He rested his chin on his hand and sipped his drink through a red straw. He did not take his eyes off Clare, who was looking at the sea with sad eyes. Since he squatted down next to her, she looked absent-minded. She was so thoughtful that she didn't even notice that she had company.
His lips twisted in a smile when his bare foot touched her calf, and she jumped up in her chair, a dim look on her old friend's face.
- Blonde, why are you so dim? Look what beautiful weather we have today. It's hot, sunny, the perfect opportunity to have a refreshing drink and forget about your problems. You should take an example from me," he announced in a cheerful voice, slipping the straw to her lips.
- Get lost, Ian," she replied snottily, disgusted by his company. Her mood was nasty enough, so now she didn't need a person who could disturb her mood even more.
He leaned over the table, resting his hands on the tabletop, and looked at the girl carefully from a close distance.
- Are you sad because it will soon be our engagement? Oh, how sorry I am... - he declared with feigned concern.
She threw a hateful glance at him and, clenching her teeth, hissed:
- There will be no engagement.
She rose from her chair intending to walk away from him, but he did not allow her to do so. He grabbed her wrist, holding her to him.
- Too bad you weren't so brave when that man approached you," he replied with a sneer in his voice. The blonde's eyes expressed rage, with which she wanted to inform the boy not to annoy her anymore. - Well, what are you looking at? You are the only one who can pretend to be brave in front of me, not to mention how you behave in the presence of Felix. You curl your tail and nod at everything he says. It's pathetic.
- Pathetic is you," she declared in a nervous voice. She jerked her hand out of his grasp, but Ian did not let her go this time either. He grabbed her by the back of her blouse and pulled her close. - What the hell are you doing!
- Shut up. - She blinked her eyelids, confused by his behavior.
She followed the boy's gaze and put her hand to her mouth when a man sitting at the table caught her attention. This was the man who that day had approached Clare unambiguously letting her know that she should watch out for herself.
- If I were you, wife, I would start to worry because I think this man is watching you. - Ian's words made the girl tremble. The boy sensed it because he lowered his head and looked at her. - Are you sure that before that meeting you had never seen him before?
- No," she replied in a depressed voice.
- I could shoot that you have a sassy middle-aged admirer, but looking at you.... - He broke off and carefully measured her. - That can't be true. You don't have the stunning beauty of Victoria Secret's model type.
The blonde ignored his statement. The absence of a stupid text from Ian's mouth would be a day lost for everyone. He had to jerk something off, and especially at the wrong time.
- I know you're an idiot and everything makes you laugh, but I don't think it's funny.
- And who said I was making fun of myself? - he muttered, offended by her words. - I can help you. How about this? I'll kiss you, letting him know that I'm your fiancé, and then the man will definitely let go. I guarantee that he will go, and you will never see him again.
- Ian, stop it. - Clare noticed that the man was looking at her, and with a smile under his breath suggested that she should start to fear him. - For once, show some adult personality and walk me home.
- If I'm going to show my adult personality, the best way to demonstrate it would be to slap him. What do you say?
- First you should knock yourself out. Maybe you'll finally come to your senses.
She took one last look at the man, noticing that he was talking to someone on the phone. Nevertheless, he watched her, and when he noticed that the girl was heading toward the parking lot, he rudely raised his hand to say goodbye to her.
Ian pushed her forward, proposing that she hurry. He looked over his shoulder and sent the man a warning glance, however, the man there no longer paid attention to them. He was immersed in a phone conversation, carefully explaining something to the person on the other end of the receiver.
*
The blonde headed down the sidewalk, not paying attention to people's gazes. Intent and absent-minded in spirit, she considered all theories; she recalled every situation, trying to understand why she found the man who threatened her. He was following her and clearly toying with her, letting her know that she should watch out for herself.
Why?
At first glance, he looked like an elegant, well-groomed man with adequate cash in his wallet, so why would someone with that kind of appearance be a hoodlum looking to do harm to a teenage girl?
Walking behind the girl, Ian furrowed his brow, looking at her bare feet, as she hadn't worn shoes since she left the beach. She held them in her hand and wasn't bothered by any stones or other dangerous debris lying on the ground.
- Just a moment more and you'll start leaving bloody footprints behind you, wifey," he called back to Clare, but the girl ignored his remark. - Blondie, you're about to be run into by a bicycle," he warned her, so she lazily walked to the side. - Now you've heard me, so why did you pour over the first sentence?
He didn't get an answer, which ultimately upset him. He sped up his step and stopped the girl, catching her by the shoulders.
