The Darkest Danger (Shattered Series Book 2)

by Chloe D. Ashton

  “Okay.”

  They walked further out, venturing way past the spread of trees that’d bee their recluse earlier. But, this part of the estate, she frowned, gazing around at the barren trees and dry patches of dirt speckled among the grass, it wasn’t as lavishly adorned as the rest of the property.

  Just ahead, several feet away, a man-made fence with a no-trespassing sign stretched across the space. The woods behind it were thick, but not enough to mask the gutted frame of the badly burnt home. On past the huge trees and branches, she caught sight of the badly scorched brick, mortar, and lumber.

  Considering the upkeep of the rest of the estate, it was odd that it hadn’t been cleared off, she mulled, distracted. Even more strangely, Jarrod hadn’t mentioned that there was even another home on the property, especially one that was burnt to the ground.

  “Livvy, what is it?”

  Nudging the lead rope gently, she halted the pony’s trek. “We have to turn back,” she replied, trying to hide her wayward thoughts. “This is as far as we go.”

  “What’s that in the woods?” Meghan asked, straining to get a closer look. “Is that a house?”

  She led the pony in the opposite direction. “I don’t know what it is, sweetheart. But, we better head back.”

  Later that afternoon, after they’d finished with the last batch of oatmeal raisin cookies, she broached the subject with Rosa when they were alone.

  “Rosa, I have to ask you something,” she began tentatively, taking a bar stool at the counter.

  Standing at the stove with her back to her, stirring a large spatula in the simmering pot, Rosa broke away from her humming. “And what’s that?”

  “At some point, was there another house besides this one on the estate?”

  Hesitating, Rosa went dead-still. “What do you mean?”

  “A short while ago, Meghan and I came upon it during our daily jaunt,” she replied, staring at the woman’s stiffened form. “It was fenced off with a no-trespassing sign. From the looks of things, the place is completely burned down to the ground.” A frown knitted her forehead. “Did some of Jarrod’s family live here as well at some point? It’s seems that the home was rather large.”

  Rosa carefully laid the spatula on the stovetop, and then turned to face her. “You really and truly don’t know everything’s that happened, do you?” Rosa asked quietly with a serious expression. “The events of that night were past horrifying.”

  “Rosa, what happened?” she asked with concern.

  “I’ll explain things later,” Rosa said in a rush, turning away, and stiffened further. “But, we can’t talk about it with Jarrod in the house. When we’re alone, I’ll tell you everything.” She paused. “Whatever you do, don’t ask Jarrod about it. It’ll cause an emotional firestorm that will rage out of control.”

  It wasn’t until evening that her troubled thoughts had lifted, and she’d been overcome with emotions watching father and daughter bond. Meghan had even been successful in convincing him to let her stay up past her bedtime. And now, all the excitement had finally done the poor baby in, she smiled gently, and watched from the doorway as Jarrod tucked the covers around her. After pressing a sweet goodnight kiss against Meghan’s forehead, he stood before turning the light off beside her bed.

  Now, it was her turn to plead her case, she realized, feeling the nervousness kick in as he strode across the room. Only heavens knew how the encounter would go.

  The door closed with a soft click as they stepped out into the hallway, and the mood changed from relaxing to awkward in an instance. But, still, neither of them seemed eager to make a departure.

  “I haven’t thanked you yet for helping Meghan with her riding lessons,” Jarrod murmured, staring down at her. “She has always enjoyed spending time with you.”

  “And I love spending time with her. I’ve missed her,” she confessed. “We’re doing everything that we can to make up for lost time.”

  “You’re good for her---you always have been. I know that I’ve said it before, but thank you for letting her tag along---”

  “I’m not ‘letting her tag along’,” she interrupted gently. “She’s there because I want her to be. I love Meghan more than anything and I love being with her.”

  And the same goes for you, too, she longed to say, but was afraid to voice it.

  “Are you going in for the night?” he asked, breaking into her thoughts.

