Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Epilogue
Author’s Note
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Epilogue
Author’s Note
Hidden Betrayals
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
HIDDEN BETRAYALS
First edition: December 25th, 2017
Copyright © 2017 Kristin Coley
Written by Kristin Coley
Hidden Betrayals
Daniel Phillips has spent years tortured by guilt over the death of his brother, Samuel. He's worked hard to move past it with the help of his friends and new girlfriend, Carly. He's been shanghaied into being a partner in Addie's new psychic PI firm, and now he's sharing an apartment with Wade.
However, when a familiar face from his past shows up and a new case from the Captain brings up questions, it's a chilling reminder of who Danny used to be. A question to Addie reveals their new case is more complex than they realized, and Danny finds the past isn't done with him yet.
As loyalties are tested, some of the gang discover their 'abilities' are evolving and that the cases of the past are more relevant than they could ever have imagined.
For Danny’s cheering squad.
Chapter One
He had the beer bottle clutched in one hand as he swayed precariously on the train tracks.
“Woohoo, looks like I’ma gonna win this time,” Jace Denton boasted in the background.
“I don’t know, Phillips hasn’t lost one yet,” another voice answered in the darkness.
“Come on, baby. You can do it.” Dovina ‘Dovie’ Brown cried as Daniel Phillips steadied himself. He might be drunk and the tracks slippery as hell, but he refused to lose face in front of these guys. It would be a death sentence.
Five more steps and he’d reached the end, almost toppling when Dovie threw herself at him.
“I knew you could do it, baby,” she breathed against his neck, mistaking his shudder for arousal. Her knowing chuckle grated as she said, “That deserves a reward.” His stomach muscles clenched as her hand wandered down his chest to the snap on his jeans. It wasn’t anticipation though. The other guys hooted and hollered as they stumbled toward the fire roaring in an old drum, giving them ‘privacy,’ as Dovie slithered down.
“Not tonight,” he bit out, his impulse to shove her away battling with the engrained lesson not to hurt a woman.
“Uh huh,” she murmured, ignoring him and his urge to send her flying surged higher. She had his jeans unzipped when he managed to grasp her hands, finally dropping the beer bottle to secure his grip. “Oh, like that then?” She asked, her giggle encouraging.
“No,” he stated, pulling her to her feet. “Not tonight.”
Her pout was instantaneous as she clung tighter to him. “What’s wrong with you, Daniel? You’re no fun lately.” Samuel’s face flashed through his mind and he shoved her away, not even feeling a shred of regret as she landed on her ass. “What the hell, Daniel? You can go fuck yourself.”
She managed to get to her feet even with the ridiculous heels she insisted on wearing. With a huff, she stomped toward the fire and no doubt more willing arms.
The memory of Samuel’s disappointed face wouldn’t leave Daniel so easily though.
He reached down for his fallen beer bottle, a shake revealing another swallow left. He drained it and sent the bottle spinning into the dark, the faint tinkling of broken glass meeting his ears a moment later.
Today was Samuel’s thirteenth birthday. A day he’d promised to spend with his brother, but had reneged on at the last second so he could make a drop for one of his employers. Guilt had kept him away and even though he knew Samuel was long asleep, he couldn’t make himself go home.
Raucous singing pierced the night and sent him further into the darkness. This time with a bottle of whiskey in hand to erase the empty hollow in his chest.
***
Danny tightened the last lug nut and nodded to indicate he was done.
“Hey, the guys and I are going to hang out at Joe’s tonight. Wanna come?” Vic asked, talking about the local dive bar around the corner. Danny hesitated for a second before shaking his head. While a beer with the guys sounded good, it wasn’t a date with Carly either.
Vic gave a knowing chuckle.
“There’s a girl.”
Danny smiled faintly. He’d gotten to know Vic a little and knew he was a good guy. Working in the garage gave him something to do, along with money since the PI business he’d been roped into hadn’t quite taken off like Addie had expected. Right now, it utilized her and Wade’s talents a little more than his own brute strength.
“It’s,” Danny trailed off as he tried to find the words that could describe his relationship with Carly.
“Complicated?” Vic chuckled and Danny gave a rueful nod. “All the best ones are.” He jerked his head. “Go on then. Go see your girl.”
“You sure?” Danny replied uncertainly. He still had another half hour before quitting time.
“Yeah, you put in a solid day’s work, unlike some of these guys. No smoke breaks and long lunches for you. Go on. I’ll see you Monday.”
Danny went, grateful for the chance to take a shower before he went to pick up Carly. She acted like it didn’t bother her when he showed up straight from work, grease stains and sweat coating him, but he wanted to make her proud.
He parked his bike around back, taking a shortcut up the stairs to the apartment he shared with Wade instead of going through the reception and office areas of the business.
