Pitch Black (Romantic Thriller, Completed)

Chapter 33

Turned out my meltdown chased the nightmares away. Perhaps I should try it more often? When I woke, dark storm clouds still raged in my mind, but this time there was something else. A chink of sunlight. While it hadn't vanquished the shadows, it had lightened the gloom in places, and with that glow came a newfound positivity. I'd spent the last three months running away from things. Now, the time had come to fight.

But before that, I had to speak to Nick. Embarrassed couldn't begin to describe how I felt. That girl last night, the one overflowing with tears, dramas, emotions—that wasn't me. How was I supposed to face him?

I lay in bed pondering this as the door clicked open. With all the mess last night, I'd forgotten to lock it.

Nick peered around the edge. "Is it safe?"

I inhaled deeply as the rich aroma of coffee floated over to me.

"Don't worry, I'm awake."

He stepped into the room and perched on the edge of my bed, his battered jeans a contrast to Bradley's choice of plum velvet throw. My eyes alighted on the cup in his hands. Please, say that was for me?

"I brought you coffee," he said.

Hallelujah. "Did I ever tell you how fucking fantastic you are?"

"Many times, each of them when I was carrying something hot and steamy."

I took a sip—black and strong, just the way I liked it. My ecstasy, however, was short lived when I realised Nick wasn't leaving.

"Look, about last night, I'm so sorr—" I began, but he interrupted me.

"Nothing to be sorry for. It was about time you let go of all that crap stored up inside. You need an outlet before it poisons you."

He was right; of course he was right. I did need an outlet. Or, I should say, a new outlet. I'd always unloaded on my husband, and he'd known what to say or do to make the pain go away. Talking to Nick was different, but his stepping in had been a blessing.

"I know I do."

"I'm always here, baby. Talk to me, don't bottle it up. Please."

If Nick was offering to be my sounding board, I had to accept. Nobody left could do the job better. Did he understand what he was letting himself in for? The black parts of my mind scared even me.

I reached over and squeezed his hand. "Thanks, Nicky."

"No need for thanks. I'll do anything for you; you know that. And remember, it's always darkest before dawn."

"I hope that's true."

Surely something had to give? If not my sanity, then something on the case. The longer the kidnapper held onto Tia, the greater the chance of something going wrong.

"Another ransom demand's gonna come in soon," I said. "I'm sure of it."

"Agreed. Are you planning to lead the team at the drop?"

"I was hoping you would. Luke may well have to go too, and it's not good for me to be around him. This situation's stressful enough without adding the atmosphere between the pair of us into the mix."

Nick shrugged. "Guess I'm with you there. I'll get a team together this morning. What are you planning to do?"

"Get my head back in the game, firstly." I'd been wandering around in a daze, but at last, the fog was lifting. "I'll start with a visit to JJ's."

JJ's gym belonged to James James. Yes, his parents really did that to him, but everyone called him Jimmy. Over a beer I wasn't supposed to be drinking, he'd once confessed the endless taunts he'd received as a child were what drove him to become so good with his fists.