by Sarah Bailey
Our
Darkest
Maze
OUR DARKEST SERIES
BOOK FOUR
SARAH BAILEY
Our Darkest Maze Copyright © 2021 by Sarah Bailey
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Please note the spelling throughout is British English.
Cover Art by Sarah Bailey
Published by Twisted Tree Publications
www.twistedtreepublications.com
[email protected]
Contents
Prologue
Part I
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Part II
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty One
Chapter Twenty Two
Chapter Twenty Three
Chapter Twenty Four
Chapter Twenty Five
Chapter Twenty Six
Chapter Twenty Seven
Chapter Twenty Eight
Chapter Twenty Nine
Part III
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty One
Chapter Thirty Two
Chapter Thirty Three
Chapter Thirty Four
Chapter Thirty Five
Chapter Thirty Six
Chapter Thirty Seven
Chapter Thirty Eight
Chapter Thirty Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty One
Chapter Forty Two
Part IV
Chapter Forty Three
Chapter Forty Four
Chapter Forty Five
Chapter Forty Six
Chapter Forty Seven
Chapter Forty Eight
Chapter Forty Nine
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
About The Author
To Quinn and Ash,
Your daughter is a wild one, but she’s a perfect mix of the two of you. Thank you for giving her life.
To Dante and Liora,
Your son brought me tears, laughter and so much joy. I’ll never forget his journey. And I’ll never forget yours either.
Prologue
Once upon a time, the devil had a daughter. His daughter met a cold-hearted man. That man became hell-bent on doing one thing.
Destroying her.
When I was sixteen, I met a man who looked at me with such hate, it chilled me to my very bones. Little did I know he would prove to be the only one who made my blood sing. And I would come to rue the day I ever laid eyes on him.
My father told me never to let a man intimidate me. Never to let a man walk all over me and make me weak. He raised me to be fierce and strong. He told me I could do and have anything I wanted. And what I wanted was someone I should have never sought to have.
It’s a pity for me my father’s advice fell on deaf ears when it came to the man I knew I needed to run far, far away from. I couldn’t help myself. His ice-blue eyes pulled me in and drowned me. He made me want to play with fire. And we all know fire only burns.
Logan Reid Benson could kill with a single look. He wrecked me with his cold stare and heartless words. Now, I was going to make his life miserable.
It’s time that man got a taste of his own medicine.
It’s time I stole his vicious beating heart just as he stole mine all those years ago.
It’s time I got my revenge.
Part I
abhor
verb, ab·horred, ab·hor·ring.
to regard with extreme repugnance or aversion; detest utterly; loathe; abominate.
Chapter One
I wasn’t supposed to be on the floor of the casino. If my father knew, he’d have a fit, but he wasn’t at the Syndicate today. Perhaps I should have stayed in the office like I’d promised Xav and Eric I would when they agreed to let me come with them. I wasn’t known for doing anything I should. My wilful nature had got me in trouble on more than one occasion.
Mum and Dad had gone away for the week, leaving my other three dads to take care of us. Rory had stayed home with my younger brothers, who were far more interested in playing computer games than hanging out at our parents’ casino. I wanted to be here. One day this would be my kingdom. My casino. At least, it’s what Dad said. I wanted to know the ins and outs, see the inner workings of the most exclusive casino in London. It’d been this way for years, and I intended for it to remain so when I ruled. It would be a long time before it happened. I was still in school, after all. Still only sixteen, though I’d be seventeen in a month. It didn’t stop me from planning. Didn’t stop me from wanting to know everything I could.
I snuck onto the main floor through one of the staff doors, making sure no one saw me. When Xav and Eric came back, they could find me on the cameras, but I didn’t care. Their version of discipline wasn’t in any way as bad as Dad’s. He would’ve calmed down by the time he and Mum got home. A calculated risk was the only type I took in life, just like Dad taught me.
I wandered amongst the tables, trying to act like I belonged there instead of being the sixteen-year-old daughter of the owners until I reached one of the bars. Taking a seat, I stared out across the floor, watching the patrons gambling.
“You should not be down here,” came a voice from behind me.
I glanced back, giving Deacon a wide smile.
“Are you going to dob me into my dads?”
He shook his head and poured me a soft drink, placing it down on the bar mat.
“No, provided you stay here and don’t get into any trouble.”
“Me? Get into trouble? Now, where would you get a silly idea like that?”
Deacon rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest as he leant back against the bar. Deacon Vance had worked here for several years as a bartender. I knew a lot of the staff, but he was the one who indulged me the most. I liked the guy. He was funny.
