Page 37 of When Darkness Calls

I snort.

Doubtful.

For the next few hours, I watched her meandering through the empty house. The kitchen light flickers on and off sparingly, but the TV’s silver light is constant. Sometime after 3 a.m. it goes off and the light in her room comes to life. I look away. Her bedroom’s curtains are sheer in the light. And once it is turned off, I stand.

My feet drag across the grass. I creep carefully onto the porch, slipping the key from my pocket. My hand reaches out to twist the doorknob, and when it clicks, I grit my teeth.

She didn’t even lock the goddamn door.

Peering to my left, I checked the security system. Well, at least she did that. Thankfully, I remembered to bring my key fob so she’s still blissfully unaware I’m here.

I slip my shoes off, tiptoeing through the house to the kitchen. I get a glass of water and walk back to the living room. The wind blows outside the house, the subtle rustling of the bush against the bay window is the only noise I can hear.

I know that she can’t hear me over the hum of her fan. She’s never gone a night without sleeping with it on high.

My phone vibrates in my pocket.

Cade

You good?

Me

Yeah. She’s in bed. I’m downstairs. She didn’t lock the door.

Cade

Okay. I’ll be home early. You can stay or head out around seven.

I like the message and turn my phone off, picking up the TV remote. Flipping through the rentals she had got last night, finding the one she was watching earlier. Then my mind races back to what I had seen.

Her sitting here in this very spot, face flushed, chest heaving, hand caressing her thick thighs. My mouth begins to water.

The look in her eye when she spotted me. It was pure lust. I had never seen her like that before, and I never thought I would. Something inside me twisted. Tightened.

I hit play, grabbing the fluffy blanket, throwing it over my lap. It smells like her. Sweet, spicy. I bring it close to my nose, inhaling deeply. A groan vibrates through me.

God, she smells so fucking good. And she looked so fucking good. And what I would give if I could wrap my hands around her, having her look up at me with that fiery heat in her eyes.

My cock hardens, but I ignore it. I can’t. I’m supposed to protect her. Watch over her. Keep her safe. The things I’m thinking about go against all of that in so many fucking ways…Right?

So, I just sit back, watch the movie, and pretend I don’t think about what could happen if I sneak up to her bedroom.

When the credits roll, I stand up, stretch, and check the time. It’s five forty-eight.

Through the bay window I can see the pinkish hue of the sun beginning to crest in the valleys. I have a little while before the cover of night is gone.

My steps are light into the kitchen opening the fridge. Sitting on the first shelf are the left-over pizza slices. I snag one, shutting the door. The calendar on it flutters to the floor. I paused listening in case she heard, but there’s no sign of movement upstairs. Crouching down, I pick it up, flipping to August, pausing…then flipping one more page. It’s after midnight, so happy September first to me.

In Cade’s messy handwriting, capitalized with three sharp underlines, Dani’s birthday is noted on the ninth. Lifting the magnet, I hang the calendar back in its spot, my fingertips hovering over that date.

She looked so miserable the other day thinking about it, and that hellscape of a dinner thing Jennifer always pushes for. It’s never really been for Dani, it has only been a means for appearances. The outward presentation of the picture perfect family, the family that has made a name around here. It was all bullshit.

Dani deserves more than that. It’s been a while since the guys have really done something big for her birthday. Probably since…shit…before she was in high school? That might have been the last time we got the house decked out in all the cheesy party decorations, streamers, balloons, and hats included. The bright lively smile on her face and the quiet joy of Marlene standing behind her watching all of us has been seared into my memory.

We were all so happy.

Slipping my phone from my pocket, I sent Cade a text.