Beneath His Darkness (Healing Hearts #3) Read online

  I lose myself in her. Holding her to me, I let my tongue delve into the warmest recesses of her mouth. I feel her nails dig into my back from where her arms have snaked around me. We’re locked together in our embrace, both of us feeling one emotion. Lust.

  I’m blinded by the emotion for just a moment, letting myself feel it just long enough to allow the hurt to slam me back to reality. The blackness behind my eyelids becomes my focal point. I need the darkness to comfort me as it has the last five years, need it to build my strength back up and remind me who I am. I envision its onyx tendrils wrapping around me like a blanket and I feel a cool calmness wash over me.

  My fingers tighten in her hair one last time and I force my lips harder to hers. Her gasp is swallowed into our joining breaths. The pain of finally feeling a connection to someone has passed and in its place, I have started a mental mantra. She’s a casualty in the war against, Tucker. You will win this war. I say it over and over as I succumb to the shadowy recesses of my mind.

  With more force than intended, I rip her away from me. Her glassy eyes and swollen, parted lips do nothing to move me. I’ve hardened my heart. When I take her, and I will take her, it will only be to bring down my brother.

  It’s a shame really. Had I met her under different circumstances… well, the circumstances will never be different in my life. Tucker made sure of that.

  Victoria continues to stand there, her doe eyes staring up at me. Her lack of words tells me how easy it’s going to be to break her. I smile at the thought. She takes my smile as encouragement and smiles back.

  Silly girl.

  You have no idea what I have planned for you.

  “That’s what I’m talking about! You two have serious fucking chemistry,” Tucker shouts from his seat.

  “Tuck,” Eddies says on a sigh, “you’re an actor. Want to try keeping your emotions in check for a while, man?”

  Everyone chuckles. Tucker seems completely unaffected. I listen as Eddie gives me his normal “we’ll call you” spiel. I already know I have this part.

  Victoria tries not to watch me leave as Tucker gushes over her, but her eyes lock on mine. So easy, I think to myself. Like lambs to the slaughter.

  I walk out of there knowing Tucker’s girl is more into me than him. I have the part and by the way Davyd Viktry was eyeing me again today, I definitely have an ally on the inside. I also saw the way he was eyeing Eddie. He loathes him. The only thing I couldn’t get a read on was how he feels about Tucker.

  I’ll find that out in time.

  For now, I walk out of the building into the sunshine of the L.A. afternoon. Soon, I can kick my plan into action and nothing will stop me from finally getting my revenge.

  Chapter Six

  Grant—Twenty Two Years Old

  I’ve been working on Facing Extinction for months. It’s already aired on television and has a rather impressive fan base. I’m not surprised by that, though. As much as I hate to admit it, Tucker has a large fan following and as soon as word broke that he would be playing a vampire on an upcoming show, ladies everywhere started foaming at the mouth.

  Vampire plus Tucker equals overactive hormones across the globe.

  In this time, I’ve tried to become friends with Tucker. Well, let him believe we’re friends so I can get close to him, learn everything I can just to use it against him, but I found he doesn’t let people in. I haven’t let that discourage me in the least.

  Instead, I’ve become the party guy on the set. I plan the nights out at the clubs, getting everyone together for dinner and drinks. I make sure I’m active on Facebook, letting all my fans know it’s me and not someone else running my page. I put out the image that I’m this great guy and they buy it.

  They still love Tucker, but the base I’m building is creeping up. No one expected the werewolf, the enemy to his character, to become popular. Someday, they’ll learn I’m the wrong guy to underestimate.

  And Victoria, she and I talk all the time. Others don’t realize the “friendship” we’ve formed. I make sure to engage her when others are too busy to notice us and apparently Tucker is oblivious of who she texts. It’s not a matter of whether he gets jealous or not, I’m finding out.

  At least, not yet.

  He treats her like she’s not even there most the time. She texts me while she’s sitting right beside him. He’s clueless to our conversations happening under his nose. I can see how unhappy she is. I know I could have her now, but there’s a timeline to follow and the time isn’t right yet.

