Heart Stealer

Chapter 18 Epilogue

Amber's pov:

"Urgh, where is that stupid dress?!" I heard Thea grunting and groaning as she rummaged through her closet hunting for her favorite dress like a ravaging rhinoceros. I was plonked on her bed sorting through her earring box helping her find a matching set—her earrings were all thrown together into one box in a fine mess. She calls her system easy and tidy—I failed to see how. She usually ends up wearing the same pair lying on her dressing table every morning because it's too much trouble to do what I'm doing now.

Anyway, she had a date tonight with her golden prince Matteo (blegh, so mushy) and I was helping her get ready.

"Can't you just wear another dress?" I asked in a skeptical, bored voice. Thea clicked her tongue.

"No, Matteo likes me in pink, so I wanna wear pink!" She insisted stubbornly. Sheesh, women can get so touchy after they start dating. Hope I never end up like that.

"The world's not gonna end if you wear a little black dress," I drawled before smirking and going on, "and it'd give Matteo a little more access to your legs—"

"Amber!" Thea gasped, flinging a shirt in my face while I grinned. "Ugh, you are unbelievable!"

"What, it's not like you weren't thinking it yourself," I replied, continuing to smirk, "and I've seen the way he looks at you every time he comes over. He's got this look in his eyes like he wants to get you alone in a room and unleash that raw, burning desire he hides under his princely—"

"Will you please stop?!" Thea hissed at me, slapping her hand over my mouth. "You're fourteen, you're not supposed to know stuff like—seriously, Amber, you're really the limit!"

"Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week," I replied, bowing proudly. "Now did you settle on a dress?" Thea groaned and turned back to ravaging her closet, muttering 'pink dress, pink dress'. I returned to her earring box, trying to find literally anything that was a pair. I came across a single, heart-shaped earring with a gorgeous, glittery gem. I'd never seen it before and I'd been through Thea's jewelry a lot—we often swapped earrings. Fascinated, I quickly hunted for the matching pair and on finding it, I held them both up in the light.

"Hey, these are beautiful," I breathed, examining them with interest. "Mom never got you these, where'd you pick them up from, Thea?"

"Huh?" Thea turned around, gave the earrings a cursory glance and turned back to her closet.

"Oh, Pierce gave them to me," she said disinterestedly. I raised my eyebrows.

"And you still keep it?" I asked in surprise. "I thought you guys were over..."

"We are over, Amber," Thea said with emphatic insistence, "but when I tried to give him back the earrings, he wouldn't take them. He told me to throw them away but I can't just throw out something as expensive as that."

"Heck no, they're way too gorgeous," I said, handling the piece of jewelry with admiration.

"He gave me a snowflake pendant necklace too—didn't want to keep it but I'm stuck with it..." Thea mumbled, flinging more clothes on her bed. "It's in that red box on the dressing table." I quickly went over to check it out—damn, it was beautiful! Pierce gave her two gorgeous gifts while they were—er, together?

"Oooh, Thea, these are beautiful, can I have them? Since you wanna get rid of them anyway... please?" I pleaded, my eyes sparkling at the jewelry. Yeah, I had a weakness for pretty things, a feminine flaw in my otherwise tomboy soul.

"Sure, I wasn't gonna use them anyway..." Thea shrugged. "Besides, Matteo gave me a pair of golden, studded hoops I want to wear—oh! I should totally wear them tonight!"

"At least they're easier to find," I muttered, rolling my eyes as I took out the large hoops she was referring to for her. I put the heart earrings and snowflake necklace in my pocket saying, "Thanks for the gifts, Thea."

"I'm just glad they found a use," Thea said, turning to me. "Was a shame, just sitting there in that box, never seeing the light of day... oh my gosh!"

"What, what?" I asked, startled by Thea's exclamation.

"I just remembered... Mom gave all our good clothes for dry cleaning and I put them in the closet downstairs when they returned! Ugh, how could I be so stupid and forget?! My pink dress has gotta be there!" With that, Thea raced downstairs like a Mad Hatter to a tea party. Yup, stupid sounds accurate... Sheesh, women. I turned back to the jewelry box Pierce had given her—I suddenly saw a little piece of paper sticking out from under the cushion. Curious, I removed the cushion and found two folded notes. Aw dang, it was too tempting not to read... and Thea won't mind if I read... at least, she won't find out...

I quickly opened and read them. They were written in a beautiful cursive hand and were love notes—signed by Pierce! I didn't think Thea kept these intentionally but... they sure were heart-touching.

For the damage I caused. Plus a bonus because you have two hearts. Yours and mine. Wonder what he meant by damage... I bet he was referring to the earrings concerning the hearts... The second one read—Because you remind me of a snowflake. Perfectly exquisite and unique.

Oh, how romantic! Damn, Pierce was a real keeper, a total charmer. The guy was pretty darn hot too—I remember seeing him when he came over on two occasions. I bet the ladies found him mouth-watering... but the real mind-boggler was that Thea turned a guy who writes love notes and gives exquisite gifts like this down for Matteo? Well, I guess it's her preference... but, gosh, if it were me...

"I FOUND IT!" Thea announced excitedly with a squeal, returning with her pink dress held up in her arms.

"Whoohoo, yay, good for you..." I mumbled, stuffing the notes hastily in my pocket so she wouldn't see. "Guess you don't need me anymore, you better get ready. Don't wanna keep your man waiting..."

"Yeah, you're right, scoot!" Thea said, flapping me out with her dress. I hopped off her bed and returned to my room, shutting the door behind me. I flopped on my beanbag and pulled out the notes and the jewelry, examining them once more. Damn, Thea sure was lucky to have had a guy who had loved her enough to give her these... sure she's happy with Matteo—but still. I leaned back and closed my eyes, holding the notes and the jewelry close to my heart. For once, I wish I could find true love in a guy like this... a guy who'd write love notes to me and give me little gifts to show his affection... a guy like... Pierce...

To be continued... 

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AHHH we're at the end!🤩🥳 But don't worry, this is just the end of book 2, there's still book 3!!! Head over to TRUE LOVERS, book 3 of the series to enjoy the finale of my story! And thanks for making to the end here, I know it was a bumpy ride, but you stuck with Thea! Do leave your thoughts and reactions I'd love to hear from you! Farewell for now, see you in book 3!😘❤

♡MJ