Courting Darkness Read Online Free PDF

surprisingly gentle, almost tender, which made her head spin with confusion at the Jekyll and Hyde reaction she seemed to invoke in him. His thumb brushed her cheek, sweeping dangerously close to her bottom lip. Her breath sawed past her parted lips, chest heaving as she fought against the panic rising up inside her.
    When Haden spoke, his voice was husky, intimately gentle. “You know, Olivia, I don’t want to be the bad guy here. But I will, if that’s the way we’re gonna play this out. If Liam forces my hand, I will hurt you to get what I want. Nothing will stop me from getting my revenge. But, not to fret, little one. Your angel loves you too much to let you die.”
    Dropping his hand, he turned and walked away. Thank God, this time he didn’t stop when he reached the door.
    Olivia’s heart was still pounding, her hands shaking, when a few minutes later Ashley blew in like the hurricane she was.
    “There you are! Why aren’t you answering your phone? I’ve been worried sick.” Kicking the door shut, she dropped her purse and keys on the floor and charged over to her. “Why didn’t you show for coffee? Oh… Hey, you don’t look so hot. You feelin’ all right, Liv?”
    Bless her best friend’s heart, but Olivia didn’t think she had it in her to deal with Ashley right now. Not when she was barely holding herself together. “Actually, I’ve felt better. I had my phone off when I went in for my therapy appointment this afternoon. I must have forgotten to turn it back on. I’m sorry I worried you.”
    “How was therapy?”
    “Enlightening.”
    Ashley gave her a wary look. “Are you starting to remember?”
    Maybe it was the paranoia setting in again, but she didn’t exactly portray the excitement one’s best friend should. “Not really. It’s just… I’m starting to think I’m wasting my time. Maybe I don’t have amnesia after all.”
    “Well, you can’t remember shit. If it’s not amnesia, I don’t know what else you’d call it.”
    Mind fuck sounded pretty accurate. “Ashley, do I have a stone of any significance or value?”
    Her friend shrugged and dropped her gaze. She’d always been a terrible liar. “I don’t know,” she answered blithely. “Why do you ask?”
    Wariness infected her friend’s voice. For a brief moment, Olivia considered telling her about the demon that had just broken into her house, assaulted her, and ruthlessly threatened to kill her if she didn’t give him the stone he was convinced she had. But then she’d sound crazier than she already felt.
    Ashley hesitated to reply, a contemplative scowl settling on her face.
    “Look, Ash, you’ve been avoiding my questions for weeks. I know you know more than you’re telling me. I just don’t know why you’re keeping my past a secret. You’re my best friend. I’ve always told you everything—”
    Sighing, Ashley cut in, “I promised your parents, Olivia.”
    “My parents? What do my parents have to do with this?”
    “They asked me not to talk about him—Liam. They said you’ve had your heart broken by him once, and that was enough. They thought maybe it was better if you just didn’t remember.”
    The sting of betrayal lashed her heart like a whip. How could her parents do this to her? How could she trust them, knowing they held lies of omission and kept secrets from her, manipulating her memories? “That wasn’t their decision to make,” she replied with more calm than she felt.
    “Olivia, your parents love you. They just want you to be happy. You don’t remember what it was like when he left. You were miserable.”
    “I’m miserable now! My heart aches for someone I can’t even remember. And now I’ve got this creep threatening me over some stone he thinks I have!”
    Ashley’s hazel eyes locked on her sharply. “Who’s threatening you?”
    “How in the hell would I know? I can’t remember shit!”
    Her friend appeared thoughtful a moment before hesitantly answering, “You have a