Page 10 of Deceitful Oath

I hang up, satisfied, a plan starting to form in my mind. The all-consuming need to see her again rears its ugly head. I stride over to my walk-in closet, carefully choosing today’s look.

A crisp, tailored grey wool suit calls to me. As I get myself ready, a dark thought scratches at me, somewhere in the back of my brain. I’m becoming too obsessed, too intoxicated by her. I know it, and yet, I can’t stop.

I have better shit to do than follow a waitress around all day.

Still, I find myself heading to the parking garage like a possessed man, the desire to see her again controlling my every move. I scroll through the details Enzo emailed me, finding the location of the warehouse she works at.

Glancing at my watch, I realize I can make it there just as she arrives for her morning shift.

I pull out of the parking garage and head south along the river with my single-track mind guiding my path. My wild side, the one that earned me my nickname, howls for her. The Wolf is on the scent.

Find her.

Make her yours.

Destroy her.

The warehouse is a large, sprawling facility on the edge of the city. It runs along the major highway, stretching for several miles. The parking lot entrance is unmanned so I pull in and park at the very back against the chain link fence.

I whip out my phone and look up what this place is about. It’s a central distribution system for online businesses and marketplaces. It takes advantage of the growing gig economyto hire contract drivers out for deliveries.Completely legal, no funny business.

Leaning back against my heated leather seats, I scan the entrance for her beat-up little Toyota. My phone lights up with a series of messages from Enzo. I scroll through, filing the information away in my mind.

>>Loves: art, music, books. Impressionist movement. Feminist punk music (what the hell is that), Bill Bryson. Big fan of sushi, but mostly eats cheap bodega sandwiches and take-out pizza from Poppy’s Pizzeria. Wants to go to art school.

>>Hates: animal cruelty (the turkey thing makes sense now)

>>That’s all I got. You need more?

I quickly type out a message thanking him and glance back at the main gate. Her piece of crap car rolls in at that exact moment, sputtering to a stop across two parking spots. She gets out, slamming the door, her hair flying wildly behind her.

She circles it a few times and kicks it with her boot, cursing at the damn thing. Shaking her head, she stomps toward the main doors and disappears inside. I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding.

A few minutes later, she emerges balancing a stack of packages and mailers. A bored-looking kid follows behind her, pushing a trolley stacked with more boxes. Together, they load up her car, and she gets back inside.

I watch her try to start the car several times, but the engine refuses to turn over. I almost want to get out and help, but then I remind myself who she is and stay put. Finally, she manages to get the clunker going and pulls out of the parking lot.

I trail after her, staying a few cars behind so she doesn’t notice me. Her electrifying smile has been replaced by a permanent frown today. I watch her making her deliveries, feeling like a junkie needing his fix.

I need to see it, need to feel the warm glow of her smile.

Mid-morning, she pulls her car over on a tiny street in Little Italy and ducks into a coffee shop. I pull in right behind her, truly testing the quality of my heavily tinted windows. If she sees me now, my plans will go to shit, but I can’t help it.

I’m so close that I can see every detail of her face as she exits the shop, clutching an extra-large coffee. The heavy makeup from last night is gone. I can see her freckles clearly, those huge sapphire eyes framed by thick lashes.

She parts her rosy lips, taking a sip of coffee, and for the first time today, I feel warm. A huge smile spreads across her face, transforming it into something ethereal and otherworldly. I feel myself echoing her smile.

She laughs and takes another long sip of coffee, doing a little happy dance as she climbs back into her car.Who the hell is this woman?

I watch her drive away but I don’t follow, needing a break from being in her presence. It’s almost overwhelming, the effect she has on me. I take a deep breath and shake my head, trying to shake her off. The sign for Rocky’s Cafe catches my eye down the street.

Perfect.

I slide out of my SUV and slip on a pair of dark-tinted sunglasses as I stroll down the street. When I get to the shop, I see another waitress leaning against the counter, reading a newspaper. The place is deserted.

The man from the other day walks out of a doorway, gesturing to the waitress. She shakes her head and slowly moves to clean the tables.

Hello, Rocky.