The Initiation (Darkness Within Duet 1)

Draven picked up the knife and slammed it into his father’s hand, the blade going straight to the wood.

Alan let out a yell. Right now, his father was the enemy. He needed to be dealt with, and walking away wouldn’t work.

“Get out,” Draven said.

“Sir?” another guy asked.

“Get out, all of you.” His father growled through gritted teeth.

Draven wiggled the knife. “I hope I didn’t go through any bones.”

“You little shit. You think you’re so tough where you’re sitting.”

“No. I think I’m so tough because I’m doing what my father taught me to do. Harper is mine. She belongs to us. You tried to have her fucking killed.”

“My strict instructions were for him to have fun with her.”

Draven started to twist the knife, and he took pleasure in hearing his father’s scream.

Seconds passed, and Alan chuckled. “You’re exactly my kind of son.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Draven saw the cook near the doorway, a tray of food in her hand.

“Come in,” Draven said. “Come in. Join the fun.”

He saw his father lose his cocky edge. Out of all of the women his father bedded, raped, and fucked, it would seem he had a soft spot for the cook.

Draven smiled. “I have this feeling that my mother couldn’t have kids and you knocked up the cook. Sit the fuck down!” The cook looked ready to run, but she took a seat on the opposite side of the table.

Draven picked up another knife and walked around toward the cook. His father grabbed the knife that was in his hand, and pulled. The knife was sharp so the wound was a clean one.

Draven smirked. Putting the fresh knife against the cook’s neck, he stared at his father.

“I don’t give a shit who you are. You’ll leave Harper alone.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Then I’ll make sure you wish you didn’t have a son.”

Alan Barries smiled. “Fuck! That’s what I’m talking about.”

“Leave her alone!” Draven wasn’t going to give up until he heard the words spoken.

“You prove to me that she’s not a liability and I will. You have a great deal to protect, son. It’s not worth losing it all over some cheap pussy.”

“Done.” He released the cook, who got to her feet and ran back to her little kitchen.

“When are you going to let her go?”

“Never. She’s mine.”

Alan wrapped his hand up, but he looked … happy.

“You’re weird, you know that right.” They were the exact words Harper had said to him.

“This is a work of art, Draven. One day, you’re going to put us out on top.”

“You want to overthrow Cook.”

“He’s getting old. His judgments are not the same as they used to be. This, makes me happy. You’re willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.”

“Anyone who comes after Harper, will all meet the same fate. Not just from me, from the four of us.”

Alan stared at him. He’d wrapped his hand up in a piece of cloth he’d torn from the table.

“Come to my office.” Alan got to his feet, grabbing his glass of wine.

Draven wanted to head back to Harper’s home, but he couldn’t, not until he satisfied his father. Once inside his father’s office, he waited as Alan poured him a drink.

“Take a seat.”

He did.

Alan sat behind his desk and sighed. “I know you have this deep loyalty to your friends, and that is … acceptable. It’s good to have people you can rely on.”

“But?”

“There comes a time in every single man’s life, when you need to know when to cut the pack loose. They all look to you for guidance. You tell them what they can do and not do. You’re the leader of the pack.” Alan got up from his chair, and walked around the desk to lean against it. “All of this is going to be yours one day. Men and women will look to you. You’ve got to be fearless.”

“And you think my friends make me fearless.”

“You don’t have friends, Draven. All you have are men that are not your enemies yet.”

Draven stood up. He put the full glass down. “If you keep cutting off your friends, you’ll end up with no one. You’ll be weak.”

“Cook’s not going to last much longer, Draven. This world, it will kill you if you let it. Fight while you have the chance and think about what I said.” He watched his father take the last swig of wine. “Good chat, son. Good kill.”

Turning on his heel, he left his house without a backward glance.

Getting into his car, he drove to Harper’s. Seeing Ian’s car in the driveway, it pissed him off.

Jett: Had to bail. Dad’s home. He didn’t see me.

Axel: Looks like party time is back at my place.

Buck: What we doing now?

All three texts had come in within seconds of each other.

Draven: Checking on our girl. Meet you at our spot.