Darkness Falls (The Darkness Duet #2)

Prologue

Callie

" M om?"

A tear rolls down the side of her cheek, but she doesn't say anything. She just sits there, not making any attempt to come over to me. It doesn't make sense. How is she alive? I watched my father shoot her. I saw the blood pouring from her chest. I didn't see her die, but surviving that would be nothing short of a miracle.

My father reaches over and slaps his hand on her shoulder, roughly shaking her. "I'm so glad you like the surprise I arranged for you, Callie."

"Mom?" I whisper again, but she refuses to speak to me. She just stares, eyes wide with tears freely flowing down her cheeks. Finally, she breaks eye contact with me to look down at her lap.

"Your mother will only be speaking to you with my permission. Isn't that right, Natasha?"

"Yes, sir," my mother says.

I hear her soft, fragile voice for the first time in years, and it feels like a knife to the chest.

Anger floods my body. I shove my chair out to stand up and slam my fists on the table. "What the fuck did you do to her?!"

"Sit down, Callie. NOW!" my father grits out fiercely.

"I won't! Look at her! She's your wife, and she's terrified of you."

"Your mother needed to learn what happens when someone goes against my will. She helped you leave. That could not go unpunished. Not in my house.”

"You've been fucking torturing her!" I slam my fist on the table again, and the dishes make a clanking noise.

"Watch your mouth when you're speaking to me, girl. She needed to be taught a few lessons. No need to be so dramatic about it. Now that you're back home where you belong, you will need to learn some things as well. It seems as though you have forgotten how to behave like a proper lady." A sadistic grin crosses his face.

Julian, I mean Damien, grips my arm and pulls me back down to my seat. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that the man I spent almost an entire year of my life with lied to me and ended up being the psycho my father wanted me to marry at eighteen. He was able to play the part of the kind, sweet, and loving man so easily.

I'm glad I met the Monroe Brothers and moved on from him. Thinking of the brothers makes my heart ache. Finding out about Damien's true identity would have messed with my head so much more if I hadn’t met them. I still can't believe Damien was working with my father the entire time.

I spent over six years running from my father and his society. Everything was going perfectly until it wasn't. My father hired Barrett, Sebastian, and Kyler to kill Damien’s father in exchange for information on Maxton, but he never planned on telling them anything. He was actually the one who killed Maxton all along.

When my father didn't live up to his end of the deal, they took me as their captive. I was their path to revenge for his betrayal. Most people would say being kidnapped by three men is the worst thing that could happen to them. For me, it was the biggest blessing. Those three men changed everything.

The Monroe Brothers helped me process my grief for Maxton and finally heal as best as I possibly can. Kyler was always a willing shoulder to lean on when I needed to vent. He was caring and attentive. He made sure I knew that even though he stalked me and was completely obsessed, my needs mattered too. Barrett taught me how to take control of my pain. It doesn't need to be a weakness; it can be a strength. Sebastian taught me patience. While I may not be in love with Seb like I am with Kyler and Barrett, he grew on me, and I respect him. He puts family over everything, and I know he will give his life to protect the people closest to him. I just wish I knew what happened to them and if they are still alive.

Damien leans in to whisper in my ear, reminding me of my current reality. "Are you done with your little temper tantrum? It's going to be so fun breaking you, Callie."

I clench my jaw, refusing to acknowledge him because he isn't going to break shit. The guys are going to come for me. I have to hold onto that hope .

"Would you like to know what happened after you ran away?" my father asks, interrupting my thoughts.

I clench my fists under the table, grinding out, "Obviously."

"If you have any desire to speak to your mother again, you will stop being a disrespectful brat," he snarls.

I bite my tongue, wanting to tell him to shove it up his ass, but I also want to talk to my mom. I never thought I would see her again, and I grieved her death. If playing nice is what I need to do in order to talk to her, I’ll suck it up and do it.

"I'm sorry for being disrespectful," I say softly. It feels so wrong coming out of my mouth, but I’m doing it for my mom, regardless of the way my father is smiling over his little victory.

"Your mother was shot that day. It might not have been one of my wisest decisions, but she shouldn't have stepped between me and the boy."

I have to stop myself from acting out because that boy he’s talking so casually about shooting was the future he stole from me. He was my first love. Maxton.

