Hideaway by Penelope Douglas

Hideaway

by Penelope Douglas

Published by Berkley

Book 2 in the Devil's Night Series

BANKS

Buried in the shadows of the city, there's a hotel called The Pope. Ailing, empty, and dark, it sits abandoned and surrounded by a forgotten mystery.

But you think it's true, don't you, Kai Mori? The story about the hidden twelfth floor. The mystery of the dark guest who never checked in and never checks out. You think I can help you find that secret hideaway and get to him, don't you?

You and your friends can try to scare me. You can try to push me. Because even though I struggle to hide everything I feel when you look at me--and have ever since I was a girl--I think maybe what you seek is so much closer than you'll ever realize.

I will never betray him.

So sit tight.

On Devil's Night, the hunt will be coming to you.

KAI

You have no idea what I seek, Little One. You don't know what I had to become to survive three years in prison for a crime I would gladly commit again.

No one can know what I've turned into.

I want that hotel, I want to find him, and I want this over.

I want my life back.

But the more I'm around you, the more I realize this new me is exactly who I was meant to be.

So come on, kid. Don't chicken out. My house is on the hill. So many ways in, and good luck finding your way out.

I've seen your hideaway. Time to see mine.

Genre

#DarkRomance

#BullyRomance

#InterconnectedRomance

Triggers

This book deals with emotionally difficult topics, either on page or off page, including animal cruelty (not MC's), dubious consent, rape (not MC's), pedophilia (not MC's), homophobia (not MC's), self-harm (not MC's), incest (not MC's), grooming (not MC's), physical and emotional abuse, child abuse (not MC's), and misogynistic behavior

I won't lie, Kai's character intrigued me in the first book.

It's always the quiet ones that do.

However, I was NOT expecting Banks, and how interested I would be in her arc.

Where Corrupt was the starting part of this overall story, Hideaway was the start of truly starting to peel back these characters.

Yes, there was the bully tactics. Yes, there was steamy moments.

But there was a lot of buildup to why these characters are who they are today, and what they are doing about their present circumstances.

Overall, I found Kai and Banks story more palatable than Michael and Erika's. While Kai can be just as bad as the other guys, he is definitely the more gentle of group. Has more of a moral compass. While he didn't regret what he did in his past, he felt remorse for the pain he caused his family.

His connection with Banks didn't feel forced.

The tension and chemistry between them - in the past and present - was felt while I was reading.

And the mystery behind Banks was interesting. I've read a lot of character stories where they had rough childhoods, but Banks past was unique.

Her story wasn't only interesting because of her, but because she was the catalyst for easing into Damon's heartbreaking story. Afterall, Banks past is so interwoven with Damon's, he, and what he has been through, is unavoidable.

After Corrupt, I will full heartedly say that I did not want to read Damon's book. I didn't really see a path of redemption for him.

Banks made me slowly come around.

I was still nervous about his book. Getting in his head. While Kai and Banks story (past and present) could have stood on it's own, Banks eased us into what is going to be a tough, emotional read.

Kai and Banks story was everything I hoped for. It was entertaining, had just the right amount of tension between the characters, and a touch of suspense that made the story that much more fun to read. It was a good stepping stone to the next book in the series, which I will warn you - is a tough, tough read.

It's also the best in the series.

Kai: “Tell my mother I died well,”

I said sarcastically to both of them and then shot a look to Will.

Kai: “No, actually, you tell her. Michael’s not allowed around my mom anymore.”

Kai: “You’re absolved, right?”

I asked him, reminding him of his confession this morning.

Kai: “You need new sins for next week. Don’t worry. You’ll like it.”

Damon: “I better,”

he said, tightening the towel around his waist.

Damon: “Because, holy shit, I need my dick sucked.”

Locker doors immediately slammed shut, and I looked up, all of a sudden seeing three of our teammates vacate the area quickly. Will burst into laughter so hard, he hunched over, shaking uncontrollably. Damon turned and shouted,

Damon: “Hey, where y’all going? One hot, wet mouth is as good as another, as far as I’m concerned!”

Ilia: “So, how much penance did you get? Huh?”

Ilia nudged my shoulder, not letting up.

Ilia: “Stealing my beer, not doing as you’re told like a good girl . . .”

He listed my sins.

Ilia: “You having any impure thoughts yet?”

Banks: “Ask your girlfriend,”

I retorted, my mouth full of food.

Banks: “She eyeballs me more than she does you.”

Banks: “It doesn’t matter. I don’t want to be me tonight, okay?”

I pulled back, giving him a small smile and challenging him.

Banks: “We’re in the confessional, and no one can see us. Let’s just run and not look back tonight.”

Will: “I like ’em from scratch. I can teach them exactly what I like and how to do it the way I want.”

Banks: “You mean you like that they don’t have anyone to compare you to, so they can’t tell how bad you are at it.”

Will: “Gotta be less than what I pay for a woman,”

I heard Will toss out, followed by more quiet laughter from around the room. He shot me a look, letting his distaste scale up and down my appearance.

Alex: “Oh, please,”

the woman in the corner interrupted.

Alex: “Like I even charge you anymore. All you want to do is cuddle half the time anyway.”

One of the men at the table snorted, barely able to contain his laughter, while others didn’t bother trying to hide it. Will turned to her with a scowl, whining, “Fuuuuuck.”

She smiled and winked at him.

Kai: “No matter how you cover yourself, it’s never enough. You’re beautiful.”

Alex: “How much can I spend?”

Kai: “I’ll call you when the text alerts start scaring me.”

