The Dark Places by R. Whitfield (novel24 TXT) 📕

She wiped her mouth on a napkin. “OK, let’s do it,” she said.

Parker smiled at her renewed vigour. “Lilly Jackson, nineteen, from Delaware, murdered in 2009.” He looked up, Surin didn’t hesitate.

“It’s the year I got my detective shield,” she replied soberly. Parker nodded but said nothing.

“Kara Pettiman, twenty, from Salisbury, murdered in 2011.”

Again, Surin answered within a second. “I met Grayson, and we started dating.”

“Jessica Moroe, Ocean City, twenty-two, murdered in 2013.”

“I closed the Renaissance Man serial case. There were pictures in the media of me, courtesy of our new friend.” She rolled her eyes as the image of Madison flashed unwillingly into her mind. Parker didn’t deter.

“Eva Leigh, nurse, from Lexington Park, found early this year.”

Surin looked out the window, watching as a passing Buick backfired loudly. “Broke off my engagement with Grayson,” she replied, her monotone voice filled with exhaustion.

“Isabelle Lacross, Baltimore City.”

Surin looked at Parker with a sad smile. “Well, I got myself a brand-new partner.”

Parker nodded. “Lastly, the one that got away, Lana Beau.”

Surin ran her hands through her hair. “The only thing that comes to mind is that we had just started officially investigating this as a serial case.”

Parker rested his pen on the table. “Surin,” he said quietly.

She took the last pull of her beer, put it down with a thud, then looked up to meet his gaze. “It’s me.”

30

1998, Town of North East, Cheltenham County, Maryland

“God, what’s wrong with me?” Surin whispered into the bathroom mirror. Her face was flushed, and strands of her long ebony hair had been loosened from her high ponytail. She turned on the tap and flushed the toilet just to create noise. A soft knock made her turn.

“Surin?” Eamon’s gentle voice asked quietly, “Are you OK?”

Surin quickly wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. Oh my God, you’re an idiot, girl, she thought and opened the door back into Eamon’s bedroom.

“I’m fine,” she lied and kissed him chastely on the lips. “We are supposed to be studying, you know,” she teased and sat back down on the bed, pretending to care about the law textbook in front of her. Eamon sauntered over and lifted her chin with his finger. She could feel her heartbeat triple and the heat begin to creep up her neck and face.

“I don’t need to study anything but you,” he whispered. His eyes were twinkling mischievously. In that moment, she found him almost physically impossible to resist. He laid back on the bed and pulled her alongside him. “Now, where were we?” he asked, leaning in and kissing her, gently at first, then deep, long and greedily. Surin moaned and ran her fingers through his hair. She stilled as he skilfully unbuttoned her shirt and slipped his hand inside. “So beautiful,” he mumbled, pulling her bra up and cupping her breast gently. She gasped, tilting her head back. Eamon took the opportunity and moved his mouth over her nipple.

“Eamon!” she whispered urgently.

He ignored her pleas and continued to nuzzle and suck at her, all the while working his hand down under her panties.

“Surin, doesn’t this feel good?” he asked as he teased a finger inside her.

“Yes,” she gasped.

“I love you,” he replied and increased the speed of his torture.

Surin arched her back off the bed. “Eamon, please,” she whimpered, knowing that she wasn’t ready for this but finding it impossible to stop.

“It’s OK, let go,” he continued and opened her legs further, bent down and let his tongue find her most intimate spot.

“Oh, God,” she moaned and finally unravelled under him, her eyes closing tight.

“How can this be wrong?” he moaned, and she felt him move on top of her quickly.

She opened her eyes just as he had put a condom on. “Eamon! No!” she said, louder than intended, sitting up unexpectedly causing him to slide off the bed.

“Fuck, Surin!” he said exasperated.

She fell down beside him, her panties twisting around her ankles. “I’m sorry,” she whimpered, tears threatening the corner of her eyes.

He turned away from her, mumbling.

“What?” she asked, grabbing his strong shoulder to force him to turn so that he was facing her.

“I said at least one of us got off.” He stared at her, almost pouting.

He was right, she thought. What the hell is my problem!

Eamon went to get up, and Surin touched his knee gently. “I didn’t say I was finished,” she said with a shy smile. The way he looked at her was almost a challenge.

“Really?” he added snidely. “And what exactly do you have planned?”

She smiled again as her eyes travelled down to his erection. “Maybe I can help with that after all.”

Twenty minutes later, Surin reached on her tippy-toes and kissed Eamon goodbye on the front step of his parent’s home. She could feel that he was still distant.

“I’m sorry about, you know,” she said, shyly gesturing towards his bedroom. Eamon gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and wrapped his fingers tenderly around the back of her neck.

“Last time, you promised,” he added sullenly.

Surin looked at the ground and shuffled her feet. “I just don’t know if I’m ready, Eamon,” she replied, looking this time into his beautiful eyes.

“Ready?” he scoffed, dropping his hand. “Surin, we’ve been together almost a year.” His voice raised a level. “I have been more than fucking patient here. I haven’t cheated on you. I haven’t pressured you.”

Surin’s look in that instant stopped him in his tracks.

“You think I pressure you?” he asked incredulously.

She looked down at the ground, embarrassed.

“You didn’t seem overly pressured when your legs were around my head an hour ago!” he added and she turned beet red.

“Eamon Sutherland!” she said scoldingly.

“Every other part of me