The Darker Shade

The Darker Shade: Chapter 10

Chapter 10...

I enter the pub and the air is thick. A crowd of people are standing, others sitting. I hear violin in the distance, noticing a stage where a gorgeous young girl plays a beautiful celtic melody. My eyes search for Linc as I walk through to the bar and order an Irish whiskey. I feel a pat on my shoulder "Make that two." Linc shouts to the bartender. He looks to me "Have you been here long?" I shake my head "No, just walked in." The bartender walks back with our drinks. The gorgeous violinist ends her tune, everyone claps. The host walks to the stage and asks everyone to give another round of applause for the beautiful Rihna Mccleod. I catch her eye and she winks, I bow my head with a grin. Linc gestures for me to follow him; he leads us to a table in the far corner. It's a good distance from where the stage is, allowing us to hear one another. I sit back in the chair and lift my leg over my knee. Looking over at Linc I swig back some of my whiskey.

"Priorities have changed." I say as I put my drink down. He looks up at me as he grabs a pretzel "Have they?" his asks in response "Yes" I sit forward "I'm going to have to back out of the arrangement. I'm willing to repay you for all you have done for me and am truthfully appreciative. However, I cannot move forward with what you require of me." I watch his expressions as I speak. He nods and props a pretzels in his mouth. A waitress passes us and he stops her asking her for another drink. She looks to me and I shake my head "No, thank you." Without caring for a response I stand from the table. "I think I'll be going then" he stands with me. I move forward to shake his hand. He takes mine and pulls me in "If you really think you can back out of our arrangement then you're fucking delusional. This isn't over." I chuckle at his actions and look back to him amused. "Are you threatening me, Linc? Because if you are I don't take lightly to threats" my face becomes grim as he squints. "And you know I don't make empty threats" I laugh and throw down a $100 bill. He looks at the cash and back at me with a sly smirk. I fold my wallet and put it back in my pocket turning to walk away. "She must be quite the fuck!" He shouts in the distance and I stop in my tracks "What the fuck did you just say?!" turning back to him, I lunge and grab him by his collar pressing him against the wall "You don't talk about her like that, if you even think of her in that manner again..." suddenly it hits me, I never mentioned her. I arch my brows looking at him with fury and confusion, he laughs "There you go. Is it finally coming together in that shit brain of yours?" "It was you following, watching... never Grey." I hear a trigger pull back against my head. "You think I wouldn't have you tailed, Hyde? You think that I'd trust you? I know the type of man you are because we come from the same cloth." He smirks "And now you think priorities have changed because of what... the girl or the boy?" I press my hands around his throat and tighten my grip "You fucking near them and I'll kill you." The barrel presses harder against the back of my head. Linc lifts his hand for the guard to back off, the click of the trigger releases and he pulls away. I loosen my grip and step back knowing I had to get both Elizabeth and Jaxon out of Seattle, quick. I look between Linc and the guard; he rubs his fingers against his adams apple. His stare is sinister reminding me of myself. I step back slowly; he lifts his drink and takes the rest of it back. I watch carefully as he puts it down and says "That boy should be careful, you should make sure she watches him well. The next time he might not make it out of the hospital." The boil within my bloodstream explodes and I leap, his guard places his hands over my jaw and pushes me back. I punch him in the gut and grab a glass bottle from the bar smashing it over his head. Linc looks from him to me, his chest heaves, I hear sirens. "Stay the fuck away because the next time I'll snap your fucking neck!" I exit in a hurry, pushing through the crowd. I see a cab parked outside and open the door giving him my destination I tell him to go quick and we peel off.

I knock on her door, nervously looking over my shoulder. She opens, her smile is beautiful when she looks at me. Walking in I palm her cheeks, kissing her deeply, our lips pressed hard. "Jack..." she murmurs. I whisper against her lips "You have to go." "Go?" She steps back and looks at me. I look at her, breathing hard, I look around. "Where's Jaxon?" "He's with Krista. Why? Jack, what's wrong?" I sit down on the edge of the couch, running my hands through my hair, over my mouth. "You and Jax are not safe." "What, Why?!" her questions are filled with angst. I take a breath, "When I was released from prison it was with the help of someone. The arrangement was he'd help me get out and I'd help him seek revenge." "Revenge on whom?" I close my eyes "Grey." Silence reeks and I look at her. I stand to grab her hand, she pulls away. "Get out." She doesn't look at me. "Elizabeth, please." I plead. "Get out, now." Her voice is more precise. "You and Jaxon have to go, somewhere, anywhere but here. I'll go, but you have to promise me that you will listen to what I'm telling you to do." I grab her wrist and turn her to look at me "I can't have anything happen to either of you." She pulls her wrist from my grip and looks at me, her eyes pooled with tears, her words barely able to escape her sweet lips "Just go." I open the door, my head bowed and say in a whisper "I love you..."