People will think what they want to think, not because they believe they are right, but because it’s in their nature to maintain that they are. By defending yourself, you feed the appetite for drama. By not, you’ve ended the conversation. You. Not them.

Gold sconces, deer, elk, and even a lion head were hung high above, and plaid throw pillows were tossed on chairs and sofas. A bar lay at the back, shelves of books lined the walls, and a tapestry depicting some kind of war hung over the fireplace. Christ. This room was decorated with the theme “If the Nazis had won . . .”

Phillipe: “Have fun, ladies.”

Alex: “Thanks, Pip,”

Alex chirped.

Phillipe: “Phillipe,”

he corrected.

Alex: “Whatevs.”

I narrowed my eyes on her.

Banks: “You know him?”

Alex: “Nah, we just met. He fell fast, though.”

Kai: “You have good taste,”

I teased.

Kai: “I’m surprised.”

Banks: “Will picked it out.”

My smirk fell.

Kai: “Did he see you in it?”

She nodded, looking all too pleased to admit that.

Banks: “He even got my underwear size correct. Although I don’t think there’s really enough fabric there to call a G-string ‘underwear.’”

That motherfucker!

Kai: “You’re such a brat, you know that? I might spank you if I didn’t think you’d ask for seconds just to piss me off.”

Kai: “You make me feel driven. You make me hungry and on fire and wanting to slow down time instead of wanting to rush through it. It’s you I look for when I walk in the doors in the morning. Not her. You.”

Michael: “I love you guys, but are you fucking dense? You’re my friends. She is everything. Maybe someday you’ll know what the fuck I’m talking about.”

Seriously, what was it with this chick? Every time I turned around she was breaching my safe space. I wished she didn’t like me so much.

I folded my arms over my chest.

Banks: “I don’t flaunt myself for the enjoyment of men.”

His chest shook with a laugh behind me.

Kai: “Well, good. Happy to hear it, because I’m the only man whose attention you should be trying to get, and baby, you got it years ago while wearing another man’s clothes.”

He kissed my temple, his hot breath sending chills down my spine.

Kai: “So, you can imagine how fucking beautiful you are to me right now wearing mine.”

Banks: “Damon eats pain. He will find some way to take it and twist it and fit it down his throat, so he can swallow it. He’s made of it. You all can endure it until you overcome it, but Damon . . . he wants to be in hell.”

It’s where he shines.

I turned my eyes back up to the sky, sliding an arm under my head.

Banks: “But still . . . he never cried.”

Kai: “You wore a dress,”

he said under his breath.

Kai: “Color me surprised.”

Ass. But I gave the tall man in front of us a sweet smile, taking in his fancy white robe with gold embroidery.

Banks: “I’ve never worn one,”

I replied quietly.

Banks: “A gown, I mean. And since I’m only getting married once . . .”

Kai: “Oh, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to wear gowns, married to me,”

he assured me.

Kai: “I plan on making this marriage as torturous as possible for you.”

But I shot back, tipping my chin up.

Banks: “Go for it while you can. I’ll be a widow soon, I’m sure.”

Kai grabbed me, wrapping his arms around my torso, under my arms, and lifting me up.

Kai: “I love you,”

he whispered against my lips as he backed us away from the others.

Kai: “And he can send me to prison again for a very long time. I’m not letting that happen now that I’ve found you. Please.”

Alex" “Ugh,”

Alex growled, pulling her hand out of the pumpkin and whipping the orange slop off her hand and onto the newspaper.

Rika: “You said you wanted to bake pumpkin seeds,”

Rika pointed out.

Alex: “Yeah, well, I didn’t know this was where they came from.”

Banks: “Did you ever love me?”

I asked. He slowly approached me, staring hard.

Damon: “Love is pain, Nik. It’s never felt good.”

Banks: “Not even my love?”

He dropped his eyes, shaking his head.

Damon: “I don’t want to hurt you. Anymore. That’s all I know.”

Kai: “Nine dogs?”

Kai bit out, fixing me with a glare.

Kai: “They’re not staying here.”

Banks: “Of course not,”

I said, trying to sound innocent.

Banks: “I’ll call the shelter when they open in an hour.”

Will: “Or we could keep them. I mean, look at this shit. He’s shivering.”

And he bent down to scoop up the beagle, the little guy squirming because he was so nervous. Kai looked bemused. And then he gave me a warning look.

Kai: “Baby, I like it quiet. You know that.”

Banks: “Totally.”

I nodded, trying to keep the grin off my face.

Banks: “I mean they’ve been in cages all their lives. I could keep them down at the other house for like a couple days, too? Maybe fatten ’em up? Before the shelter just throws them in more cages, right?”

Will: “Yeah, they could do with a little spoiling. Let’s just keep them.”

Kai: “Oh, my God,”

Kai grumbled, turning back toward the house and shaking his head.

Kai: “Nine dogs . . .”

Banks: “Oh, and I kind of brought Gabriel’s cook,”

I said, stumbling up to him.

Banks: “We could use her, right?”

Kai: “Yeah, fine, fuck, whatever.”

He entered the house and started pounding up the stairs.

Kai: “Bring everybody. Doors are open. Why the hell not?”

I snorted behind him, his sarcasm not lost on me. He was coming apart, and I loved it. This was our life, after all, and we might trip over each other for a while yet, but we weren’t people who were okay with failing, either. We’d figure it out.

Banks: “Oh, and one more thing.”

I ran, catching up to him and jumping up on the stair above him. He stopped in his tracks, letting out another sigh.

Kai: “I think I might cry.”