- Why do you irritate me so much? Since you got involved with that idiot, you have changed beyond recognition. I'd love to put a slap on your head to make you finally come to your senses. Do you think that's a good idea? - he suggested, embracing her around the waist and lifting her up. The blonde opened her eyes wider, only now realizing that she was floating in the air. - First, let your ugly shoes out of your hands. - She didn't understand why she did it, but she obeyed him. - Well, please, what a good girl. Now that the shoes are lying underneath you, put your dirty feet in them right after I let you go.
She put on the shoes and when she turned to face Ian, she raked him with her eyes.
- Touch me again, and I'll slap you upside the head," she threatened him.
- But you've become numb. - His attention was caught by Paul walking from across the street. - And another bore is heading in our direction, so I'm going because it will still come over me. See you around, time-wasters," he replied in a weary voice as Belluci threw him a distrustful glance.
Ian turned his back on them and retraced his steps toward the beach.
- What did he want from you?
- He was poisoning my life, as usual. - She forced a smile, catching her friend under the arm. - Paul, think of something. Take me to a place where I can forget everything for a while.
- Is something wrong? We haven't talked for a long time, so I think you want to tell me something. - He fixed his worried eyes on her as he noticed how wasted she was on her face. - Are you in trouble?
- I don't know what's going on, but when something goes wrong, that's when everything falls on a person's head," she announced, keeping pace with him. - I met Felix at his mother's grave, and he clearly communicated to me that I was never a special person for him. He did not love me.
The boy stopped in mid-step and lifted his lips slightly.
- He directly said this to your face?
- That's precisely what he did," she declared in an unhappy voice, feeling tears coming to her eyes as she remembered how painful that moment was. - And as if that weren't cruel enough, there's still somebody attached to me. He is watching me and threatening me, although I don't even know who he is.
Paul looked above her head at the tree. He looked as if he were contemplating something.
- And you didn't even think for a moment about connecting the two?
The blonde wrinkled her eyebrows.
- You mean... - She broke off in mid-sentence, guessing what Paul was trying to suggest to her.
- I think it's too much of a coincidence to call it a coincidence.
He was right. How could she not have thought of that before?
*
A sinister expression was painted on Ian's face as he directed his steps directly to the man who had followed Clare. The 40-year-old savored the taste of beer as he watched the teenage girls walking past him.
The brunet slammed his fists on the table to communicate his presence. The man shifted his gaze to him and put his glass to his lips, clearly amused by his behavior.
- Why are you watching Clare? What do you want from her?
- I am watching her because she is pretty. Can't I? They haven't punished anyone for watching yet," he replied, playing with the cell phone in his hand.
- Our engagement is about to happen. She is the woman I will marry. Get away from her," he announced, piercing the man with an electrifying gaze.
- I like young girls, but family I don't touch," he declared in an amused voice. - Ian, sometimes I wonder if you have inherited your character from me. We have so many traits in common.
- Clare is untouchable and you know it well. You promised me something. - Ian clenched his fists, which caught the man's attention. - We had an agreement.
- After all, I didn't do anything to her....
- You threatened her.
The 40-year-old stuck his eyes on his nephew, noticing that he was not going to let him go.
- When you told me about this boy, I didn't think he would be so good at fighting. You wanted to get rid of him, get him away from Clare, so I agreed because he's perfect at it. I needed someone on whom I could make a lot of money. Everything went according to plan. I was never going to touch the blonde, but now everything has changed.... - Ian furrowed his brow as he didn't like the last sentence he heard from his uncle's mouth. - I still require Felix because he was my best player. It didn't even work that we killed his mother. He probably didn't have the best relationship with her, but this girl means a lot more to him. We checked it out. - The man finished his beer and got up from the table. Ian did not take his eyes off him. - I've already said that family doesn't touch me, so get married to her, and then I'll give her a break. The moment she becomes your wife, she will be safe.
He tried to walk away, but the boy tugged on his arm and forced him to look at him.
- Clare has nothing to do with him anymore. A year ago they separated, so you are making a mistake. If you do something to her, then I will also stand up for her. I will destroy you even if we have family ties. My mother hates you for the life you lead, so why can't I too?
- Because you know very well that I am your last resort if something goes wrong. I'm the only one you can look to for help, and you're well aware that life with your parents is damn hard. - Smiling under his breath, he patted his nephew on the shoulder, letting him know that he shouldn't bark too loudly.
*
They walked in the center of town, and although Clare kept pace with her friend, her thoughts were far away from what was going on around him.
Paul was right when he said that it was all too interconnected to call it a coincidence, although he didn't rule out that it actually could have been.
The blonde only became interested in him when he started nervously nudging his feet because he hadn't answered the call and Rosalie started barraging him with insulting messages.