"She was lucky my shot was rushed; it didn’t hit anything vital. After you ran off, I heard her mumbling and realized she was still alive. Members of the guard heard the gunshots and rushed to inspect the situation. I had one of them apply enough pressure to her wound to stop the bleeding while another carried her back to the compound. We called in the doctor, and it was touch and go for a while, but he managed to stabilize her. In time, she was nursed back to health. Isn’t that right, Natasha?"

“Yes, sir,” she mutters .

I can’t even imagine what she must have gone through all these years. I hate that I left her here to face it all alone. A brief memory of Sebastian calling me a selfish bitch for not stopping to make sure Maxton was dead flashes in my mind. A sliver of hope builds inside my chest, and I begin to take heavy breaths. I glance up at my father, vulnerable, wishing with everything inside me that Maxton lived too.

"Maxton?" I whisper, hoping that maybe somehow, he managed to survive too.

He waves a dismissive hand at me, but my questioning gaze doesn’t falter.

"The boy is dead, Callie. I let him bleed out in front of me and watched as the life drained from his eyes. It's what he deserved after putting stupid ideas in your head."

I shouldn't have let myself have hope because my heart feels like it's being ripped out of my chest again.

"I think I could have saved him if I wanted to, but I didn't want to." He grins while sipping his drink. Seb was right. I was selfish, and I left him there to die. If I stayed, maybe I could have helped him. I could have put pressure on the wound and gotten him to the same doctor who helped my mom. My thoughts spin inside my head as panic begins to set in. My heart rate picks up; I feel weak and clammy. I could have at least tried to help him.

A deep ache in my chest takes hold when Barrett’s face flashes in my mind, telling me to breathe. ‘ Take the pain and turn it into strength, princess.’ I can almost hear him speaking to me .

I take a few deep breaths, forcing myself to think rationally. Even if Maxton lived, I know there is no way my father would have let me help him. If I stayed, he would have forced me to watch him die. His death was always inevitable. It would have been my punishment.

"He would have died no matter what," I breathe out, my voice sounding smaller than I'd like.

"That, my daughter, is the only smart thing you've said since you got here."

"Callie, don't you want to tell your mother the good news?" Damien interrupts, and I turn to scowl at him.

Good news? The only good news that I've heard at this dinner table is that my mother is alive, but the woman sitting in front of me is only a shell of the woman she was before I left all those years ago. She used to be strong, resilient. Now, her eyes are lifeless and defeated. She is completely submissive to him.

My father looks over to her. "You may speak, Natasha."

I have to fight the urge to run over and hug her.

"I'm happy you're back home where you belong." Her vacant eyes don't match the words of her soft tone. She looks terrified for me. I have a feeling she’s only saying that to appease my father.

“Callie, tell her." Damien’s hand grips my thigh tightly, causing me to wince.

"Damien and I are getting married," I say with a cold, flat one. If he thinks I’m going to pretend to be excited about this, he’s got another thing coming.

"That's wonderful news. How long until the big day?" Again, I see the worry in her eyes.

Damien’s hand leaves my thigh as he grabs my hand to interlock his fingers with mine. I'm not sure who he is showing off for, considering everyone at this table knows this is a bullshit marriage.

"Three months from now," I mutter.

"We have a lot of work to do before then, don't we?" She looks over to my father before asking him the most insane question I’ve ever heard. "Will Callie and I be allowed to spend some time together to plan things?"

My father seems pleased she is asking for permission, but he shakes his head no.

"Considering the trouble the two of you caused the last time you were alone together, I think it's best that you keep your distance until after she says her vows."

My mother’s eyes drop down to her lap as she nods in compliance. He isn't even going to give me the chance to really talk to her. He's going to keep us apart as some sort of sick punishment.

"I think that's enough conversation from the ladies for the night. Damien, do you think you can meet me in my office after dinner so we can go over that proposal I sent you last week?"

"Of course, sir. Once I put my girl here to bed, I'll be sure to pop in."

His girl. I'm not his fucking girl, and I don't need his help getting myself to bed. I know where my prison is.

The two of them continue their meaningless conversation as my mother and I sit in silence for the rest of dinner. I just want this night to be over so I can process how to move forward with everything.

I let my mind zone out and focus on plotting a way to get out of here. The only complication now is my mother. I’ll need to help her get out too. I won’t leave her alone again.