VANESSA
When Arthur presses his lips onto mine, it feels like I’ve gone to heaven. A piece of me floats away as I let him kiss me, dazed by his sudden affection. It makes me feel wanted, something I’ve not experienced in a long time.
However, it isn’t right. Not now. Not here. Even though kissing him is the best feeling in the world right now … I can’t kiss Arthur. Not yet. It’s too soon. It feels wrong. What would people think? Phillip’s death is still too fresh.
I place my hand on Arthur’s chest and push back, allowing room between us. “I can’t,” I murmur.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have,” he says, looking down at the ground. “I just hate to see you unhappy like this.”
My hand instinctively reaches for his face to caress his cheek. “I know. It’s okay.”
He frowns. “I’m trying to fight it, Vanessa. I really am.” He sighs. “This is all my fault.”
“Stop, don’t say that. You aren’t the cause of his death.”
“No, but I’m making things more confusing than they already are.”
“How?” I ask, cocking my head.
He smiles at me. “I’ve always desired you, Vanessa. I won’t lie. I tried to hide it for your sake … for my brother’s sake.”
I place my finger on his lips. “Say no more.”
He nods, realizing now is not the time for love.
Now is the time for mourning. Even if we don’t feel bad about his death, the very least we can do is respect those who do.
I turn my head away to catch a fresh breeze when I notice a man standing between two graves not far from here. I can’t see much, except his dark suit and umbrella, and the way his shades glisten in the light of the lamp as he turns around.
He was watching us.
Taking a deep breath, I say, “Arthur, I have to go.”
“Why? Where are you going?” he asks.
“I … I just want to be alone for a while. I hope you don’t mind. You go sit with the rest of the people, okay?” I turn around and start walking toward the man who’s walking away at an increasing speed.
“Okay …” Arthur says, but I’m no longer listening.
All I can focus on is that man with the umbrella as he walks toward the exit of the premises. He wasn’t just standing there; he was spying on us, and I want to know why. Because if my instincts are right, I know who he is.
What I’m doing is dangerous, and I’m fully aware of the consequences of my actions. I could be hurt or, worse, killed. However, I need answers. I have to know why.
The faster he walks, the more I speed up, which quickly turns into running. When he heads around the corner, I lose sight of him, but I know he’s going to the parking lot. He must be. I mean, there’s nowhere else to go.
Except as I pass the gate, I don’t see anyone.
With my hand above my eyes to block the rain, I gaze around. The parking lot is completely empty and there’s not a soul in sight.
I make my way toward my car, constantly looking around me because I’m afraid the guy might jump me. I wonder if he already raced off with his car, but that wouldn’t make any sense because then I would have heard something. He must be hiding somewhere, in which case it only makes it scarier. I have to get somewhere safe, quickly.
When I get to my car, I turn off the locks which beep and then jerk open the door, so I can get inside fast and slam the door shut before anyone tries to come in. My breathing is rapid and my heart beats out of control as I stare through the front window, looking for him. Rain clatters on the window, almost making it impossible to see anything, so I turn on the windshield wipers. Shivering, I turn on the heater and try to calm myself down. Maybe it wasn’t him at all. Maybe I’m just being paranoid.
“Hello, Vanessa.”
I scream, but a gloved hand smothering my face muffles my sounds. “Be quiet.”
Squealing, I try to pull his fingers away from my mouth, but he comes around from the other side and points something sharp at my throat. “I said be quiet!”
Air enters my nose with short, shallow breaths as I suppress the tears. It’s him. I was right. He was watching us.
“Don’t try anything. Don’t even fucking move a muscle,” he says gruffly.
I nod my head, but stop immediately when I feel the sharp edge of the blade against my flesh.
“Feel this?” he asks, as he pushes the blade further. It’s so sharp; I can feel it cut me just a bit. Enough for a droplet of blood to roll down and fall into my lap. “It’s very sharp and it just loves some fresh blood, especially when it comes from a pretty girl like you.”
I swallow when he says that, fear settling in my veins.
“You try anything, and I will kill you. Do you understand?” he growls.
