Hidden Desires (The Hidden Series Book 5), page 1
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Epilogue
Author’s Note
Hidden Desires
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
HIDDEN DESIRES
First edition: June 29th, 2018
Copyright © 2018 Kristin Coley
Written by Kristin Coley
Hidden Desires
A shadowy organization is slowly tightening the noose around the gang as they desperately search for the person responsible.
An unexpected arrival turns Wade's world upside down even as the rest of the gang struggles with their own desires for the future. Futures that may not happen if they don't stop the threat coming at them from all sides.
Chapter One
The bell on the door rattled, causing Carly to glance up from her Econ textbook. The woman who stepped in surveyed the space curiously, her gaze finally settling on the three prominently displayed sketches on the wall. Carly watched idly as the woman moved toward them, not appearing to notice Carly. Her focus was entirely on the drawings, appearing enthralled by the simple pencil sketches.
“Is he here?” She asked abruptly, startling Carly, as the woman turned, her finger barely brushing the wooden frame around one of the sketches.
“Um,” Carly cast around for a response, taken completely off guard by the woman’s question. She looked about the same age as Carly, but had the composure of a much older person.
“The man who drew these? Is he here?” The woman asked again, clearly expecting an answer from Carly, who was baffled by how the woman knew a man had sketched them or was so confident he would be there.
“He’s not,” Carly answered slowly, studying the woman. Her dark brown hair was pulled back in a low ponytail and her skin had light olive undertones, which coupled with the hint of accent Carly had detected, told her that the woman probably came from a nearby parish. “You’re looking for Wade.”
“Wade,” the woman echoed, her eyes taking in every detail of the sketch hanging in front of her.
“Yes, he works with Addie and Danny.” The woman smiled involuntarily when Carly said Danny’s name.
“Your boyfriend,” she murmured quietly, giving Carly a quick glance.
“Yes, how did you know?” Carly couldn’t decide if she was creeped out by the woman’s apparent knowledge of them or impressed. She couldn’t help but wonder if the woman had some type of gift. It wouldn’t surprise her considering Addie and Wade’s abilities.
“The way you spoke his name. With affection,” the woman answered drawing Carly’s attention back to her as she paced in front of the framed sketches. “When will he be back?” Carly knew instinctively she was referring to Wade.
“It might be a couple of hours,” she answered apologetically. “They had to make a statement to the police. I can take a message and have him call you when he comes back,” Carly offered, her hand hovering over a blank notepad.
“You don’t work here?” This time the woman’s voice held a hint of questioning, as if she wasn’t sure of the answer.
“No, I’m helping them out for the afternoon.” Carly gestured to her textbook with a rueful smile. “It’s a quiet place to study.”
“I’ll come back,” the woman stated, standing before the drawing of a rickety shack precariously perched over a bayou. Her eyes closed for the briefest second before she inhaled and then marched to the door.
Carly was flabbergasted at the suddenness of the woman’s departure. She half stood, not sure what she planned to do. It wasn’t like she could tackle the woman or force her to give her information.
“What’s your name?” Carly asked somewhat desperately, needing something to tell the others when they got back.
The woman paused, twisting around in time to see Carly posed awkwardly, and smiled.
“Jenna.”
Chapter Two
“Two more off the wall!” Addie crowed, doing a little dance as she entered the office. “We made our statements, verified the facts, and two more sketches can be moved to the completed wall.” Addie gestured to the three framed prints already hanging on the reception room wall as Carly gathered up her textbook. Danny leaned down to brush his lips against Carly’s cheek and Carly smiled.
“I missed you, handsome,” she informed him, giving his butt a little pat. “Or maybe just these sweet cheeks.”
“Dear God, whatever I did to deserve this….I’m sorry. Truly, to the depths of my soul, sorry,” Wade muttered, shaking his head.
“It’s not that bad,” Addie whispered and Wade gave her a dry glance.
“You don’t live with them. And work with them. And share walls with them.”
Addie slapped her hands over her ears, singing, “Lalalalalala,” until Wade pried her hands away. She gave him a suspicious glare and he rolled his eyes. “Are you done?” She demanded to know.
“For now,” he answered flatly, walking past her to the inner office.
“Get the sketches!” Addie glanced at the wall in satisfaction until her forehead suddenly furrowed. “Wade!”
“What?”
“Why isn’t my sketch up here?” Addie demanded, glancing over at Danny, who suddenly refused to meet her eyes. “Seriously, my sketch of the salvage yard. We solved that. It should be up here.” Addie frowned, her foot tapping as she set her hands on her hips.
“Wade,” Danny called, giving Addie a tight smile. “Wade,” he called a little more desperately as Addie continued to glare.
“Your sketch looks like something a kindergartener would draw,” Wade said bluntly, coming back in with two framed sketches in his hands. “We’re going for professional here and if we put your sketch up people will think we let kids draw the artwork.”
Addie’s mouth dropped open and Danny muttered, “Damn, dude.”
