Synopsis

As he enters the room looking like death personified, lifeless and haunting, she knows…blackness awaits.

Aaron Kavanagh is not to be trifled with. He's powerful, commanding, fierce and currently homicidal. The only thing that matters in Kavanagh's world is Shannon Kelly. She's the beat of his heart (yes he has one) and the peace to the fury that constantly simmers within him. Without her, his life is empty and barren. Someone took what is his and he'll stop at nothing to get her back.

Dylan Kellerman is lost. The love of his life has been ripped from him, leaving a tattered tortured shell of a man. On the brink of murderous insanity he must battle to find Shannon, even if she hates him. Dylan has betrayed her and he knows she won't forgive his indiscretions. None of that matters now. All that matters is finding her. As long as she's safe Dylan can continue to live a sad wasted existence without her by his side. Shannon brought Dylan back to life, without her in the world he'll cease to exist.

Shannon Kelly is gone. Stolen from her home and loved ones, she must now fight. Fighting has never been an issue for her, but this is a new opponent that she isn't prepared for…her past. When every reality she thought she knew is called into question, Shannon learns her life isn't what she thought it was. With the promise of a future with Dylan stolen from her before her world implodes, Shannon must rely on the family that has protected her for the last thirteen years to come for her. She won't win this fight on her own…Shannon is going to lose.

Excerpt

Kavanagh

I'm going to commit murder. I can feel it in my bones, in my pulse, in each breath I take. I'm pretty sure O'Sullivan, Cal, and Aidan are on board with my plan. Kid went upstairs with Kellerman and twenty minutes later Taylor dropped his bomb. Kellerman got a fucking chick pregnant when he was in Seattle. I don't know specific dates on when he and Kid became a couple, but I know he was all over her shit and fully warned before he went back to Seattle in October. Yeah, I'm going to commit murder. We have to get Kid out of here before we beat his head in.

"Make sure Kid's not in the room for this shit," I say to whoever's listening. I get chin lifts in response. O'Sullivan has been cracking his knuckles and pumping his fists since we saw the first picture of Kellerman and that chick. She's cute…that's about all I can say about her. She's nothing compared to Kid. Kellerman must be a fucking idiot. The blood is rushing past my eardrums with such force I don't hear Kid and Kellerman come down the stairs. I'm barely aware of the Army vs. Navy game on the TV. The four of us turn to look at them as Kellerman starts to talk.

"I beyond fucked up today guys," Kellerman tries to grovel. "I feel like total shit about it and I can assure you, I'll never let anything go that far again. I love Kid more than I can even tell you guys and I know you all love her just as much. I meant what I told Kav all those weeks ago. If I hurt her I'd deliver myself to you all willingly. I'm here and I deserve whatever you wanna give me. I was wrong." I stand up and move toward Kellerman never looking at Kid. Kid keeps her fingers interlaced with his and I want to break everyone of his as they touch her. I won't do anything to him while she's here. I won't put her in the middle like those two pricks did earlier. I can feel Kid's eyes on me while the guys approach my back.

"Kid go to the office and talk to Taylor," I order without looking at her. Kellerman maintains eye contact with me, not in a confrontational way…he doesn't know what's coming.

"Kavy," Kid warns.

"Kid, we need Kellerman alone for a few minutes. You need to leave," O'Sullivan orders her from behind my back.

"Go ahead Kiddo. I'll be fine," Kellerman soothes her. I'm going to break that jaw he's working.

Kid turns to walk away, and I relax a little that she isn't putting up more of a fight. Too soon was I relieved, because she stops and turns back around.

"Guys, I know this is a man thing that I'm not a part of. But you all are my family…Kel included. He's my future now too guys. I'm no cake walk to be with, but he's fightin' for me like only you guys have. Think about that before you do anything stupid," she pleads before turning and walking away. She won't feel that way after she talks to Taylor. I hate that she'll be hurt, but she deserves to know.

Once she rounds the corner and I hear the office shut it takes everything I've got in me not to launch at this motherfucker.

"Pool house," I growl at him. He nods and moves toward the back door. I can't risk Kid hearing us so the pool house is the best place to get this done. Once Taylor dropped this shit storm at our feet he told us he'd explain things to Kid while we dealt with Kellerman. I don't know how long we have, but getting out of the house buys us more time.

We enter the pool house. Kellerman goes in first followed by me, the guys trailing. No one says a word. Kellerman stops in the middle of the room. His head is held high, but I can see he's apprehensive. I'd be scared fucking shitless facing us in a room.

"We're gonna kick the livin' shit outta you," I inform him in a growl resembling English. "Then you're gonna pack your shit, get on a plane, and crawl back to Seattle." His face is calm and collected with the first sentence, strained and confused at the last.

"What're you talkin' about back to Seattle?" Kellerman asks.

