The Grace In Darkness (7 page)

I
cursed when I realized I was out of playable moves and selected the option for a new solitaire game. Somehow I felt somewhat accomplished by the fact that I had played over twenty thousand games since I started here. That had to be some kind of record, and I made a mental note to look into
Guinness Book of World Records
.

And that
’
s how my afternoons were spent. Playing intense games of solitaire while I tried to beat my own time. I gave my fifty percent for the day and that was good enough for me.

I hadn
’
t seen Careless again since she
’
d stormed out of my office, slamming the door and wishing me a nice stay in hell. I took note that she stressed the word stay and not visit. What she didn
’
t realize was I was already living in hell and I had her to thank for it.

“
Well, well, well, looks like the boss
’
son is hard at work as always. I
’
m really glad you get paid the big bucks to sit on your ass all day and play...
”
He sneaked a look around my computer.
“
Solitaire? With all your millions, I would
’
ve taken you for a gambler, Dare.
”

“
What do you want, Mitchell?
”

Mitchell was the office ass kisser slash douche bag. He gave all the women here the creeps and he gave me the urge to break his nose.

He hated that I worked here because he liked being as far up J.D.
’
s ass as he possibly could, and he perceived my presence as something to be threatened by. He was massively mistaken. Though my unconcerned attitude had finally reassured him that I wasn
’
t competition, but that still didn
’
t stop him from being a complete dick.

“
For some reason, you
’
re needed in the two o
’
clock meeting with your father.
”

“
Thanks, messenger boy.
”

I hated when J.D. sprang these last-minute meetings I really didn
’
t need to be a part of. They were boring as hell and he didn
’
t like it when I fell asleep. Apparently, it wasn
’
t being a team player.

It was fifteen
‘
til, which meant I should probably take a piss now. I stood and stretched, realizing that Mitchell was still standing there. I thought he was just staring off into space, plotting how he could off me without anyone finding out, but when I followed his gaze, I saw he was staring at a picture of Careless, Sebastian, and me.

Coraline had stuck it in here when I first started, along with one of her and J.D. and then one of all of us. They were taken three years ago and probably the only pictures we
’
ve ever taken as a family. At least that I could remember. Annie took pictures of us all the time, but I don
’
t think I
’
ve ever seen my mother with a camera in my life.

This was Coraline
’
s way of trying to show off. She wanted to make us look like we were an actual family, but like everything else, it was a lie. This wasn
’
t
really
my office and this wasn
’
t where I planned to stay, so she could decorate it with Mardi Gras beads if she felt froggy. I didn
’
t care either way.

At first I thought maybe Mitchell was mentally mind-shopping himself in the photo with us, but then I realized he was being creepier than that and staring at Careless only. I
’
d seen that same look in his eyes when he watched her around the factory, and it annoyed the hell outta me. Somewhere, Careless was walking around feeling creeped out, I guaran-fucking-teed it.

“
Messenger boy,
”
I snapped,
“
stop staring at my sister and get lost.
”

Mitchell cleared his throat and a red flush tinted his puffy cheeks. He was slightly on the chubbier side and for some reason, he wore dress shirts one size too small, which made it look like he was being strangled by his collar. It also made his cheeks puff out and stay blotchy red.

He used entirely too much gel or some kind of oil to slick back his hair, and it just emphasized his weird factor. He was a head shorter than me, but he was probably average height. It made him turn even redder when I towered over him.

“
What
’
s it to you, Dare? You
’
re going to play big brother protector now? I heard the way you were talking to her earlier.
”

“
You just keep adding to the list, don
’
t you?
”

He balked.
“
What list?
”

“
Oh, you know.
”
I smirked and walked out of the office. A second later, I stuck my head back in.
“
Oh, and if you sit outside my door listening to my conversations again, I will fire you. Have a nice day, slick.
”
I gave him my most condescending smile, clicked my tongue, and winked at him.

I would never fire him. I didn
’
t care enough to. But he didn
’
t know that and it was worth watching his head turn into a tomato. I made it halfway down the small hallway toward the bathrooms, which were right before the entry to the factory floor, when I heard shuffling feet behind me. Apparently, my threat didn
’
t sit well with someone, go fucking figure.