  He doesn’t see me as anything more than a co-worker. He needs to see me as a threat—a man who can get in his way and make life difficult for him.

  He’ll see me that way very soon.

  My lips turn up at my own thoughts. I can’t help but get excited when I think of the popularity I’m gaining. Other than a few commercials and playing extras in a couple TV shows, this is the first real exposure I’ve had. I’m making the most of it. Interviews, photo shoots, radio spots…if I’m asked to do it, I make time for it. I don’t pull any prima donna shit a lot of actors do.

  It’s one of my biggest manipulations and I have such a large audience now.

  “Are we still on for tonight?”

  I have to shake my head to clear my thoughts. Davyd is standing there, staring at me like he knows what I’m thinking. He freaks me out sometimes, but he’s a means to an end, so I’ll follow through with the plans I have for him.

  “Yeah, man. You still stopping by around eight?”

  “I’ll be there. Make sure you get some good beer. None of that light shit some of these pansy asses drink around here.” He walks off laughing, like he just said the funniest thing in the world.

  Davyd and I have a…how the hell would I term it? Intense, weird, non-typical…I don’t even know that I’d call it a friendship. I’ve been getting to know him, but not really letting him get to know me. Not the real me, anyway.

  He despises Eddie. That may be an understatement. I think if he could drop him in a boiling tub of acid, he would stand there and watch all the skin melt from his body. I’m not sure why he has such a deep hatred for the man. I personally don’t mind Eddie, aside from him being Tucker’s best friend.

  But Davyd, he constantly goes on and on about how sick he is of Eddie and his superiority. How he has more talent than Eddie. How he should be the head writer. How he should never have been in Eddie’s shadow to begin with.

  If I didn’t need information from him, I would tell him to take his whining ass and tell someone who gives a flying fuck. Somehow, I manage to get through his rants, but I need results for all the bullshit I have to tolerate with him.

  I fucking hate the dependence I feel on him.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey, you,” I say as Victoria walks up to me. I casually scan our surroundings and see we’re alone. She doesn’t want people to see us talking either.

  God forbid Tucker find out she talks to a co-worker.

  My fingers dig into my thigh and I stay seated while I try to get my anger back under control. Think of Candy, I mentally remind myself. Thank God I have those memories of her to pull forth. Without them, I would have turned into a rage monster long before now and probably be behind bars.

  “What are you doing tonight?” she asks, unable to keep eye contact with me.

  “Davyd is coming to my place to have a couple beers and shoot the shit. Why, what’s up? Is something wrong, Vic?”

  “Oh, no. Nothing is wrong. Tucker is going to hang with Eddie and I didn’t want to stay home alone again. You’re my only real friend on the show so I thought maybe we could do something. But you have plans, so nevermind,” she stammers out. I can tell she’s disappointed.

  “How about I find an excuse to get rid of my guest early and then you can come to my place?”

  Her eyes light up, but she waits a few moments before answering me. I can see when the indecision clicks in. I don’t say a word. I’ve worked hard on this act and I refus
e to have it fall to pieces now.

  “W-what would we do at your place?”

  Her words are guarded. As I’ve gotten to know her, I’ve figured out that someone did something awful to her at some point in her life. I don’t know who, she doesn’t trust easily. I’m not even sure she trusts Tucker, but she has started to trust me. A tiny little speck in the lower left ventricle of my heart winces knowing I’m going to hurt her more than she already has been.

  I shut that shit down fast.

  There’s no room in my life for pain. No room for pity. No room to care who gets hurt in the crossfire. I didn’t ask for this fight. I didn’t ask for the betrayal. It was dropped on me like a fucking bomb and it exploded. BOOM! My whole world went up in smoke and what’s left is the me who will make every goddamn person who crossed me pay.

  I don’t care who gets hurt in the process.

  “Whatever you want. We can rent a movie. We can talk. Listen to music. You name it, we’ll do it.” I smile at her, trying to assure her I’m the nice guy she’s been seeking in her moments of loneliness.

