Boxed Set: The Ink Series Volume 1-4

by Holly Hood

  ***

  I ran, ran to forget, and ran to pass the time.

  I could get over some things. I could get over having to move far away from my life. I could get over heartbreak even. But what girl got over being capable of the things I was capable of?

  I couldn’t shake the sadness when I thought about my dad. I couldn’t believe that things got so bad I had to cover up for him. I couldn’t do anything else. I couldn’t let him down. He didn’t have anyone else.

  I came to a stop at the sands of the beach. My tank top soaked with sweat. I sat down on a bench, away from everything. I didn’t want to see anymore judging eyes.

  I watched a group of kids my age batting around a volleyball. I wished I could smile so easily.

  “Her name is Sara,” Mayor Sinclair said. He crossed his legs at the ankle watching the same group of kids. “Her father wants to be Mayor.”

  Sara giggled. Her pretty brown ponytail bounced back and forth as she ran for the volleyball. She dropped to her knees missing it. I watched her friends help her to her feet.

  “And let me guess, you don’t like to compete.” It wasn’t hard to figure out Mayor Sinclair’s every move.

  “A man’s reputation is very important in Cherry,” Mayor Sinclair said.

  “Oh believe me I know.” Slade’s was slaughtered right along with mine because of him and his son. And now I worked for the devil.

  “Imagine what would happen to your father if you failed to follow through with your end of the deal,” Mayor Sinclair said. “Do you even think he would survive being known as a killer?”

  I gritted my teeth. “My dad has been through a lot. I would do anything to keep him from hurting anymore. Even if that means I do your dirty work.”

  “Good. I’m glad to see we are on the same page.” He watched Sara and her friends again. “Tucker isn’t having the best time meeting nice girls. I want you to convince Sara that Tucker is a catch. Work your magic; do whatever it is you guys do.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “That’s the only way any girl would be crazy enough to have anything to do with your son.”

  Mayor Sinclair stood. “That’s no way to talk about the man who is about to save your father from a lifetime of hell behind prison bars.”

  I watched the most disgusting man I ever met walk down the boardwalk. I was sure he was happy he got what he wanted. Everyone in Cherry was nothing more than puppets.

  I stood up, it was now or never. I needed to get to Sara before I talked myself out of it.

  I pushed down my conscience and headed across the sand. I told myself my dad was more important than some girl I never met before. She was a tool in getting what I needed. And I needed my dad.

  It would be simple, I would influence her thoughts, plant the idea in her head that she wanted to be around Tucker. Love was a spell that worked well, people wanted to fall in love.

  Chapter 9

  She was a breath of fresh air, so happy to be there. And as I moved closer I knew I wouldn’t go through with what I was about to do if I thought about her happiness.

  I needed to get it over with. The sooner the mayor got what he wanted the sooner I could move on to the next problem in my life.

  I waited for the volleyball to hit the sands. That didn’t take long to happen. I guided it to me.

  She jogged away from her friends. It was so simple I thought as I picked the ball up from the sand.

  “Sorry about that,” she said, she gave me a sweet smile.

  “No problem,” I said back. I gripped the volleyball knowing if I tossed it back that would be the end of our encounter. “It’s Sara right?”

  She nodded, it was apparent she was confused on why I knew her name.

  “I’m not sure if I know who you are,” she stared at the ground no longer making eye contact with me.

  I brushed some sand from the volleyball. “It’s alright. I know how awkward it can be to talk to someone like me.” I squeezed the volleyball.

  “I didn’t mean anything by it.” She forced herself to look at me, like it pained her.

  I tossed the ball to her. “Of course not, it doesn’t matter I’m used to it.”

  I wanted to tell her I was like her once. Sweet and innocent. Instead I watched her body stiffen. Her fingernails sunk into the flesh of the volleyball.

  “Do you know who Tucker Sinclair is?”

  She nodded her head rhythmically.

