Marked for Vengeance by S.J. Pierce

a
troubling realization hit Alyx like a ton of bricks. Oh my God, I hope it’s not HIS bistro. “What’s this place called again?” she asked casually. She had been there three years ago out of necessity to see where he worked, but
she hadn’t been back. Plenty of other restaurants littered the same block, so
she hoped he wouldn’t say –
    “The Market,” he
replied.
    Her high heels
skidded to a stop. Cindra peered curiously over her shoulder, and Alyx walked
forward again while throwing a smile on her face. If her friend caught wind
that something was up, a barrage of questioning would ensue. Maybe he’s not
working today , she thought with a fragile hope.
    She focused in
on her draw to get a feel for where he resided, and the pull was strong,
practically tugging from the center of her chest in the direction of the bistro.
She let it go and stumbled backward. He’s definitely there. She shook
her head woefully and forced her feet to trudge over the concrete. It would
only figure that just as she had resolved to let him go, she would eat at his
restaurant today.
    Frederick and
Cindra walked in first, and as Alyx held the glass door open, she considered letting
it shut behind them and running down the sidewalk to escape the impending
torture. If it weren’t for her boss being there, she would have seriously considered it.
    As they stood in
the narrow waiting area, she discreetly skimmed over the faces in the restaurant
while swiping on some chapstick. Maybe he’s on break.
    “Right this way,”
a sweet voice said, and the hostess led them to a square, wooden table close to
the bathrooms.
    While she informed
them about the soups of the day, Alyx recognized his familiar silhouette from
the corner of her eye, and an electric current rolled up her spine, goose bumps
covering her skin. As her ‘painter man’ passed their table to the other side of
the restaurant, she attempted to remain calm and stoic. Drawing attention to
herself was out of the question.
    After they had placed
their orders, Alyx excused herself to the bathroom to further compose herself.
    “I’ll come too,”
Cindra said as she scampered behind her.
    Alyx rolled her
eyes. She needed a moment alone, and with Cindra that was impossible. She
busted through the door of the two-stall bathroom and went to the stall in the
back.
    “I have to say,
girl, I have no idea what to say to him,” Cindra said as she preened her
hair in the mirror. “My crush on him is starting to bite me in the ass.
    Alyx barely
listened to her rambling, but gave a courteous “mmm hmm” to pretend as though
she were. She leaned against the marble stall with her eyes closed to still her
frayed nerves.
    “Maybe I should
think of something to talk about other than the weather, but I don’t know how
I’ll manage that when he’s sitting only a foot away from me.
    “Mmm hmm.”
    “Anyhow, I’m heading
back to the table,” she said and opened the door to the bathroom. “You
alright?”
    A quiet sigh
rushed through her nose to force the words. “I’m fine, see you in a sec.”
     “You sure? ”
     “Yes, and hey,
ask him about his marathon training. He’ll talk your ear off.”  Maybe that
will throw her off my scent.
    “ Thanks, girl!”
    The moment her
friend disappeared through the door, Alyx reasoned that her reaction to being
there was silly. Her ‘painter man’ didn’t know who she was or what she had been
up to. As far as he was concerned, she was just another customer. With her eyes
still closed, she imagined clinging to the promise she made to Benjamin. If she
could hold on to that, ignoring him would be a piece of cake. I can’t let
him have this hold on me anymore.
    With her hands
balled into courageous fists, she made her way back to the table.
    A few minutes
later, they were deep into a conversation about marathon running when his
silhouette strode by their table again. He glanced at them as he passed and did
a double take once he had made it behind