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“You have no idea, my little pawn, but you will.”
I get into my hired car, pleased with the trajectory of my vengeance. Not sure if I will purchase the property I looked at today, but either way the trip wasn’t a waste. Vivienne has awakened a dormant side of me, and she has no idea the lengths I’m willing to go to sate the darkness.
CHAPTER ONE
VIVIENNE
Tears blur my vision as I storm past Tracy’s tiny apartment. Running into the boy I tormented in high school and losing my job was not on tonight’s Bingo card. Karma is in full effect for all the horrific shit I’ve done in my past and the careless ways I’ve treated people.
I met Tracy at Lucky’s Diner. After two weeks on the job, she offered me her couch. She said it wasn’t much, but she could use some help with the rent and that I looked like I could use some different living arrangements. I’m sure my barely concealed bruises were the motivation behind the offer. That day was the first time Michael ever put his hands on me. His verbal abuse had escalated to punches. With nowhere to go and pennies to my name, I endured the abuse and supplied him with excuses. The next day he’d shower me with apologies and regret—promising me it would never happen again, but it always did. Our latest tiff happened three days ago. He lost his job at the mechanic shop because he showed up drunk one too many times. He blamed me for being a shitty girlfriend—his reason for drinking in the first place. Between all the shifts I’ve been picking up at the diner, I didn’t have time to play the dutiful homemaker, too. I didn’t have time to cook, clean, pack his lunches, and give him porn star sex.
Three days ago, I walked away for good. But every day I dread the end of the honeymoon phase because I know he will show up to the diner, demanding that I take him back. He said he’d give me space, but I know his patterns of regret. Tracy was at work tonight, so she witnessed me unleash my frustration on the jackass who emerged from my past to sling shit at me. She also witnessed me getting fired, so she knows I likely can’t make rent now. She didn’t ask for any money up front, but the agreement was for me to pay with my next check. I need that money to hold me over until I find another job now.
I push the door open to the bar just mere blocks from the diner. Pete is working the bar tonight, so that brings a small smile to my lips. I know he has a crush on me, but I just appreciate his kindness.
“What can I do you for tonight, little lady?” He asks with a megawatt smile. He runs a hand through his surfer blond hair, working his charm.
“What’s cheap and cures the blues for a newly fired waitress?”
“Oh no! They let you go?”
“Yeah. Not that I can blame them. I messed up. But I really don’t want to talk about it. I just want to drink and forget.”
“Sure thing, Miss Vivi. Don’t you worry about a thing. Drinks are on me tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll see if we have any openings here.”
Normally I would decline him covering my drinks, but I only have enough to cover one drink, maybe two, and that’s not going to get me wasted.
Pete passes me a dark amber cocktail. The first sip has me squinting. Holy shit, it’s strong. “What’s this?” I ask, struggling to get the second sip down.
“If I had to guess, I’d say a Paper Plane,” a petite brunette answers as she takes a seat next to me. Even with her crème jogger suit, she exudes class and refinement. She stands out in this place for sure.
“You’d be correct, Miss,” Pete confirms, beaming from
ear to ear. “You have to be impressed by a woman that knows her cocktails.”
“I’ll have what she’s having,” she says, gesturing towards me. “Hi, I’m Bianca. Hope it’s okay if I sit here.”
“Absolutely. Nice to meet you. I’m Vivi.”
“That was quite the showdown back at the diner a moment ago,” she grins.
“Oh God. You witnessed that?”
I take a hearty sip of my drink, acclimating to the burn.
“Oh sugar, I don’t think anyone in that diner could have missed that or the firing afterwards.”
“Great! So much for hoping to land another job in this neighborhood. I’m sure the word will spread about the bat shit crazy waitress.”
Pete passes her cocktail, looking between us for all the details I previously said I didn’t want to talk about.
Bianca takes a sip of her drink and continues to smile at me. “Their loss, right? You’re such a pretty girl. You’d make a killing if you worked for our company.”
I knew she was too gorgeous for this place. I bet she’s an escort or some sort of stripper. I’ve never seen her in here the times I do manage to stop by, but Pete didn’t recognize her either. Surely, he would have if this is where she scouts for her Johns. These guys would give her their whole check.
“Thanks, but no thanks, Bianca. I’ll figure out something.”
“You didn’t even ask what it is that I do, so how could you know if you’d be interested or not?”
