Page 1 of Black Mark's Heart

Prologue

Darius

I felt like someone had pulled the floor out from under me as Marshall Blake had just told me that the woman I loved was his daughter. Now, with them side by side, the genetic similarity was unmistakable. How could I not have seen it that day in the office?

For a moment, I considered Marshall had set this up and sent his daughter into my life so he could take over my business without any resistance, but Marshall truly looked pained. I wasn't giving up my business. I supported my father and sister's business. I had mentored and helped so many others in the years since I'd built Lynwood. There was too much at stake, and that left only one choice.

I couldn't bring myself to look at her. She looked beautiful in her wedding dress. Her long dark hair half pulled up into a soft, feminine fifties style. The black of her mascara made her blue eyes more spectacular than usual. Eyes that I knew were filling with tears as her father discussed the annulment.

I could hear the panic in Mora's singsong voice when I asked Warren to wrap up our relationship, but it was her fingers that broke me. I'd loved how strong her fingers were wrapped around my cock, gripping my hair as I licked between her pale thighs, or holding tightly to my shoulders as I buried myself into her until she cried out my name.

Those wonderful fingers dug into my arm, nails stabbing into me viciously as Mora pleaded with me to look at her. I needed to protect myself, my interests, and my family. In order to do that, I had to hurt her.

"You should have told me who your father was, Mora. This is your fault. I would never have touched you had I known. Now get the hell out of my life!"

Mora stepped back at my viciousness, her hand going to her mouth and eyes wide like I'd just murdered someone in front of her, and maybe I did. I had just brutally murdered us.

I thought I was hurting as bad as I could already, but then a pain so deep and raw flashed through Mora's eyes that I felt my heart stutter. Mora turned and ran out of the building, out into the freezing cold.

"Son of a bitch!"

I'd been so focused on Mora's pain, I didn't see Alex's fist flying at my face until it impacted. I stumbled back a few steps, shocked, my focus coming to those around me. Alex threw another punch, and I took that one on the chin and then threw one back. I needed this, a way to express my anger and hurt.

Alex and I laid into one another with everything we had. It lasted only a few minutes and then we were being pulled apart. Zander was between us, Warren holding me back, Marshall restraining his fierce son. They were so alike; I could see it so clearly now. How could I not have seen it before?

"Where's Mora?" Zander asked, his voice full of concern.

I followed his line of sight to see Sophie and Rebecca coming back in the front door. Sophie walked over to us, her face beautiful in her rage. "She's gone. She doesn't have anything on her, not her phone or her ID," Sophie informed us as she walked up to me. Without breaking her stride, Sophie stepped into me and lifted her knee hard.

I crumpled at the excruciating pain in my groin. Warren let me go, allowing me to fall to the ground with a curse.

"Come on, Sophie," Alex Hark took her hand. "Let's find Mora, she's going to need us."

"I am sorry, Dare," Marshall apologized again.

I didn't look up to watch them leave. I waited until the door shut to find the strength to sit back on my heels. Rebecca was there watching me with worry. She looked to Warren. "Mora left in the limousine. Maybe if you call Clark, you can tell her family where to find her?"

Warren nodded and pulled out his phone, walking away.

"Zander, could you take the kids back to Dare's place and help get our stuff ready to leave please?" Rebecca requested.

"Sure." Zander gave me a dark look. "You need to fix this, Dare. I don't know why you just did what you did, but you need to fix it."

"I cannot do that, Zander. We cannot be together," I murmured sadly.

"I hope you are wrong, Dare. I made Mora a promise, and I keep mine."

The insinuation that I did not keep my promises was not lost on me. Zander walked over, collecting the kids and leaving. Rebecca held out a hand. I shook my head and started to cry. Rebecca squatted and put her hand on my shoulder. "Not here, Dare. You can break, but not yet."

"Why?" I scowled.

"Do you know why you just broke your own heart?" Rebecca asked.

"Yes."

"Does Mora know why you broke hers?"

I shook my head.

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