  After a few minutes of us standing in silence, she smiles. “Okay. Text me when Davyd leaves. If it’s not too late, I’ll stop by for a little bit. Talk to you later, Grant.”

  She walks away and I watch that fabulous ass of hers swing side to side.

  Tonight, I make my move with her.

  As soon as she’s out of sight, I reach for my cell and text Davyd.

  Can u come 4 dinner @ 6 instead? May need to go out later.

  I head back toward the set where I walk past Davyd and he assures me the new time is a go. I ask if pizza is good and find out what kind he likes. I don’t really want to have dinner with him, but I do want to see what is under Victoria’s clothes.

  Sacrifices have to be made.

  After a long day of shooting, I’m ready to crawl in bed for several hours. Instead, I head to pick up the pizza and beer. I have just enough time to pick up the few things out of place in my apartment before the call comes from the concierge that I have a guest waiting to come up. I inform him that he can send Davyd up and give him a description of Victoria for later.

  I pull down plates and glasses, not sure whether Davyd drinks his beer from the bottle or not, and go to answer the door when he knocks.

  He walks in without waiting for me to invite him. It unnerves me. As much as I can’t go back and find any shards of respect for Gloria, she did raise me to have manners. That was just rude.

  I bury my irritation, close the door, and put on a blank expression.

  “This place is gorgeous! How the fuck are you paying for it? I know what they pay everyone and you aren’t swinging this on that salary.”

  Seriously? Rude motherfucker!

  My mouth drops to the floor, but I close it quickly. I go to tell him he can take his pizza and beer and get the fuck out, but I remember I need him. Shit!

  “Money I got when my dad died.” I want to choke on the word ‘dad’.

  “Oh shit, man. I’m sorry. I need to learn to fucking filter. If I think it, I say it. Such a bad fucking habit. Just tell me to shut the hell up if I say something inappropriate.”

  Somehow, his words don’t match his facial expressions. He’s apologizing, but I don’t believe anything he’s saying and this has nothing to do with my trust issues. There is something off about Davyd Viktry. I just need to figure out what the hell it is.

  Over dinner, Davyd blathers on about Eddie asking him to rewrite a scene six times and how it was perfect the first time. I want to tell him if it was perfect the first time, he wouldn’t have asked him to rewrite it, but he’s in such a worked up state, he wouldn’t hear me anyway. He rambles on about everyone thinking Eddie is the only one who writes the episodes when there is an entire writing staff. I have to bite my tongue so I don’t say Eddie did write the entire show, but he brought on the staff to fine tune what he already had in place.

  I don’t understand why he can’t see the opportunity he was handed by working for Eddie Carmichael. Every other writer sees it as an honor, but Davyd acts as if someone spit in his face. He thinks he’s better than Eddie. I find it almost comical.

  I’ve read his scenes and they are nowhere near the genius of Eddie. So many quips run through my mind, but they all stay there. Getting his help means not pissing him off.

  “Why do you dislike Tucker?”

  “W-what?”

  I don’t even try to come up with something witty. I can’t. I’m too busy trying to figure out when I slipped up. How did he find out?

  “Don’t pretend you don’t. I’ve seen the way you look at him too many times.”

  That’s when I see it—the intelligence, the predator stalking his prey. He has me right where he wants me and I have no idea what to do about it. I’ve been careless and cocky. I let myself believe I was smarter than everyone and now I fear I’m about to pay for that mistake.

  “You try to appear unaffected by him, but I watch how your eyes trail him. You’re always aware of him. You study him and it’s not an attraction thing. When you talk to him, your smile is as fake as they come. It never reaches your eyes. I see the strain in your face. You see, I study you.”

  “Why?” It’s the only word I can squeeze out. I’m completely taken aback by him hitting this close to home.

  “You don’t need to ask why, Grant. I know how intelligent you are. I also know you have an agenda here, so let’s skip the formalities. Tell me what it is you want from me and I’ll tell you my price.”

  Fuck!

