“The Dark Matter Between Our Hearts” Season 2, Episode 1

Hayden Archer had not changed much over the years. His jaw had hardened a little, and he tamed his shaggy blond hair with more product. But he still possessed the same arrogant air and piercing blue glare Danika remembered. ‘I warned you and every man in this town before leaving for uni. With one exception’—he nodded to Brennan—‘no one else touches what is mine. Did you think I wouldn’t return for you?’

Glancing at Brennan, she gulped back the bitter taste in her mouth. She had never expected in a million years to see them working together, to team up against her. Just when I had started developing feelings for him too. ‘Why Brennan?’

Hooking an arm around Brennan’s shoulders, Hayden grinned. ‘Oh, we’re good mates going way back. Isn’t that right old pal?’

Brennan nodded stiffly.

‘Having such similar… tendencies with women, we understand each other.’ Hayden slapped Brennan on the back and inched forward.

Malik growled beside her. ‘You’re both sick fucks who get their kicks raping girls, you mean?’

Hayden chuckled. ‘No Malik, that’s not it. I was referring to our more dominant, sadistic sides. I bet you didn’t know how much my angel enjoys pain.’

‘I’ll fucking kill you!’ Malik lunged for Hayden, but she grabbed his arm, halting his advance.

‘Stop!’ she warned. ‘Don’t you dare attack him.’

‘Are you seriously defending the prick?’ Malik snapped.

She shook her head. ‘Can’t you see he’s baiting you?’

‘Like the filthy animal he is,’ Hayden sneered. ‘Can you believe this pig’s audacity, Brennan? Not only did he rob you and Danni of your climaxes; he intends to hook up with our girl while his own lays unconscious in a hospital bed. Tsk, tsk.’

When she looked at Malik, he lowered his gaze. Bile rose as her stomach twisted in knots. ‘What is he talking about?’

‘Didn’t you know about him and Elise?’ Hayden replied for Malik. ‘They’ve been sleeping together every chance they got. Wasn’t just sex either. They seem pretty close, and I’d bet the only reason they didn’t go public was because her daddy would never approve of such a lowlife boyfriend.’

Holding back the tears threating to burst forth, she drew close to Malik. She grabbed his chin and forced him to make eye contact. ‘Is it true? Are you and Elise….’ The words died on her tongue as she struggled to come to terms with the possibility.

His brow furrowed. ‘Uh— not exactly. We’ve fucked, but we’re not together. Not that it’s anyone’s business.’

Slapping him hard across the cheek, she whipped around and strode toward the exit, shoulder checking Brennan as she passed him.

He grasped her arm, stopping her in her tracks. ‘Danni….’

‘Fuck off!’ she spat at him. Literally. 

Hunching, Brennan let the mask shielding his expression drop as he wiped the spittle from his face. Deep sorrowful brown eyes pleaded with her. ‘Please—’

‘No! I trusted you, Brennan, and you betrayed me in the worst way possible.’ Pulling free of his grip, she stood tall and crossed her arms.

‘Take her home, Brennan,’ Hayden demanded.

She glowered at her ex. ‘Not gonna happen.’

Hayden smirked. ‘Would you rather ride with me?’

‘I’d rather eat dog shit than spend any more time with either of you.’

Mirth rumbled through Hayden’s muscular chest. ‘Good to see you’ve got your fighting spirit back.’

‘No thanks to you, arsehole.’ She would put herself through some of the worst tortures known to man before letting Hayden Archer touch her again.

‘How do you intend to get home then? And don’t even think about asking that cheating swine.’ He pointed to Malik.

‘I wasn’t planning to. I’ll walk.’

His gaze casually scanned her attire and stopped at her feet. ‘In those shoes?’ he scoffed.

She ground the sharp tip of one of her stilettoes into the dirt. ‘Yes, in these shoes. If you try to stop me, I’ll kick you in the balls with them.’

Hayden’s smile widened. ‘Take her Brennan. With force if you have to.’

Holstering his pistol, Brennan unclipped the handcuffs from the back of his belt. She turned and made a run for it, but he caught up to her.

Stupid heels! She could walk gracefully enough in them, but they slowed her down too much. Strong arms enveloped her, bringing her hands to her back.

As the cuffs clicked into place, Hayden stepped in front of her. ‘This reminds me of the first time you two hooked up. You remember that night, Brennan?’

‘Of course I do,’ Brennan rasped. ‘I’ll never forget it.’

‘You told him about that?’ she asked with an incredulous tone. Knowing they were friends; it should not have surprised her. Nevertheless, she hated him even more for telling Hayden about their intimate moments.

‘Of course he told me,’ Hayden chimed. ‘Who do you think sent him to Malik’s house to collect you?’

