Twelve of Roses: A Dark Standalone Page 11

  There was a knife set on the counter and I went for it, grabbing the one with the biggest handle before positioning the kitchen island between us. My chest heaved, adrenaline coursing through my veins.

  “I tried to let you go, ya know? I dressed them up and told myself they were you. Every time I killed one, I told myself that would be it. You were going to be dead.”

  “Con, we don’t have to do this. We can get help.”

  I wanted to beg him.

  I hated that I loved him even as he was trying to kill me.

  This situation proved how insane love was. It lacked all reason and logic.

  “You’re always trying to fix us, Rose. But we aren’t broken—we’re simply different.”

  “Con.” I didn’t care; I pleaded with him.

  “You’re like a narcotic. I don’t think straight when I’m high on you.” He frowned.

  He was saying I was bad for him. I had been trying to tell him the same exact thing before we even got to this point. Pushing him away didn’t work. Making him think it was him and not me wasn’t working.

  Nothing was working.

  “I tried to save you from me!” I yelled in frustration.

  When he suddenly tossed his ax down and charged around the island, I wasn’t prepared for it. He rushed me like a linebacker, straight into the cabinets. I lost my knife and wound up crushed by his weight.

  “It’s your entire fault.” He grabbed me by the hair and slammed my head back, using it to shatter the glass. Color exploded behind my eyes.

  I reached up and blindly went for his face, turning my head and biting down on whatever piece of him I could.

  “Fuck!” he yelled, damn near throwing me across the room.

  How many times was I going to fall down tonight?

  His boot was stomping down on my hand before I could move again. I felt the bone give way beneath his weight and screamed in agony. The pain brought a healthy wave of nausea with it, making everything blur before my eyes.

  “Why is loving you never good enough?” he demanded to know, kicking me in the side.

  I sputtered, clutching my stomach and trying to form a response.

  He did this to me before, made me almost unrecognizable, and then swore he’d never hurt me again. It was why I left him to burn in the fire. I had pushed him too far that night—it was my entire fault.

  Everything bad that happened was my fault. I started pulling myself across the floor as he ranted above me, spewing love and hatred like bullets, each one finding a mark.

  “You made a promise, but you didn’t mean it.” His voice broke, and I didn’t have anything left of a heart to break with it.

  “Careful. Some people make promises they don’t mean.” His words from Gooskis chose now of all times to flash through my mind. I would have laughed if I could have.

  He reached down and grabbed me by the crown of my hair as I tried dragging myself away.

  “I’m sorry, Rosie. Killing you is the only way to bring us peace.”

  He rolled me onto my back and lifted me slightly off the ground by the throat, crushing my windpipe in his grip.

  I’m sorry, too. I used whatever strength I could and shoved the knife I’d managed to grab into his chest, but it wasn’t enough. I could see it sticking out near his left shoulder, but it was almost like he didn’t even feel it.

  A warm, relaxing sensation spread through my body. I was barely aware of the door being kicked in, or Justin being swarmed by men in uniform out front.

  There was lots of yelling and one single shot.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  I thought I felt his lips skim across mine, but when I opened my eyes, I was surrounded by monitors and one Sheriff Reynolds.

  I smiled at him, glad he was finally getting some rest, even if he looked uncomfortable squished in a hospital chair.

  My hand was in a cast. I had some bruises, and my pride was gone with the wind, but I was breathing. Death seemed determined not to take me with her quite yet.

  “You need anything?” Sheriff Reynolds asked, standing up as soon as he sensed I was awake. He was so eager to try and make me feel better any way he could.

  His guilt was misplaced.

  I couldn’t judge or hate him for protecting his only family and doing what he thought was right.

  I had enough skeletons in my closet to last twelve lifetimes. He was adamant that I stay with him until I got myself together again, and I was in no state to object. If he ended up killing me, he’d be doing the world a favor.

  “No, I’m fine,” I replied softly, staring at the rose on my hospital table. It was more a deep lavender than black, but I was guessing that was because the gift shop didn’t carry those in stock.

  Sheriff Reynolds told me Con had walked out of the hospital, wearing a doctor’s coat, with a fresh bullet wound in his back and a laceration in his shoulder. And even before doing all that, he’d managed to find me and give me a message.

  I’m sure the cop that was supposed to be outside of his room was being reamed a new asshole.

  I had no idea where he would go, but I hoped it was far away. I hoped he got help like he said he would on the card attached to the flower.

  Justin was detained, Lauren was wanted, and Vicky was still missing.

  Poor souls.

  Sheriff Reynolds guarded me like a junkyard watch dog when the police started asking questions. It was to the point that they eventually gave up, saying they would be in touch once they realized they weren’t going to get anywhere. I almost told them about the finger in my freezer, and then changed my mind—the ring frozen to it was mine.

  After, the Sheriff told me all he knew. Everything was out in the open, and it all made a bit more sense—at least in my head.

  My father went to school with Con’s. They’d had a falling out of sorts. They were part of some clandestine group. Things got ugly between them over nothing other than a woman.

