Deplorable: Darker Places, #2

Deplorable

Darker Places Book Two

Nicole Cypher

Copyright © 2019 by Nicole Cypher

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

For my mom

Thank you for loving this story from the rough draft, but more importantly, thank you for pushing me to love it. You’ve given me the confidence and support needed to chase my dreams, and for that I am forever grateful.

Also by Nicole Cypher

For a comprehensive list, check out Nicole’s website

The Darker Places Series:

DESIRED

DEPLORABLE

DETHRONED

DEMOLISHED

JULIUS

Soulless Kings MC:

FENDER

JOKER

Gruco Crime Family Series:

HIS PROMISE

HIS PET

HIS PRIZE

HIS PUPPET

HIS PROPERTY

HIS PASSEROTTA

Liberating Deceit:

CAGING LIBERTY

TAMING LIBERTY

CLAIMING LIBERTY

Standalone Novels:

UNHINGED

VICIOUS KNIGHT

Contents

1. Snake

2. Addie

3. Snake

4. Snake

5. Addie

6. Snake

7. Snake

8. Snake

9. Addie

10. Addie

11. Addie

12. Addie

13. Addie

14. Addie

15. Snake

16. Addie

17. Addie

18. Addie

19. Snake

20. Addie

21. Addie

22. Snake

23. Snake

24. Detective Ashby

Epilogue

Bonus Chapter

Free Newsletter Exclusive

Sneak Peek of Dethroned

Chapter One

Also by Nicole Cypher

About the Author

1

Snake

P -please, I have a family, the man in the chair sniveled.

My shoulders tensed as I retrieved the hunting knife from the sheath on the waistband of my jeans. I didn’t meet the man’s eyes; it would’ve only prolonged his begging if he knew I’d paid attention to it. Instead, I studied the blade as I twirled it in my hands, the apex poking into my fingertip with just enough force that it wouldn’t break the skin. The single dangling light bulb cast shadows on the dirt floor of the cellar with each of my movements.

Are you ready to talk? I asked, flicking my gaze to the man who’d finally stopped rambling. He blubbered and pulled at the rope binding him to the chair.

Fuck you! he yelled.

Snot and saliva mingled around his mouth as he spoke, completely negating the aggression he tried to portray. The sight of him was too pathetic for me to feel anything but disgust, even if he did have a family. They all did. It didn’t make them innocent.

I crouched in front of the man and brought the knife to his thigh, holding it steady. He bucked against the restraints and panted harder.

I need you to tell me if anyone else was a part of skimming profits.

I don’t know what you’re talking about, he said in between pants. I didn’t take any money, I swear to God. Let me talk to Dan, h-he’ll understa—

An anguished shriek cut through the man as I dug the blade into his thigh. Blood coated his pants along with the knife, and I smeared it on his chest before steadying the blade over his pectoral muscles. The pain was less intense if you cut near the initial slice.

Was anyone else skimming profits? I asked in a calm voice when he’d stopped shrieking. His eyes closed, and he started mumbling words not intended for me to hear.

That was the part that haunted me. Not the torture or the actual kill, but watching the hope leave someone as they came to terms with the fact that they were about to die. It was bone-chilling, so much so that I sliced into his chest to speed up the process.

He shrieked and thrashed again, yelling about how he didn’t do it and had no idea what this was about. What he didn’t understand was that I didn’t give a shit. I received no satisfaction from killing him, and in fact, I didn’t want to. It was my job. I followed orders from the same person he did, and we were both guilty. Whether he skimmed profits or not, he still belonged in that chair. I did as well, but my time wasn’t tonight.

I moved the blade to his face next. It was usually my last resort, but I needed out of there. Was anyone involved with you? I asked yet again.

He took in deep breaths and closed his eyes, holding still to prevent the knife from slicing into his cheek.

And then it happened. His body relaxed, almost as if he deflated. His shoulders sank and the wrinkles on his face smoothed. He was giving up.

No, he whispered, his eyes still closed.

I tossed the knife to the ground and didn’t hesitate before grasping the gun at my ankle. I aimed the barrel at the man’s head and pulled the trigger. The smell of gunpowder wafted into my nose, and my gaze followed the fog that left the end of the barrel as it drifted to the ceiling.

Once the smoke had disappeared, I directed my attention to the corpse. His body slumped in the chair, but the restraints held him up to leave me with a clear view of the damage I’d just done; the life I’d just ended. A drop of blood had made its way from the hole in his head to the crease of his lifeless eyes, giving me a sight that would haunt my nights for the rest of my life—along with the others.

My eyes closed and other senses began to take over. The acrid smell of brain matter mixed with smoke filled my nostrils. Opening my eyes, I prepared myself for the real work.

My steps echoed along the concrete, moldy walls of the cellar as I made my way to the cabinet containing the acid. I thought back to the first time I’d ever been down there. It’d sent a wave of goosebumps covering my flesh. Cobwebs had decorated every crack of the place along with mason jars with decades-old peaches. Bile had threatened to come up my throat at the smell of decay. To this day, I’m still not sure what the smell could’ve been, but after buying the ten-acre property from the hillbilly rancher, the cellar had been cleared and the odor was gone.

