Deadly Passion (Book 2)

Deadly Passion (5)

A Year Later

Priscilla Blake-O'Connor grinned at the barista as he served her coffee. She always came to this specific coffee shop after her mornings at the gym around the corner. With all this free time in the mornings, she figured she better do something with it. Priscilla had created a routine for herself and she finally felt at ease. She would work out in the mornings, grab a coffee after, go home for lunch and a good swim then by the afternoon she would be off to get Janessa from school.

It was your ideal trophy wife life but she didn't mind. She had money coming in without even lifting a finger. As soon as she got back from New York, she begged her father to help jump start her little business; since James did a shit job with their finances. Now, three years later her makeup line was flying off the shelves and she couldn't be happier.

As she turned to go, she bumped into somebody and almost spilled her beverage. "Watch it."

"You watch it." She countered while trying to put space between them.

"Priscilla?"

When she looked up, she locked eyes with Craig Greene; her ex boyfriend whom she was forced to breakup with by her father.

"H-hey, Craig." He was just as handsome as she remembered.

"How are you?"

"Great. And you?" She held her coffee cup tighter.

"Good." He paused. "It's good to see you."

"You too." She tried to scurry off but he held her arm.

"Give me a call sometimes." He gave her his card then let her go.

Once she was safe on the outside of the shop, she took a long deep breath. Craig was her first everything back when she was a teen. They had planned to elope once she turned eighteen but by then her father stepped in and uprooted her life.

As she walked away, her heart still did that flippy thing like when she was a teen.

_________________________

"So what flavor cake do you want?" Priscilla asked as Janessa jumped into the front seat of her Range Rover.

"You know you don't have to do anything special, right?"

"I don't care. You're turning thirteen; a teenager. This is huge."

"It's no big deal. I don't want you to go all out for me."

"Why wouldn't I?" Priscilla asked as she flipped her indicator to turn left.

"Because I'm not really... your child." Janessa said with caution.

A pause.

"Do you think I'd treat you any less?"

Another pause.

"I know it's not the same."

"Janessa, I know it's only been a year since you came to live with us but I love you. I've loved you since I met you. I'd never treat you any less than my own child. Okay?" She turned to look at Janessa; who sat with her head down.

"Chocolate." She mumbled.

"What was that?" A smile found its way to her lips.

"For the cake."

_______________________

Somewhere in the corner of the break room, someone started up the coffee percolator and it began making that unbearable noise when it was brewing. Hailey sat at her little corner and sipped her green tea. She found that green tea helped settle her nerves because lately she felt herself slowly going off.