Marked for Vengeance by S.J. Pierce Page B

Frederick walked a few paces ahead of her, chattering away, which Alyx appreciated
because it gave her a moment to process what had happened. So many times before
she had imagined what it would be like to meet him in person, never
anticipating it would ever come to fruition, and today, unintentionally, it
became a thrilling reality.
    He was more
handsome in person than she had expected, even in his dark green work apron and
latex gloves. It wasn’t because she saw him up close; he looked exactly how she
expected. It was the way he spoke, his accent, his mysterious eyes, oh, his
eyes studying her for once. For the past three months, she had been the
one doing the studying. Being the other way around this time, it slightly
unnerved her, but she couldn’t deny that her head still floated amongst the
clouds.

 
     
     
     
     

     
    CHAPTER
5:
     
    Out
with a Bang
     
     
    It could have
been the way her silken, black hair fell around her shoulders, or the way her
wide, chocolate brown eyes gazed into his as though it weren’t for the first
time, but something told Isaac that he had seen this attractive woman before
who sat at table seven.
    During their
meal, he eavesdropped on their conversation as he walked back and forth from
the dining area to the kitchen, but his efforts to get her name were hardly a
success. She mainly sat in silence, disconnected from the other two’s repartee.
The only thing he knew for certain was that she worked for Frederick as his assistant.
    After they had disappeared
through the glass door, he went to the register to see if the woman he
recognized used a card. He sifted through their waitress’ card slips underneath
the till, but found only one receipt for a Fredrick D. Bachman with all three
meals accounted for. Damn, he paid.
    He stacked the
receipts as neatly as he had found them and stood behind the counter chewing on
the end of a straw, staring at the chair she sat hunched over in. He couldn’t
believe he would ever forget a striking face such as hers. Although, it evoked
a strange longing inside, almost disturbing.
    “Daydreaming
again, Isaac?” Tanya asked, snapping her fingers in his face, “table five asked
me to find you. They need their check.”
    Isaac jerked
from his trance. “Sorry, boss!”
    She squatted
next to him to grab a few clean glasses from under the counter and peered back
up at him. Even as he worked at the register to get the correct total for the
bill, he gazed over at the empty table with his eyes focused on her chair.
    “It was that
girl, wasn’t it?” she asked as she stood, placing her hand on her hip.
    Isaac shook his
head with pursed lips. “I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.”
    “Don’t lie to
me, Lucky Charms,” she teased, and her round face drew into a smirk, “I saw the
way you looked at her. I haven’t seen you look at a woman like that, well,
since I’ve known you.”
    His cheeks
flushed red.
    She poked her
finger into his shoulder. “See, I told you! It was that girl.”
    He ripped the
receipt from the register and headed for his table. “Alright, you win, but she
didn’t act a bit interested in me so it’s a moot point.”
    Tanya thumped him
in the arm as he passed. “That’s because you can’t read women, stupid. She
acted more nervous than a whore in church.”
    “Nice, Tanya.”
    “Look, all I’m
trying to say is the next time you see her, you need to get on it. She won’t
refuse. Believe me.”
    “Well, that’s if
I see her again.”
    * * *
    The events at
lunch rendered Alyx useless the rest of the afternoon. Her plans to get her
mind off of her daunting circumstances had backfired. Big time. The impression Isaac
had made on her was as seemingly permanent as the tiny holes he had left in her
newly pierced heart. She found that her resolution to let go of him for good
slowly deteriorated, and if she didn’t get it under control again, her plans to
commit to Benjamin would eventually do the same.
    Every time