Into the Dark Read online

  Into The Dark

  T.a. McKay

  Into The Dark

  Copyright © T.a. McKay, 2014

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  Cover art by K23 Photography and Design~ http://www.k23photo.com

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the authors imagination or used factiously and any resemblance to actual people, dead or alive, business, establishments, locales or events is entirely coincidental. Any reference to real events, businesses or organizations is intended only to give the fiction a sense of realism and authenticity.

  All right reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means – electronic, mechanical, photographic (photocopying), recording or otherwise – without prior permission in writing from the author.

  Dedication

  My poor neglected husband Stuart.

  You had to take a back seat at times when I spent the night with Mason, but you did it and for that I love you.

  My babies who aren’t babies at all.

  Mum loves you so much. You support me so much and tell everyone about my books!

  To everyone who read Rocco’s book and fell in love with Mason. This book is for you. I hope he lives up to your expectations!

  Prologue

  Mason

  Just sitting here next to Rocco’s hospital bed is killing me. I need to do something. Anything. I have been sitting listening to his steady breathing for six days now, well not his breathing, but the machine he’s attached to, it makes a swishing noise every time it helps him breathe out. The first couple of days he was here I concentrated so hard on the machine, making sure it continued to work, convinced that if I slept it would stop and I would lose him forever. I just can't lose Rocco, he has been my best friend since we were both at school. I will never forget the first day he came to my school. We were both eight but unlike him I thought I was the shit. I laugh as I sit and think about it now. I went up to him like I was twice his age and told him that it was my playground, and he would follow my rules, or I would make everyone hate the new boy. His response wasn't exactly what I had expected, he punched me in the nose knocking me to the ground before he gave me a wedgie. He walked away from me saying, ‘whatever’ and I knew I needed to be friends with him. We have been inseparable ever since. Everywhere you found one of us, the other was never very far away. Starting our business together was like a dream come true, not even having to find a job would split us apart.

  “You need to wake up now, Rocco. I need you here, there is no way I can do this all on my own.” I lean forward and take his hand, praying that I feel it move even just the slightest amount, anything to prove that he will be ok. The doctors told me after the second operation on his spine that it was just a waiting game, he would wake up when his body decided it was healed. It’s not enough for me, I need someone to tell me that he would wake up and be ok.

  I hear the door of his room open, but I don’t turn to see who it is, no one is more important at this moment than my best friend, the only brother I have ever known.

  “Any change?” She says with such a dramatic sigh that I grab Rocco's hand tighter than I should, and I force myself to release some of the tension. I grind my teeth together to try and calm the anger that she always brings out in me.

  “No. Everything is still the same, you would know if you stayed for more than five minutes at a time, Elle.” I try to be nice. I really, really do, but I just can’t manage it.

  “Really, Mason? You may not have a life and can sit here all day every day, but I’m a busy person. My life can’t stop because he’s in here.”

  “Yeah, I can imagine your really busy. Oh, love the nails by the way.” She goes slightly red as she realises that I know exactly what she gets up to while she isn't here, which is all the time.

  “I thought you loved Rocco, you said he was your life. Now you can't even spend time with him when he needs you here.” I can't even explain how much I hate Elle. Ever since Rocco had his accident she has had one excuse after another as to why she couldn't spend time at the hospital. From what I could tell the only reason she couldn't be here, is she is too busy out spending his money. It’s like she is stockpiling everything she wants, just in case Rocco dies and his brother, Noah, gets everything. I close my eyes hoping that she will vanish into thin air. Even looking at her makes the anger boil in my stomach, so I wish she would just leave and never come back.

  “How dare you, Mason. I love Rocco. If he wakes up, I will give him all the support he needs. It’s not like he knows we are even here, is it? So it’s such a waste of time.”

  “When.” I simply state.

  “What do you mean? When? ”

  “You said if he wakes up. It’s when he wakes up, Elle.” I turn to look at her, giving her the full force of the anger I have inside. I swear that it’s like she doesn't want him to wake up.

  “Just go, Elle. You’re no use to anyone here, you never were.” Her back straightens and she glares at me, but I don't care.

  “Will you call if there’s any change?” She asks in clipped tone.

  “Yeah, sure I will. You will be the first to know.” I can’t help the sarcasm that slips into my words, but she will be the last person who I call, I will call Rocco’s postman before I call her. I hear her heels clicking on the tiled floor as she stomps towards the door, and a second later the door slams behind her. I let out a heavy breath. I have always hated Elle, she wasn't good enough for Rocco before the accident, but I hate her even more now. She was just proving the fact that I thought she was a heartless bitch.

  “Rocco, I love you man but I swear if you don't dump her arse I’m not gonna be happy. So you need to wake up, so you can make me smile when I see you kick her to the kerb.” I sit back in my chair and assume the position that I discovered won’t completely kill my back. I cross my arms and straighten my legs out in front of me, trying to put no pressure on my back. These seats aren’t the easiest to sleep in, but I’m so tired, and I let the gentle swish of the ventilator lull me to sleep. My last thought before I fell asleep was the same as it had been since the accident, ‘it’s time to wake up Rocco, I miss you.'