  “After today Tucker will be your main focus. You’re going to want to be near him, you’re going to be drawn to him. Don’t worry about why, just do it. Now go back to your friends and forget we ever met.” Her friends laughed and played in the sand not a care in the world.

  “Okay,” Sarah said, she shook the fog away and started running back to her friends.

  I hurried to the boardwalk. I didn’t want to think about what I did. I started running, past Nona’s, past my old beach house. I wanted to be far away from the nightmare I created.

  And when I stopped running only because my lungs were ready to explode I found myself standing outside of Hutch’s house.

  Chapter 10

  I stared at the door. My body refused to move a single inch. I was frozen in place.

  I was afraid for that girl. I knew something bad was going to happen to her.

  And it would be another regret I would live the rest of my life in agony over.

  Hutch appeared in front of me coming out of his house. He pulled me back into reality.

  “I didn’t know you were planning on stopping by,” he said. “I would have cleaned up.”

  I didn’t understand anything he said. My mind didn’t want to listen. I couldn’t get a grip on my surroundings.

  “What are you doing?” Hutch asked, shocked by my attack.

  I pressed my lips into his. “Kissing you.”

  He didn’t fight me on it. We both knew he always wanted to kiss me. And it happened before, but this time I gave in not fighting it. I was sure it was weird for him.

  At last, my brain calmed down. I could feel his lips; I could appreciate the feel of his five o’clock shadow against my skin. I slipped my hands through his hair.

  He pulled me away, holding onto my arms. “What’s the matter?”

  “Everything is a mess. And you’re the only person who understands,” I sighed. My lips throbbed reminding me I made a really bad decision kissing him.

  He guided me toward the stairs. “Let’s talk inside.”

  I didn’t argue with him. I needed to talk to someone. I couldn’t deal with everything that happened in my life alone.

  I sat down on his couch.

  “Everything is falling apart.” I pulled at my hair in misery. “My life is disintegrating right in front of me and I don’t know what to do about it.”

  Hutch tilted his head to the side pursing his lips, he didn’t sit down. I didn’t blame him; I was sure everything I was saying seemed nutty.

  “I don’t know how to stop it. I feel like I’m here doing all these things but then I wonder if it’s me. Am I crazy?” I wanted the truth.

  “You’re not crazy,” Hutch said.

  I rolled my eyes, standing up. I started pacing the room. “If I’m not crazy, than what do you call it?”

  “I don’t know what to call it because you’re not giving me anything to go by.” Hutch sat down. “Will you sit and explain what is going on with you?”

  I took the spot next to him. “Everything.”

  “One thing at a time,” he said.

  “Slade’s gone.” I tossed the most obvious out there first. I wasn’t sure how that factored into everything happening now but I figured I’d throw it all out there in one giant pile.

  “He’s running for his life. Doing whatever he can to stay one step ahead of that coven. You can’t fault him for that,” Hutch said.

  I wasn’t about to argue that one. I’d rather see him alive than dead.

  “The entire town thinks I’m a witch,” I said.

 
“You are a witch.”

  “It’s not a normal thing to everyday people. To them I’m a freak,” I bit my lip.

  Hutch ran a hand through his hair. “Doll, this all seems a bit bland if you ask me.”

  I stood up, my stomach flipping in my stomach. “There’s more, so much more.”

  Hutch didn’t say a word.

  “Something bad happened. It involves my dad. And I’m afraid there’s no going back on everything that happened,” I turned away from Hutch. I didn’t want to see his face when I confessed.

  “I always said I’d be here for you. I can’t imagine there is anything we can’t fix,” Hutch said, he tried his best to comfort me. He wouldn’t after he heard what I was about to say.

  “My father has a drinking problem. And he did something really bad.”

  “Is he okay?” Hutch stood up. “Are you okay?”

  I closed my eyes. Hutch pulled me close. He forced me to look at him. He scanned my eyes.

