Life After Dark: Book Two of the Dark Series

Chapter 86

The rolling waves and the light fall breeze did little to soothe Dawn's frazzled nerves as she stood on the docks, waiting for the launch to arrive. When she'd left the Spencer home and the sound of Laura's tears behind her, she'd walked away with a shroud of anger and vengeance around her, but as soon as she entered the limo, the shroud removed itself and left her shaken.

She hadn't planned to give Laura Spencer a piece of her mind when she agreed to lunch with her. In the back of her mind, she was aware that the possibility of her losing her temper with Laura was strong, but she'd been certain that she could handle it. That she would handle it for Nikolas' sake. But now as she stood on the docks, she became afraid that she might have unintentionally driven a wedge between Nikolas and his mother, and if that was so, she'd never forgive herself.

"Dawn?"

She turned at the sound of her name. She was surprised to see Lucky's blue eyes staring back at her. She didn't understand it, but the sight of him brought tears to her eyes. Blinking furiously, she gave him a brief smile and turned back towards the water, hoping that he hadn't seen the tears, but knowing that her hopes wouldn't be realized.

Lucky had seen the tears. He had also seen the pained look on her face when she left his former home, which was why he'd followed her to the docks. He didn't know what had happened there, but he had a fairly good idea. She had given his mother the benefit of her opinion in regard to how Nikolas had been treated, the same as she had given him. Looking back now, he acknowledged that he'd learned a great deal in their interchange. He no longer looked at the Cassadines with blinders on and he realized, that just like in everything, there was good and there was bad. Rarely was anything or anyone all one and void of the other. Including, Cassadines.

"Dawn," he said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder, "are you okay? I guess that was a dumb thing to say. Of course, you're not okay. You're upset. Do you want to talk about it?"

Dawn felt herself relax a small fraction at the gentle pressure of her friend's hand on her shoulder. She took a deep breath and released it slowly, in an effort to calm herself even more before she turned to look at him. "Thanks, Lucky, but I don't know if talking about it will help. It seems that talking too much can cause problems."

"Are you finally admitting that you talk too much?" he asked, trying to lighten the sadness that surrounded her by teasing her. It didn't work.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," she admitted. "One of these days, I'm going to learn how to keep my big mouth shut-"

"Now, wait a minute here," he said, interrupting her. "Who are you and what have you done with my friend? Dawn, this isn't like you. Would you tell me what happened with my mother?"

"How do you know about that?" Dawn asked.

"I was on my way over there when I saw you leave."

"Did you see her?" she asked, softly.

"No, I saw you and how upset you were. I decided to see if you were okay, so I followed you," he replied.

"You probably should have gone inside to see your mother. She was crying when I left."

"She's always crying," Lucky said with a shrug.

"Lucky, that's not nice. She's still your mother."

"That she is," he answered, his blue eyes darkening as he thought of his mother. She was his mother, but that didn't mean quite as much to him as it did in the past. She was someone he didn't know anymore, and now that he knew the truth about her past with his father, he wasn't sure if he wanted to know her.

"Lucky? Are you okay?" Dawn asked, prompted by the dismay she saw in his eyes. "Maybe you'd rather talk-"

"I'm not buying it, Greedy," he told her. "We're talking about you. Not me. Besides, I'll be okay. There are just some things I have to get through and make sense of, but in the end, I'll be alright."