The Initiation (Darkness Within Duet 1)

“I don’t mind if you want to keep talking.”

“I really don’t. The last memories I have of her, they’re not good. I loved my mom. She was everything to me. I thought she was like a princess at times. So nice to everyone. Never a bad word to say. When Dad left, he ruined her.”

“We’ll never leave you.”

“It’s crazy to think what I’ve agreed to. My mom would hate me for it.”

“Then don’t think about it. Just think about us. About what you want, and you find happiness for you.”

“I do enjoy being around you guys. Buck’s the funniest,” she said, smiling.

“Don’t have Axel tell you that. He’s sure he’s the funniest.”

“Nah, he’s not. He’s way too serious to be funny. Jett is the quietest of you all.”

“And me?” he asked. “What am I?”

“The most mysterious.”

“I sound awesome.”

She laughed. Resting her head against his arm, she knew he’d once again brought her out of the darkness. Whenever she thought of her mom, it was always full of so much pain, so much anger. She hated delving into those memories.

Living under Ian and Hannah’s roof, it was hard not to relive them. Not to see her mother’s body in a pool full of water and blood.

She was an amazing mom, no doubt about it, but she hadn’t been prepared to be rejected.

Knowing she wasn’t strong enough to deal with that kind of rejection, hurt Harper. Her mother, for all of her strength, had tried to hide a real weakness. Being a good girl didn’t make you stronger, didn’t make you more powerful. Her mother had been the epitome of a good girl.

No, Harper knew the key to her strength and to being happy was to be herself. Not to let anyone tear her down, and certainly not to rely solely on a man for her happiness.

She’d never rely on Draven, Axel, Buck, or Jett to make her happy. She’d find her happiness and in return be strong for them as well.

****

The guys knew Draven wanted to bring Harper to a fancy restaurant and to have the night with her. They didn’t make waves, or make fun of. They gave him this night. In return, he’d make sure they got their own night in time.

Harper rested against his arm. The scent of lemons filled the car. It was the smell he always associated with her.

In the past couple of her weeks, her training had gone amazingly well, even better than any of them could have ever hoped for. She was strong and like she said earlier, a fast learner.

After his father had sent that guy to rape and kill her, they all knew her training had to be intense. They still held back for the most part.

None of them wanted to really hurt their girl, but she had to be strong to stand and fight. What he recognized was her pent-up anger. She held a lot of pain within her that needed a reason to come out and play.

For the most part, she tried to keep it all locked up inside, and that just wouldn’t do. They needed her pain, her anger, her fear. It would help her drive forward and to do any kind of battle they needed.

With Ben and his gang lurking and watching, he knew it was only a matter of time before they got their revenge. Even though it had been months since that run-in at the diner, no one allowed that shit to slide. Not in their world.

There would be punishment coming their way.

He only hoped Harper was ready or that they were all together. There were a lot of classes they were separated for, and he couldn’t get himself into all of them. It pissed him off, but as Axel told him, they needed to trust her to handle herself, otherwise what was the point in doing all of this.

When they pulled up outside the Italian restaurant, she lifted her head.

“Are we staying here?” she asked.

“I’m taking you to dinner.” He climbed out of the car, and he shook his head, telling the valet to leave her door.

He opened it himself. Her brow rose, and she had a smile on her face.

“Our evening awaits us, Miss.”

She laughed, taking his hand as she got out of the car.

Closing the door, he made his way to the maître d’, said his name, and was shown in to the table.

He hated his father. Alan Barries was an asshole, but right now, Draven was more than happy to use his name to get what he wanted.

“This is really fancy.”

“I’ll have to thank my dad. He has a booth here all the time.”

“I’ve never met your dad,” she said.

“You’re not missing much. Not even a little, believe me.”

“You hate your dad?”

“He doesn’t deserve the title.” He wouldn’t tell her about all the things he’d witnessed and been forced to do. Those kinds of nightmares were for him and him only.