At that moment, he looked like a hysterical child, which was unlike the calm boy he was every day. Everything changed when his parents decided to ruin his future and hand him over to a monster.
This girl brought him out of his shell and turned his life so far into hell.
- Pick up and talk to her; otherwise she won't give you a break," suggested Clare, with a movement of her head indicating him to step aside.
The boy sighed heavily and put the phone to his ear with a disgusted expression.
- What do you want, viper? - Those were the only words she managed to hear before the boy moved away. He was probably ashamed of the conversation he had to have with his future wife. Rosalie could be persistent and yell over the phone so loudly that everyone could hear her.
Clare stretched her arms up and yawned loudly, as she was unexpectedly bored. She looked around, and her attention was caught by a car, a luxury car belonging to the man who had been bothering her.
He was standing on the side of the sidewalk, but the tinted windows prevented her from seeing the person inside the vehicle.
The passenger read her intentions or noticed that she was looking in his direction because he tilted the window. He greeted her with a smile on his face and, with his phone pressed to his ear, rubbed his brow.
- Are you sure you would rather not see me? Because if you refuse so stubbornly, I will find another companion for pleasant conversations," he replied, looking at Clare. - I am just looking at a pretty blonde who looks like a girl with character. I think a conversation with this person will be fascinating.
The man put down the phone and leaned with his hands against the open window of the car door. Clare uncertainly took a few steps back, nervously looking at her friend shouting into the receiver.
- What do you want from me? - she asked more boldly.
- I could want many things from you, that's why you asked the wrong question," he replied, ignoring the phone. - It would have been better if you had asked: what's your problem, boy? - He smiled under his breath, taking pleasure in the sight of her frightened face.
- You could start acting like a grown-up guy and explain to me: what's your issue? - She emphasized the last words clearly, losing patience with this man. This was all starting to get very disturbing, and she was going to report the whole situation to the police.
- I could, but you are not the person who should know about this commotion. You are simply a nice addition, let's say a bargaining chip.
The girl squinted, looking at him carefully.
- Do you have any connection with Felix? - She asked directly, but noticing his surprised yet admiring face, she realized that Paul was right.
- You are smarter than I thought," he declared, glancing at her blond hair.
- Smart enough that I will report the entire situation to the police. No one will intimidate me. I'm sick of you watching me all the time," she communicated, and although her voice trembled at one point, she tried to keep her cool.
- The police? - The man snorted, amused by her plans. - The police will only make your situation worse, so you'd better keep quiet and nothing will happen to you. Let me say it again: you are my bargaining chip, and you will be until Felix kneels before me and begs to return. Therefore, do everything to make him agree. Otherwise, I will poison your life.
The man covered the glass, and Paul ran up to his friend. He noticed that she was frightened, so he understood that something was wrong.
- Rosalie, shut up and don't call me again! - he yelled over the phone, rudely breaking the connection. He could no longer listen to her whining, and even if she was going to complain to her parents about how he was treating her, he decided to take all the criticism.
- That was the man," muttered Clare, glancing at the car, which was still standing in one place. - Why doesn't he drive away?
- It's possible he's waiting for something....
- ...or for someone," the blonde added, hearing the sound of an oncoming pursuer. For a moment her heart stood still, she didn't know whether for the sake of what might happen, or after that day she was afraid of another encounter with Felix?
He pulled up on a sidewalk full of walking people and stopped the motorcycle with a squeal of tires. He frightened passersby who found his behavior rude; however, the boy paid no attention to their wry glances and the insults they directed in his direction.
He opened the window of his helmet and sent a diabolical look to the man who was sitting in the car.
- Get in," he spoke in a firm voice, and when the girl did not approach him, only then did he turn his attention to her. - I said: get in," he repeated in an angry tone, but she stuck in one place, nervously glancing at her friend. She didn't dare look Felix in the face. - Don't annoy me, Clare," he replied in a softer tone, and when he noticed that the man had opened the car door, he couldn't stand it and shouted at her. - Get in, for fuck's sake!
- He knows something. Go with him. - The blonde sent her friend a puzzled look, not supposing that he himself would tell her that she should do it.
- Paul...
- Go to him," he confirmed, nodding discreetly, pointing to Felix.
With a tentative step, she approached her ex-boyfriend. She sat down on a raised seat, unsure if she should embrace him.
After their last conversation, she began to feel uncomfortable in his company.
The man got out of the car and adjusted his jacket, which was perfectly tailored to his muscular figure. He was in his forties, yet still looked attractive.
- You came here, but I wonder for what purpose. Did you agree to talk to me, or are you trying to play knight? - He asked, smiling mockingly.
He didn't get an answer, but Felix's middle finger was enough to inform him that he should stay away from them.