Page 1 of Dark Knight

CHAPTER1

TATUM

Ten Years Ago

Iblink my eyes open, a smile splitting my face because today is the first day of: summer vacation.

After nine months of school, it's finally summer break. Excitement would be an understatement to describe how I’m feeling. Knowing I won’t have to do a single sheet of homework, that I won’t have to go to bed early, and that I can wake up whenever I want, at least for the next three months.

Freedom, it's so pungent I can almost taste it. I already can't wait to spend the whole summer out by the pool soaking up every last bit of sun. I’m hoping to be a lovely tan shade come the fall once school starts up again, and not this ghostly pale white that I am now.

The reminder that Bianca, my best friend, will be here in a bit sends me over the edge. Her dad doesn't usually let her do sleepovers unless it's a birthday party or something else special. Bianca says he’s strict and likes to know what she’s doing and who she’s hanging out with. I’m sure it must suck having an overbearing dad. My dad always wants to know those things, too, but he still lets me visit with my friends and go shopping. Not alone, of course.

When I go out, I always have to take one of my father’s men with me, since he’s usually too busy to take me to activities or drive me to the movies. Maybe that's why Mr. Cole doesn't like letting Bianca come over...I mean, my Dad is here, but he's usually working in his office, so we have the whole house to ourselves. The only people to keep an eye on us are the guys my dad pays for security, and honestly, there’s not much they can do—so long as I'm not, like choking to death or drowning or something. Most of the time, they look the other way.

With Mr. Cole being a detective and all, he knows how messed up life can be. That's what Bianca tells me, anyway. The excitement of Bianca’s impending arrival is what gets me out of bed and into the shower, even though I could have slept another hour or two.

I didn't know kids had chores, not until I got to know Bianca better. I'm not stupid. Not everyone has staff hanging around the house to cook and clean for them. I figured parents took care of that stuff, but for Bianca, it’s different. She’s constantly cleaning the house, doing her own laundry, and even doing some of the cooking since it’s just her and her dad. Like me, she doesn’t have a mom in her life. Although, in her case, she can visit her mom in the cemetery.

I don’t know where my mom is most of the time.

Seeing how Bianca’s good and pure, she’s really rubbed off on me. It made me realize that I could at least make my bed and clean my bathroom. So after I'm done in the shower, I tidy up my bedroom. Once I move my things to the unused wing of the house, like Dad promised I could once I start high school, I’ll have more responsibility.

It’s one of his rules:If you want more from me, you have to show me you’re responsible enough to have it.

I might as well get in the habit of showing him I’m serious about wanting to take care of myself. I want to prove to him that I’m not a little girl anymore. I’m getting older, and I want him to see that.

Once I’m finished, I have the rest of my day to look forward to. It's already almost eight-thirty, and Mr. Cole needs to be at work by nine, so Bianca will be here any minute. I grab a green one-piece suit that matches my eyes—Dad won't let me wear a two-piece yet, no matter how many times I beg him.

“I'm paying for it, so you're going to wear what I think is appropriate.”It's during those times I wish I had a mom willing to step in and take my side, yet I can't even get her to answer the phone when I call, much less defend me against Dad. I'm pretty much on my own most of the time.

I can feel the sticky misery and sadness that clings to me when thinking about my mom, so I squeeze my eyes shut and push the thoughts away.

I pull on the suit and add a pair of cutoffs before pulling my blonde curls into a bun on my head.Perfection.I give myself a once-over in the mirror. I’m tall, and thankfully, my body is finally filling out more. I was worried for a little while that my arms would always be longer than my body. But luckily, I grew into them. My skin is pale and sickly looking, and since Dad hardly ever lets me wear makeup – which will change this year – I always look this way. ACasper The Friendly Ghostlook-alike.

Whatever, with all the sun I’m going to get this summer, it won’t matter. I'm halfway down the stairs when I hear my father’s voice.

Yay! I might be able to say good morning to him before he locks himself inside his office for the remainder of the day. I wonder if I can get him to go swimming with me sometime. He can't work all the time, can he?It seems unfair that grown-ups don't get summer vacation the way kids do. Maybe I need to remind him that there are other things in life besides work.

Right away, I find myself smiling since he’s not usually around. Maybe we can have breakfast together. Or if he's busy and on his way to the office down the hall, I can bring him some food. I want to spend some time together this summer before starting high school. I know I will be super busy with activities and studying once the semester begins, and I miss just sitting and talking to him. We used to be closer, but with each year passing, it feels like more space grows between us.

“I'll have keys made for you,” my father says, his voice getting louder the closer he comes to where I’m standing while the dress shoes he almost always wears during the day snap against the wood floor. “You can come and go as you please, though it would be better if you stay on the grounds as much as possible. If you need anything, let me know and I'll arrange it. It's important that you lay low for a while.”

“I understand.”

I'm at the bottom of the stairs when I hear that second voice.It's deep. I don't think I've ever heard it before. Whoever it belongs to is going to have keys to the house?A new guard?The idea makes me roll my eyes. There’s enough of them wandering around this place.

Confused, I'm still standing on the bottom step when Dad walks out of the unused east wing. His eyes widen with surprise when they land on me. “Good morning,” he says before looking over his shoulder at the man behind him.

“Good morning, Daddy. I wanted to catch you before you went into your office. Can you come swimming with me and Bianca today?”

He steps aside, and I get my first look at the man he had been talking to.

I really wish Dad would let me wear a two-piece suit. I also wish I was wearing something nicer than cutoffs right at this moment. I peer up at the man, who must be the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen. Even cuter than Johnny Townsend.

The mysterious guy is around Dad's height, six-two or three, with thick, black hair and dark blue eyes that screamleave me alone. They look like they could burn a hole through anything he stares at, and all I can think at that moment is how captivated I am by his presence.

Unfortunately, he doesn't stare back at me. Rather, he looks at the floor, walls, and ceiling like he's pissed at them. His full lips are pulled up into a sneer. I’ve never met anybody who looked at objects so angrily just because they exist. My gaze lingers down his body, stopping on his hands. They’re huge, and I watch as he runs one through his dark hair—which could use a cut, not to mention a wash—before he jams it into the pocket of his black jeans.