"You think we're gonna let you stick around and go back and forth? Kid deserves better than that and you fuckin' know it," Aidan seethes moving to my right. Aidan's a big motherfucker. I've never seen him as pissed as he is right now, scary isn't the right word.

"Back and forth?" Kellerman repeats.

"This is not Sesame Street motherfucker. You heard him," Cal jumps to his brother's side. Cal can go off the rails but it's rare. He's the calmest of our bunch, but he's hell on wheels when he gets going. O'Sullivan moves to my left and I can feel the fury oozing from every inch of him. He's a fighter through and through. I have no doubt that he can, and will, end Kellerman. Kid's the soft spot for all of us and we would all gladly sacrifice anything for her.

"I'm startin' to feel like I don't know what's goin' on," Kellerman says as he looks at all our raging expressions.

"He explained it," O'Sullivan says motioning to me. "Don't see the problem." He's so furious I'm surprised he can form words much less sentences.

"I get the ass beating. I put my hands on her and shouldn't have. I'm down for whatever you four got planned. I'm not fuckin' leavin' Kid though. I don't know what makes you think I would leave her, but I'm stayin'." Kellerman's confident as he talks. I have no doubt he'll take the beating, but he's not making Kid a stepmom or taking her away from us to Seattle that's for damn sure. She deserves the world not some slut's sloppy seconds.

"Fuck this shit," O'Sullivan roars and lunges at Kellerman. He lands a brutal right hook along Kellerman's jaw, snapping his head to the side. Kellerman stumbles but doesn't go down. O'Sullivan is a man possessed now that he's started. He grabs Kellerman's shirt to hold him in place as he repeatedly crushes his face. Kellerman doesn't fight back.

"Fight back you pussy!" O'Sullivan screams as he releases Kellerman's shirt only to connect a left cross splitting the skin below his eye. Stumbling back Kellerman falls to the floor. He's breathing hard as he stays down.

"Who's next?" Kellerman asks without a hint of snark. He's really going to let the four of us beat his ass. We'll kill him. He looks done after O'Sullivan; the three of us on top of it is too much. I have to be the voice of reason in the room as I see Aidan making his way toward him.

"He's had enough," I state firmly. Aidan snaps his head back to me with a look of shock on his face.

"You're lettin' him off that easy Kavanagh?" Aidan grumbles.

"He's gotta be able to walk through the airport."

"I'm not goin' to the airport," Kellerman mumbles spitting blood into his shirt. This sets me off.

I pick Kellerman up by the throat and pin him against the wall squeezing as I speak, "You will get your sorry ass on a plane. Today! She's had enough pain in this life, you motherfuckin' piece of shit." I squeeze harder the more I speak, because the more I speak the more infuriated I'm becoming. "If you think for a second I'm gonna let you take her from me, you're sadly mistaken. What she's learnin' today about you, you dickless fuck, is gonna wreck her. Get outta this fuckin' city today or we're comin' for you." I squeeze one more time before I let him drop. He slides down the wall gasping for air, coughing and choking.

"I'm not leavin' her," Kellerman gasps out. Aidan hurls forward and kicks him over and over and over in the torso.

"You fuckin' are!" Aidan screams as he lays his final blow. Kellerman falls to the side spitting out blood from what I'm guessing is some internal damage at this point. Maybe we are going to commit murder. This motherfucker seems intent on dying in our pool house.

"Not," Kellerman mumbles before he passes out.

"What the fuck?!" Cal bellows. "Is he insane? Why's he lettin' this go on?"

Aidan bends down and starts checking Kellerman's vitals. His doctor brain must have just kicked in gear. No pun intended (maybe a little pun intended).

"Guessin' his spleen is damaged maybe his liver too," Aidan explains without much concern in his voice while standing up. "We need to decide what we're doin' here."

"Wait for him to wake up. See where his head's at," I say. I can't put him over my shoulder and walk him out in front of Kid. He has to leave on his own. We all sit around the breakfast table and stare at Kellerman waiting for his pathetic ass to wake up.

Author Bio

Blackness Takes Over is Norma Jeanne's debut novel. What began as an homage to the home town of a homesick Midwestern girl, unfolded a story of love, danger, humor, and trust. She's currently working on her untitled sophomore effort. We can't wait to see what thrilling saga she leads us through next!

Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, Norma Jeanne recently found herself relocating to the United Kingdom. Now living in Belfast, she took hold of the opportunity to kick the 9-5 job for a chance to become an author. The best part: working from her home office, she gets to spend more time with her cast of crazy characters (written and real).

In her free time Norma Jeanne is a voracious reader and consumes books as readily as meals. She is a people watcher by nature and uses her experiences in life, observed or otherwise, to build the worlds and characters that thrive in her books. A believer in the strength of the human spirit, Norma Jeanne writes the stories of people that persevere when all appears to be lost.

"Rage, rage against the dying of the light." -Dylan Thomas

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