The cellar never lost its eerie feel. Instead of cobwebs and decay, it echoed with screams from a past I had created. Each time I inhaled I could smell the blood of every victim and each breath made me more anxious to get the hell out of there.

I threw open the cabinet and retrieved the bottles of acid, hauling them to the cast iron tub that took three men a half day to get down there. Those sons of bitches are heavy, but I’d found this method of disposing of bodies to be more effective than burial. Plus, this narrowed the haunting feeling down to an eight by ten space, as opposed to the entire property.

After setting the bottles by the tub, I glanced over my shoulder at the corpse. With a sigh, I bent to pick up the knife and cut the rope that secured his limbs to the chair. I lifted him by his shoulders and dragged him to the tub, a trail of blood making a path in the dirt.

As I hauled the man up into the iron bowl, his body banged and sent an echo vibrating throughout the room as loud as a gunshot. I dumped the acid over the corpse and watched as the man’s body began to sizzle away. Then I left—nothing but the smell of burning flesh filled my senses, and another haunting memory embedded into my mind.

2

Addie

Ten thousand.

That’s how many more dollars I’d make before I quit turning tricks for good. I swore it to myself as the brutal fiber of the blanket irritated my abdomen with each sway. But then again, I always swore it. Even as the number never declined, and I continued to show up to this seedy motel.

I imagined the shade of red my delicate skin must’ve been turning, and I welcomed the distraction. For a moment, it’s all I focused on until deep grunts sounding behind me brought me back. The grunts came in succession each time my face was slammed into the moldy pillow, courtesy of the delightful Motel 6.

Oh fuck, yeah, the man hissed, sending hot, moist breath cascading along my back. Thirty more seconds and it’d be over. I turned my head, no longer able to stand the smell of the pillow, and instead chose to face the wall. Bits of flowery wallpaper had been torn away, showing glimpses of what must’ve been a yellow coloring painted decades ago.

Twenty more seconds. My body lay limp, only held up by the meaty fingers digging into my hips. I began counting the flowers on the wall, and by the time I got to seven the meaty fingers left me abruptly, allowing my hips to fall to the mattress.

And that’s a wrap.

A smirk played on my lips as I wasted no time pulling on my miniskirt that had been thrown haphazardly by the man onto the floor. The quick ones were my favorite.

You know you don’t have to leave in such a hurry, babygirl. I’ve got the room for the whole night.

My eyes moved from the boot I’d just finished zipping, to the man that stood awkwardly to my right. He’d pulled on his stained tighty whities and now fidgeted under my gaze. He didn’t seem to know what to do with his hands. I took in his unshaven face and pot-belly with no care to hide the disgust from my expression. He wasn’t a bad man. Those I’d learned to spot immediately. He was just a loser. A nobody. The part that disgusted me most was that he saw the same in me. Hell, maybe he even thought he was Richard Gere. I rolled my eyes and turned my attention to my other boot, pulling it on and zipping it with an intensity that I hoped got the message across. I would most definitely not be staying.

After throwing on the black crop top, I stood and reached my hand out to the man. I made it a point to stare directly into his eyes that now seemed fascinated with the floor. He leaned over, grabbing a leather wallet from his jeans and pulled out the hundred-dollar bill that would ensure I slept indoors another night. I snatched the bill and didn’t look back as I exited the shitty motel room into the freezing night air.

Covering my arms over my chest, I ducked my head as I hurried towards the sidewalk. As much as I tried to tell myself I wasn’t ashamed, the bit of pride that chipped away at the idea of someone I knew seeing me exit the sleazy motel said otherwise. I did what I had to do. I understood that and had since I was sixteen. But the world would never understand.

Flecks of snow fell onto the tip of my nose and hair as I made my way down the deserted street. I lived twelve blocks from the motel, and with each block, the muscles in my shoulders relaxed a little more, despite my shivering from the cold.

By the time my apartment building appeared in the distance, my limbs had gone numb and tingled with each step. I could’ve chosen a closer motel to meet my clients, and as I climbed the steps and put the key into the lock with a shaking hand, I considered it. But it wasn’t worth the risk. Salt Lake City wasn’t the worst place on Earth, but I’d lived on the streets long enough to know that it still had its monsters that lurked in the shadows.

As the lock gave way, I rushed inside the studio apartment, slamming the door behind me so forcefully it rattled the Alice in Wonderland plates that sat on the end table. They were one of the only things one might consider decor that occupied the apartment, but each time I glanced at them a smile tugged at my lips. I’d been obsessed with the movie since I was a child, and every reminder of it brought a sense of comfort for me.

I continued to stare at the ornamental plates, lost in thought when a sudden warmth glided across my ankle with the soft caress of fur. My eyes drifted down to the orange fur ball of a best friend and my heart instantly warmed. I bent down and scratched behind Chess’s ears and chuckled as he stretched himself out, welcoming the attention.

Good to see you too. I grinned and petted Chess’s soft fur a few more times before rising and making my way to the cabinet to retrieve a can of Fancy Feast. Hungry?