  Fast-forward: my dad’s dead and Con’s commits suicide, after committing multiple homicides. My uncle was privy to all that went on in the town of Ponty-Poole, and with my father gone, he was free to expose the Burrows and help destroy their family name.

  That got him a hole in the chest, a dead wife, and left a niece alive that was just another link to a history of secrets and lies I still didn’t fully understand.

  I just knew there was more to me than my name suggested. I was the object of someone’s obsession and all their resentment.

  It was an ugly domino effect. Two families ruined because of some enmity that should have been buried long ago.

  Sheriff Reynolds was adamant that it would start over again with another girl, and another Burrows. He told me that he wanted to stop it. He didn’t want another sweet girl like me to get hurt. I could only smile and bite my tongue to stop from spilling my guts.

  No one could ever know my secrets.

  I was far from innocent.

  I could have ended this before it began if I’d come forward as a witness, admitting I realized Con was the one who killed my uncle. It had been a suspicion in the beginning—like the one I had with Max.

  But who could forget something like that? He’d looked me right in the eye and spoke my name the same way he eventually did a hundred times—the voice still the same.

  It wouldn’t do me any good to divulge that now. I needed to start planning how to move forward.

  With Molly gone, I was on my own.

  Con wouldn’t be stupid enough to show his face around here, and I wasn’t going to go looking for him.

  If we met again…

  I wasn’t sure what would happen. Would it be another fight to the death? I didn’t want to go through that again. I wanted to live so badly just as a normal girl for once.

  I could only hope this finally ended here.

  EXTENDED EPILOGUE

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Six Months Later

  I remembered wanting to leave this small town. I hated everythin
g about the place with its one gas station and tractor driving cowboys.

  I took all of that back now.

  I’d been here nearly seven months and slowly made myself at home. It was my third month here when Reynolds informed me that Grandpa had left me the house and the secret savings account he’d been building over the years just for me.

  The tombstone a few feet away marked the passing of the only person other than my parents that had genuinely loved me. My heart ached every time I came to visit, but he made me fell less alone these days. Therefore, I stayed. That, and because it was safe.

  Everyone knew everyone, and when what happened to me spread around, the outpouring of support was overwhelming. I wasn’t ridiculed or judged but praised.

  It was all bullshit, but I went with it.

  Being somewhere where people believed a certain version of events seemed better to me than starting over and reinventing myself yet again. I no longer had to conceal and hide every detail of my past.

  I approached Grandpa’s white tombstone with my carnations, not thinking anything of the flowers already there until I was right in front of the grave.

  Twelve dozen roses sat between two bouquets sold at the local grocery store. I closed my eyes and pulled in a deep breath, slowly exhaling when I opened them again.

  It’s not him, I told myself, clutching the carnations to my chest. I couldn’t freak out every time I saw roses. These ones weren’t even black.

  They were deep red and tied together with a white bow. Anyone could have left these here. My grandpa was a well-loved, well respected man endeared to a lot of people in town.

  I placed my carnations down with a small sigh, staring at his name for a few minutes. I should’ve been here with him. I found some comfort in knowing he lived a full life and had been happy. If there was some afterlife for good people, he would surely be there right then, drinking mimosas with Grandma.

  Feeling the vibration of my phone, I reached in my bag and withdrew it, checking the caller ID before swiping to accept.

  “Hello?” I answered, turning away from Grandpa’s grave.

  “Hey! What do you have going on tomorrow morning?”

  “Nothing much. Why, what’s up?”

  “I’m going to be there sooner than I thought.”

  “How much sooner?”

  “Like, seven-ish in the morning sooner…”

  I laughed and hit the unlock button for my Rouge. “Of course, it’s fine. I’ll even make breakfast if you want.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll see you in a few.”

  I ended the call and got in my car, making a mental list of what I needed to do before Darcy got here. We hadn’t seen each other in months, not since I first got out of the hospital. She’d only been able to stay a weekend, so I couldn’t meet her fiancé. He was making this trip with her this time around.

  I wasn’t too crazy about having a guy I didn’t know in my house, but I couldn’t tell her no. I’d already agreed to be her maid of honor. At least now I could judge this man for myself.

  I double checked the guest room was ready and put some extra towels in the attached bathroom. There wasn’t much to do beyond this. With everything set for Darcy’s arrival, I was ready to chill in my bed for the rest of the night. I could barely stay up past ten these days.

  I took a quick shower and just did that, wrapping myself in a terry-cloth robe and settling in with my tablet. After thinking about it, I found myself going to my email and opening one that Darcy sent when I first got out of the hospital. I didn’t have a cell right away, and I stayed away from social media these days.

  I didn’t want to risk any chance of coming in contact or exposing myself to Con. I found what I wanted and re-read it.

  From:DarcyXoPolk

  To: RosieM12

  Remember the Ryan guy I told you about? The one I met online? He moved out here a few months ago. The man is a true gentleman. (They still exist!) And he has the most GORGEOUS blue eyes and this indescribably sexy accent.