Images resurfaced in her mind as she recalled the night in question:

Five Years Earlier

A heavy drum ’n’ bass rhythm rumbled through the floorboards and infused Danika’s bones with feral excitement as she stumbled through the crowd. Leaning against the wall of the hallway, she gulped a mouthful from her vodka bottle and simpered when she caught a gangster’s eye. She assumed he was a gangster given the leathers and all the ink covering his arms, not to mention his choice of party venue. He leered at the cleavage bursting out of her black corset, but he paled as soon as his eyes reached hers. Pathetic. Her fame in this town was getting old fast. Why does every fucking cockroach have to recognise me? I’ve never even seen this scumbag before. Tats Man disappeared a second later and she continued her mission with a sigh.

Staggering into the living area, she swallowed the last of her bottle and scanned the throng. Most of the attractive guys had their own skanks grinding against them. Just as she was about to give up, she spotted a broad-shouldered man with dark skin and a sidecut. Well, hello, you’re definitely new in town. Turning to meet her gaze, he grinned as she sucked on her bottom lip and batted her lashes. There was something familiar about his dark eyes, but she dismissed the thought as he closed in on her.

‘What’s your name, beautiful?’

‘Danni.’ Stepping forward, she fell into his arms and smiled up at him. ‘And you are?’

He laughed. ‘I’m Hasan.’ He glanced at her vodka bottle and gaped. ‘Did you demolish that whole bottle on your own?’

Lifting it to eye level she gasped. ‘Shit! I guess I did.’ She swayed.

‘Maybe you should lie down, yeah?’

‘Will you join me?’ she asked in a husky voice.

‘’Kay,’ he rasped. With an arm around her waist, he helped her across the room.

They had almost reached the door that led to the bedrooms when a throat clearing halted Hasan’s progress. ‘Hey Cuz, I wouldn’t go there if I were you.’

Fuck!

Hasan spun them around to face Malik.

‘Danika’s the definition of poisonous bitch,’ he explained in a bitter tone, glaring at her as he spoke.

‘Woah! Sorry dude.’ Hasan threw his arms up in surrender. ‘Didn’t realise I was getting in the middle of a lover’s spat.’

‘Hardly,’ Malik scoffed.

As Hasan’s arms released her, she charged at Malik and jabbed his chest with accusatory fingers. ‘You! It’s all your fucking fault!’

Malik jerked his head back and waved the air in front of his nose. ‘Jesus, Princess. How much have you had to drink?’ His eyes darkened with malice. ‘Stop blaming me for everything. I’m not your fucking scapegoat and it’s not my fault your boyfriend chose an education over you. Not that I can fault him for wanting to escape your toxic cloud.’

‘I hate you!’ she screeched. ‘I hate you so fucking much!’

‘Yeah, what’s new? You better leave now, Danni, before I remove you myself.’

‘I’d like to see you try,’ she huffed. 

Without further ado, he grabbed her, threw her over his shoulder and strode toward the front of the house.

A groan slipped out as her core clenched and she snapped her mouth shut, hoping he did not hear her stupid body’s response to his rough touch. Red and blue flashing lights greeted them as they reached the front lawn and Malik cussed under his breath. Dropping her to her feet, he secured her in a chokehold, prompting another involuntarily moan.

She recognised the young, muscular police officer who climbed out of the patrol car. Brennan’s back and fuck me, he looks good in blue. After snapping his Achilles during a game, Brennan’s football career had gone up in flames, so he traded the jersey for a badge. And he looks fitter than ever.

Taking in the scene before him, Brennan’s eyes narrowed on Malik. ‘There have been some noise complaints.’

‘Whatever,’ Malik replied nonchalantly. ‘Do me a favour Rookie. This bitch is trespassing on private property. You could probably get her on drunk and disorderly charges too.’ He shoved her toward Brennan.

Her left stiletto snagged against a tuft of grass, and she tripped. Brennan caught her before she face-planted. His brow furrowed as he looked down at her. ‘Do I need to cuff you, or will you come quietly?’

Her body quivered. ‘Cuff me, please,’ she begged in a whisper and his eyes bugged out.

Sucking in a breath, he turned her around, confiscated her vodka bottle, and shackled her wrists. ‘Turn the damn music down, Malik. Otherwise, I’ll send backup to raid the place.’

Shrugging, Malik spun on his heels and marched into the house.

Brennan pushed her into the back of his wagon. Producing a breathalyser, he instructed her to blow into it. When he looked at the result, he gave her a bemused expression. ‘How is this reading so low? You reek of booze.’

She grinned. ‘I didn’t swallow any.’

‘It was all an act?’ he asked with wide eyes.

She nodded with hooded eyes.

He shook his head and slumped into the driver’s seat. ‘Let’s get you home.’ Tension stifled the air as he drove through town. Three blocks later, he asked, ‘Why were you pretending to be drunk at Malik’s party?’