  “I’m fine. He’s fine. He doesn’t even know that anything happened. I did this spell and erased it from his memory,” I said. “At least I hope I did.”

  “I’m not getting a good feeling about what you’re going to say next,” Hutch’s smile dulled.

  “The mayor’s wife. She was with him. He was drinking, I don’t know what he was thinking, and he always ends up screwing things up. He always pulls me down with him.” I burst into tears. Reality slapped me right in the face. I took a deep breath; it was what I always did when I tried not to panic.

  Hutch wrapped his arms around me. “Listen to me.”

  I couldn’t listen because I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t do anything.

  “Whatever has happened, I will help you. It doesn’t matter what it is. Do you believe me when I say that?” He smoothed my hair. “Whatever happens, we can do it together.”

  “Am I a bad person for wanting to hate him?” I squeezed my eyes shut.

  “You don’t hate your father. You’re upset; we all make mistakes, Doll.”

  I pulled away. “He messed up bad. And because of him I helped the mayor. Because of what my dad did, I did the mayor’s dirty work. I didn’t want to see my dad in jail so I did what I thought was right.”

  “And you can’t fault yourself for that,” Hutch said.

  “There’s more.” I sat down again, exhausted. “The mayor wanted me to use my gift to help Tucker out. It involved a girl and I did it.”

  “Anything else?”

  “Don’t you want to know what I did?” I could have killed her for all he knew.

  “Nope.” He motioned me to him.

  “Could you be anymore chivalrous?” I touched his face. He smiled.

  “I’d be anything you need me to be. That’s just who I am,” he said, he tilted his head up.

  “I don’t think there is anything that you could be that would fix my problems,” I said with a sigh.

  “I could be there for you. That’s something that Slade never did.” Hutch pushed my hair away and pressed his lips into my shoulder. “It’s something I know you need.”

  I pulled away from his lips. “He isn’t an awful guy.”

  “Are you dense when it comes to that guy?” He chuckled, amused by my stupidity. “I can only sit back so long and watch you make one mistake after another. He’s ruined your life.”

  I crossed my arms feeling the heat spread across my face. “Since when are you so rude?”

  Hutch played with my hair. “I’m being honest. Now seems a good time to be honest with you.”

  “As opposed to what, you weren’t honest with me before?” I grabbed a hold of his face. “Have you been lying to me all this time? Do I have another bad boy on my hands?”

  A bizarre attraction was going on between us.

  “Is that what you want?” He touched my face, tracing my lips.

  “I don’t want to be miserable.” I was miserable and I didn’t want to be.

  Hutch kissed me. Tingles swept all over, his and my lips together didn’t make me feel miserable.

  “I can make you feel amazing.” He lifted my chin, biting my neck.

  I smirked. Hutch took his shirt off.

  I pulled him close. “You can try your best. The only problem is after this is all over with reality is going to be waiting for me.”

  He took my shirt off and tossed it over his shoulder pulling me down on the couch. He kissed me again, biting at my lip. “Ignorance is bliss.”

  I laughed at his nonsense. It was better than reality right at that moment. I never expected to run to Hutch’s house and feel any better. But I knew if anyone could maybe do such a thing it would be him.

  I loved the feel of his skin. The way his hair slipped between my fingers as I ran them through it.

  The heat of his skin pressed against mine, the way that he made me feel so small beneath him. He was powerful. He was intoxicating. He knew what he wanted. And that was me. And I didn’t mind anymore.

  He kissed my collarbone, dragging his fingers down my body, past my chest, around my navel. I wiggled out of my shorts with the help of his hand.

  “You’re insanely gorgeous,” he whispered, his eyes softened and he kissed my lips.

  I tried to pull my underwear down but he stopped me tugging them to the side. Working his way past them, he teased and rubbed against me. I drugged my nails down his back dying to feel him inside me.

  Hutch yanked them down and slammed into me before I knew what happened. He clamped down on my wrist and brought them above my head, his hips rotated in a slow agonizing circle over and over again.