  He said he’d love to meet you, so I think I’ll bring him with me next time. What do you think? Miss U.

  There wasn’t anything about it that said this man had something to with Constantine. The blue eyes and accent were all I had. Plus, Darcy had been talking to this man before everything went down between us. He had a good job and seemed to be established.

  But I kept coming back this to email. I didn’t have a valid reason for being paranoid. I knew once I met him, I’d feel better.

  At least, I hoped.

  Twenty-Four

  I hadn’t heard from Constantine since he’d left flowers in my hospital room. He’d seemingly vanished from the face of the earth. The people in Black Pine who had gotten to know him under the guise of Max were miffed.

  They didn’t understand how someone could just up and leave a life they’d established and settled into, their home and job abandoned like it was nothing. I myself didn’t know the full extent of the Burrow family background, but I knew Constantine was repeating an old family cycle. He came from money and connections.

  Reynolds had distanced himself from that part of his family for the most part. He still helped them when he could, though. Even recently.

  He had been ‘assisting’ the Black Pine police department in investigating. That’s how I knew more than I should. He often relayed what was happening. I knew he was still protecting Con, though. He was also doing the same for me, making sure I wasn’t bothered. The man had been caught in between and couldn’t seem to pick a side.

  Hearing a car pull into the drive, I left the kitchen and peered through the front curtain. A newer town car with blacked out windows pulled in, coming to a stop behind my SUV.

  Darcy got out on the passenger side and caught me watching. She smiled and waved exuberantly. I forced a smile in return, unable to take my eyes off her newly dyed red hair. It caught me completely off guard. It was a switch up from her usual light tones.

  She hadn’t mentioned this to me at all.

  Of course, she didn’t have to, but wouldn’t someone usually tell their best friend they’d done something this drastic?

  Was I overreacting?

  The driver’s door opened, and a man—Ryan—got out. I couldn’t see much of his face. He was wearing sunglasses and a OKC Thunder hat. Beneath it, I spotted chocolate brown hair. There was a cross earring in his left ear. He was tall, and the Under Armor top he had on highlighted how muscular he was.

  He reached back into the car and I stepped away from the window so that I could unlock my front door. I took a breath and smoothed down my spring dress, undoing the top two locks, the dead bolt, and then finally the door chain.

  By time I swung it open, Darcy was on my porch, holding a brown bag from the local bakery. Her fiancé was behind her with a cup holder. I peeked at him over her shoulder, swallowing as I felt his eyes meet mine.

  You know how you instinctively know something isn’t right? That’s exactly how I felt at that moment.

  “Look at how adorable you are!” Darcy gushed, rushing into the house.

  “Thanks,” I replied with a forced smile.

  “Oh, Ryan, this is Roselynn. Rose, this is my Ryan.”

  “Hi, it’s nice to meet you,” I lied through my teeth.

  “Same here. Darcy’s told me all about you.”

  He grinned, and every hair on my body rose. My grip on the doorknob tightened until the skin on my palm pulled taut.

  “I’m sure she did.”

  He walked into my home and made his way straight towards the kitchen, as if he’d been here enough to know the layout. I shut the door, only partially listening to what Darcy was going on and on about.

  I wanted to scream.

  I wanted to tell him to get the fuck out of my house.

  And Darcy...she had no idea who she’d fallen for. How ironic that she’d been the one to warn me about him all those years ago. Of course, she wouldn’t recognize him as the same Constantine from back then
. She hadn’t seen him since we were seniors in high school. He’d changed his entire face since then. But I knew him.

  The slightly lighter hair and earring were the only changes he’d made since being Max. I followed them, taking note of the gun tucked in the back of Con’s pants, half listening as Darcy described their road trip.

  Happily.

  She was happy—with him.

  What the hell did I do now? I refused to play his twisted game of cat and mouse again. I couldn’t let him wreak havoc on this town like he’d done Black Pine. I had too much to lose.

  I rolled my lower lip between my teeth and bit down. What the fuck did I do?

  Telling them to leave wasn’t an option. I didn’t trust him not to hurt her. There was no way in hell he’d gone and wormed his way into her life because of some sudden internet love. He knew she was all I had left.

  Or…she had been.

  I should’ve seen this coming. Why did I think Darcy was safe? He had to have been planning this move for a while now. Darcy mentioned ‘Ryan’ months ago, before everything fell apart again.

  “Rose?”

  I snapped out of my daze and looked over at her. “Sorry, what did you say?”

  “…Vanilla bean, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  She grabbed one of the drinks from the holder and held it out for me to take. As she looked at me closely, her green eyes filled with concern. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine,” I replied with another forced smile. “Actually, I’m kinda tired. I went to sleep later than I should’ve.”

  I could tell she didn’t entirely believe me, but she didn’t push either. With a determined nod, she perked up and grabbed me a straw.

  “Well, eat something and then go nap while we unload the car and get settled.”

  “Okay. But what is all this? I was supposed to cook for you, remember?” I pulled out one of the barstools and sat at the breakfast bar, busying myself with opening my straw so I didn’t have to look at Constantine.