  “N-no,” she stammered, and her startled gaze flew to his. “I was just going to read for a bit. Why?”

  “I was about to have a night cap. With the exception of this evening, the day has been long, tedious, and boring, and my only company has been a desk full of ledgers and notices.” He paused. “How about a night cap and late swim? I’ll do my best not to bore you with mundane details of my work day.”

  “I’m more than sure that I wouldn’t be bored. Believe or not, I’ve always found what you do to be quite interesting.”

  “So, I’m assuming that’s your roundabout way of saying yes?” he asked, quirking a brow, and amusement played across his handsome features.

  She blushed. “Yes.”

  “Meet me at the pool side in half an hour. There’s a proposal that I need to look over before next week’s meeting.”

  A breathless moment later, she was standing alongside the bed, fretting over the pile of bathing suits heaped on the bed. “What about this one?” she mulled aloud, yanking the royal blue one-piece from the bed before holding it against her body. She rushed to the floor length mirror, and after catching a glance at her image, she released a frustrated groan. “Just great---I’d be nothing more than an overstuffed pig in this!”

  Dropping the one-piece to the floor, she scurried back to the bed. For minutes, she repeated the same ritual of choosing and then disposing of the swimsuits.

  “If this one doesn’t cut it, I’m giving up,” she murmured, chewing her bottom lip, and eyed the only remaining thing on the bed.

  Designed eloquently with sheer fabric, the flimsy wrap was thigh-length and a beautiful shade of red. The coordinating bikini was halter-styled and plunged daringly in the front while the bottom was string-tied on each thigh.

  She blushed.

  In all, it was daring, sexy, and blatantly provocative.

  All the necessary ingredients to stir his manly senses---

  A moment later, she faced her scantily clad form in the mirror, and once more, a blush stained her features. The delicate piece flattered her shapely figure, molding along ever inch of her feminine curves, and against her tanned skin, the red hue meshed perfectly. Through the flimsy wrap the bikini peeked through, and her long dark tresses tumbled to her shoulders. As she returned her reflection’s stare, she felt like a dangerous, wanton woman.

  “What am I getting myself into?” she whispered, staring in the mirror. “After everything that’s happened, why do I still want to be with him?”

  You know why, her mind whispered.

  You love him desperately.

  While those questions plagued her, she was still certain of her decision, she realized, descending the stairs, even though resuming an emotional and intimate relationship with him would be destructive to her fragile heart.

  But, it was worth the risk, she decided, hovering nervously in the shadows, watching as he crossed the deck and made way for the bar standing alongside the swimming pool.

  He was her everything.

  Her elation and fear…

  Both despair and hope…

  Perfection and imperfection…

  For weren’t those all the spirits that embodied the entity called love, those that could never be packaged in a perfect and neatly tied box?

  No, real love, she mulled, taking in a shaky breath, was wild, untamable, unpredictable, spellbinding, and gut-wrenching. In the end, it was worth fighting for.

  And he’d definitely dressed to annihilate her resolve, and even from a rear side view, he exuded pure masculine magnificence.
/>   She slid an appreciative gaze over him.

  His light brown skin was sun-kissed, deeply tanned. The white board shorts rode low on his hips and were the perfect contrast against his skin.

  There wasn’t a man alive more perfectly built.

  As he snagged a bottle of alcohol and two goblets, she finally found the courage to move. Leaving the safety of the shadows, she crossed the deck, and when she was almost upon him, she spoke. “Hi,” she said shyly, halting a few steps away from him. “Sorry that I’m late.”

  “Don’t worry. There won’t be any punishment for your tardiness,” he quipped lightly, pouring the alcohol into the matching goblets, and the humor played in his voice. Rubbing his hands together, he whirled around to face her. “Hope you don’t mind that I’ve taken the liberty---”

  His words died upon seeing her.

  Suddenly, she felt exposed.

  But, it was in the way that she wanted, she realized, and her gaze clung to his.

