Page 5 of Forget Me Not

ALARIC

June 18, 2022

Hampton, SC

There she is.The thief of the air in my lungs. The sole reason I feel my heart beat in my chest. I’ve seen her countless times, but I swear each time is like the first.

Her caramel-colored hair cascades around her face as she bends forward and reaches into her purse that’s hooked beneath the bar.

In a split second, her emerald eyes skim the large bay window in front of the bar, as if she’s searching for me. I keep watching, knowing she can’t see me behind the tinted windows of the car I’m in.The last thing I want is for the image of my face to be etched in her memory.She’s aware of my presence. I make sure she is. But I keep my distance, just enough to make sure my identity stays hidden.

When we meet—and we will meet—I want it to be like the first time. An impromptu encounter. Maybe she’ll bump into me and drop a stack of papers and we’ll scramble to pick them up off the side of the road while our eyes lock and our movements freeze. I’ll play hard to get at first, because I know my girl and she likes a challenge.

Or maybe she’ll search a crowd and suddenly see me. I’ll steal her breath with my gaze the same way she has stolen mine. Whatever the scenario, it will be unforgettable.

Sometimes I find myself wishing I didn’t know her at all, because then I wouldn’t have this agonizing feeling. As if I need to pull her close and melt her body into mine.

With the face and body of an angel, she’s got a soul as dark as night. Lacking a moral compass, she does whatever the fuck she wants and pays no mind to the havoc she wreaks. We’re alike in that way—going after what we want and not letting anyone stand in our way.

She’s untamable and unhinged. It’s become evident over the weeks of tracking her—and finding her—that my girl wasn’t born to be caged, and I have no intention of trying to tame her. She’s perfect exactly how she is. I just want to watch her wild ways, and when the time is right, I’ll run with her.

For the last couple months, I’ve been on a mission to seize the girl of another man’s dreams. It all started as a quest to find her—for him. He may want her, but he’s not willing to put in the same work for her as I am.

The moment I saw Rhea, all grown up, my heart forced my plans to change as quickly as her location did. I made a deal, and now I have every intention of breaking it. Regardless of everything I will lose, he will not get what was so obviously meant to be mine.

Everywhere she goes, I find her. Because much like she will never forget me, I cannot forget her.

Until then, I’ll sit back and wait. If I get too close, too soon, she could slip away somewhere I may never find her. But the clock is ticking and before long, my little wildcat is going to know exactly who I am and what I intend to do with her.

The older man she’s sitting at the bar with leans in, a smile on his face that I wanna rip off and nail to the bedframe as I fuck some sense into Rhea. The veins in my neck protrude to the point of eruption. My fists clench the back passenger door handle, ready to tear it open and take what’s mine.

If there’s one thing I’m grateful for at this moment, it’s the full-wall window inside the bar that allows me to track her every move. This isn’t the first time I’ve watched Rhea throw herself at men. I keep my wits about me, though. I know it’s a survival tactic. It's the only way she knows, because it’s the only way she’s been taught. Really, I blame the men she targets for being such ignorant bastards, actually believing a girl like her would be interested in guys like them. Then again, they only want one thing from her and that’s to slide their dirty cocks into her tight cunt, and that thought knots my stomach in a white-hot ball of rage.

Lately, it’s becoming almost too agonizing to watch and I’ve found myself intervening. As hard as I try not to, something snaps inside me and I lose all self-control. I keep reminding myself that it won’t be long and the scams and tricks can end. She’ll never want for anything because I will give her everything she could ever hope for.

I watch as the man’s eyes travel from Rhea to another female passing by. My jaw clenches when I see his gaze land on her ass. How dare he look at another woman when he’s got undeniable perfection sitting right in front of him. My fingers twitch while spit builds in the corner of my mouth.

When his attention returns to Rhea, she’s unfazed, but I’m certainly not.

As the rich prick runs his grimy fingers down her bare leg, my patience begins to wear thin. I clear my throat and force myself to look away.He’s going to live to regret touching her. Or rather, stop living altogether.

Stealing quick glances, I gnaw on my balled fist in an attempt to alleviate some of the rage I’m feeling. Minutes later, she spins her ass on the stool and steps down. I straighten my back, watching keenly.

Leaning into the man, she puts her hand on his shoulder and her lips brush his earlobe as she whispers something that delights him.

Rhea walks away to the restroom, I presume. I could go in and grab her right now, slap a hand over her mouth and drag her out the back entrance into the dark parking lot. She would be all mine. But she’d never stop fighting to be free. The harder I’d try to make her love me, the more she’d resent me. That’s not the life I want for us.

Instead, I’ll be patient. I’ll wait. And I’ll wait some more. Because an eternity with Rhea doesn’t hold a candle to these short days we’re apart.

My chest aches, knowing she’s going to run again after this, and I’ll have to track her down again on the app. It’s the inevitable game we play.

Taking a moment to check my surroundings, I decide it’s safe to make my move, though I need to be quick.

“Keep it running,” I tell Leonard, my driver. I push open the car door and step out onto the sidewalk. With my hands in the front pockets of my black trench coat, and my ball cap dipped low, I enter the hotel bar, taking the seat she kept warm for me.

The old man looks in my direction, his guard down when it should be raised. “That’s quite a looker you got on your arm tonight,” I say, making small talk.

“She sure is a beauty.” His voice is thick and coarse. If I had to guess, I’d say he’s a former smoker, which only makes this next part easier. Everyone knows smoking can wear out your heart.

---