‘I was hoping to hook up with one of his low-life friends. Figured I had better chances by appearing drunk and vulnerable.’

Brennan veered to the side of the road and slammed on the brakes, lurching her forward. She thanked the Lord for the seatbelt pulling taut across her chest.

He met her eyes in the rear-view mirror. ‘Aren’t the Moonlake Grammar School guys hosting their own shindig tonight? They seem more like your type.’

‘Those arseholes are too afraid to touch me. They think I still belong to Hayden.’ She shifted her attention to the flickering streetlight that struggled to illuminate the tree-lined avenue. ‘Besides, those losers don’t know how to handle a girl like me.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Brennan asked with a slight waver in his voice.

She stared at him in the mirror. ‘I want a man who’s not afraid to take what he wants. I need someone to fuck me without mercy. Is that you, Brennan?’

He held her gaze for several heated moments before pulling away from the curb and driving in silence. Her heart sank and she closed her eyes to contemplate another lonely night with her vibrator. When the wheels crunched against a gravel driveway, her eyes shot open, breath hitching as she realised where they were. Bringing the car to a stop, Brennan jumped out and slammed his door. He practically yanked hers off its hinges and pulled her out by the cuffs binding her hands together.

A delicious mix of trepidation and anticipation swirled in her gut as he unlocked his house with an overloaded keyring. Dragging her inside, he tossed the keys at a shelf in the hall, letting them scratch the rustic timber as they slid to a jingling stop. He pinned her against the front door, caging her in his arms as he secured the locks. Pressing his lips to the shell of her ear, he spoke gruffly, ‘I respond best to the traffic light system: green for go, amber to slow down, red to stop. Do you understand?’

She nodded.

‘You need to use your words, Danika.’

‘I understand. Green.’

He engulfed her lips in a savage kiss, bristles grazing her skin as he skilfully conquered her mouth. Hot blood surged through her body, lust pooling in her core and urging her to tentatively stroke the back of his leg with her toes. Groaning, he clutched her thigh and lifted it to his hip, ripping her tight black skirt in the process. He slipped his fingers between her legs and made another guttural sound when she drenched his hand. ‘Fuck!’ Turning her around, he pushed her into an adjacent room. A mess of moving boxes cluttered his bedroom and clothes littered almost every available surface.

Navigating a path across the floor, he guided her to a king-sized four-poster bed, the only piece of furniture free of his laundry. Sliding her skirt and panties down her legs together, he tapped each of her feet for her to lift them in turn and removed the garments. ‘The heels can stay. Kneel on the mattress, face down.’

She obeyed without question, although it proved difficult with her arms cuffed behind her back.

The sound of a zipper rang out, followed by various rustling noises and she assumed he was undressing. ‘Do you like pain?’

‘Green,’ she rasped.

The air crackled and a leather strap struck her bare backside with a stinging whack! Hell yes! She whimpered as tears welled in her eyes. ‘Do it again,’ she pleaded.

He hit her other cheek with equal force before ditching the belt and rubbing her red-hot flesh with is palms. ‘You have the most amazing arse.’ Finding her dripping wet core with his fingers, he lined up at her entrance and thrust violently into her.

‘Oh God!’ she cried out. Her head swam with the intensity of his brutal strokes, and she blacked out briefly during her third climax.

Brennan dug his rough, chipped nails into her hips as he tipped over the edge and emptied himself inside her, grunting something deep and primal. He disappeared a moment later, sending a chill across her back in his absence.

She heard splashing water through an open door, followed by the jingle of keys. Seconds later, the bed dipped beneath Brennan’s weight as he unlocked her cuffs. He collapsed against the pillows and pulled her into the crook of his arm. ‘Who knew Moonlake’s princess was so damn kinky?’

She huffed. ‘There’s a lot you don’t know about me.’

‘Then tell me. I’d love to get to know the real you, Danika.’

The memory stung, tainted with the dark clouds of deceit.

Malik shuffled forward. ‘When was this?’

‘Ooh, about five years ago. Soon after I left for university,’ Hayden explained.

An exasperated huff slipped out of Malik. ‘Jesus Brenno. Danni would have been seventeen. Don’t you ever fucking learn?’

She tensed, wondering what Malik meant.

‘Chill, bro. Danni consented, and she was legal,’ Brennan insisted.

‘Not to someone in a position of authority. Understand the damn law before you try to enforce it, moron.’ Malik balled his fists by his sides as he stared daggers at Brennan.

The sentiment might have touched her heart if she allowed it. As things stood, she could barely process the flood of emotions swirling around like a whirlpool trying to drag her under.

Hayden clamped a hand over Malik’s shoulder. ‘Go,’ he gestured toward the patrol car. ‘I’ll deal with our friend here.’ When they started moving toward the wagon, Hayden called out, ‘Oh and Danni?’

She paused, refusing to look at him.

‘I’ll see you soon.’