There was a possibility Wade had a client down there. Slim, but possible. It wouldn’t do to scare off any potential business with his presence. At six four and a solid two hundred and thirty pounds, he wasn’t a small guy. Add in his perpetual scowl, or as Addie liked to say, ‘brooding guy face’ and most people gave him a wide berth.
He headed straight for the shower, stripping down immediately and stashing his clothes in his hamper. Since there was only one bathroom, he had to share it with Wade. At first, they’d shared the hamper and split laundry duties, but since his clothes tended to be covered in grease when he got home they’d decided to keep them separate.
He cranked the water up to full blast, steam quickly filling the small room as he glanced in the mirror. Dark eyes stared back as he ran a hand over his newly buzzed hair. It had been longer over the summer, but with work and the business it had been easier to cut it. The shorter hair accentuated the already strong planes of his face, g
iving him an almost brutal look.
He turned away, ignoring the part of him that whispered, “You don’t deserve this life.” He made quick work of scrubbing down, spending the most time on his hands to try and get the worst of the grime out from under his nails.
He swiped the fog off the mirror and wrapped a towel around his waist. He rubbed his chin, feeling the rasp of his five o’clock shadow. Carly had mentioned once that she thought it was sexy, but it also left her skin red during their make out sessions. He was reaching for the razor when a tap on the door made him pause.
“You decent?”
“Yeah,” Danny called back. The door banged open and Wade stepped in. He took in Danny’s bare chest and the towel hanging low.
“You call that decent?”
“Disappointed?” He shot back with a grin.
“Only that you actually have plans tonight and I don’t. Something wrong with that picture.”
Danny chuckled and said, “You can join us.”
“A third wheel?” Wade shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
“Actually, it would be a seventh wheel?” Danny thought about it. “Yeah, pretty sure I heard something about the others joining us. You might as well come. It wouldn’t be a party without you.”
“That almost sounds like a punishment worse than death,” Wade commented, grabbing a pill bottle from the cabinet. “I need to keep these in the kitchen or something. I can’t keep seeing you like this.”
“Too much to handle?”
“I think I see more of you naked than Carly does. So yeah.”
Danny choked on a laugh as Wade walked out, unable to deny his words. He glanced at the mirror and back down at the razor, picking it up. Maybe tonight that would change.
She was sitting outside her dorm, face turned up toward the sun as she waited for him. Her light brown hair was almost golden with the sun hitting it and he was struck again by how beautiful she was. The first time he’d seen her he could have sworn she glowed. The way she lit up a room with her smile had captivated him, and her constant joy made resisting her difficult, if not impossible.
“You look amazing,” he said, his steps slowing as he came up to her, still not quite sure how he’d wound up with the girl. By all rights, she should despise him, but as she turned toward him, her smile grew brighter if such a thing was possible.
“Hmmm, thank you, but I’m waiting for my boyfriend. Tall, kinda scruffy, jeans and boots. You know the type.” She lowered her voice. “Scary motherfucker.”
He laughed in genuine amusement, his white teeth flashing as he glanced down at himself. He’d found a pair of gray slacks and Wade had lent him a black knit shirt. It definitely wasn’t jeans and boots.
“He also drives this big motorcycle. Likes to take me riding on it.”
His head tilted down as his lips curled into a smile.
“Oh, I have something you can ride,” he assured her, only to see her eyes widen as she bit down on her lower lip, the plump flesh darkening.
“That is a tempting proposal, but,” she paused and he strolled closer.
“But?”
“I’m a one-man kind of woman.”
“I couldn’t steal you away from him for one evening?” He drawled, suddenly enthralled by this game she’d started. He leaned down close enough that the curls she’d tamed in a tight bun brushed his face. “I promise you won’t regret it.”
The hitch in her breathing heightened the low strum of arousal he always felt around her. She was life and light to the darkness he held and like a moth to a flame, he would happily incinerate himself to feel her heat.
“I’m sure I won’t,” she whispered back, her lips grazing his cheek. “Danny,” the soft sound of his name on her lips broke what control he had and he met her lips with his own.
A few minutes later, he pulled back to witness her flushed cheeks and glowing eyes. He rubbed his thumb over the blush, slightly awed by her reaction to him. She was more than he deserved.
“We’re going to be late,” she murmured, her smile indicating she didn’t mind in the least.
“We can always stay here,” he offered with a glint in his eyes.
“Oh, no,” she disagreed, shaking her head as she rested her hands on his shoulders. “I don’t think so. And waste this,” she eyed him so thoroughly he almost blushed. “Absolutely not. We are going just so I can see Addie’s face when you walk in.”
A chuckle escaped him at her declaration, but he only wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they walked to Wade’s car.
