Chase Me

Chapter Fourteen: Vickie's

Bellona

7: 55 PM:

If I was going to get to the source of my problems, I needed to get through Will. And to do that, I had to embrace a few of the wondrous gifts I had as a woman. I normally wore suits, dresses only sometimes. But other times, wearing a dress would offer me more power than wearing a suit. It was the way the fabric drifted around your feet as if it were air and clouds. How heels clacking against the floor could draw attention from anyone within a hearing distance. And how the swish of a hip or a flick of hair over your shoulder was enough to make people's heads turn. That was the kind of power I usually saved. It was the one that I needed tonight.

I got out of the taxi and saw the sign of the restaurant Will was to meet me at. He stood in a dress shirt and slacks, looking around. When he saw me his gaze froze. I came near. "Hey."

"Hey," he whispered. He cleared his throat. "You look lovely."

I nodded. "So do you."

He opened the door for me and we entered. The smell of spices and tomatoes was enticing and when we sat down, I could practically hear my stomach growl. Will lifted the menu. "What will you be having?"

Revenge.

I crossed my legs, deliberately making the fabric ride up. Will noticed. He turned away. "I—uh. I'll have the Tagliatelle Bolognese."

I nodded. "Hmm. I guess I will, too."

The waiter took our order and left. I looked around and saw other people enjoying their dishes. A couple in the corner with a romantic candle, a family with two kids, trying to feed a baby.

The food arrived and I took this time to start asking questions. "So. How long have you had the shop?"

Will put a forkful into his mouth. "I took it after my brother and his girlfriend I told you about, decided to go elsewhere in the UK."

I nodded, taking a bit of the pasta. Honestly, why wasn't there more food like this in Chicago? He took a sip of his water. "What about you?"

"Hmm?" I hummed.

He swallowed. "What's your story?"

I leaned back in my chair, debating what to tell him. In the end, what came out was half-truth-half-lie. "My sister died eight months ago. She was pregnant and in love, which is usually not the way stories end happily. The person responsible for her death went without punishment and now I just want to find some closure. So I came here"

The fork stopped inches before Will's mouth and it stayed open as his eyes stared at me. He slowly set the fork down. "Wow. I was not expecting that. Was she your younger sister?"

I intertwined my fingers, set my elbows on the table, and placed my chin atop my hands. "We were twins. She was younger, yes."

Will stared. "I'm so sorry, Belle."

I nodded. "Do you have any siblings?" I needed to get away from myself and point towards Will.

He nodded. "My one older brother. That's about it."

I hummed. Then went back to my food. My mind was whirling because I had never spoken those words out loud. To anyone. Ever. I didn't know if I liked it.

We finished our food and were about to leave when I insisted we have dessert. On me. Just to get him to stay.

"What's your brother's name?"

His eyes shot to me. "Robert. Why?"

Robert. Robert Jones.

I shrugged. "Attaching names to people makes them seem more real in my head. Along with detail. What does he look like?"