Controlling Darkness (The Control Series Book 4)

by Anna Edwards

  Matthew disappeared into the church. She took a seat on a bench to wait. Her eye was caught by a man watching them, his face was thunderous. Matthew re-appeared with a map, and the man was gone.

  "The priest has marked the map."

  They meandered through the rows of ornamental graves and sepulchres. Ornate crosses and angels decorated them all. A mournful lament came from behind a large stone carving. Sonia surmised the elderly woman she spied was mourning the loss of her husband. She, herself, had grown so close to Matthew that she could image herself doing the same should anything happen to him. She couldn’t think about that, though. Everything he had told her had been a massive shock; it was an entirely different life that he had lived before he met her. But in many ways, it was what had defined the man that she had fallen in love with. It was responsible for his caring nature and the strength that he showed her. That first time he had knelt before her on the plane while she told him the story of her parents. That was who Matthew was as a result of his past. She never wanted him to change that.

  "This is it." Matthew's voice broke her out of her reflection. She looked over at the grave in front of her. She'd been expecting to see the name Beth Carter, but her breath was taken away when she read, 'Jennifer Durand.'

  He knelt in front of the grave and placed his hand on the soft earth that would have been at her feet. "She had no family. Nothing before the assignment. I never fully became Matthias Durand, but she did become Jennifer.” He stood and turned away from the grave. "I don't think I should have come. I destroyed her life. She carried my child and lost the ability to have anymore because of who I was."

  "Stop." Sonia stepped forward and placed her hand on Matthew's chest. "You looked out for each other. You cared for each other. You were blessed with the child as a result. That child will be in heaven with its mother now. They will be caring for each other. Watching over you as you live your life and be the good guy that you are. Beth made her own decision to end things her way. She set you free because she knew what a good man you are."

  "Sonia, please. I killed people while I was undercover. I helped with trafficking women."

  "And you saved as many as you could." She bit back at his self-pity. "And you’ve continued to protect people. Beth sacrificed herself because you’re one of the good guys that will always put others before himself."

  "I should have protected her. That is what a husband does."

  She pointed towards the grave. "You did. You gave her peace for eternity."

  "But I didn't give her life."

  "I don't know why Matthew, but she didn't want life. You couldn’t have stopped her."

  He slumped to the ground. A heavy sigh leaving his resigned lips.

  "I couldn’t have saved her."

  Sonia shook her head.

  Matthew made the sign of the cross while he repeated a prayer in French. When he was done, he stood and held out his hand for her.

  "Thank you."

  "For what?"

  "For making me come here. You were right. I should have followed my own advice years ago. I feel calmer already. She was a strong and brave woman who made a terrible sacrifice at a time where her emotions were destroyed. I'm lucky to have had her love even if it was such a short period."

  He leant forward and gave her a kiss.

  "You said something about the Eiffel Tower, didn't you?"

  "I did."

  Matthew turned back to the grave and took one last look, put his arm around her shoulders, and she nestled her head against his chest.

  "I love you."

  "I love you too."

  The Eiffel tower loomed large before them, and Sonia craned her neck so she could look all the way to the top. The metal structure was a feat of modern engineering. They purchased their tickets and then travelled to the observation deck top. It was late in the day, and the eager tourists had already been, so it wasn't that crowded.

  "Wow," That view is stunning," Sonia exclaimed as she looked about over the city of love. You can even see Sacre Coeur in the distance that way and Notre Dame over there.

  "I've never been sure whether I prefer this view or the view from the London Eye."

  "You've been on the London eye?"

  "You haven't?"

  "No."

  "You live in London and have never been on it!"

  " I've never been one to spend my money on frivolities."

  "Actually, true. I didn't pay for my trip."

  "James."

  They both laughed, and she leant forward against the railings. A gust of evening wind blew around the top, and she shivered. Even though it was a hot day it was getting late in the day and they were high up. Matthew sensing her cold pulled the rucksack off his back and removed a long shawl she had put in there earlier. He wrapped it around her shoulders and then pressed the warmth of his body into hers. They were standing overlooking the Louvre. There were a couple of other tourists and a guard up with them.

  "I'll be back in a minute."

  Matthew walked over to the guard, and they conversed quietly. The guard walked over to the other tourists and started to engage with them by leading them off in the opposite direction of the tower to her and Matthew.

  "What did you do?"

  "You'll see. Turn around and admire the view. No sound whatsoever." Matthew said it in the tone that made shivers run down her spine. She obeyed and looked out back over the view of Paris. His hand circled around her breast. The nipple peaked instantly.

  "Matthew." Her voice sounded a little panicked.

  "Colour." His voice rumbled in her ear.

  "Green." She was nervous, but no way in hell did she want him to stop.

  "Part your legs sweetheart."

  Her breath quickened with each step she took to comply. Matthew bunched up the bottom her of dress and delved underneath to flash across her already damp knickers. He pressed his body harder into hers, and she could feel his cock hardening against her bottom. She couldn’t help but wiggle against it.

  "Don't tempt me. I'm not able to fuck you here, but you’ll get off."