“Unlike your parents, I wouldn’t allow you to get away with half the shit you do if you were my daughter.”
“Regan is just a goody-two-shoes.”
“And you are trouble, Aurora.”
I smiled wider and picked up the drink he’d poured me, taking a large gulp. Deacon talked about his daughter a lot and how she was top of her class at school. I’d yet to meet her as he wouldn’t bring his fifteen-year-old to the casino. Maybe in the future I’d get to, when we’d grown up a little more.
My eyes fell on a small group of young men walking in through the double doors at the front. They weren’t particularly striking, but I couldn’t help watching them as they made their way over to a free blackjack table and sat down. I wondered what they were doing in here at four o’clock in the afternoon on a Friday. They
were all dressed to the nines, suited and booted. The Syndicate had a dress code. You couldn’t gamble here in casual attire.
One of them, a blonde-haired man with brown eyes, was getting slaps on the back from the others as they talked amongst themselves. I wasn’t close enough to hear what they were saying. Curiosity prickled across my skin.
Who were these boys and what were they doing here?
I eyed Deacon, who had moved away to serve someone. He’d told me to stay there, but I had no intention of listening to him. He wasn’t one of my dads. Even though I knew he would likely tell Eric and Xav I was in here, I slid off the stool, leaving my glass on the bar. I moved closer to where the men were sitting, taking a seat at one of the machines. I could hear their voices over the chatter and noise in the room.
“Should we get champers?” said one of the men who was wearing a silver tie that matched his eyes.
“Why not? We’re celebrating this dick’s last week of singlehood,” called another man with brown hair.
The blonde-haired man grinned as the brown-haired man nudged him with his shoulder.
“The old ball and chain wouldn’t want us getting him too wasted,” Silver Tie said.
“Lucky for us, she’s not here then. Time to get wrecked!”
The blonde-haired man pumped his fist.
“Fuck yeah!”
I noticed one of the men had remained silent during this conversation. He sat on the end, leaning back in his chair with an air of aloofness about him. His dark hair was cropped close to his head and neatly styled with product. His suit moulded to him like a second skin and looked incredibly expensive. I stared at him, wondering what his deal was. A moment later, his eyes landed directly on me. They were piercing as if he could strip the skin from my body with them. The ice-blue colour made him seem almost ethereal, but the darkness in them told me he wasn’t a man anyone should mess with. He didn’t blink as he stared back at me, making my skin prickle with the intensity of his gaze. I couldn’t pull my eyes from him, no matter how hard I tried. Something about him drew me in.
“Right, boys, let’s get the drinks in. Logan, you want champers?” the brown-haired man said.
“No,” came the deep voice of the man I couldn’t look away from.
“Get him a whisky, Roge,” the blonde-haired man piped up, “He only drinks the finest shit. You can blame his uncle for that.”
The brown-haired man shrugged. He and Silver Tie ambled off in the direction of the bar. The blonde-haired man sat down next to the man I assumed was called Logan. His eyes were still on me, which was unnerving in itself.
“I’m sorry about those two, I know you find them irritating.”
“It’s fine,” Logan said, his lip twitching, “I’m used to Roger and Jude’s antics. Besides, I’m here for you.”
Blonde-hair smiled and nodded to the dealer, who was watching them quietly.
“Thanks, man. Would be a shit stag without my best man.”
“If I left you with those two idiots, you’d end up in the gutter, Ant. Not sure Maia would be too impressed if I let her husband-to-be drown in his own vomit.”
Ant shuddered and shook his head.
“Fuck no, plus her mother would string me up by my balls.”
“Aunt Jen can be a little… in your face.”
“That’s putting it lightly. She’d sooner burn me alive than let me fuck her daughter over.”
Logan’s lip twitched again. He was still watching me, something I didn’t know how to take. Nothing in his eyes betrayed his thoughts.
“I did warn you when you started dating my cousin. You can’t blame me for your own misfortune.”
They were here on a stag do. It made me wonder if they were rich. You couldn’t become a member of the Syndicate without being someone in this world. Dad had made sure it was the most exclusive casino in London.
“Maia is worth it.”
“If you say so.”
Ant grinned as the other two men came back with drinks in their hands.
“Let’s get this stag started,” Silver Tie said, popping the champagne bucket down in the holder by the table and placing the glasses on the side.
The brown-haired man handed Logan a glass of amber liquid. He took a sip, his ice-blue eyes flickering as he continued to stare at me. My hand curled around my thigh. I would not let this man intimidate me with his gaze. No one got the better of me. No one.
“Deal us in,” Silver Tie looked at the dealer’s name tag, “Benjamin.”