“I’m sorry my drawing skills aren’t up to your level, asshole, but it’s still a solved case,” Addie retorted, poking Wade in the chest. “It deserves to be up here.”
“You gonna let me fix it?”
Addie pressed her lips together, Wade’s question allowing her to know what he meant. He would take her sketch and his knowledge of the case and draw it to match the others. She knew it would look amazing and fit right in, but part of her didn’t want her sketch discarded.
“We can put your sketch on your desk,” Wade offered, hanging the two newly solved cases on the wall efficiently. “And I’ll teach you how to draw.”
“Deal!” Addie thrust her hand out and Wade took it with a barely repressed sigh. He knew teaching Addie to draw would be roughly equivalent to teaching the aforementioned kindergartener how to draw, but it might come in handy if Addie continued to have dreams like his.
He’d spent his life fighting the dreams of unsolved crimes, dealing with the dark emotions that accompanied the violent crimes. If he could have one wish, it would be that Addie didn’t have to deal with it on top of her own unique gift of knowing. She had the ability to know the answer to any question, no matter how implausible it was that she should know.
“Anything happen while we were out?” Wade asked offhandedly, not thinking anything had actually happened since it normally didn’t.
“A girl came looking for Wade?” Addie asked in disbelief. Wade frowned at Addie’s question, not really seeing an answer, but instead the profile of a dark headed woman. He’d recently discovered he knew the answers to Addie’s questions, but only hers and not all the time. His ‘borrowing’ of her gift seemed to come and go.
“Yes, she was fascinated by the sketches,” Carly answered, nodding at the wall. “She asked if he was here. As if she knew Wade had drawn them. It was kind of weird, honestly.”
“You got her contact information? I’ll call her back.”
“Ah, no. She didn’t leave any. She said she’d come back later.” Wade grimaced and Carly hurried to add, “I did get her name!” She paused sheepishly. “Her first name.” Wade lifted an eyebrow and Carly said, “Jenna.”
Wade exchanged a meaningful glance with Danny, who frowned doubtfully.
“You don’t think….” Danny trailed off. Their hunt for Wade’s mystery woman had hit nothing but brick walls. Wade insisted she was real, and Addie had confirmed that Wade had went gaga over her at the gas station, but their research had pulled up surprisingly little information. Addie didn’t remember what she looked like, and Wade had sketched her but his memory of her was based off a thirty second recollection months before.
“Same name,” Addie declared with a shrug. “We’ve seen stranger things happen.”
“Isn’t that the truth?” Carly sighed rhetorically. “Now, I have class.” Danny leaned in to give her a kiss, one that quickly turned heated and sent Addie and Wade to the inner office to give them privacy.
“How do you stand it?” Addie asked, giving an exaggerated shudder.
“I leave the room,” Wade stated, gesturing to their own quick exit. He propped himself against the neatest of the three desks that lined the room, discounting Danny’s desk which was completely bare. Addie drifted to her own desk, the top so cluttered you couldn’t even see the desktop. “Jenna,” he started before stopping, his gaze questioning.
“Hit me,” Addie declared, settling into her desk chair in preparation for the coming questions. Wade smirked as she wiggled her butt in the seat, eager to help with her own unique skill.
“You look like a dog,” he commented and she let out a sigh.
“I don’t have to help you, you know that, right?”
“But you will,” he tossed back, knowing he was right. She pursed her lips but didn’t deny the truth. “The woman Carly spoke to, Jenna, is she the girl…woman from the gas station?”
“Yes,” Addie answered instantly.
“Why did she come here?” Wade asked eagerly, determined to finally get answers. However, he regretted the question when he saw Addie’s eyes glaze over.
“Hey,” Danny’s voice trailed off as he came in and saw Addie. He hurried to her, catching her shoulder as she slumped over in the chair. “Do I even want to know?”
“I asked why Jenna came here,” Wade answered, frustration and guilt lacing the words. “I was too eager with my questions.” He came over to Addie’s other side, and Danny noticed him gently smooth back a lock of Addie’s hair that had fallen. They might fight like cats and dogs, but Wade understood Addie better than any of them.
“She gave you permission,” Danny reminded him, familiar with their routine. He didn’t doubt for a second Addie had agreed to the question and answer session, but with her ability it was difficult to predict what questions might trigger her. “Jake coming by anytime soon?”
“Yeah, he is,” a familiar voice answered and they let out identical twin sighs of relief as they glanced down.
“So, we should make it quick if you’ve got more questions,” Addie continued, her grin impish as she stared up at them.
Wade rolled his shoulders, stepping away from Addie when it was clear she was fine. Danny continued to support her as she leaned back in the chair. “Like he won’t know,” Danny grumbled, releasing his hold on her shoulder as she shrugged. She pushed her foot against the floor, rotating the desk chair side to side, the habit a familiar one.
Wade didn’t bother to speak, instead lifting his hand impatiently when Addie didn’t say anymore. “I won’t ask,” he warned and Addie lost her smile.
“It’s okay, Wade,” she reminded him for the umpteenth time. “I wanted you to ask. I’m as curious as you are about this girl and this is the first time we’ve gotten a hint of who she might be.”
