Black Hand Vacation (Neiko Adventure Saga Book #3)

Chapter 3

Neiko was getting ready to meet with her friends for that evening, but she wanted to dress up a little bit extra for Monchiska. She was so ecstatic that her dream of dating him was finally a reality, but she wondered how that was going to sit with her ex husband Ramesses. As he saw it, they were still married, and he was already haunting her just as soon as she got back. Even though she "just" got back, he took the long route and added 3,000 years of them being apart to the table. He didn't hesitate to let her know that he hadn't forgotten anything about their relationship and remembered every detail.

He visited her every night to beckon her, woo her, and romance her. He insisted on picking up where they left off before she was "taken from him," and he would follow her footsteps all the days of her life. She tried to discourage his pursuit and reminded him that he was dead, she was alive, and why couldn't he let her live her life? He didn't hesitate to let her know she wouldn't continue her life without him and death wouldn't keep them apart. He definitely made good on his promise that he would do exactly that.

As she was putting on some of her Indian jewelry, she came across the fine gold and amethyst ring that was given to her as a love gift from Ramesses. She had awoken to find it on her left middle finger—the same one that Ramesses placed it on when he gave it to her—just about every morning. She would take it off and put it back into the jewelry box. She had thought about hiding it. He had instructed her not to take it off, but since it wasn't on her finger, he was going to make sure it was.

She picked it up and rubbed her fingers over the engravings and placed it on the finger he put it on, even though she had just taken it back off the last time she was home.

"Neiko, knock it off," she said, scolding herself for letting the fond memories surface. He had actually won her before her departure from him, but she tried to be in denial about it and not admit it to anyone, even to herself. Despite their rocky, stormy start—partly due to her own antics and those of her friends—the last six months she was with him, he was so passionate and romantic. He had promised he would spend the rest of his life making up to her what he had done in anger and haste if she would only allow him. That was about when she started falling for him. The fire of his touch and his kiss was completely disarming, and so was his charm just like Sito and Nefie said.

"It's over, and I won't see him again. I have Monchiska now, so I don't need him. I still can't believe he beat me and won me—never saw it coming. You gotta snap out of it," she said to herself, and she put the ring back into the jewelry box and slammed it shut. She had to take several deep breaths to shake the feeling off. It seemed like Ramesses was reaching to her from the trinket with his fiery touch and refusing to let go of her even at that moment.

Suddenly Neiko's normal phone rang--not the secret line to Hawote. She ran to the phone and answered, "Hello?"

To her dismay, it was Rebecca Cunningham, the blonde snob Monchiska had been going out with previously whom Neiko hadn't seen since high school. She knew that voice anywhere. "This is Rebecca. I called Antonio today, and he says he's going out with you!" she said rudely, because she only knew Monchiska by Antonio.

Neiko rolled her eyes and gritted her teeth. "So? How did you get this number? It's unlisted!" she snapped.

"That doesn't matter—I want you to stay away from him, do you hear me?" she threatened.

Neiko snorted. "No, he's so over you. He never really liked you."

"You better or else!" shouted Rebecca from her end.

"Or else what? Did you hire somebody to stake out my house? It he also a hitman that'll shoot me if I don't give in to your petty demands?"

"I don't know what you're talking about! I did not hire a hitman. All I was going to do was beat you up, you stupid little nerd!" she snarled.