  Chapter One

  “Oh my god, Rocco! What’s wrong?” The tone I use is so serious, and it’s hard trying to hold my laughter back. He has no idea what I'm talking about, going by the look that is on his face. I love doing this to him, it makes me feel like everything is normal again and that Rocco doesn’t have the weight of the world on his shoulders.

  “What the fuck are you on about, Mason? There’s nothing wrong.” I can see him looking down over his body and brushing his hands over his clothes, trying to work out exactly what I’m talking about. He could look all day, but he won’t find anything. I’m so damn funny.

  “Your face! There’s something wrong with it, something on it.” I say getting close to him and pointing at his face while I make sure that I have an obvious grimace on mine. Rocco sighs at my dramatics but walks over to the mirror that hangs on his office wall. I had followed him in here when he arrived today, I haven’t seen him here for a few days so I wanted to catch up with him, see how he's doing. I have to hold in the laughter that is continuing to build in my throat. He runs his hand over his face and through his hair looking seriously confused.

  “Seriously, Mason. What the hell are you on about?” I can either put him out of his misery or continue to have fun with him. Yeah, I'm so not giving in yet. I walk up to him and point at his mouth,

  “There. That thing, I don’t know what's wrong with it.” I can see the confusion on his face deepen as he looks back to the mirror, and obviously finding nothing. Yeah, I think it’s time for the punch line.


  “That thing there,” I point towards his mouth.

  “It looked like it was smiling. There must be something wrong, your mouth doesn’t do that smiling thing.” I back up from him quickly, expecting to get a punch for my humour, but he just stands there. I approach him and actually take a good look at him. Now that I think about it he really does look happy. Something isn’t right here, Rocco hasn’t looked like this in a long time. Normally he looks like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders, the darkness that is usually seen in his eyes covers the happiness that was always there when we were growing up.

  “Ok, now you’re seriously creeping me out. What's with the happy vibes?” He’s too quiet. Even on his bad days Rocco would normally be giving me attitude and calling me some not very nice names. It’s the way we work, the way our friendship is formed.

  “It's nothing, I'm fine.” Yeah right, who the hell is he trying to kid?

  “Bull, Rocco. If you think I'm buying that, you don’t know me as well as I thought you did. Something has you looking like you just got laid. Oh my god…did you get laid?” This comment is the one that finally gains me a punch on the bicep. I rub my arm and frown at Rocco.

  “Dude!”

  “Shut it, Mason. It’s nothing, it’s just …” He takes a deep breath and lets it out on a sigh.

  “Remember the girl at the park I told you about? The one I met on the way to training?” I know exactly who he is talking about. Rocco isn’t in the habit of talking about random girls he meets, so when he mentions one I make it my mission to remember her.

  “Well, it turns out she’s just got a job at the pool, so I will get to see her every day.” He gets that stupid look on his face again, the one that looks like he just saw baby kittens or something. Wow, he really does have it bad. I really should just be happy for him, I mean he has been talking about this girl on the phone to me the last couple of days, and it’s been a while since he has showed an interest in any woman, but I'm his friend, so that's not going to happen. I can’t let this opportunity pass without giving him grief, I think it’s my duty and responsibility as his best friend.

  “And what? Did you kiss? Get her number? Or did you get laid? I think I’ve already asked that, by the way, and you didn’t give me an answer.” He looks like he is close to punching me again, the effort of holding back is showing in the frowns forming on his face.

  “No. The only person that I know that would get laid at the pool is you, Mason. Some of us have morals. I'm just happy that I will get to see her every day.”

  “So when do I get to meet the girl who finally got the blood to flow to little Rocco?” I saw it coming, I just couldn’t move fast enough to avoid it. His hand moves with lightening speed and smacks me across the head, messing my hair.

  “The hair dude! Watch the hair.” I shout at him while I run my hands through my hair trying to sort out the mess. Rocco laughs as he walks behind his desk and takes his seat, leaning back, he places his feet onto his desk.

  “Well, actually, I said that we would take her out this weekend. Show her the local scene, she doesn’t have any friends here.”

  “She has no friends? What kind of freak is she?” I have learned my lesson though, and I walk away from Rocco as I ask him this. It doesn’t matter that he is sitting, I know how fast he can move when he wants. He has caught me too many times to give me a beating, and I now know he is sensitive when it comes to this girl. I refuse to get hit again.

  “Don’t be a dick, Mason. She has just moved here and doesn’t know anyone. And trust me, she isn’t a freak. She is gorgeous, I can’t even explain how gorgeous. When she gets flustered, I swear the blush that she gets on her cheeks… god it could make a grown man fall to his knees.” I stand for a minute and just look at Rocco. I don’t think I have ever seen him this affected by a woman, not even Elle had him so awestruck. I feel hope building inside me that maybe this is what he has been waiting for all along.

