fuckin’ around.”

  “Wanna go shoppin’ with me?” I question with a small grin on my face.

  Kellerman’s become a friend…a really good friend. I like the idea of him with me for this.

  “Do I have to carry your purse while you try on clothes?”

  “I’d rather you came in the dressing room with me.”

  We both fall into quiet chuckles, trying not to catch the attention of Kat and Shanny.

  “We’ll head out in the morning,” he says with a sly grin.

  He knows where we’re going and what I’m doing. Yeah, Kellerman’s my friend. I apparently need to thank Kav for running off the real estate agent too. Kansas City is going to be good for us in more than one way. We’ll be happy here.

  Kat

  “Hey,” I say into the phone, relieved she’s calling me.

  “Hey,” Jess groans.

  “God are you still sick?”

  “I’m not sick,” she huffs.

  “Jess, what’s wrong? You’re scarin’ me. It’s been almost two weeks now.”

  “We found out what’s wrong with me yesterday.”

  “Jess,” I say with a quiver to my voice, terrified there’s something really wrong with my best friend.

  “That motherfucker, Shane Hollander, got me pregnant,” she grumbles. “I’ve got hyperemesis gravidarum. Which is apparently the Kim Kardashian of morning sickness.”

  “Kim Kardashian?” I ask in a chuckle, feeling relieved at her news.

  “Yeah, nauseating, annoying, makes you vomit uncontrollably, can’t make it go away and you’re never happier than when it ends…Kim Kardashian,” she deadpans.

  I double over in laughter at my friend’s ability to make something that’s really hard for her hilarious.

  “Okay. Are you healthy other than the HG? When’s the baby due?” I ask, bringing myself back to good friend mode.

  “I’m fine. I’m annoyed more than anything. How the hell do you get pregnant on the pill? I’ll never fit in my wedding dress now. Shane’s tryin’ to convince me to just scrap the wedding and head to Vegas. Can you believe th
at shit?” she screeches.

  “Jess, it’s gonna be fine. Women get married pregnant all the time. We’ll get you a new dress or something. It’s not the end of the world, honey. Do you not want the baby?” I whisper.

  “Of course I want the baby!” she yells in a more normal Jess voice. “I just wanted it after we were married. I’ve worked my ass off on this damn wedding and now it’s all fucked up.”

  “It’s not fucked up. You’ll be just a perfect as before, with a gorgeous pregnant glow. You’re hormonal and scared. Everything with the wedding is gonna be just fine,” I assure her.

  “I don’t want it anymore,” she says quietly, switching her stance. “It doesn’t seem important anymore. Watching you and Nick move off to the Midwest for the normal life with the boys and your baby coming…it made the wedding and all the other shit seem unnecessary. I had all this planned for what our future was gonna be and now it’s all changed. I’ll go to Vegas and marry Shane tomorrow if that’s really what he wants. I’m more mad at myself than anything. Shane and I have been so focused on work that I feel like we’ve wasted more than a decade that we could’ve been building a life together.”

  “Jess, you guys are right where you’re supposed to be. Trust that. You’ve had an amazing thirteen years together and now you get to build on that foundation. Nick and I are the ones doin’ everything backward. If you want your big wedding with ugly bridesmaid dresses, have it. If you wanna jump on a plane and head to Vegas, do it. I’ll wear the hideous dress or stand at your side in front of Elvis with pride. Find joy in what you have.”

  “Such a good friend,” she says in a teary voice.

  “So are you. Now, when are you due?”

  “August fourteenth,” she says in a giddy voice.

  “Shut the front door!”

  “I shoulda shut the front door a few months ago cause that thing’s about to be stretched into the Lincoln Tunnel.”

  That gets us both rolling in happy tear-inducing laughter.

  “Love you. And tell Shane congratulations,” I say as we wrap up our conversation after going through all the fun stuff in our shared due dates and mutual pregnancies.

  “Love you too. Kiss all your boys and those hot as fuck temporary roommates you’ve got.”