“Ok, seriously. Who are you and what have you done with Danny?” She demanded when she saw it instead of his motorcycle. It took him a second to realize she’d stopped, her build so slight compared to his that she’d slipped right under his arm.
“It’s just,” he hesitated, trying to find the words. “I wanted you to have a nice night.” Her face softened at his explanation and she touched her tightly coiled hair. It was up like that so she wouldn’t get helmet hair, the same reason she wore pants instead of a skirt when they went out.
“I’m happy to be with you, Danny. In whatever form of transportation or attire,” she replied, catching up to him.
“And I’m grateful you are, but occasionally, I’d like to impress you.”
She grinned.
“You always impress me. Tonight, you managed to shock me.”
He opened the car door for her and she gave him a flirty look. “I do have manners,” he admonished.
“I know that, but what can I say? They’re sexy.”
“Are you sure we have to go?” He asked once again, hope in his voice.
“Yes, I’m about to make every woman everywhere jealous,” she stated, her tone matter of fact, tucking her legs in so he could shut the door.
“Ok, then,” he murmured to himself, going around the car.
“Is this the place?” Doubt laced his voice and even Carly looked uncertain.
“Yes,” she drawled out slowly. “This is the name and it matches the description Addie gave me.”
“Not what I was expecting.”
“That makes two of us.”
“I never thought I’d say this, but I think I’m overdressed.” Carly giggled nervously, but there was also acknowledgement on her face. They would have fit in better if they’d ridden his motorcycle and he’d skipped the shower entirely.
“Why here?” Carly questioned to which he just shook his head. That was a question best reserved for Addie.
“We’re about to find out.”
“Hey!”
“You made it.”
“Did you bring your gun?”
It was the last question that stopped Danny short since it was unusual for Connor to sound so serious. He gave a short shake of his head, his eyes scanning the area. “I mistakenly assumed it was a dinner date not a training exercise,” he retorted, his arm sliding protectively around Carly’s shoulder.
“Me too, then we arrived.” Connor was tense, his normally laid back demeanor absent as he retained his police persona.
“Why here?”
“Damn good question,” he bit out, his gaze going straight to Addie as she stood there cheerfully. “Why did you pick this place for date night?”
“I heard the barbeque is amazing,” she gushed to their consternation. “Its fine,” she added, waving her hand at our obviously guarded reactions. “Where’s Wade?”
“He didn’t come. Something about a third wheel and things worse than death,” Danny answered, relaxing slightly as he continued to take in the area. It was unquestionably a rougher crowd, but the vibe wasn’t violent. Granted, that might change as the night went on.
Addie let out a gusty sigh, rolling her eyes, but didn’t question him. It would have been pointless anyway. No one forced Wade to do anything.
Well.
Scratch that.
Addie was the exception.
She had a knack for convincing perfectly sane people to go along with h
er schemes. Like opening a psychic private investigation firm. Danny shook his head, still not completely certain how he’d been coerced into it. Might have had something to do with the fact that he’d lost both his job and apartment within days. When you were desperate, Addie’s ideas seemed a lot more reasonable.
“We have a table over here,” Jules mentioned, guiding them to their ‘table.’
“I swear to God, this is the last time I dress up,” Danny hissed under his breath and Carly laughed. For once, Danny was the best dressed in the group and easily the best dressed at the shack they were currently about to eat at. There were more than a few women admiring how well his shirt clung to the muscles he kept honed. Carly shot them her best ‘back off bitch’ look, but it didn’t stop most of them. She couldn’t really blame them though.
Danny could make a girl’s heart stop anytime, but cleaned up? He was dangerous. A fact that was garnering a lot of attention.
“Damn, dude, do you have to make the rest of us look bad?” It was Jake’s voice this time, and his relaxed grin assured them he was teasing. Not that he had to worry. He wasn’t exactly shabby himself. Addie liked to call his hair caramel and his eyes might have been hazel but the emotion that shown in them when he gazed at Addie meant they always appeared green.
“Don’t make it so easy then,” Danny retorted, reaching out to clasp the proffered hand. Jules rolled her own eyes as we all knew what was coming next.
“If only either of you could measure up to me.” Connor stretched his arms out expansively, his surfer boy good looks completely out of place in the bayou.
“I don’t think it’s possible for anyone to measure up to you, Connor,” Carly said sweetly to everyone’s shock. Even Connor stared at her open mouthed. “Everything about you is so impressive.” She paused for effect and added, “It’s a good thing we’re sitting outside so your ego could join us.”
Laughter burst out among the group as we all sat down at our table. Picnic table that was. Apparently, the place didn’t believe in indoor dining.
“I picked the wrong night to take the time to shower,” Danny observed as he shoved up the sleeves on the thin sweater he wore, revealing muscular forearms.
Hidden Betrayals (The Hidden Series Book 4) Page 1
