Finding Strength: A Club Dark Novel Read online

  She moves to take a seat on the sofa across the room. With nothing else to do, I take a seat on the chair I’ve been pacing in front of for the last thirty minutes or so.

  As usual, thoughts of Lacey and her bright smile are front and center to my thoughts. I wish nothing more than to have her here in my arms, and to have that sorry excuse for a human, in a body bag, buried six feet under.

  My blood starts to boil thinking of that man. Wrapping my hands around his throat and watching as the life slowly seeps from his eyes, is nothing short of therapeutic at this moment.

  “Where’d your butler run off to?” Amber questions, and just looking at her, I can tell she doesn’t care what Al’s up to. She’s apparently picked up on my emotions, and this must be her way of diverting my attention.

  “He runs in and out from time to time. He must be out grocery shopping.” I actually don’t know where he’s at. Which is strange, because he always tells me before he leaves. He’s a grown man though, and I’m not his keeper.

  “Okay then, what’s the plan going forward. Are we just going to sit here and twiddle our thumbs as you wait on word from Alex?”

  “That’s all we can do now, Amber. But don’t you worry, if I don’t hear from Alex again soon, I’ll look for her my damn self.”

  If I had it my way, that’s exactly what I would be out doing right now. But Alex and his team have experience in surveillance and tracking. If anyone can find her, it’s them.

  As much as that might be a blow to my ego, I’m man enough to know when I need to back off and accept help. But my patience only lasts for so long. It wears thinner by the minute. Eventually, it’s going to snap, and I truly feel sorry for anyone standing in my way when that happens.

  Jerking around in my sleep, I’m suddenly jolted awake with the most intense pain I’ve ever felt rolling through my stomach. It’s been another twenty-four hours and Aaron has yet to let me have anything to eat or drink.

  He’s closed himself off to me. Not even saying a word. Yesterday, he spent the day sitting at the small table by the door, bouncing back and forth from writing in his notebook, and speaking on his phone. I never could tell what he was talking about, his responses were always cryptic and short.

  My begging for food and water fell on deaf ears. He never even glanced my way. By the time night fell again, he slipped in behind me once again, and locked his arm around my waist.

  It didn’t take long for me to fall asleep, my body was wearing down. But being awake now, I have that second wind feeling; as if I could get up and run a marathon, at least if it weren’t for the sharp cramps wreaking havoc on my stomach.

  Out of nowhere, a violent cramp rips through forcing a blood-curdling scream from my lungs. Aaron bolts straight out of the bed as I curl into a fetal position, holding my midsection in a vain attempt at relieving some pain.

  I don’t even feel Aaron move from the bed, but then he shows up right beside me with a small glass of water.

  “Here, take short, small sips until you adjust,” he says in a soothing tone.

  I take the glass gratefully. I’ve learned my lesson from the last time I told him to fuck himself.

  Slow and steady, I take a few small sips, feeling my stomach churn as the water hits my empty stomach. Not wanting to take it too fast, I set the glass down. And then I do something stupid by trying, once again to make conversation with him. But you know, what’s the worst that can happen? He’s already starved me and ignored me to the point that I was about to go crazy, so it’s not likely to get any worse.

  “Why are you doing this, Aaron? I really do want to know.” I risk, hoping it doesn’t piss him off.

  He studies me for a few brief seconds before a look of resolve flashes across his face. What he says next is completely unexpected and throws me for a loop.

  “Because I love you, Lacey. You have no idea how much. I screwed up. I made a mistake in a weak and vulnerable moment and you were never supposed to see that. I knew you’d never let me explain. And I can’t see my life without you.”

  Vulnerable moment? Is he serious right now? We were happy and everything was going great, and he wants to call sleeping with my best friend a vulnerable moment, please?

  “Can I please have something to eat? I’m shaky and feel like I’m going to pass out.” I beg, because clearly, I’m not beyond that at this point, I’d rather not die from starvation.

  Aaron doesn’t make a sound but he slowly gets up and walks over to one of the cupboards in the tiny kitchen. He pulls out a small pack of crackers and walks back over to the bed.

  “Can I trust that you are actually grateful this time?” He says in a gentle tone that fits nowhere in this situation.

  “Yes, please?” I beg once again.

  Instead of untying my wrist, he squats down in front of me and places one of the crackers to my lips. Aware of how sensual this may seem; I throw it out of my mind. I’ve learned the type of man Aaron really is, and I don’t want any part of it.

  I accept what he’s offering because I’m starving and do not want to go another day without food.

  Without anything else to say, I ask the one question that’s been bothering me for a while now.

  “What’s the plan here, surely you don’t think you can just keep me at your will.”

  A sly smile slides across his face, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say my heart jumped just a little. Being here with him, although the situation is bad, yes, I can’t help some of the old feelings that are coming to the surface.

  “Oh Lace,” he says, using the nickname he’s always called me by, “you aren’t here at my will, sooner or later, you are going to see that you want to be here with me.”

  He allows me another drink of water before taking it from me. My stomach feels slightly better, but the pains are still there, like a shadow in the back of my mind. I guess I need to up my game some, I can’t go through that again, and I need for Aaron to trust me so I can get out of here.

