Page 1 of Embers of Torment

Chapter 1

Della

June – Boston, Massachusetts

Disaster. That was the best description of my romantic life since none of my dates over the last several months had been what you would deem successful. Some of them could even be classified as borderline psychotic and cringeworthy, and I had a difficult time understanding why it was such a freaking challenge to find Mr. Right.

And now, here I was, babysitting on a Saturday night when I should be out and about and having fun. Not that I minded, though, considering I was doing one of my best friends and her husband a favor. But boy, it sure would have been nice to have some hot guy keep me company while I enjoyed a show onNetflix. A bit of cuddling and making out would certainly have made my night better.

Night? Ha! More like life. My dating had become such a nightmare that I questioned whether I was the problem. Expelling a puff of frustrated air, I crossed my arms and leaned back against the couch. I wasn't going to fall prey to a self-imposed pity party. Not tonight. Swatting my melancholy mood away, I refocused on the television, becoming as engrossed in the flick as I had been prior to my bout of internal whining.

Startled by a loud thud, I froze and stared blankly at the screen. Clearing away my fear-induced brain fog, I attempted to pinpoint what I'd heard.

Oh, shit!There it was again, and it was in the backyard.

My fingers fumbled across the keypad on the remote control as I frantically muted the television's volume. Pulling my legs to my chest, I wedged one of the decorative pillows between my thighs and stomach and sank into the upholstery. My gaze riveted on the sliding door.

"No, no, no!"Why did I leave the curtains partially open? What the bejesus was I thinking?

I waited and listened, trying not to move. Minutes passed, and all stayed quiet. The only sounds were my anxious, shallow breaths and the neighbor's barking Border Terrier.

Exhaling deeply, I took another breath and groaned. "Della, you are such a dumbass." I should have known better than to chooseThe Panic Roomwhen I was in a creaky old house by myself. Although technically, I wasn't alone since the kids were asleep upstairs. But jeez, didn't that make it worse, acting out some movie cliché when I'm in charge of two little bodies? And this little incident was sure to set me up for a decent-sized razzing from Sofie and Reid. You'd think that while I was here, I'd have picked something to watch besides a home invasion thriller.

I shifted on the cushion and unclenched my hand, scowling at the red marks on my palm from my brightly painted fingernails. With a tilt of my head, I tugged at my ponytail and shot an irritated glance at the door—and gasped.

Someone was on the other side of the glass, their silhouette barely visible in the dim light from one of the alley's lampposts.

Shrieking, I tossed the pillow onto the floor and almost tripped over the coffee table as I bolted from the couch and dashed through the doorway to the hall.

Shit! What do I do?Bending over, I desperately tried to catch my breath.The door! Did I lock the freaking door? I was outside playing with the kids earlier.

"Oh God, don't look," I mumbled while I forced myself to peek around the corner, my gaze cutting through the semi-darkened family room.

I saw the closed sliding door, partially open curtain, and a glimpse of the wooden planking. No distorted face pressed against the glass, and no monster or home invader stared at me with red, beady eyes. Relieved, I released the breath I'd been holding and mentally berated myself for acting like a scared fool.

My heart still pounded as I crept across the room, figuring I should at least check the deck.C'mon, Della. It's easy-peasy.Just peek around the freaking curtain.I groaned as I carried out my mind's bidding, the maneuver far more challenging than I presumed.

A scan of the deck revealed nothing but an array of outdoor furniture. The rattan and metal armchair I had pulled away from the table earlier was right about where I thought I saw a body.

Unbelievable. I turn on a scary flick, and my imagination goes into "make shit up" overdrive.

Unlocking the door, I slid it open and stepped outside, the wood rough on my bare feet. I tip-toed across the planks, struck by the overpowering scent of roses. Still unnerved, I peeked overthe railing to the ground-floor courtyard below. Although Sofie's rose garden was directly beneath me, the fragrance was more potent on the deck, almost as if it had permeated the area. And it was stinky where I was, unlike the pleasant aroma wafting upward from the bushes in the flowerbed.

My eyes darted back and forth, looking for anything unusual, but nothing appeared out of place, at least as far as I could tell in the dark.

I was stepping back from the rail when it dawned on me that the dog next door had stopped barking, but others were making noise several houses down. Realizing that could mean someone was out there and walking through the alley, I ran inside and locked the sliding door. I gave the curtains a wild tug to close them and dove onto the couch. Snagging my cell from the coffee table, I dialed the only person I knew who wouldn't tell me I'd lost it.

Adam.

I tapped my fingernail on my knee while anxiously listening to his phone ring. I was expecting my call to go to his voicemail when I heard him pick up—a song played in the background.

"Hey, Adam. It's Della." The words rushed from my mouth before he could say anything.

"Della? What's going on?"

"Where are you? There's music in the background."

"I'm celebrating at a club with Theo. His catering business got booked this afternoon for a huge wedding reception next April. It'll be an elaborate event with tons of famous guests. Theo should get some recommendations from it, and it's just what he needs to put his company on the map. You know, move from the small local operation to the regional big dog. Well, we're hoping that's what happens, anyway."

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