The Bringer Of Death

Chapter 8

Serena POV

I lay in a wicker chair on the balcony and look out at the ocean as my hair dries in the sun. The light wind sent my flowing skirt waving in the wind around my legs.

Clayton went down to the bakery to get some lunch since we ended up taking another nap while waiting for Spencer and Joyce to wake up.

I have my phone on the table beside me, deciding it was time to face reality for a few minutes. I turned it back on but haven't looked at it despite the constant buzzing as my messages load.

Taking a deep breath, I take the small black phone in my hands and squint down at the darkened screen.

A few random emails, messages from coworkers asking how my vacation is going, and random messages from apps on my phone. There they are.

Twenty-seven missed calls from Lance in the last day, plus the hundred text messages he sent with empty promises if I came back to him about how he would treat me like a queen. But that doesn't work when they are followed by threats.

I hear the door open but don't turn around, knowing it was either Clayton or Joyce entering the room.

Instead I place the phone back on the table and turn towards the ocean with a sigh.

"Good morning," A chirpy voice says behind me. I look over my shoulder as Joyce joins me on the balcony. She is dressed and looks ready for the day, which surprises me by how drunk she was yesterday. She sits on the chair beside me and looks out at the ocean.

"Good morning. How are you feeling?" I ask while looking at her curiously with a smile on my face. She had a glow to her that told me she got laid.

"Like a new person," She says with a knowing smirk. "Woke up to the sexiest man I had ever seen in my bed but was confused when he told me we never did anything last night."

"Good because you were drunk. I would kill him if he would have."

"Yeah, yeah. But I got a wonderful good morning from him," A wide smile goes over her face and I shake my head at her.

"Somethings in your life I don't need to know. That happens to be one of them."

"Okay fine, enough about my sex life," She leans closer to me until her arm is brushed against mine. "Let's talk about yours."

"What are you talking about?" I ask while avoiding her gaze.

"Don't play with me. I saw that hunky man from the club last night leaving a little while ago. He knocked on our door and took Spencer with him. So I know he spent the night."

I smile slightly to myself as I look at her.

"You did!" She nearly screams and I shake my head with a laugh.

"You told me to let loose, so I'm taking notes from your book."

"Good girl. You need some good sex, we both know Lance was not doing anything for you," She says and I look back towards the ocean as my smile fades.

"Yeah," I say absentmindedly.

We let the sound of the waves fill the space before she spoke again.

"My friend went to the apartment to water the plants and saw him outside in his car. I think he is waiting for us to get back," She says and I let a sign out. "She called this morning and asked if she should call the police."

"There's nothing they are going to do about it. They will just tell him not to hang around our apartment and he will be on his way. Even if they did try to arrest him for something, he would talk his way out of it. He's smart in the sense of talking his way to getting what he wants with a smile and flashing his eyes."

"He's stalking you, Serena! We could get a restraining order when we get back."

I shake my head at her suggestion.

"He won't follow it. If anything it will just make him angrier." I tell her and look at her to see the sympathetic look in her eyes. "When we get back I will talk to him and figure something out. He must still have a sweet spot for me if he is this desperate to get me back so maybe he will listen."

"Or he will hit you again!" She screams in my ear. I shoot my eyes at her in a warning stare.

"Joyce, I will handle it, okay?" I snap and the anger disappears from her eyes. It's replaced with a sad look. "I will have a talk with him somewhere public so he can't do anything."

"I never would've seen him turn into a crazy jackass. He seemed nice," She says trailing off.

"I guess when one's masculinity is questioned, especially in front of their friends, they will do anything to prove they are stronger than you. I know men too well to know he won't give up until I am back with him or I am looking over my shoulder everywhere I go.

"He always had an obsessive part to him. Always wanting to control me and where I went. That's why I always overwork myself because it's the only place I can be away from him and not be expected to answer his messages."

"I didn't know that, why didn't you tell me?" She asks as she rests her head on my shoulder.

"I don't want to bother you with my problems."

"I'm proud of you though. If you wouldn't have said no to his proposal you would be trapped with that dickwad right now."

The sound of bags rustling in the bedroom caused us to turn around.

Spencer, and Clayton were looking over at us as they put a few bags and drinks on the dresser.

"Foods here," Spencer says while smiling at Joyce. I didn't even hear them come in.

"Thank God, I'm starving," Joyce says and nearly runs into the room. A chuckle escapes my lips as I look back over the ocean.

"Hungry?" A deep voice says next to my ear. I look over at Clayton as he places a bag on the table between us and hands me a coffee.

"You didn't have to do that," I say with a smile as I sip the cappuccino and let out a small moan.

"For that right there, I did," He says with a daring smirk.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Joyce asks as they enter the balcony and lean against the railing facing us as she takes a bite of her croissant.

Clayton hands me a bag and I smile at him as I take out a breakfast sandwich.

"I was thinking maybe the beach?" I ask and Joyce smiles widely. I knew she wanted an excuse to show her body off to Spencer every chance she got.

"Sounds good to me," Spencer says and glances at Clayton as he gives a small head nod.

"It's a date then!" Joyce yells and I see Clayton give her a side-eye at her high-pitched voice. I playfully kick his leg as I laugh under my breath.