  With that, he slid a finger under her knickers and across her clit. Fuck, she was on fire. He worked his fingers over her slit and slid one inside her. She tried not to moan.

  A second finger joined the first, and he angled his hand so he could rub her clit at the same time. Her eyes blurred, and she struggled to maintain the sense of where she was, the fire building between her thighs engulfing her. Matthew's voice growled into her ear.

  "Come."

  And she did. She exploded into a powerful orgasm there on the top of the Eiffel Tower. Her body shaking with waves of pleasure flooding through it. The scream formed in her throat and she slammed her head quickly into Matthew's shoulder and bit down on his t-shirt and flesh to muffle the noise.

  The evil bastard actually chuckled.

  .

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Matthew

  After a couple more days in Paris spent exploring the sights it was time to return to Bordeaux. They didn't visit Jennifer's grave again despite Sonia asking Matthew if he wanted to. He'd stated that that part of his life was over and for the first time he felt it. There also hadn't been a public repeat of sexual deviance, although behind the bedroom door they had swung from the chandeliers in the hotel. James would be proud to know his precious antique lights had been used for such a purpose and the ceiling hadn't caved in. Sonia had had a fit of giggles when they had seen the dying slave statue of Michelangelo's in the Louvre. He'd later found out it was because of his small penis and she imagined the disappointment of his lovers. He guessed the old adage of it isn't the size, it's what you did with it was lost on his girlfriend. Although he was quietly intrigued by her suggestion, they could get a sculpture made of his for when he was away with James, so she didn't have to miss him too much.

  "What time do we get back to Bordeaux?" Sonia put her hand over the copy of La Monde newspaper that he was reading.

  "Vingt
minute." His brain was so focused on reading in French that he answered the same. She just looked at him. "Twenty minutes."

  "Time for a quickie in the toilets?"

  "You're insatiable."

  "You've brought out the sex goddess in me that loves a public place."

  "Wait until later. I've got a better idea for a public place for you."

  "Where?"

  "You'll have to wait and see." He raised his eyebrow, and she pouted. "You know what that gets you."

  "Well, not fucked in a train toilet that’s for sure." He pulled his paper back up and she let out an exaggerated groan.

  "What I have planned is much better."

  Forty-five minutes later they were in the car speeding up the A10, her hand resting on his thigh as he drove. They hit a small road and travelled along it, the car bouncing around. Not the best for the suspension but the place where they were going was worth it. A medieval chateau appeared before them.

  "Whoa." Sonia let out an astonished breath. "A Chateaux. Look at the turrets. It's stunning."

  "And mine."

  "What?" She spluttered out the word.

  "James bought it for me. He's been helping me do it up so should I ever want to leave him I can retire here."

  "It's yours." He could tell the words were still sinking in.

  "Yes. In fact, it was actually another ancestral home. During the Revolution, it was taken away from us though and passed to Republicans. My family went the way of most aristocracy then and met the guillotine.

  "I'm sorry. That must have been hard to find out, but at least you’ve got this back now."

  "There was a lot of damage inside after World War II. You can still see some bullet marks on the walls from where a fight took place here. It's not had the best history, but I plan on changing that. Make it the seat of the Sawyer generations for years to come."

  "Sawyer generations?"

  "When the time is right." The thought of Sonia getting pregnant scared the life out of him at the moment, but there would come a time. "Work hasn't started inside yet, or I would have brought you here to stay, rather than go to my parents’."

  He weaved his way around the building and led Sonia through a white stone arch into the garden. This was the part he wanted to show her, and this was the part where her sudden love of public display would come to fruition. "Remove your clothes."

  "What?" Sonia went from admiring the gardens to open mouthed and staring at him in two seconds flat.

  "I said remove your clothes, my little submissive."

  "But your gardener?"

  "Is not here today."

  "Can anyone see us?"

  "This from the lady who orgasmed at the top of the Eiffel tower." He rolled his eyes. "Last chance or I'm getting back into the car."

  Sonia slowly began to remove her clothes and dropped them all onto the ground.

  "Turn around. There is a little something else you need."

  "Matthew?"

  She arched her back when the first drop of suntan oil hit it.

  "Can't have that beautiful skin of yours getting burnt now can we?" He rubbed the lotion into her skin, making her a little slippery. Part of his plan. He paid particular attention to her breasts and the shaved cleft between her legs. "Especially these parts."

  "What happens now?"

  "You run."

  "What?"

  "You run."

  He slapped her backside and she took off over the green grass of the manicured lawn.

  He waited a couple of seconds while removing his clothing before moving over the grass after her.

  "Sonia." He called, his voice low and full of desire. She had disappeared into the forests surrounding the chateaux. "You know you can't hide from me. I can smell your need for me even from here."

  He twisted and turned among the trees of the forest before he spotted her naked backside flash between the sturdy old wooden trunks. Silently he prowled, the scent of her need for him inveigling his nostrils.

  "How do you like my hands between your thighs...strong and hard, or soft and gentle? You know I can get you off with just one look."

