Page 2 of Deadly Desires

Two

Jaxon

She doesn’t see me as she leaves my little sister’s bookshop, almost bumping into me as she goes.

“Excuse me, sorry.” She rushes out as she scrambles not to drop her coffee and the book in her arms. She doesn’t even glance my way as she fumbles with her things. She’s skittish and ready to take flight, much like a little bird.

I’ve been watching her since I caught sight of her walking down the street earlier this morning. She’s beautiful. She wears little to no makeup, but she doesn’t need it. She has skin like porcelain, all smooth and unblemished other than a few piercings that accentuate her face. She has long brown hair pulled back into a messy bun, eyes as green as springtime grass, and curves that make me want to bite my fist. She definitely has some extra cushion; her plump ass and generous breasts are apparent even under the coat she wears. And do I ever have a thing for voluptuous women.

She’s average height, maybe five foot six inches, but definitely considered short when compared to my towering six foot five inch frame. I am instantly transfixed by her. I don’t know why that is, especially seeing that I have no shortage of women to choose from, but suddenly they all pale in comparison to her. None of them transfix me the way she does.

She hurries off, leaving me looking after her as she goes. I guess I’ll stop and say hi to little sister later. I follow but not too closely. I mix in with the crowd on main street, never losing sight of her cute, messy bun. When she left the bookstore, I noticed dark circles under her eyes like she doesn’t get much sleep. It triggers something in me. She walks with a slight skip to her step now, making me instantly angry that I am not the source of that happiness. This is absurd. I don’t even know this woman, and I’m already obsessed with wanting her. How is she doing this to me?

I continue walking after her, even as she turns the corner and gets in her car. It appears she parked conveniently close to me. As I walk a little further down the road and past her vehicle, I do a quick peek behind me, relieved to see she’s still sitting in her car. The car that looks like she probably comes from money, although, I can’t see the make and model from where I am, just that it’s black and sleek. I get in my car and buckle up as soon as I see her put on the blinker. I can’t have her driving away before I get a chance to see where my mystery woman lives.

As she peels off into traffic, I wait a few cars behind before pulling out with my BMW M8 F92. She’s an alpine white beauty but is mainly the vehicle I take to and from work. I have a few other vehicles, but this one is the most inconspicuous for when I go out around the town, and definitely the least expensive compared to my others. As I watch from afar, I memorize her license plate for when I get home and can give it to Franklin, the greatest hacker south of Silicon Valley. He’s the best of the best, my closest friend, and one of the few people I actually trust. He’ll be able to dig up everything I need to know about my little sparrow.

Three

Melody

It’s way too early for this. I set my alarm for 6 A.M., but I hit snooze one too many times so now I’m running behind schedule. I’m nervous, but I have a good feeling about this job. Brooke just seems so nice and I’m looking forward to working someplace where I have some independence.

All the other jobs I’ve ever had, I always had someone breathing down my neck to make sure I did my job right. But here, I have freedom. The pay is phenomenal and being surrounded by books is another plus.

Once I’m all ready, my makeup lightly done, I leave the house realizing that I have no time to stop at the little coffee shop next to my new job. Oh well, guess I have to power through the day. I get in my car, blast some music, and make my way into town.

I show up a few minutes early, thank god—a habit I picked up from my mom. It’s better to be early than late, she always used to say, and it’s been instilled in me ever since.

I walk through the door to One More Chapter and find Brooke with a sage colored cart full of books. The morning sun is casting light within the store, creating a feeling of nostalgia and bliss. The sweet aroma of coffee is in the air, and I instantly regret not waking up earlier to get my coffee fix.

“Hey girl! I’m so glad you made it! There’s a coffee machine behind the counter and creamer in the mini fridge if you want to help yourself before we get started,” she says excitedly.

“Oh my god, thank you. I woke up late today and didn’t have time to stop. You’re a lifesaver!”

“No problem! Feel free to help yourself to coffee or water in the fridge during your shifts too. I buy it specifically for us. Can’t be surviving without coffee these days!”

“Isn’t that the truth. Thank you again, I truly appreciate it.”

“Once you’re done getting your coffee, come over by me and I’ll show you the ropes on stocking the books and displays.”

We spend the next hour going through how to scan the books and categorize them throughout the store. I’m also shown how to stock the merchandise. They have everything from coffee mugs, candles, bookmarks, stickers, tote bags, and even vibrators by the spicy section of the store.

She shows me the storage room where all the books and merchandise are kept. It’ll be my responsibility to keep the store stocked during my shifts, but other than that, the job itself seems easy enough. Brooke even let me know during slow periods, if all tasks are done and caught up on, I can bring a book to read during my shift; preferably a book in the store so I have recommendations for customers that ask for them. I don’t know how this job could get any better, but I am completely sold!

Brooke has to be the sweetest boss I’ve ever had. Even though she’s younger than me, she seems like an old soul. I’ve learned quite a bit about her from our morning learning the ropes. Brooke majored in English and is twenty-three years old. Her and her brother were adopted by their aunt and uncle when they were little and lost their parents to a car accident. She opened the bookstore immediately after college and never looked back. She’s the youngest of her siblings. Apparently, her aunt and uncle also took in two other boys, both older than her. Brooke also mentioned that her biological brother was a significant help to getting the bookshop up and running, helping her fund the opening inventory order and completely renovating the space to what it is now.

“So tell me a little more about you, girl,” she queries.

“Not much to tell other than I’m an only child from a wealthy family. I’m twenty-eight years old. My parents have raised me to present myself by their standards, so you can imagine how upset they were when I got my piercings and tattoos. I ruined their perfect little princess,” I reply, sarcasm dripping from my last sentence and a chuckle slipping past my lips.

“I was once pursuing a degree in criminal law, but I haven’t worked in the field in over a year now. I wanted to find something I loved doing. It upsets my parents that I’m not going back into law, but oh well.” I shrug my shoulders while taking a sip of my coffee.

“Sounds like you were raised with some pretty high standards. Any love interest in your life?” she asks while waggling her eyebrows.

“HA, definitely not. I am A-OK being single. I was engaged at one point, but that’s a story for another time.”

“WOW! I can’t wait to hear that one. Guy must have been quite the douche to let you go.”

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