  However, that stubborn side of me still demands answers. I had grown to deeply love this man over the years, and he turned out to be someone I don’t even know. I want to know why. What caused this and why lie to me about it?

  “What happened to you, Aaron? I don’t even recognize you anymore.”

  A frustrated look crosses over his face as he rakes his hands through his hair. A deep sigh leaves his lips before he basically plops down on the bed by my feet. I’m still handcuffed to the headboard, so I can’t go anywhere.

  “Lace, the man you thought you knew, he doesn’t exist. Once upon a time, he did. Spending that summer with my dad, learning the ins and outs of my inheritance, gave me a whole new sense of purpose. But you were never meant to know any of this. My partnership at that club was supposed to stay separate from my life with you, but you obviously know how that ended up.” He seems to space out.

  But I don’t understand. Why all of this now?

  “Why can’t you just let me go then? You could’ve just left me alone and went on happily with your life.”

  “I already told you, if I can’t have you, nobody will. I love you, Lace, and I’m willing to spend my life making it up to you. So, the choice is yours. Just remember that I can’t go on seeing you with another man.”

  He’s even crazier than I thought. But I see this for what it is, my opening to get him to trust me. I’ll just have to find a way to use it to my advantage.

  “I just don’t know, Aaron. You hurt me pretty badly, how can I ever trust you again?” I’m sincere in my statement. He really did hurt me. I was crushed, still am if I’m being honest. And dammit if those wounds weren’t trying to heal before he had to go and pull this crap.

  He leans in, taking a lock of my hair between his fingers, gently caressing the ends before placing it behind my ear. His lips whisper across mine, feather soft, as he whispers, “Time baby, it takes time.”

  His lips make full contact with mine, and for the briefest second, I let myself enjoy it, rememberin
g times past.

  A time where warm, soft lips, pushed gently against mine, gently kneading them with his, encouraging me to open for him as his tongue slowly slides in, meeting mine with a gentle caress.

  But then, I remember my situation and how I even got here. Resolve settles deep into my gut as I set my plan into motion.

  I deepen our kiss, settling my mouth fully onto his, my tongue pushing against his, dancing back and forth in a slow, sweet tango.

  I feel a rumble as he groans against my lips and pulls back.

  “I knew you were still in there,” he says with a cocky grin. “And if you continue to be a good girl, there’s more where that came from.” He plants another small, chaste kiss on my cheek and stands up.

  The self-righteous prick.

  “I have a few errands to run. I’ll bring back some lunch and will allow you to eat a full meal if you can behave while I’m gone,” he says with an evil glint in his eyes.

  I prefer him this way, it makes it easier to hate him so I can continue with my plans to get out of here.

  I smile up at him, giving him the same sweet look I used when we were together, and watch as he walks out the door.

  As much as I’d like to take this time to figure out a way to escape, the little bit of food he gave me has already depleted. My body has grown tired again, and those hunger pains are growing stronger with each passing moment.

  If I have any chance at getting out of here, I’m going to have to play the good little girl so I can rebuild my strength and have enough energy to run when the time comes.

  Funny what just a couple of days with no food can do to you.

  Thoughts of Cory flash through my head, making me feel guilty for the kiss I just shared with Aaron.

  I miss him so much that it makes my chest ache. His presence is so intimidating, but for me, it’s just a shell. I was enjoying the fact that he was letting me in, allowing me to break through that rough exterior.

  Now, I may never get to see him again.

  Warm tears stream down my cheeks. How much heartache and pain must one person suffer through in a lifetime before she’s given a break? Why can’t I be allowed to be happy for once?

  Fighting off the fatigue for as long as I could, my eyes begin to grow heavier. My will to keep them open drains as I drift off.

  Feeling the wind across my face, I’m in my element out here on the open road. Finally able to get Amber off my back long enough to be alone, I decided a ride on my bike was well overdue.

  Al was making his way inside as I was leaving, only to say we needed groceries, as an explanation for his absence. We both knew that was a poor excuse but I didn’t question him. Personally, I think he blames himself for Lacey’s disappearance and it’s getting to him. I wasn’t the only one that got attached to Lacey and her presence in the house. The fact that she’s gone, and he wasn’t able to stop it, is really hurting Al. And as much as I would like to reassure him that it wasn’t his fault, I can’t. I’m angry and hurting, too, and if I’m being completely honest, an irrational part of me does blame him, as unfair and misguided as it is.

  Pulling up to the meadow where I brought Lacey on our first ride together, an uneasy feeling courses through me. This place no longer offers the comfort it did before her. Now, it’s just an open-ended reminder of what’s been ripped from me once again.

  It’s not often we find love in this life, not the real genuine kind at least. I had it once, and in the blink of an eye, it was gone. Now I’ve been lucky to find it again. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to let this little prick mess with what’s mine.

  Feeling the subtle vibration in my back pocket, I reach for my cell phone and read Alex’s number as it flashes across my screen. With my heart in my throat and shaky hands I answer his call and pray that he has good news for me. That he’s found my girl and the little shit that took her.