  My heart banged against my chest. My thighs squeezed against him trying to make him pick up pace. He nipped at my skin, biting my breast. I wiggled my fingers trying to break away from his naughty assault but he wouldn’t let me.

  Hutch kissed my neck, biting down hard; his tongue warm and aggressive as it toyed with my body. I moaned against his mouth, he wasn’t the gentleman I first met.

  He released my hands and grabbed my thighs dropping back on the couch, leaving me on top of him stunned by his quick maneuver.

  “Your fun,” I giggled, as he grabbed me by the waist, coaxing me along as I took control.

  I didn’t feel so miserable anymore.

  Chapter 11

  I opened my eyes.

  “Good morning,” Hutch said.

  “What time is it?” I searched for a clock.

  “Ten.”

  I rolled over. “I can’t believe I slept here. I bet they are scouring the town trying to find me.” I laughed.

  Hutch seemed to think it was weird. I guess it was a little strange, the night before I was close to a nervous breakdown. I was erratic, nothing like myself.

  “I’m never disappointed having to lay eyes on you in the morning,” Hutch said.

  I rolled over the smile still on my face as I took him in. He wasn’t so bad himself. I touched his messy hair.

  “This is our second slumber party,” I reminded him.

  “I enjoyed this one way more,” he laid a kiss against my collarbone reminding me I was naked.

  “Oh so you’re that kind of guy huh?”

  He raised an eyebrow. “What kind is that, doll?”

  I searched for the rights words. I didn’t want to offend him. “The kind of guy who enjoys getting into girl’s pants.”

  No matter how I put it I was being offensive, but I was sure he could handle it.

  “I don’t like to live in a dream world.” He pushed my hair off my cheek. “We’re both adults. Why fight it?”

  This was true. He leaned over and kissed me. I dropped down onto the pillow and enjoyed it. It was better than waking up at Nona’s and dealing with her nagging or Dad’s over protective behavior anymore.

  “I think your right.” I poked at his lips. He kissed my fingertips bringing up images of Slade. He used to do the same thing. I pushed the memory away.

  “What’s the matter, Doll?” Hutch aske
d. He guided me by the chin making me look at him.

  “Have you ever felt happy and miserable at the same time?” I sighed.

  “Yes.” Hutch sat up. He threw the covers back and got out of bed. He opened up the blinds sending rays of bright sunlight into his room. “But I got over it. I figured out no matter how much I worried about it nothing ever changed.”

  “What do you mean?” I admired his physique as he worked a t-shirt over his head.

  “Like I said, I made a lot of poor choices in my life. I learned to live with them. And I am going to show you how to do the same thing.” He smirked, tossing me my clothes.

  “I don’t know how you could do that.” I wasn’t going to argue. He seemed to know a thing or two about life. More than I did at the moment.

  “Do you trust me?” Hutch asked.

  “I have no reason not to,” I said.

  “Then meet me tonight,” he said. “I promise you won’t be miserable anymore.”

  Chapter 12

  “What is this place?” Karsen said as she climbed out of my car.

  We were on the edge of town, the farthest away from Cherry either of us ever traveled. I stared up at the massive warehouse.

  “This is the address,” I said checking the text Hutch sent.

  Karsen applied a fresh coat of red lipstick. “Well, it’s better than sitting around waiting for something to happen.”

  She was referring to Kidd.

  “I’m sure as soon as he is able to he will talk to you,” I assured her. “He’s not like Slade. He has a conscience.”

  Karsen shut the car door. “Since when do you talk about him like that?”

  I shrugged. “Since he left and told me to forget about him.” I stared at her stark white expression I knew what she thought.

  “Stop it. Just because Slade isn’t coming back doesn’t mean Kidd isn’t either.” I sighed; I wished she would get a grip on it. I didn’t have the patience to deal with both of us losing it all in one night.

  I shrugged my black jacket off tossing it in the backseat and slammed my car door shut.