Expecting to arrive to sirens or red and blue lights the area surrounding my building is as normal as ever. The music live from the bar, people amongst each other enjoying their night and no black sedans in sight. I try to think in his mindset. I was once him, I knew his thoughts, I knew sinister, and this... he's regrouping, thinking of his next move. I walk into my building and upstairs, my thoughts on Elizabeth and Jax. I see Katie as I reach my floor and smile, walking passed her. She asks "Hey, you ok?" I reach my door and put in the key. "I'm fine. Thanks." I walk in and shut the door behind me looking around, there must be a wire somewhere. I begin to search through my dresser, my mattress, on the edges of the walls down to the floor. There was no hint, no matter where I looked. Either he was really creative or he wasn't as smart as I am. I hear a knock at my door and walk over to my closet where I'd stashed a few items. Pulling out a semi-automatic that I purchased earlier in the week I place it behind my back and into my jeans. I near the door and look through the peek hole, Elizabeth? With my brows furrowed I put the revolver back and open.

"What are you doing here?" she walks passed me, I shut the door behind her. "You should be gone, Elizabeth. Not here, he could be anywhere..." "SHUT UP!" she yells and I still "Just shut the fuck up. Ok?" she paces around and looks up at me "I know you wanted me gone, I know being here with you is dangerous and I know I need to be with Jaxon. But..." she stares into my eyes and walks closer to me. She sighs "A week ago all I had was him. All I knew was that this was my life, Jaxon and I facing the world together, just us. Then you come along..." she trails off and I lower my head taking in each word, my back landing against the door as I listen. She comes towards me, lifting my face, her hands on my cheeks. Her thumbs brush against my eyebrow, down my jaw line to my lips. Her touch brings me solace, my heart skips. "How someone could fall in love in a matter of one day is beyond me. But I realize now that it wasn't one day. Somehow, through it all even when you were your worst. I've always been in love." My eyes meet hers; everything stands idle, the world no longer moving. Her lips touch mine and I close my eyes kissing her back. Its soft, sensual, I take each lip with mine, our tongues tangling with passion, purpose. My fingers get lost in her hair, hers in mine. Our chests rising as it becomes deeper, I lower my hand down her back, cupping at her curves and soon lift her, bringing her to the table. Her legs are wrapped around my hips, she lifts my shirt off, I do the same. We mimic each others moves, she unbuckles my belt, I unzip her jeans. Her hands fish within mine and she grips making me groan. I bury my face over her chest, grazing her breast with my teeth, kissing and sucking at every inch, biting tenderly over her flesh, her nipples. She shovels out of her jeans, letting them drop. My fingers hook into her panties and I tug, ripping them off. She moans my name "Jack..." I continue my assault. She pushes my jeans off and they drop around my feet. Her eyes lock on mine and soon I'm inside of her, the fill intense. She gasps, "Yess..." my groan follows "Elizabeth..." I move rhythmically within her, the table rocking. She grips the edges and tightens her feet around my ass. She pushes me deeper within her, my length twitching against her walls. I hold her steady at her hips and move faster, fucking her with full of intent, owning her, worshiping her, giving her all of me. With one last thrust she screams "UNF, UNF... YESSS!!!" My fingers reach her hair and I tug back, my build following. "GAHHH... FUCK!!" her pussy grips and my seed spurts. I bring her lips to mine. Kissing her intensely, passionately... whispering "I love you." she smiles against my lips and whispers "I thought I loved you then, but now..." she looks up at me and I finish her sentence with my kiss.

I pour us both a glass of water, she walks over. "Is Jaxon still with Krista?" I ask, she nods and sips her water "I had Krista leave to my sisters with him. I needed to stop here before I met up with them there. I just had to see you." I hook my arm around her waist. "I'm so happy you did." I bring her against me and run my fingers in her hair, moving the strands from her face. "So what now?" she asks. "I don't know baby. I don't know what he plans, but I know I want to be one step ahead of him. "And us?" I search her eyes "We will get through this storm and once we do we will have what we both want." She smiles and kisses me sweetly. "Would you like to take a shower?" I ask with a grin, she nods biting her lip. I take her hand and begin walking to the bathroom she stops midway. "Let me call Krista quickly, ok? I'll be right there." I nod and walk in. Turning the shower on I shout "Hurry or I'm going to start without you." "JACK!" she shouts my name and I run out. She has a look of utter shock, tears falling from her eyes as she stares at the phone. I near her and take the phone to see, its Krista, laid out on the ground, Jaxon beside her. He's crying and a man with dark glasses is knelt behind him. A message follows...

'You want your boy back then you know what you have to do. Just how much do you think your son is worth? Jack knows.'