  With the phone to my ear I get straight to the point. Fuck formalities, we’re past that at this point.

  “Please tell me you are calling because you’ve found my girl, Alex?” I ask, doing everything I can to hold onto the small bit of composure I’ve managed to bring under control since talking to Amber.

  “Sir, we haven’t found her yet, but we are close for sure.”

  “So, would you like to explain why it is you called then?” Trying my damndest not to lose it on him right now.

  “Yes, actually. We’ve found his vehicle with the plates. But it’s abandoned at an old warehouse. Seems like he put a lot of thought into keeping us off his trail, lucky for us though, you have me. I’m getting my guy to dig deeper to see if we can find out where they went from here.”

  “Where, exactly, is here?”

  “Oregon.”

  “Oregon?! Where the fuck is he going with her?” I question.

  “I don’t know, boss, and we really don’t know much about him to make an educated guess.”

  “Hurry up and find my girl, we can’t afford to allow him to get any further ahead of us.”

  “On it, boss.”

  “Alex?” I’m not a sentimental person by any means, but I feel the need to get this off my chest.

  “Yep?”

  “Thank you. I don’t know what I would be doing at this moment if it weren’t for you.”

  And then I hung up, not sure if I could handle anything he’d have to say right now.

  Hopping on my bike, I head back towards the house, knowing there’s a lot to be done to get ready for my parents’ arrival.

  Waking up in my bed, that I don’t even remember falling asleep in, I faintly hear voices filtering in through my walls. Wiping the sleep from my eyes, I glance over at the clock to see that it’s just past eight in the morning. “Shit!” I can’t remember sleeping past six am since I was in my teens. I think to myself as I throw my legs over the side of bed to stand.

  The voices grow louder; what the fuck is going on?

  Jerking my door open and flying down my stairs, I nearly collide with the backside of my mother, who’s in a heated argument with Al.

  “Good morning, sir. I was just explaining to Mrs. Lewis here, that you had a pretty rough night and deserved to sleep in.” Al says, sounding agitated. That’s a new one for him. It takes a lot to rile that man up.

  “And I was explaining to our housekeeper here, that he should remember who hired him and I have every right to wake my son if I see fit.” You can almost see the steam flowing from her, but I’m in no mood to deal with my mother’s antics. Not today.

  “Enough!” I roar, effectively silencing them both after they had started up their bickering again. I swear you’d think they were siblings or something.

  “Mom, I love you, but this is my house, you can’t just threaten my staff. Not to mention, I’d think Al is much more than that, at this point.” Before she can say anything, I turn to Al. “And you know better than to argue with her, you won’t win.” I walk away from the two of them without another word. Right now, I need coffee.

  Walking into the kitchen, I spot my father standing with his hip against the counter, raising a mug to his lips. Time has certainly been kind to both my parents. They’re both pushing sixty, but you can’t even see it. My dad’s around six-foot, slim, and with the same jet black hair as I have. His face is all sharp angles and a well-groomed mustache sits atop his lip. I heard he was a real lady killer back in the day, but he only ever had eyes for my mom, since high school, I’m told.

  Speaking of, she comes walking in behind Al with a deep scowl painted across her face.

  “You know, mom?” I grasp her attention, “You’re going to cause yourself some deep wrinkles if you keep looking like that.”

  Dad spits his coffee across the table, and mom, with all her little five-foot-two frame, attempts to make herself taller before she throws herself over in a fit of laughter.

  She stares back up at me with the first genuine smile I’ve seen in years, making her look so much more beautiful. She has always taken pride in her
features, always going to the salon to get her hair styled, and always in the same way. Only thing I can compare her to is a little pixie, that’s how short she keeps her hair, but she never colors it. It’s always been the same auburn brown for as long as I can remember. Her eyes are a deep shade of brown, almost matching the color of her hair. And like my father, she has the fountain of youth on her side.

  Walking over to me, she cups my cheek with the palm of her hand, “I’ve missed you, son.” She says gently, before placing a tiny kiss on the same cheek and walking over to my father.

  I shake my head; this woman is so hot and cold sometimes.

  “I’ll just let you all visit for a little while.” I’m startled for the first time in my life when Amber speaks up from across the room. I hadn’t even realized she was here.

  Just based on what I’ve heard from her, she knows a thing or two about dysfunctional families, and I don’t want mine scaring her away.

  “You’re welcome to stay, Amber,” I say sincerely.

  “No, really, it’s okay. I need to get home and shower, change clothes, you know that sort of stuff.” She says, rising to her feet.

  “Mom, dad, I’ll be right back. Amber, I’ll walk you out.” I grab her by the arm and walk her out of the kitchen.

  “I don’t want you leaving because my family is here.” I stop us in the hallway, out of hearing range from my parents.

  “No, really, Cory, I’m fine. I have some stuff to take care of. Now that I know you are okay, I’d like to get caught up. Not to mention, I have a job to eventually get back to before my boss fires me.” She gives me a sly little smirk before heading to the front door.

  “Very funny, I expect you back here for dinner, maybe you can help tone my parents down some.”

  “Have you met mine?” She laughs, shutting the door behind herself.