Page 34 of His Beautiful Revenge
“It’s come close a couple of times,” she laughed, “Norah is very suspicious these days. She swore blind that a Bourguignon I made this one time was with ‘Extra Beefy Chunks’ out of a Nature’s Recipe can. I wouldn’t have minded, but Islavedover that stew.”
Orlando was laughing loudly. “I’m so glad I don’t have pets right now.”
She grinned at him. “You should be.”
Orlando looked around at her, and for once, he looked happy. “Anyway, you have a deal. Besides, we have pizza delivery on stand-by just in case.”
“Oh ye of little faith.”
Norah, after Zulika had left for the afternoon, had immersed herself in her work, only distracted by the memories of Giacomo’s hands on her body. She was still thinking about that, shoving new deliveries out on the shelves, when she heard the tinkle of the shop’s door bell.
She turned to greet her customer and her heart failed.
“What are you doing here?”
Lucian held his hands up, not approaching her. “Just to talk, Norah. That’s all, I swear. I’ll stay over here.”
Norah, not trusting him, darted behind the counter and picked up her scissors. Her phone was in the back, shoved deep into her purse, and she cursed herself for not keeping it with her. She eyed Lucian warily. “We had an agreement, Lucian. You’re breaking it. If I call the police now, you’ll be back in jail before you blink.”
He nodded. “I know and I realize I’m taking a risk here. I just wanted to see you. Baby, I miss you.”
“Well, I don’t miss you,” she shot back. “Please leave.”
“Sweetheart, I’m just here to apologize. For everything. For what I did to you. For fucking Tara Hubert. I should have realized what I had when I had it.”
Norah’s expression hardened. “But you didn’t. You don’t get a do-over, Lucian. I’ve moved on.”
His smile was patronizing. “I heard. With Tara’s ex, I see.”
Norah said nothing. Her hand was resting on the scissors, ready to use them as a weapon. Lucian glanced at them, putting his head on the side and smiling at her. “You won’t need those, darling. I swear, I just came to talk.”
“I’m not interested.’” Norah moved around the counter and went to the door, opening it. “Get out.Now.”
Lucian gave a long-suffering sigh. “Well, I tried. Could you at least pass on my regards to my sister? She’s the only family I have left, after all.”
Norah wasn’t moved. “Entirely your doing, Lucian. Please leave.”
He walked toward her and she tensed, but he simply stepped out of the door. He turned, however, stopped her from closing it, and said. “I loved you. I still love you. I’m not done.”
Norah looked at him bleakly. “I don’t think you know what love is, Lucian. It isn’t rape. It isn’t threats and violence. My advice to you isbedone. Because I’m never, ever coming back to you. I amsodone.”
He moved quickly, pushing her up against the wall, his lips rough on hers. Norah cried out as his fingers pressed hard into her belly, his other hand groping her breast. She struggled with him and, finally, he let her go.
“Get thefuckoutnow,or I swear to god, I will throw your ass in jail.” She was panting, her rage easily quelling any fear.
Lucian smirked. “Just giving you a taste of a real man.”
Norah started to laugh. “Oh, you poor deluded piece of shit. You are about as far from a real man as exists.” She brought her knee up and smashed into his groin. As he groaned, she pushed him out of the door and double locked it. “I’m calling the police right now, so you’d better run. Oh, and for the record, gofuckyourself.”
Norah was as angry and as riled up as she’d ever been as she yelled at him. She went to the backdoor, checking that it was locked, and grabbed her phone, going back out front to check that Lucian was gone. She saw him limping to his Audi and when he turned to look back as he got into his car, she gave him the finger and waved the phone at him.
God,that had feltsogood. She realized all the anger and hurt she had been harboring since Lucian raped her had been released and for the first time she could breathe freely.
She laughed softly as she called Giacomo and asked him to come pick her up. “I’m sorry I wasted so much time, baby. I love you. If you’ll still have me, I’d love to move in with you.”
Lucian drove to Land’s End Park and then stopped the car. He’d nearly lost it—nearly ripped the knife he had hidden from his pocket and slammed it into her, his anger at the rejection overwhelming. It took every last piece of his control not to kill her.Bitch. Fucking whore bitch.He looked back along the road. Should he go back now? Finish this?No. He got out of the car and walked into the park, needing to walk or jog his anger off. He sucked in huge breaths, waiting for his control to return.No.Too many people had seen him drive to the bookstore; probably the neighbors had heard Norah yelling at him. If she had called the police, they would come looking for him immediately, if they weren’t already.Fucking bitch …If she were murdered tonight, it would all be over. All his careful planning. Lucian closed his eyes. His reason was returning. A simple slaughter wasn’t enough. Too easy. Death could wait. There were more interesting things to do to her first. Punishment. Suffering. Humiliation. Violation. Pain. And he knew exactly who would help him do it all.
Tara.His mind made up, Lucian smiled. Norah—and everyone she loved—would soon wish they had never been born.