  “You’ve taken the liberty to do what?” she asked softly, breaking the silence first. “Fixing the drinks?”

  “Uh, yeah,” Jarrod muttered, clearing his throat noisily, turning to retrieve the goblets from the bar counter. “I hope that white wine is to your taste.”

  Their hands brushed as he passed the glass, and at the contact, they both nearly lost their equilibrium.

  He inclined his head towards the bar stool. “You want to sit down?”

  She offered another shy smile. “I’d like that.”

  As she sat down, he took the seat on her left, and once again, the night was plagued with an uncomfortable silence.

  “Meghan’s really getting good at controlling the pony alone,” she said in a rushed breath, passing him a fast glance. “You’d be very proud of her.”

  His lips curved. “I don’t think Spotty-face knows what he’s in for. My daughter is a fantastic and unpredictable whirlwind.” He turned his intense gaze on her. “I’m not surprised that she’s doing so well, especially since she has such a great teacher.”

  “I don’t know if I’d say great,” she said with an embarrassed laugh, and drank a sip of wine. Over the rim of the glass, she watched as he drained the remnants of his drink. “Average would probably be a more apt description.”

  “I also owe you thanks for something else.”

  Her surprised met his. “Why?”

  “You don’t think that I’ve noticed this sudden change in Meghan’s attitude towards me?” he asked, turning on the stool until he faced her. “There has to be a reason for that, and that reason is you.”

  “Meghan and I---we’ve talked, and a lot of misunderstandings have been cleared up. I’m glad that it did because it was wrong for there to be so much discord between you. You and Meghan are a joy to watch. I’ve never witnessed such innocent and pure love as the one that the two of you share. It’s special---precious,” she admitted. “And I hate that you both were estranged because of what happened.” She placed the glass on the counter. “You know what? I don’t want to mar such a lovely evening with any discussion that even remotely relates to Matt.”

  “I concur,” Jarrod agreed readily, sliding from the bar stool, and held a hand out. “Come on. How about that late swim we we’re talking about?”

  She slipped her hand in his. “Sounds great.”

  When they reached the side of the pool, he released her, and she fought to hide her disappointment. Without any further hesitation, he dove into the water. As he went under, she quickly removed the wrap, allowing it to drop at her feet. But, still, she made no moves to go in herself.

  A few seconds later, Jarrod resurfaced with a loud splash before peering in her direction. “What are you waiting for? Come join me.”

  The water closed over her as she jumped in. When she broke through the surface at the end of the pool, he was suddenly beside her. At the sight of him, she fought to catch her breath.

  “You want to race?” he asked, flashing a devilish grin. “I’m interested to find out if you’ve gained any speed over these last months. If my memory serves me correctly, I’ve beat you in our swimming challenges on more than one occasion.”

  “That’s because you’ve always cheated me?” she scowled with a pout. “You never played fair!”

  “Don’t tell me that you’re too nervous to go against me,” he teased, making small waves as he spread his arms slowly apart in the water. “Here’s the deal. We’ll do one lap, and go from this end to the other. The first person that reaches the opposite end wins. Hell, if it makes you feel better, I’ll even give you a head---”

  Before he could even finish, she dunked his head in the water, and with a laugh, she was off.

  “You little cheat!” Jarrod sputtered, resurfacing with a deep chuckle. “But, we’ll see just who wins this round!”

  She heard the loud splashes behind her as he swam, but she was already halfway the pool, and suddenly, the childish giddiness filled her.

  The end of the pool veered in sight.

  But, just when she thought to claim victory, the strong arm snagged around her waist. They both went under at the same time, and even under water, they continued their play.

  Pushing against him playfully, she kicked free before swimming for the end again, and within seconds, she reached the pool wall. “Yes!” she squealed between breathless gasps, spinning around to face him, and then laughed at his scowl. “I won, I won, I won….”

