Blood for my Rose |• Crimson Rose series✔️

Chapter 14

America
Arizona
Lake Havasu City.

This was her fourth attempt at dialing Riley's number, but he wasn't picking up. She was sifting through the supermarket in search of bottles of pickles. Riley always enjoyed pickled vegetables, so she was hell bent on getting some tonight, the only problem was, she wasn't sure what brand he preferred.

By the fifth dial, she gave up and picked just any one off the rack. She bought two bottles of red wine and a few more vegetables to make sauce. As she paused in front of the cigarettes display, considering which packet to choose, her thoughts drifted to the day she had vowed to him that it would be his final cigarette, which was the day after she had arrived back.

But Rose being Rose, she pampered Riley more than she wanted or could even agree with herself. Even though she felt like an enabler in this moment, she still picked—not one, but two packets—off the counter, knowing he still had at least three sticks in the pack at home.

She stopped at the cashier and paid for her items, then headed out.

By the time she was getting to their house, she called Riley again, and there was still no response. Then she finally gave up and got out of the cab, grabbing the bag of shopped items.

Upon unlocking the door and walking in, she was immediately hit by the overpowering smell of a stable, which had permeated the air inside the house. She struggled with the bag and locking the door, then went to the kitchen counter to drop everything, calling out to Riley.

Her voice echoed back to her without a response, leading her to conclude that he hadn't returned yet. This was further confirmed when she saw the note she had left earlier still in the exact same position, undisturbed.

A slight feeling of anger swept through her as she wondered why he hadn't called her all day nor seen her multiple calls to return them. As she sprayed air freshener around the house, she continued to wonder about the source of the strong, stable-like odor that was still present. She opened the windows to let the smell out.

After returning to the kitchen, she organized her shopping bag, and left only the cigarette packets on the counter. She also left the rest of the wine she had opened and poured for herself. The other bottle was already in the fridge, as well as the pickles.

After arranging the pantry, she got out of her slippers in kitchen, picked her wine glass off the counter and went to the room. She gracefully slipped out of her black dress, allowing it to fall to the floor near the door. She then slowly removed her undergarments one by one, all the while holding a glass of wine, as she made her way towards the bathroom.

While taking sips from her wine bottle, she proceeded to fill the bathtub with water and added some relaxing substances to it. She then set up her preferred playlist to enhance the ambiance.

The idea of preparing dinner no longer held any appeal. Who was even going to eat it? She was too upset to think of food, and Riley would probably get home too tired to want to eat heavy.

Right after soaking herself up in the tub, she picked up her glass again and continued to drink, her mind on a grand wedding. Italian style, precisely. Though the wedding had been postponed indefinitely, it didn't stop a girl from dreaming and anticipating walking down the isle to him—with or without her father. She laughed aloud at her own thoughts, drinking some more.

Wining and wishing was going well for her, but the terrible thing about this moment was, a man was in the house. A man that wasn't Riley. And he pushed the jacket cupboard door open to come out into the living room.

Shoes stained with mud left its pale prints behind as they strolled down to the room. The figure was dressed in all black—mask. Stained boots. Jacket. And pants. Even his hair trying to escape the back of his mask was jet black.