Darken (Siege #1) Read Online Free

Two
    CORA PUSHED THROUGH THE door hard enough it smashed against the interior wall before rushing back toward her. She slipped through the narrowing gap with a little sashay to the side. Mateo glanced at her when she drew in a shuddering breath.
    “You okay, Cora?” Mateo paused in the midst of flipping a burger patty.
    “Yeah,” she managed to say around what almost became a sob. Lips pressed together, she turned from his curious eyes and placed her hands on the stainless steel counter, head hung.
    Her mind echoed with Gavin’s question. What was she doing here?
    The question didn’t surprise Cora. Noah and Logan asked the same thing when she came begging for a job, and in all honesty, she wasn’t sure. She didn’t belong in a place like this. This was not how she thought her life would turn out.
    Growing up, she dreamed of living in Paris or Athens where she’d spend her days painting in the garden of her gorgeous estate. The older she got, the more realistic her dreams became, and working in the restoration department of a Denver museum was enough.
    Up until six months ago, she’d been busy helping prep for a new exhibit. Now, she was waitressing in a slightly less than reputable bar in the middle of Montana surrounded by constant reminders of Gavin. Serving platters of nachos and beer wasn’t just a step back, it was a complete fail in life.
    Yet, she couldn’t be sorry that she was there. She needed to be there.
    Her brother accused her of having a martyr complex. Darren was convinced her willingness to take any and all punishments regardless of if she deserved them stemmed from years under their parents' thumbs. It was an explanation she couldn’t help but give a slight bit of credence to.
    She knew what coming to Thompson Creek and facing Gavin would be like. She saw it in his brown eyes, the way they drilled into her as if he saw every dark secret she hid. Along with that knowledge was the accusation. It’s what had kept her from her best friend’s funeral and ended her fragile friendship with Gavin. Logically, Cora understood he blamed her because he needed someone to blame, yet she also couldn’t deny it.
    If she hadn’t flipped off the guy who nearly rammed them, he might not have flown into a rage. He might not have followed them and forced them off the bridge into the river.
    When shit hit the fan, she’d been too drunk to save Lela. If she hadn’t downed that one last shot, Lela might still be alive.
    Taking a long deep breath, she steadied her resolution. Gavin was right. Lela died because of her, but if he thought she’d bail on her job, he was in for a massive surprise.
    No way could she tell him the real reason she took the job at the pub; he’d never believe her if she did. She wasn’t even sure she believed it herself.
    Gavin passed through the kitchen, and she let her eyes follow him. He took powerful strides with his long legs, and his shirt clung to his muscular chest. Gavin was no longer the boy she met back in high school.
    Forcing herself to concentrate on what needed to be done, she loaded cutlery into a bin and placed a pile of napkins on top. She carried it out to Keeley, dropping the bin on the counter beside the till where the other woman stood counting the float.
    “Someone piss in your porridge?” Keeley arched a brow.
    “I think you mean cornflakes.” The corner of Cora’s lips turned up.
    “Whatever.” Keeley shrugged. “So, what’s your problem?”
    “Nothing.”
    “Uh huh, and does nothing stand over six feet tall with an ass begging you to test its thrusting power?”
    “Oh, my God. No!” Cora swatted Keeley’s arm, blood rushing to her cheeks as her friend laughed. “Now, can we talk about something other than Gavin?”
    “Girl, I was talking about Logan but now we know where your head is at. I’m not gonna need to put a leash on you to hold you back, am I? Though, I don’t think that would help much; I get the impression the Walker boys are all