Dark Passion (The Dark Brother Series Book One) by Bec Botefuhr Page A

hate him. I love him. I resent him. I can’t get anything right in my head. I haven’t turned my phone on and I refuse to. If he wanted to find me, he would.
    “I don’t mind Jenny, I have to get back to life sooner rather than later,” I say, sipping my coffee. It’s Jenny’s birthday tonight and she’s having a party at a local club. She’s trying to tell me I don’t have to go.
    “Willow, I don’t think you’re ready.” Ava says, agreeing with Jenny.
    “I’m not a fucking mental case!” I cry, slamming my hand down on the table. Both the girls stare at me with wide eyes, well, that didn’t help my case. “I just want to be normal, I just want my life back and you two are smothering me.”
    “Willow…we’re not trying to.”
    “Well you are!” I cry, standing.
    “Willow, please….” Jenny begs.
    “I’m coming Jenny, because I have to learn to live again.”
    She nods and Ava does too.
    “I’ll see you guys tonight, I need fresh air.”
    I walk the four blocks to our apartment. I can’t think with all this smothering. I know they have my best interests at heart, but they have to understand how hard it is for me. I am finding it hard to settle back in, Jagger is on my mind day and night and I can’t breathe right without him and that scares the hell out of me because I don’t know why I feel that way and I’m scared I’m losing it slowly.
    By the time Ava and Jenny have gone shopping and come home, I’m ready to go out. I refuse to wallow any longer. Neither argues with me again, instead, I help them get ready. For a moment, I feel normal as we laugh and style each other’s hair. It feels…right. When we’re ready, we walk to the club down the road. Thank God it’s not the one Ava and I went to, I don’t think I could bring myself to go in there.
    The club we’ve picked is quieter than most, hence why it was chosen. Jenny’s friends find her and the squealing and happy birthday’s begin. I have my hair down and it covers my low cut, short, black dress. Why? Because my back is now permanently scarred from Snake’s beatings. I hate him for that and I hope he rots in hell where he belongs.
    The night starts off well, Ava and I groove on the dance floor and I make sure all my drinks are purchased by me and only me. I get drunk very quickly, and for the first time in weeks, I feel good. I know it’s not the right way to go about it, but to be free of those feelings for just a moment is nice. Ava and I are shoving through the crowd for another drink, when I see a group of men standing in the corner out of the way of the lights.
    My heart stops. It literally stops. Jagger and the boys are standing and watching me. How long has he been here watching me? Is he following me? Oh God, is he going to take me again? My eyes meet his and I’m sure I see him flinch. I grip Ava’s hand. “We have to leave, now.”
    “Why, what’s wrong?”
    “He’s here.”
    “What? Who?”
    I nod my head and she turns, star ing at Jagger. “Oh God, we should call the police.”
    “No, let’s just go. Out back. Now.”
    “Jenny?”
    I scan the dance floor, I can’t see her. When I spot her at the bar, I rush over and take her arm.
    “We have to leave.”
    “What? NO!”
    “He’s here.”
    That’s enough for her, she takes my hand and we rush out the back. We just get out the door, when a hand grips my arm and spins me around. I scream and kick out, but Jagger has me. Jenny cries out and smacks him with her bag and Ava screams as Angel takes her and wraps his arms around her.
    “I’m not gonna hurt her,” Jagger says as Ace grips Jenny and holds her back.
    “Let me go, please don’t do this to me again.”
    Jagger pushes me against the wall, his hard body pressing into me and bringing me back to life. I’m drunk and it’s impossible to try and push him away. His mouth goes down to my ear.
    “I just need to talk, ok? It’s urgent.”
    I nod, swallowing. Jagger lets me go and turns towards