The dealer gave them a nod and started to set up the table. I watched them for one game as the four of them played. Logan’s eyes kept flicking between his cards and me. A large part of me wanted to know why I’d caught his attention. The other half didn’t give a shit.
Who cared about this man and his opinion of me?
You care, apparently.
Tearing my gaze away from the table, I looked around the room, finding Deacon’s eyes on me. He tapped his fingers on the bar. He’d likely told my dads I was on the floor. I didn’t have long until Eric and Xav would come to collect me. This was the absolute worst outcome.
Damn it. Now I’m going to be in trouble.
I slid off the stool and made my way back towards the staff entrance to save my dads from coming to look for me. I reached the door when a hand curled around my upper arm and tugged me away towards an alcove. Whoever it was, pushed me up against the wall and caged me in. I looked up, ready to give them an earful, but my voice faltered as I took in ice-blue eyes and a lean body keeping me pinned in place.
What the hell?
Chapter Two
I did not want to be here. Gambling was not my thing. It being Anthony’s stag do was the only reason I’d agreed to let them use my membership to get into the Syndicate. My best friend was a pain in the arse, but I’d do anything for the guy. We’d stuck by each other through thick and thin. Next week, he’d officially become family when he married Maia, one-half of my Aunt Jen’s twin daughters. I had no idea why Ant wanted to settle down so young, but they had been dating since they were sixteen.
Ant didn’t want to go to a strip club. Roger and Jude, his two incredibly irritating cousins, decided a night out gambling would have to do. It fell to me to arrange this shit. I didn’t mind using my membership. It was hard to gain entry to this casino, but my name carried weight in the city. Being the son of Dante and Liora Benson and heir apparent to the fashion house, Bensons had its benefits.
I had a feeling this night would be hell on earth dealing with Ant’s cousins until I saw her. A girl with long, straight dark hair falling down her back, piercing brown eyes and a body made for sin who looked far too young to be in a place like this sitting at one of the machines staring right at us. Well, let’s face it, she was staring directly at me. Nothing in her expression gave away what she might be thinking. Usually, I could read people, but this girl kept everything locked up tight. It intrigued and unnerved me at the same time.
Why are you even interested? Why do you care?
She watched us throughout our entire first game, making me want to know what the fuck was going through her head. Then her eyes flicked around the room and I noticed the bartender nearby watching her. When she saw him, irritation flared in her features, the first glimpse of emotion she’d given the entire time I’d been looking at her. She hopped off the stool she’d been sitting on and walked through the tables towards a door.
“Back in a minute,” I muttered to Ant, putting my cards down.
I slipped off my stool and strode towards her, not stopping to see what Ant said in response. For some reason, I couldn’t let her leave without knowing why she’d spent the past twenty minutes staring at us. Catching her arm as she reached the door, I dragged her towards an alcove, thrusting her into it and caging her in.
The girl looked up at me with fire in her eyes. Then she blinked as if she hadn’t expected me to follow her. She was only a head shorter t
han me, but it didn’t stop her from standing tall and looking every bit like a regal queen… until she opened her mouth.
“Excuse me, what on earth do you think you’re doing?” she spat, disdain seeping from her words like I was little more than a piece of dirt on her shoe.
“What am I doing? What are you doing?”
Her brown eyes narrowed. Close up, I could see they had a golden hue to them, which softened her features despite the irritation radiating off her.
“Leaving until you manhandled me. Now, move.”
I shook my head.
“I don’t think so. You need to explain why you were staring at me and my friends first.”
“I don’t think that’s any of your business.”
“I beg to differ.”
Her hands came up and she shoved me in the chest. I gave way a step, realising this girl was a lot stronger than she looked. Her lithe body was deceptive. A body which had me trying not to stare too hard at it.
“I do not owe you anything. Now, I suggest you move unless you wish to have your membership revoked.”
I raised an eyebrow. This girl had no power here. She couldn’t have my membership revoked, could she?
“Oh, really? You have a say in that, do you?”
A smirk appeared on her lips.
“You don’t know who I am.”
I leant closer.
“Why don’t you enlighten me?”
The next thing I knew, I had a hand on my shoulder pulling me back. I was shoved up against the wall next to me. A huge older guy with auburn hair and blue eyes gave me the once over, keeping me pinned in place.
“Is it a habit of yours to cage young girls in alcoves?”
“Is it a habit of yours to butt into other people’s business?” I retorted.
He stared hard at me whilst the other man with him drew the girl away from the wall and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. It made me wonder about the nature of her relationship with them.