“
DARE!
”
he screeched, out of breath.
“
You stop when I
’
m talking to you.
”

Giving him what he wanted, I stopped and smiled to myself. Mitch had balls. Turning around, I put my hand on my hip and waited. He halted and a flash of surprise gleamed in his eyes. Obviously, he wasn
’
t expecting it to be that easy. If only he knew.

“
Well? I
’
m stopped.
”

He cleared his throat and started to sputter.
“
Er... Don
’
t think just because you
’
re the boss
’
son that you can talk to me any way you damn well please.
”

I nodded.
“
I
’
m assuming that goes for threatening too?
”

Señor
Tomato
’
s head was about to explode.
“
Of course! Only J.D. can fire me.
”

“
J.D., huh?
”
I took a step closer to him.
“
Does J.D. let you address him by his first name?
”
And then another step.

“
Your father respects me.
”
He said it with so much confidence I kind of felt sorry for the guy.

“
You
’
re a glorified secretary.
”
Apparently not sorry enough.
“
You
’
re an even bigger idiot than I thought if you actually believe that BS, Mitchell. And besides, that wasn
’
t what I asked. My question was does J.D. let you call him by his first name? He looked around nervously, as if he were afraid someone might
’
ve heard his slipup. That was the kind of fear J.D. inflicted in all of his employees. Mitch didn
’
t say anything, and I circled him like prey.

“
I didn
’
t think so,
”
I whispered.
“
How
does
he like to be addressed?
”

He shook with anger, but in all fairness, he came after me. Mitchell stalked forward, huffing, and turned around.

“
You think you
’
re so clever, don
’
t you, Dare? You walk around this office like your shit don
’
t stink and you can do whatever the hell you want because your last name matches the boss
’
.
”

“
Actually, it has nothing to do with being the boss
’
son.
”
I grinned at him.

“
Ha, ha, ha!
”
he mock laughed.
“
Everything
’
s a joke to you, isn
’
t it? Your entire life is a joke. You sit there in your big office with your fake photos and pretend everything
’
s perfect. I know the real reason you
’
re here.
”
He sneered.

My smile melted and I had the feeling this wasn
’
t going to end well... for Mitchell.

“
Is that all I needed to do to wipe that stupid grin from your face? Talk about your dirty little secret?
”

He saw my weakness and he took it for what it was, advancing on me. Apparently, he didn
’
t realize it was never okay to back a caged animal into a corner. My lips twitched around a snarl, and I grabbed him by his suit jacket with my fists and slammed him into the wall. Fear became a plaster over his face and he tugged at my wrists.

“
You have
no
idea what you
’
re talking about!
”
I spat.
“
Keep your mouth shut or I
will
shut it for you. And just so we
’
re clear, that
’
s not a threat. It
’
s a promise.
”

I shoved him hard into the wall and started to walk away. Sometimes you just can
’
t help stupid, though.

“
What
’
s wrong, Dare?
”
he taunted unwisely.
“
You embarrassed for people to find out about your blind bitch?
”

Later, people would tell me I looked like a psychopath when I lunged for Mitchell. They told me I made noises no human should ever be able to make and moved faster than any mortal should. And when they gave me every gory detail, probably in jail, I wouldn
’
t bat an eye. I wouldn
’
t feel remorse for his smashed face or even the fact that his nose would never sit straight on his face again.

I plowed into Mitchell with every ounce of rage steamrolling through me, which was more than I needed to take him down, considering he wasn
’
t a muscular guy. He didn
’
t even have time to react; he never saw it coming.

We fell back, sliding onto the factory floor, and everyone around us gasped. I heard shouting in the background, but I couldn
’
t stop myself. I don
’
t remember hitting him or hitting him again or a third and fourth time before someone managed to pull me off. I shook them off, ready to strike again, but he wasn
’
t moving.

He wasn
’
t screaming or crying like I thought he would be. Maybe if I had stopped at one punch, his reaction would be different. He finally held his nose, blood pouring down the sides of his face, while he moaned, rolling to his side.