  “It’s so wonderful to see such humility from you,” he said sarcastically, and then gave a wide grin. “Of course, you won, and why wouldn’t you, especially after all of those under-handed tactics. First, you tried to drown me---”

  “I did not try to drown you!” she said aghast, swatting at him playfully. “It’s not my fault that you can’t keep your big head above water.”

  “So, I have a big head now,” he teased, and the merriment showed on his face. “Don’t tell me that you’re stooping so low as to sling insults.” A challenge played in his eyes. “There’s only one way to settle this dispute. I demand a water duel.”

  “A water duel?” she frowned, eyeing him with suspicion.

  Breaking away from her, he swam to the far side and retrieved the long, red swimming pool noodles that floated along the edge. When he returned, he passed one of the noodles to her, and she accepted it with a sly grin.

  “Let’s go over a few ground rules, first,” he said, eyeing her with a speculative gleam. “Three points for every successful hit, and then with every missed jab, the opponents gains a free---”

  Giving a silly giggle, she whopped him aside the head and was rewarded with a manly pout.

  “Oops, sorry, it slipped. Now, what were you saying?” she asked, looking at him innocently. “Three points for---”

  The pool noodle connected with her head, and when it did, she shot him a warning glare.

  “Oops, it slipped,” he shrugged, giving her a teasing look. “Guess we’re both having a difficult time holding onto these damned things.”

  “This means revenge, Sabatino,” she warned, jabbing him with the noodle. “We’ll see who comes out on top in this!”

  Their banter and play continued for several long minutes. Then, exhausted, dripping wet, they both climbed from the pool, and their shared moods were still light.

  “I’ll grab the towels.”

  “Okay,” she said easily, squeezing the excess water from her hair, and watched as he jogged across the deck.

  “Here you are,” he muttered, returning to her, and passed a towel.

  “Thank you. I won most of our matches,” she chatted on, working to dry her wet tresses, and then smiled. “But, I’m certain that you’ll say otherwise.”

  “It’s obvious that I’m going to have to post poolside warnings about behavior, especially yours in particular. I think that I should erect a huge flashing sign that reads, ‘no cheaters allowed’. How does that sound?”

  “And you?” she giggled, poking him against the chest, and
peered up at him. “What about your behavior? It obviously needs some adjustment.”

  “Unfortunately, I’ve always been a very naughty boy with no regards to rules,” he said smoothly, grasping her hand. “Maybe you’re up to the task of taming me.”

  Taming him, she mulled, losing all breath at the look in his eyes. Every wild, intriguing aspect of his nature, she selfishly wanted to absorb it.

  But, was there any possibility of taming their wild desire? For now, it brewed at the surface, threatening to rage out of control.

  And he understood her silent reasoning, too, she realized, returning his deep stare. The raw truth was there. Where there’d been merriment before, it was solely hunger now, and no doubt, it was also mirrored in her eyes.

  A dangerous thrill ran through her as his eyes flicked over her, and heat infused her body from head to toe.

  She bit her trembling lips.

  How was it possible for a man to annihilate your inhibitions with a single look?

  He did….

  “Jarrod,” she whispered, staring at his bare chest. “I don’t think that we should---”

  “No,” he said huskily, edging closer, and heat radiated from his hard body. “Please, don’t run away from me. Not now.” His single command was desperate. “Look at me.”

  Again, she was slain by the sight of his passion.

  She fought to breathe as his eyes fixated on her lips, and then, his touch was feather light as he grazed a finger along them. But, still, it was lethal to her scattered senses.

  “I’ve missed being this way with you,” he rasped unsteadily, grasping her hand, and bestowed a gentle kiss against the back of it. “So free and open without reservations.”

  “So have I,” she confessed, holding his gaze. “And I don’t want there to be so much tension between us anymore.”

  “Then, what in the hell are we going to do about it?” he asked in his sexy timbre, sliding his hands along her waist before clenching a hold. “Are we going to keep dancing around the obvious and keep pretending? Or are we going to face this thing head on?”

  She placed a shaky hand against his chest to stay him, and yet, the heat from his hot body seared her. “Jarrod---”