Page 2 of Bittersweet Revenge

My will had wavered in that moment and it’d angered me to realize that, willingly or not, she still had power over me. I had tried to reason with myself, pretending that I just needed to see the life she’d built in case she wanted to leave again; the more you knew about your prey, the more leverage you had.

I had followed her to the three-story apartment building and stayed there, in the parking lot, for over an hour before going back to my bed & breakfast. It had been risky to do that. What if she'd actually noticed me and disappeared into the night?

But I was relieved in the morning when I’d parked in front of the diner and saw her waiting tables. This was where I had been for the last two hours, just observing.

You’re turning into a fucking stalker, Astor. I could hear Archibald’s voice in the back of my mind, taunting me.

I growled, reaching for the Yankees cap on the passenger seat. It had been one of Theo’s favorites, along with his Iron Man one. I wasn’t sure why I kept the memento, but even now, I couldn’t let it go completely.

But now was not the time. Now I had to bring home a more-than-reluctant bride.

I waited for Esmeralda to disappear into the kitchen before walking into the diner and grabbing a menu. Sitting at the back, I opened the menu to hide my face.

“Do you need anything else?” I heard her ask on my left. Just her voice caused unwanted emotions to arise - mainly anger, but even that was too much. She shouldn't be able to affect me this much. Any feelings she caused, positive or negative, were a weakness - a weakness I couldn’t afford.

“Your number,” one of the jocks sniggered.

I gripped the yellow laminated menu tighter in my hands, using all my willpower not to jump from my seat on an overused brown leather bench and smash his head on the table for daring to covet what was mine.

She sighed. “I already said I was not interested, but thank you.”

“Ah, come on. He’s been forcing us to come for greasy breakfasts for the past ten days just because of you,” another one whined, his voice even more aggravating than the other.

“You think insulting my place of work will help you?”

These guys don’t think, Esmeralda. They’re idiots... Driven by lust, not logic.

One of them sighed. “Come on Vicky, look at him. He is a catch in college and well off.”

Esmeralda snorted. “If you’re such a fan, why don't you date him yourself? I assume you don’t need anything else, so if you’ll excuse me, I have other tables to attend to.”

“What can I get you?” She asked much closer now and whilst I knew it was impossible, it was like I could feel her.

I placed her engagement ring in the middle of the table. “What can I get for that?” I asked before sliding the menu down.

She paled. “Why areyouhere?” She whispered, looking around the room.

I frowned at her question. She seemed surprised that I was there, but not that she’d been found.

I arched an eyebrow. “Not really the question I’d expected,” I admitted

She gave a guarded look, resting her hand on her chest, trying to hide her necklace.Too late, little girl.

“Where are the others?”

I cocked my head to the side, running my thumb back and forth over my bottom lip - a sort of compromise to stop me from doing this to her own rose petal plump lip.

“Who? Your father? Your brother? Whichever traitor helped you escape?”

“Nobody helped me.”

She’d answered too fast for it to be true.I’ll find the traitor…traitors…and they’ll pay just as she will.I sighed, reaching for the ring again.

“Why did you come?” she asked, taking a step back.

I’m not certain,I thought as I showed her the ring. “I came to remind you that you made a commitment which you have to uphold.”

“But–” She pursed her lips and once again she seemed puzzled by the wrong things.

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