I nod, blinking away the impending tears.
“Good. I’ll take my hand away but not this knife. You’d better stick to what you just agreed to, or it’s going to cut straight through your neck.”
When he slides his glove off my face, I suck a big breath. Then the questions come rolling out. “You killed him. Are you going to kill me too now?”
“No.” He laughs, running his fingers through his coal black hair. I don’t dare look back at his face, but I can see his eyes narrow at me through the rearview mirror. “I might be a murderer, but I don’t just kill anyone, unless they get in my way.”
“You poisoned my husband!”
His lip quirks up into a smile. “Well, technically, you did.”
I frown. “You won’t get away with this.”
He cocks his head. “The question you should be asking is: Will you?”
“How dare you? You want to put the blame on me, but I’m not the murderer here.”
He leans in, so close that my breath hitches when he whispers into my ear, “Oh, yes you are …” He taps the knife against my throat like it’s a toy. “Stop lying to yourself, Vanessa. You and I both know you’re full of it. But you can’t fool me.”
He slips back into his seat, watching me while tapping his fingers on his leg. My lips part, but I don’t know how to respond. I don’t know what to say that will get him to talk without cutting my head off.
“You ruined everything …” I say after a while.
“Oh, really? Why is that? Because I killed your traitorous, adulterous husband?” With his teeth, he tugs on the barbell underneath his lip, as if he’s enjoying this.
“Screw you,” I spit, but when he pushes the knife into my skin, I lean into my seat again. “I won’t go down for this.”
“Neither will I, sweet cheeks,” he mocks. “But one of us has to. I’m betting it’s going to be you. It’s not looking good as it is, especially not with everyone seeing you run off with some other guy at the party.”
My lungs suddenly feel constricted. I can’t breathe.
“Imagine the tabloids. Scorned wife kills unfaithful husband out of revenge. I can already see the headlines in front of me.”
He makes a frame with his free hand and then makes a snapping sound in my direction. I blink a couple of times, expecting the knife to bury itself deep in my throat. I don’t know why he wouldn’t do it. I’m the only one who knows the truth. If I’m dead, the secret is buried with me. If I were him, I would kill me right now. Not that I don’t want to live. I’m just stating the facts.
“Don’t you think it’s ironic? Perfect, really. Like the opposite of a fucking fairy tale.” He laughs out loud, making all the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
“What do you want from me?” I ask. “Are you just here to laugh in my face after killing my husband?”
Within the blink of an eye, his face turns all serious again. “I’m here to tell you to give up now. Don’t look for me. Don’t follow me. Don’t try to find me. Don’t for a second think that you can pin this on me.”
He pushes the knife further into my throat, causing another tiny stream of blood to roll down my neck. “Make no mistake. I will kill you, and it won’t be as gentle as the way your husband died.”
Immediately, I’m reminded of the car crash but, of course, he’s referring to the poison. Phillip was never meant to get into his car, and yet, he did it anyway.
“This is just a warning, but I will come back for you if you try anything. You understand?” he says with a low voice that causes goosebumps to scatter across my skin.
I nod quickly. “Yes.” The moment the word spills from my mouth, I already know it’s a lie … and I think he knows, too.
He leans closer, breathing hot air onto my skin, which tingles in an oh so wrong way. “Good girl. See you around, Princess.”
And then the knife suddenly disappears along with him.
Holding my neck to prevent more blood from spilling, I turn around in my seat, but by that time, the door has already slammed shut. With his umbrella above his head, he strolls to his own car not far from mine. As he opens the door and sits down, he keeps his eyes focused on my car. Our eyes connect, and for a moment, I’m awestruck. He didn’t kill me. Instead, he walked away with only a threat … One I don’t believe, but a threat nonetheless.
As he drives backward, I can clearly see his license plate. It surprises me that he didn’t rip it off prior to our meeting. He probably wants me to see it and remember it, forcing me to choose. Act on it, or leave it alone and forget about it all.
He’s tempting me … persuading me to act. Well, I will take on this dare. May the best liar win.