  A streak of brown hair darted between the trees before him, and he sped, quickly towards it. He caught her and wrapped his arms around her body. Her slippery suntan oil caught him off guard the first time, and he lost his grip, but on the second time he managed to catch her and pulled her to the floor. His hands roamed over her body, searching out the seductive flesh he had so often marked as his own. She let out a wanton moan that went straight to his dick.

  "You are mine, my love. Forever more."

  Quickly flipping her onto her back he surged inside her, his rigid length pushing the boundaries of her tight haven so that she called out in ecstasy.

  She was his. He thrust harder and harder while she lay upon the sun-warmed ground.

  "Come for me, sweetheart."

  He didn't need to ask her twice. On the final word she exploded. She was his present, his future and in many ways his past. She defined him. She surrounded him. She gave him everything that she was and nothing would ever change that. This was the future that he would always live. His cock buried deep inside the warmth that only this one woman could give him. He groaned a final release and collapsed upon her.

  "I love you always." The decision had been made. His heart made it for him. Love. It was here. Digging into his heart like a vine surrounding a fence in its beautiful floral nature.

  "I love you forever more."

  They lay there, entwined, for what seemed like an eternity. His cock hardened again, and he took her again. This time more slowly, savouring every inch of her body. They didn't often make love like this, just simple in its pleasure. Frequently they 'kinked' it up because that’s what they both enjoyed but here and now this felt right. The sun started to lower on the horizon, its glow turning beautiful hues of red, orange and pink.

  *

  It was almost dark by the time they pulled up the driveway of the winery. Flashing lights illuminated the night sky. Sonia looked towards him, her face paling.

  "Matthew?" He put the car into park and automatically opened the door and got out. He didn't answer Sonia, he just needed to find out what was going on. His legs took him towards the police that were surrounding his family's home. He could sense Sonia running alongside him to keep up.

  "Mama, Papa?" He called and the police turned to him. They barred the way.

  "Mr Sawyer?" A portly gentleman stepped forward.

  "Yes."

  "I'm Inspector De Ternay. I'm afraid you can't go inside. There has been an incident."

  It suddenly clicked in his brain that they were speaking French when Sonia wrapped her hand around his. "Can you speak English?"

  The Inspector switched his language. “We were called an hour ago to reports of gunshots."

  "No." Sonia’s worried response caught in her throat.

  "We are still trying to investigate what happened."

  Matthew pushed past the gendarme sat in the doorway in one fluid motion. The door to the hallway opened, and he saw a medic working on a prone body on the floor. Blood flowed in a circle around the person. The medics stepped back and called the death. Sonia took hold of his hand again as the identity of the dead person was revealed. Guilt and relief washed over him; it was one of the farmhands and not his family. That guilt quickly turned to anger, a fierce rage that was directed at the inspector that had followed them.

  "Where are my family?"

  "Matthew?" He spun quickly around at his Aunt Lourdes' voice. She ran to him. Blood covered her cream shirt, she slammed her body into his, and he wrapped his arms around hers.

  "What happened?"

  "It was awful. So awful. He shot them." His aunt's voice broke. He knew he should be comforting her, but instead, he pushed her back and started to shake her.

  "Shot who?"

  Tears streamed down his aunt's cheeks.

  "Your parents."

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
<
br />   Sonia

  Shot.

  The word rumbled around Sonia's head.

  "Lourdes, where are they?"

  Henri staggered into the room. "They are at the hospital. You need to take Matthew. Get him there quickly. He needs to be with them before..."

  "What happened?"

  He looked over to where the Inspector had his back to them now and then to Matthew. From his pocket, he withdrew a small box and handed it to her.

  "What is this?"

  "Get Matthew to his parents first. He needs to say goodbye. He’ll know what to do after."

  "What about the police?"

  "There is nothing they can do. Go, Sonia. Please hurry. For Matthew's sake."

  "Matthew. We have to go to the hospital, your mother and father are there."

  "You drive."

  Matthew's hand hovered over the doorknob. She could see he was willing himself to turn the handle. The door pushed open, and the beep of machines hit them first. Matthew's mother lay attached to a device. A bandage covered her head, and there was a stump where an arm had once been.

  Matthew put his fist through the glass of the door.

  "Matthew." She tried to comfort him.

  "The box, what was in it."

  With the worry over his parents, she had forgotten the box.

  "I don't know. I haven't looked."

  "Give it to me." He growled the words, not with any passionate intentions, she was used to that particular noise coming out of his mouth, but with pure venom.

  "Mr Sawyer?" A man in scrubs interrupted them. "I'm the doctor who has been looking after your parents."

  "Where is my father?"

  "He is in recovery. We will have him brought down here soon. He is critical. The next few hours will let us know more. At present, I can only give you a fifty-fifty chance of survival for both your parents. To be honest, with the wounds they had, they are lucky to be alive now."

  "My mother’s arm?"

  "She was shot twice in it. I'm sorry. There was just no way we could save it. Your mother was also hit over the head, hence the bandage, but Mr Sawyer, I must tell you. Your father was shot in the head. I can give you no guarantees of what will happen, if and I remind you that’s a very big if, he wakes."