Page 28 of Kept in the Dark

“Not Trey,” Hailey said. Sara saw the flash of fire in her sister’s eyes. Sara was intrigued by her reaction. Was Hailey still in love with him?

Sara wasn’t sold on the idea of Trey helping them. He may be the new Chief, but things hadn’t exactly ended well between him and Hailey. She wasn’t sure she wanted to involve a man who could very well use her as a weapon to hurt her sister, destroying Sara’s reputation even more.

She had come to accept she would forever be the girl who killed her mother, despite the lack of evidence.

Now she had the chance to change that.

But at what cost? Trey might screw her over. The media would likely catch wind of it and all her past sins would be plastered for the world to see. That in-and-of-itself would cause a stir and her father would be out for blood.

Was it worth it?

Sara said, “I don't know, Hailey…”

“I don't exactly want to talk to him either, but I’m not a detective and I don’t know anyone else we can trust without it backfiring on us. We both know Dad is going to start threatening us when he finds out, but if Trey is involved and it’s on the books, there's nothing he can do about it.”

Much to Sara’s dismay, Hailey was right. They didn’t have many options and they had even fewer leads. And it would be nice to watch her old man sweat a little while they dug into his past and put a spotlight on his secrets.

It was time for the truth to come out. Sara owed it to herself.

For most of her life, she didn’t see herself as worthy of anything good. And maybe for a long time she wasn’t. Even that little girl who had been so broken she turned to drugs and alcohol deserved justice.

And while Hailey searched for a killer, Sara would plot her revenge.

She had nothing left to lose, but the same couldn’t be said for those who hurt her. And Sara would make it her life’s mission to destroy them. There would be nothing left but a whispered ghost story about a woman named revenge, taking no prisoners as she destroyed those who had wronged her.

But her sister couldn't know the truth. Hailey would never let her do it. So, for now, she would play Hailey’s little detective game until she was able to burn down the world, watching her father go right along with it.

June 26, 2011

10:32 pm

The drive back to the estate had been filled with thoughts about the past and the many what-if’s and could-have-beens. Hailey was only two miles from her father’s house when blue and red lights blinded her, and a siren pierced her ears.

Wonderful.

She slowly pulled over and grabbed the vehicle registration and her driver’s license. Pink flooded her cheeks as the officer tapped on her window. But irritation quickly replaced her embarrassment when she glanced at the man. She rolled down her window and crossed her arms, fuming, as Trey Harbor smiled down at her.

“Seriously, Trey? You pulled me over because I didn’t talk to you at the wedding? Grow up.”

Trey laughed at her accusation and she was appalled to find the sound sexy. “Really, Princess? You think I have nothing better to do than pull you over because I felt jilted?” He pointed to her dashboard. “You were speeding.”

His pet-name of ‘princess’ grated her ears. She seethed, no longer happy to hear it roll off his tongue like she once had been.

“Don’t call me that,” she said.

She blushed at how childish she sounded. Part of it was shock since she hadn't expected to see him. Plus, she was still angry at him despite needing his help, something she really ought to get over.

However, the real cause for her outburst was the secret she was keeping from him.

“Why not? You’re acting like an entitled princess. Always have.”

“How dare you!” She cringed as soon as the words left her mouth.

She knew he was provoking her. The trouble was, she couldn’t help but engage. It was something that had always marked their relationship. He would goad her, and she would let him. She would piss him off, and he would irritate her. A never-ending cycle of fights followed by laughs and kissing because they never could stay mad at each other for very long.

Funny how quickly that had changed.

Yet, here she was again, falling right into the games he enjoyed playing with her.

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