Chess paraded behind me, whining as he spotted the can in my hands. His impatience only grew as I took my time opening the can and depositing the food into his bowl. This was our night-time routine and a lot of times the best part of my day.

Maybe it made me a loser to have a cat as my best friend, but I didn’t care. I’d found Chess two years ago while living next to a dumpster. He was just a kitten, abandoned and dirty, but he gave me something to live for. For once in my life something needed me, and to be fair, I needed Chess.

After Chess finished lapping the last bits of his dinner, I jumped in the shower. Grime and sweat washed down the drain with the soap and water. I erased all physical evidence of what I’d just done. Of what I’d allowed that man to do. But the disgust I felt couldn’t be washed away with soap and water.

I flopped into bed that night and curled into Chess. He slept soundly beside me while I stared at the wall and petted his soft fur. Only ten thousand more and I’d be done.

No, Peter! You’ll never convince me to leave. You’ll die trying!

Angela, don’t be insane. It’s a waste of time to love me. You know that. Just let me go and move on with your life.

My castmate or Peter threw his hands up in exasperation, taking a step back toward the door placed to the side of the stage. I followed him, my wooden heels clanking with each step.

CUT!

I stopped abruptly, my shoe sending a screeching sound vibrating throughout the auditorium. My heart beat wildly as my eyes turned to meet the director’s. Anxiety coursed through my veins as it always did when I waited for feedback. I searched the red-headed woman’s eyes for approval, and my chest lifted as I caught the slight hint of a smile.

Good work, guys. Let’s call it a night.

My mouth stayed in a straight line, but my heart did cartwheels. Acting was the most important thing in my life. I had never sought love from teachers or foster parents, but I hung on to the kind words of every director of every play.

Nice work, my castmate Steven said, breaking me from my thoughts.

I flickered my gaze his way and nodded. His puppy dog eyes peered back underneath shaggy blonde hair. Steven was cute in a way most women loved. He was kind and smart. Had attended private school, had dinner with his parents on Sunday. That sort of cheesy fantasy. And for some reason that I could not fathom, he thought he wanted me. But unfortunately, I didn’t do cheesy.

You too, I muttered, before striding off the stage. The clanking of my wooden shoes barely drowned out the sound of his disappointment. Oh well. He’d live.

Plopping down into a chair in the front row of the auditorium, I pulled off the heels one by one. The sound of each hitting the floor echoed throughout, sending a wave of unease shuddering through me. For years I had reaped the negative consequences of drawing attention to myself, and as a result, I’d learned to remain invisible. It made my acting dream rather difficult at times. My lips pulled at the irony of it.

Addie. The voice sounded above me, and I jerked with surprise. I wasn’t used to anyone but Steven talking to me. I kept to myself and always had, preferring my internal dialogue to any agonizing small talk with these people. We had nothing in common, aside from the desire to act. And that’s the way it would always be.

I lifted my eyes to Ms. Mongrow, the director, who stood above me patiently. I shot up in the seat and attempted to regain my composure.

Yes, Director?

She smiled ear to ear and took the seat beside me, placing her hand on my arm.

I just wanted to say that I’m very impressed by your performance. To be honest, I was hesitant to give you the lead for this one, but you haven’t disappointed. You’ll keep it up, yes?

A lump formed in my throat at Ms. Mongrow’s approval and I fought to swallow it before responding. Of course. I won’t let you down, I said with pride and confidence.

This was the first play I’d had a lead role in, and I had worked years to get there. I meant it when I said I wouldn’t let her down.

"Good, because if everything goes the way it’s been going, I’ll be directing Fiddler on the Roof in the spring, and I’m considering you for Golde."

My heart leapt and my lips curled into the slightest smile. I’d made it. After five years of playing menial parts in run-down theaters, I’d finally gotten the ball rolling. Talent scouts came on occasion, and with lead parts, who knew what could happen. Images of extravagant New York ballrooms filled my head and almost brought a tear to my eye. I nodded before directing my gaze toward the floor, too overwhelmed with pride and hope to be able to speak.

Ms. Mongrow patted my shoulder before getting up and walking away. She joined a conversation with some of the cast members that huddled in a circle. Pleasant chatter filled the auditorium, and for several minutes I listened while staring at the floor.

After snapping out of it, I pulled on my flats, glad to no longer have to practice in the wooden heels designed to make me appear as an old-timey woman, and stood from the seat. With a deep breath and a sigh of relief, I grabbed the shoes and strolled out of the auditorium.

3

Snake

As I strode into my boss’s mansion, I forced my mouth into a tight line when it begged to frown in disgust. The smell of cigarette smoke littered the entryway, shoving foreboding and fury into my lungs along with it.

Things at the company had changed dramatically in the past year. Before, business was conducted in offices in an isolated building outside the city. It’d given the deceptive impression that we weren’t all barbarians, and I thought it’d been bad then. What a fool I was. Now I was summoned directly to my boss’s estate as if he couldn’t be bothered to leave. The place was covered in elegance and fine architecture