“Besides my soulmate,” Wade interjected with a grimace and Addie’s expression brightened.
“Jake is really happy about that, by the way,” she said, getting sidetracked. “It’s eased his jealousy immensely,” she continued, pitching her voice low as she widened her eyes in exaggeration. “I don’t understand it to be honest.”
“Really,” Danny drawled. “You can’t understand why your fiancé has issues with you working with a good looking dude who can read your emotions, even from a distance, and who can apparently share your gift.”
“You’re good looking and he doesn’t seem to care,” Addie offered with a shrug.
“You hated me for the longest time and Carly was always my girl,” Danny reminded her. “I also don’t share the same type of connection you and Wade do. It’s enough to make even the most secure guy jealous.”
“Can we get back to the point?” Wade mentioned, his gaze intense as he stared at Addie.
“It was weird,” she said bluntly, staring back at him.
“I’m sure. Your aura blanked out,” he admitted, his hands clenched into fists and Danny realized for the first time just how affected Wade had been by Addie’s blackout.
Addie nodded slowly, her expression considering. “It wasn’t like a normal vision. I flashed back to that shack those kidnapped girls were kept in, but this time there were all these whispers, and then I saw a man’s face,” Addie paused, shaking her head. “He was cruel,” she whispered, and Danny felt a chill go down his spine. He traded glances with Wade, whose jaw was locked tight. Addie seemed to come back to herself as she said, “He seemed cruel. His expression or something. I didn’t recognize him.” She lifted her shoulders slightly. “It’s not much help.”
Wade shook his head, disagreeing. “It does help. Every little bit helps. Carly said she was looking at the sketches. Maybe she’s connected to it somehow.”
Danny shifted, always uncomfortable when they mentioned the kidnapped women. The case had left Addie in a coma, one he blamed himself for even though no one else did. He hated to know what connection this Jenna might have to it, but he also knew they wouldn’t let it go until they found out.
Addie reached over and patted his arm almost unconsciously, easing the tightly clenched muscles of his forearm. Wade watched them, his expression intentionally blank and Danny knew it was because he could read their emotions so clearly. It was Wade’s way of giving them privacy. Danny didn’t envy him his ability to see auras, the flares of color that spanned the spectrum of human emotion which Wade could read so easily.
“We’ll figure it out, Wade,” Addie promised, determination shining from her eyes and Danny knew she would go to the ends of the earth if it meant finding answers for him.
Wade glanced to the side and Addie let out a huff. “Go ahead, ask me.”
“Is she going to come back?” Wade asked hastily, a tinge of red showing through his light mocha skin. He hated to admit it, but he felt something for this girl, a connection that seemed impossible. Fear tightened his stomach as he waited for her answer, afraid she’d slipped through his fingers once again. He knew she might not have an answer, Addie’s ability didn’t extend to seeing the future, but if the girl…Jenna, he mentally corrected himself, had made the decision to come back then Addie would know.
“Yes,” Addie answered, nodding. “She’ll be back.”
He hid the relief that suddenly flowed through him, keeping his expression neutral as always, but the small smile that Danny quickly hid told him that maybe he hadn’t hidden it as well as he thought. Addie’s gaze flickered around him, and he knew she was searching for some hint from his aura. He fought the urge to squirm under her scrutiny, not enjoying having the tables turned on him, the feeling somewhat like that of being a bug under a microscope. She frowned in frustration and gave him a pointed look.
“Not so easy,” he commented, careful to avoid a question in case she actually saw more than he intended. Reading auras was a skill he had years of practice at and Addie was just beginning to learn how subtle it could be.
“No,” she agreed, shaking her head. “It’s not.”
“I’m gonna work out, unless you need me for something,” Danny said, throwing them both a questioning glance. They shook their heads and he disappeared into the area they’d designated as the workout room. It was supposed to be the kitchen and access to the upstairs apartment Wade shared with Danny, but it had become Danny’s unofficial office. He spent most of his time there when he wasn’t working at the garage down the street.
The distinctive jingle from the bell on the front door set Wade into motion, and he couldn’t hide his eagerness as he peeked into the reception area.
“Jake,” he sighed, letting the door fall shut as he stepped back into the main office. Jake grabbed for the handle, barely catching it in time.
“Good to see you too,” he muttered to Wade’s back. He sent a questioning glance at Addie, who only shook her head and mouthed, “Tell you later.”
He nodded and walked over, brushing a kiss against her cheek as he stood next to her chair. “The Captain wanted me to say thank you again for your help.”
“That’s what they pay us for,” Wade grunted, his gaze avoiding them as he sat at his desk. Jake stared at him for a moment before glancing down at Addie. She gave him a soft smile and hooked her fingers through his belt buckle.
“Wade’s girl came by while we were at the station. Carly didn’t realize who she was, and Wade is feeling a little grumpy about missing her,” Addie explained. Wade threw down his pen and glared at her, causing Jake to stiffen next to her.
