The Darkness Within

Hey stranger...

Chelsea's POV

"Hello?" I asked the number through the phone. 

"Anyone there?" I had been getting these strange calls.

 It's a random number from a burner phone, they will call then just hang up without saying a word. It has been a couple of weeks since the incident. No one has asked where Bradley is and honestly, I don't think anyone cares. I've heard from Reagan and she's doing well. She says sometimes she has nightmares from the house exploding but I think she's fine. For me, I have been living my best life. No second thoughts, no nightmares, nothing. My life has become fucking amazing and nothing can change that. I was sitting poolside at a very expensive country club when suddenly I was knocked out of my thoughts. 

"Hey stranger" I heard someone say, walking up to me blocking the sun from my chair. The voice was one of familiarity. I looked up to see Vincent.

 "Vincent oh my god what are you doing here?" I heard the shake in my voice, I hadn't seen him since that night. You know the night I lied to him and blew my husband up. "How have you been? it's been forever." I spoke very kindly, trying not to draw suspicion.

"I've been good, after the night of the fire I decided to quit my job and start traveling. It's like life gave me a second chance and I'm going to use it," he stated sort of poetically.

 "Yeah, something like that." He didn't seem to notice my sly comment about that night. I was willing to admit to him that the fire did give him a second chance on life, however not in the way he thinks. Honestly, I just wanted him to leave and never see me again. However, something was drawing me to him. Maybe it was the way his shirt fit so snug, or his new clubmaster ray bans shone in the light. Something about him made me want to rip his clothes off and not think twice. I had to pull myself back in. I couldn't do that, I murdered his best friend, not to mention I made him an unknowing accomplice. I'm a really bad person. But I don't really care. 

He noticed my dazed state and asked "Hey are you okay? You look lost in thought."

"Yeah, I'm fine, sorry I was just thinking." Considering I am sitting in a bikini, tan, and I've always looked good I assume he's thinking the same thing. I notice his head keeps bobbing up and down as if he's checking me out.

"So, is Bradley around, we haven't talked in a while. I thought maybe he wanted to go off the radar for a little while." Vincent asked half wanting to know where he is, the other half wanting to know if I was alone. 

"He's not here. I found out he was cheating, so I left him," I said with a little less sadness than I meant to. 

"Oh, yeah I never thought he was good enough for you. You need a real man to care for you," Vincent says putting a smirk on his face.

I couldn't help but giggle at the smug statement he had made. "Do you want to get drinks tonight?" I ask him feeling a rush of confidence. 

"I was just thinking that. Tonight at 7, I'll pick you up."

"deal, how do you know where I live?"

"I have my ways."

7 pm

There is a knock on the door and I answer it rather quickly. I have never been one to be late to anything. 

"wow, you look stunning," Vincent says holding out his hand for me to take.

"Thank you, you don't look too bad yourself." I was underplaying that by a long shot. He had on a custom Versace suit with matching sunglasses. His hair was perfectly combed and his face was shaved. I would skip drinks altogether and just have him right now.