6. Declan

Chapter 6

Declan

“ E lijah!”

I jumped awake at the sound of my own voice screaming my brother’s name. My heart raced and my skin was drenched with sweat. It was how I woke up most mornings, only it was never daylight. I’ve watched the sun come up for the past six months. Guess you can say I haven’t had a full night’s sleep in those six months. I couldn’t escape the nightmares, nor could I escape the reality of my life. Moving away to a different state hasn’t helped, and I was beginning to think it never would. My past was going to haunt me forever.

I looked over at the alarm clock on my dresser. It was five o’clock.

Huffing, I threw off the covers and ran my hands over my face. Tomorrow was going to be July Fourth, a day full of memories for me. All I wanted was to get it over with.

I hopped out of bed, grabbed a T-shirt and running shorts out of my dresser, and put them on. After guzzling a bottle of water, I took off out of the house, not even bothering to lock the door behind me. Magnolia Grove’s record of break-ins was literally zero. I never knew such a place existed. I was certain the people of Magnolia Grove didn’t know people like me existed. There were only a few dozen who did. That was what made me different, but it wasn’t necessarily a good thing. If Ayla were to find out what I was, she’d never look at me the same.

The sky was just beginning to get light, and the humidity was stifling, but I pushed myself as hard as I could down the road. My calf muscles burned like fire, and my lungs demanded air, but I ignored it all. The pain was all I could feel. It wasn’t just physical pain but emotional, as well.

I ran out of the neighborhood into downtown Magnolia Grove. There was no one around. It was just me and the morning dawn. The thumps of my steps as I ran echoed down the streets. I tried to concentrate on that sound instead of the visions flashing through my mind. All I could see was Elijah, his smiling face that looked exactly like our mother’s. And for just a split second, I thought it would end there, but then the vision shifted to the night everything went to hell.

Gritting my teeth, I pushed myself harder, the stores flying past me in a blur. My legs were cramping even more; the pain almost unbearable. I thought at any moment I’d pass out from exhaustion. I’ve been on that edge many times, thinking the darkness would take over and I’d get a break from the misery. But unfortunately, that break never came. The pain was punishment, something I deserved.

I felt my body slow down and found myself right in the middle of Magnolia Park. The sweat dripping down my face fell into my eyes, burning them and clouding my vision. I used the hem of my shirt to wipe them dry, but my eyes still burned. This time it wasn’t from sweat.

There was a bench up ahead, so I made my way toward it, hanging my head the second I sat down. All I could see in my mind was Elijah’s face, remembering that last moment we made eye contact. He knew he was going to die, and I wasn’t fast enough to stop it.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I shook my head and tried to force the memories out. “I’m so sorry, brother,” I whispered, hearing the torment in my voice.

The sharp, jabbing throb in my chest intensified. I’d lost loved ones before, but never someone as close to me as my brother was. It’d been six months since his death, and it wasn’t any easier to bear.

Time seemed to slip by, and eventually, the sun came up high in the sky and I could hear people in the park walking their dogs. I kept my eyes shut and took in a deep breath. My body was so sore I didn’t know if I could get up. Before I could even move, I heard footsteps edging closer. My eyes flashed open, and I looked up to see a guy heading toward me. I’d seen him in his uniform walking into the Magnolia Grove police department once before. He looked to be around my age, but he was probably a couple of years younger.

“Hey,” he called out, tossing a hand in the air. “You must be the new guy who moved in beside Ayla.”

The mention of Ayla’s name struck something in my gut, almost like I was jealous of him saying it with such familiarity. The guy held out his hand and I stood.

“I am,” I said, shaking his hand. “Declan Parker. ”

His grip was firm, but mine was firmer. He smirked and let my hand go.

“Jack Grayson,” he replied. “I work at the PD.”

“So, you know Ayla?” I asked, curious to find out more about her. Magnolia Grove was a small town where everyone was sure to know everyone. Then again, I didn’t know if that was a good thing. Knowing my luck, Jack was probably an ex-boyfriend.

Jack chuckled. “Of course. I know her very well; we grew up together.” He cleared his throat, and his smile shifted slightly, almost like a warning. “I care about her, too.”

“You’re not the only one,” I said, watching his eyes widen. I wanted to test him to see if he’d get angry with my response, but he didn’t. A sense of relief washed over me and I could feel the jealousy slip away. It was clear he wasn’t interested in Ayla like that. So, I added in, “Linda’s already told me she’d kick my ass if I did anything to bother Ayla.”

Jack tilted his head back in laughter. “Ah, yes. Linda is known as the town’s mother. If she says she’ll kick your ass, she means it.”

That made me smile. “I believe it.”

Once he was done laughing, he scanned the park and then glanced down at my sweaty clothes. “I see you like to run in the mornings, too. I like to do the same before the heat gets out of control. It’s not so bad in the fall and winter, but the summertime?” He wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand. “It’s brutal.”

“Yes, it is,” I commented.

Jack studied me. “So, are you a cop? You look like one.”

I shook my head. “No.”

He shrugged. “We could always use more guys at the station. What do you do, by the way?”

What was I supposed to say? I couldn’t tell him the truth.

“I don’t do much of anything at the moment,” I ended up saying.

Jack stared at me for a few seconds and nodded, obviously getting the hint I didn’t want to elaborate.

“Okay, well, I hope you have a nice day. I’m sure I’ll see you around.” He nodded once and took off at a sprint through the park.

In New York, I could walk down the street without worrying about small talk. I had my select group of friends, but we were all the same, including my brother. He was just like me. We didn’t have to keep secrets or hide who we were. Here, in Magnolia Grove, I was an outsider. I didn’t realize how complicated it was going to be to keep my identity a secret without coming off as an ass.

It wouldn’t be so difficult if it weren’t for Ayla. I was fine until I met her. She didn’t seem like the type of woman who was going to back down. She was persistent with her questions last night, and I had a feeling more were going to follow. The question was . . . how would I answer them? It wouldn’t be so bad if I weren’t attracted to her. I didn’t want to push her away, but I couldn’t let her get too close.

More people started to filter into the park, and the last thing I wanted was to be stopped by someone else. However, before I could take a step, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I knew that feeling well.

I scanned the park to see if there was anything amiss, but nothing strange stood out. The last time I felt this uneasy was six months ago.

Someone was out there watching me.

And it wasn’t a welcome feeling.