  I sit in silence for a minute, working through my options. I can try to act my way out of this, play it off like he’s crazy, or I can level with him. I’ll just have to pray he doesn’t run to his boss and tell him everything.

  The way he’s scrutinizing me tells me I have no choice but to come clean.

  Son of a bitch!

  Running my hands through my hair, I release a pent up sigh and prepare to tell him only what I feel he needs to know.

  “Tucker fucked up something big in my life and I want to return the favor.” I keep my tone even, not wanting to tip him off to just how much I despise him. How much I would love to push him in front of a moving bus.

  “Funny, doesn’t seem that Tucker knew who you were when he met you at the auditions.”

  I need to remember how intuitive Davyd is as I explain things. I don’t want to give too much away.

  “He doesn’t realize it was me that he fucked with, but he will when this is all over.”

  Davyd clasps his fingers in front of his face, bringing his two pointer fingers to his lips. The contemplation on his face gives me pause. I wonder whether he’ll ask me to explain further or if the little I said will be enough to whet his appetite. Will he decide to help me or will he tell Eddie I plan to take down his star actor and best friend? His silent reflection is unnerving.

  Maybe his silence is to trick me into saying more, but I won’t take the bait. What Tucker did to me is for me to decide whether I want to tell or not. It won’t be forced out of me. If he decides to go to Eddie, I’ll find another way to get to Tucker.

  “What were you hoping I’d be able to help you with?”

  I’m a bit shocked by his question. From his lengthy silence, I thought he was going to say no. Instead, I feel a little uneasy at the way his lips have curled up. He seems to be gaining pleasure from this. I have to wonder what his end game is.

  “Uh, I was hoping you could get me some inside info on Tucker and Eddie. Mostly Tucker, but where Eddie is his best friend, it doesn’t hurt to get any info I can.”

  “That’s it? That’s your grand plan?” He scoffs at me like I’m some kind of idiot child. Rage begins to ebb its way in at his mocking tone.

  “Actually, I have a bigger plan, but I didn’t want to ask because if you got caught, you would lose your job and we could both get sued. So, forgive me for not asking that first,” I fire back.

  “There’s the determination I want
to see. Now, tell me about this plan. That’s the one I’m interested in hearing about.”

  I look into his dark eyes, eyes very similar to my own, and I’m struck by a realization. To me, Davyd looks more like my brother than Tucker. He has the same dark hair, the same brooding intensity, and he obviously embraces the darkness like I do. Maybe it won’t be too bad working with him.

  I let go of my trust issues for a little while and tell him my plan involving him getting me scripts before the actors are supposed to see them. If he’s shocked by my idea, he doesn’t show it. Actually, he keeps that creepy grin on his face and I realize he still hasn’t named his price yet. I also realize I don’t care what his price is. If it helps me take Tucker down, it’s worth it.

  We go over all the details. How he’ll get the scripts to me…well, copies of the scripts. Who I plan to show them to. What my contact plans to do with them. When the final plan will blow up. He’s giddy at knowing it will take Eddie down, too.

  I’m not doing this to take him or anyone else down, but I understand that when a bomb goes off, anything in the general vicinity gets taken out.

  “Now, you know what I need from you,” I say. “What do you need from me?”

  His lips cover mine before I have a chance to protest him coming at me. I knew he was attracted to me, but he’s married to Emma. This can’t be what he had in mind.

  I start to struggle and his hands come up behind my head. I’m still in shock. It’s only been seconds and my mind is trying to process the invasion taking place. My hands find his chest and I push him away.

  “Davyd, what are you doing?” I ask.

  “That’s my price,” he says calmly. “If you want my help, you become my toy.”

  “But, Emma.”

  “Emma and I have an agreement and the day I saw you, she knew you were being added to that agreement.”

  My mouth flops open and closed. I look for words to say, but nothing comes to me.

  “Stop fighting me, Grant. I’m the only thing standing in your way of bringing Tucker to his knees.”

  His words ring true in my ears as I stare at the smile on his face. I try to envision myself with him, but I have no attraction to him or any other man. Can I allow myself to let him take me so I can get what I ultimately want?