Dark Destiny: Secrets of Covington Corner, #3

By Dani Wade

She knew something incredible waited in the shadows of the abandoned mental institution, but she never imagined it would lead to love.

 

Jamie Dixon and her fellow video game developers set out to document the layout of the famed Harrington Institute for the Mentally Ill. Then an accident leaves her to explore the decaying buildings with only Ian, the one guy she's crushed on since high school. Too bad he never seemed to notice she was a nerd of the girly variety.

But Ian Jameson has a secret agenda for coming to Harrington. As they uncover the ramblings of an abusive doctor, evidence of a secret prisoner and an obsession over an ancestral line, Jamie and Ian discover a passion that transcends their former workplace camaraderie.

 

Are ghosts leading them to the truth of Harrington's haunted history…or to the promise of a future beyond friendship?

 

Novellas in the Secrets of Covington Corner series in order:

Shadow Manor

Haunted Heritage

Dark Desires

Holiday Storm

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dani Wade
• Release date: Oct 25, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393359814

Dani Wade

Author Dani Wade started her writing journey in a childhood spent in the rural south where her favorite form of entertainment was imagining herself in the roles of romantic heroines. She now juggles her writing obsession with a patient hubby, two lively kids, and a day job. Life is crazy, but she attempts to navigate the potholes with her trusty To Do List and half a brain. Her contemporary category books are published through Harlequin Desire, and her Independently published sexy romantic suspense can be found at various online retailers. Dani Wade loves to hear from her readers! She can be contacted via e-mail ([e-mail]) or through her website. She also enjoys blogging weekly on her Dani Wade blog. A sign up for her occasional author newsletter can be found on her website. She is active on Facebook and loves for readers to friend both her author page for official news, and her profile page just to chat. She’s also on Twitter as @daniwade1.

Book preview

DARK DESTINY

SECRETS OF COVINGTON CORNER

DANI WADE

Blurb

She knew something incredible waited in the shadows of the abandoned mental institution, but she never imagined it would lead to love.

Jamie Dixon and her fellow video game developers set out to document the layout of the famed Harrington Institute for the Mentally Ill. Then an accident leaves her to explore the decaying buildings with only Ian, the one guy she’s crushed on since high school. Too bad he never seemed to notice she was a nerd of the girly variety.

But Ian Jameson has a secret agenda for coming to Harrington. As they uncover the ramblings of an abusive doctor, evidence of a secret prisoner and an obsession over an ancestral line, Jamie and Ian discover a passion that transcends their former workplace camaraderie.

Are ghosts leading them to the truth of Harrington’s haunted history…or to the promise of a future beyond friendship?

Praise for Secrets of Covington Corner series

I quite enjoyed this introduction to the new series. It has all the angst and atmosphere of a dark Gothic romance with the charm of the modern south locale.

~Goodreads reviewer

The first book in the Secrets of Covington Corner series a well written story that kept me turning pages.

~Goodreads reviewer

Also Available from Dani Wade

Backstage Pass Series

Finding Her Rhythm

Settling the Score

Striking a Chord

Goin’ Out Solo

Small Town Secrets Series

Beneath the Surface

Behind the Scars

Snow Bound

Louisiana Legacies Series

Entangled with the Heiress

Reclaiming His Legacy

Savannah Sisters Series

A Family for the Billionaire

Taming the Billionaire

Son of Scandal

Mill Town Millionaires Series

A Bride’s Tangled Vows

The Blackstone Heir

The Renegade Returns

Expecting His Secret Heir

Other

Reining in the Billionaire

Unbridled Billionaire

His By Design

For book release information and behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, join Dani’s newsletter list.

Copyright 2020 Katherine Worsham

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Cover Art Design by Bethany Cagle

Editing by Lea Schafer

Chapter One

Jamie Dixon braced herself as the pickup truck turned off the main highway onto the road leading to Harrington Institute for the Mentally Ill. The big vehicle shifted back and forth as the ruts in the little-used road grew unavoidable. She kept as stiff as possible, trying not to bump against Ian Jameson despite the lack of space.

The temptation to lean a little closer, to let her body brush his, had been a struggle the entire ride up from Covington. She told herself she was trying to maintain her self-sufficient façade, but the truth was the last thing she wanted was for him to think she was deliberately invading his space. Even if there wasn’t much she could do about it in the truck cab. But Ian had never shown any indication of noticing her as a girl—even after seven years none of the guys in their close-knit group had—and she had no desire to push herself on him.

Even if he did smell really good at the moment.

That might not be true after a weekend spent mapping out the abandoned institute with no showers or running water. Not that she should be focused on that part of being here.

Since their first video game had gone viral, three of their group of five were here to record the interiors of the institute in preparation for building their next big thing. She’d been excited about the trip for months. The surely haunted, spooky building was right up her alley.

The fact that they even got permission from the owner was a miracle. The institute was rumored to be haunted, but the owners had never allowed investigators in before now. Maybe she’d see a ghost along with the deteriorating walls and floors.

The truck jerked as one of the tires dipped into a deep hole in the cracked asphalt. Caught unawares, Olivia’s body pitched to the side, smacking her forehead against the window with a loud thud. Instantly pain exploded, causing her eyes to water, her vision blurring for a moment.

Easy, Becker, Ian said.

Sorry, man. I’m just trying to get us there before the rain hits.

Jamie understood his urgency. They had a huge amount of equipment in the back of the vehicle, which would’ve been safer in a van, but none of them had one. With just the three of them taking the trip, it made sense to use Becker’s truck. Only the last thing they wanted was to have rain pouring down on it, and the clouds had grown thicker and lower the farther north they’d driven into the mountains.

And that would ruin every last plan Jamie had meticulously laid out before coming here.

She was distracted from thoughts of her To Do list when Ian turned toward her, twisting as best he could in a tight space. Are you okay?

She looked up at him, blinking her eyes a little. Yes, she assured him even though her temple throbbed. Because that’s what she did. As the only girl in their group of gamers, she was not about to appear weak in front of any of them. Especially Ian. The rest of the guys were like brothers to her, but she’d never been able to see Ian that way.

Probably never would.

Instead of accepting her assurance that she was fine, Ian lifted his hand to brush his thumb over the sore spot on her temple. It’s awfully red, he said. Are you sure you aren’t hurt?

The truck shook again, and Ian cupped the side of her head as if to keep it steady. Jamie tried to tell herself it was his usual responsible self watching over her.

Under normal circumstances, Ian would have pulled back immediately. For that matter, he never would’ve touched her in the first place. Never had. But the diminishing warmth of the sun and the tingle from his skin against hers had her eyes widening, her gaze arrowing straight for his.

An almost confused expression crossed his handsome face. As if he wasn’t sure what he was feeling but his hand didn’t move. In fact, his fingers curled a little bit as if to burrow into her hair.

Jamie felt a sudden tightness around her lungs, making it hard to draw breath. She was familiar with her attraction to him. Something she’d always kept hidden from him, from the group, so she didn’t risk upsetting what they all had together. Only her close circle of girlfriends from Covington Corner knew.

But did his current expression mean…could he possibly be feeling it too? After all these years?

Slowly he pulled back, his hand curling in on itself. As he shifted back into place, what little light there was glinted off the diamond stud in his ear. Jamie blinked away a sheen of moisture from her eyes. Ian had started wearing the stud the year before. It was his mother’s, who had died in a car accident. Though it added an edge to his blue-eyed, blond boy-next-door look, every time she saw it she was reminded of his overwhelming grief when the only parent he’d ever known had been taken from him.

For a moment, she thought he might speak to her. Instead he muttered