  “Oh no. You’re getting all poetic and shit, she must be something else.” He gives me a serious look, but his eyes hold a gleam of happiness.

  “Yeah, she is.”

  Walking back to the work area of the garage after talking to Rocco, I hear my mobile phone beep in my back pocket. I grab it from my pocket and check my messages, and see it’s the one I’ve been waiting for.

  Claire:- The VIP area is booked for S/day. Remember your promise!!

  I smile to myself. When Rocco had told me he had planned a night out with Makenzie, I knew that I had to help him try to impress her. If there is any way I can help him seal this deal, I am going to pull out all the stops I can. Asking Claire for the use of the VIP area in her dad's club was a good way to start, and it looks like in return I’m going to get a good night out of the deal. The promise that Claire is talking about is the special thing she likes me to do, I'm pretty sure I'm the only guy around here with the balls to do it. I might be wrong about that, but she always seems to be very eager when I say we can play. It’s been a while since I’ve been in Claire’s bed, and even though I don't normally go back for seconds with anyone, she is always worth a revisit. She has legs that go on for miles and an arse that you could bounce pennies on. Just thinking of her makes me need to readjust the growing erection in my overalls, and I'm not sure I will make it to Saturday without needing to be buried in some fine woman, it’s been too long since I had some action. If I'm honest, it’s actually only been three days, but in my life that is a really long time. I'm not saying I'm easy, I just like the company of women, and you know the saying, ‘the more the merrier’, well I like that saying.

  I scroll through the contacts on my phone, trying to decide what I was in the mood for tonight. I work through the numbers until I reach the name that I know will work for perfectly, Lillie, she’s just what the doctor ordered. With her round arse and huge boobs, she is perfect to blow off a little steam and if I'm lucky, I won’t be the only one blowing a little. I type out a quick message to her, asking if she’s free tonight, then get back to work replacing the front fairing on the bike I'm working on. I know she will be free tonight though, I'm not a big-headed guy but I know these ladies, they are always free for me, without fail.

  Pulling my car into the drive at my house, I shut off the engine and take a minute just to sit in the quiet. The last job at the garage had been a bitch, part of the fairing I was fitting had cracked when I was locking it in place. I had just stood there looking at the pieces in my hand until Ben had walked up behind me. When he noticed what had happened, he had smacked me upside the head. I didn’t even need him to say anything, I knew that I had just set us about four days behind on this job. The owner wants lightweight bodywork for his bike, wanting to get the fastest possible speed from his machine. We had custom made the bodywork from fibreglass, it was just within the legal limit’s and had taken days to get the parts made. With this, came the added problem of them cracking, once the paint was on and the protective layers were added, it was as safe as any car, but until then you had to be careful. So yes, the smack was warranted and if it had been me seeing that with one of the other guys, I probably would have been worse. Actually, I know I would have been worse.

  Thank fuck its Friday. A half day tomorrow and then the weekend is mine. I'm looking forward to going out tomorrow night with Rocco, it’s been too long since the last time it happened. He always comes up with some lame excuse as why he can’t go out, there’s somewhere else he needs to be or some work he needs to finish. Since that bitch Elle had left him, he’s only been a fraction of the man I remember, hopefully this new girl will bring him back to me.

  Running my hands through my hair one last time, I get out of the car and lock it up. I know I will be out to use my car in a few hours, but I never leave my car unlocked. This baby is my pride and joy. It’s an electric blue Subaru WRX, custom designed with my initials down the side. No one ever gets to drive it, not even Rocco who I would trust with my sister…if I had one.

  I kick off my b
oots, leaving them on the porch outside my front door. I always try to keep the mess inside my house to a minimum, but no matter how hard I try, I always seem to leave a trail of oil and dust behind me. My cleaner comes twice a week, but I might need to up it to three times. I really hate mess, I can’t settle if I can see anything out of place or messed up, but the problem with that is I hate cleaning more. I walk through my house heading towards the shower, it’s always my first stop at the end of the day, you’d be amazed where I can find pieces of bodywork, and they aren’t always comfortable places. I strip off my t-shirt and jeans, throwing them towards the clothes hamper in the corner. I walk into the opening at the end of my shower, turning on the water so it’s just about scalding my skin. It’s the one thing in the house I replaced when I moved in a year ago. My one big treat for myself, other than the ladies that I regularly enjoy, is a long, hot shower twice a day. I couldn’t live without a shower, I love the feeling of cleaning all the day’s grime from my skin. It’s a walk-in wet area that I know for a fact can hold four people comfortably. It opens at the end so you can walk straight out into my bathroom, and it has floor to ceiling black tiles, with white floor tiles to contrast the black. It’s very much a guy’s bathroom, none of that girly, frilly shit in here. Standing under the powerful spray, I let it massage away the tension in my shoulders. I really could do with this day being over, the only thing that's stopping me from finding numbness in a bottle of tequila is the fact I'm going to see Lillie tonight. The only thing that beats a drunken numbness is finding your happiness being balls deep in a hot woman. Smiling to myself, I grab my body wash and get ready to find the happiness I need.