Title: The
Keeper: Awakening
Author: O. L.
Ramos
Genre: Paranormal
Romance
Tour Host: Lady
Amber's Tours
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Vincent’s information has revealed the world for what it is; a place where the impossible is real, and myths and legends walk slyly in shadow. A world that
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Chapter
5
As the hours pass by, I consider more and
more that conversation with Michael. It’s all so much to take in. I can’t help
but feel more than a little foolish as I recap to myself everything I said to
him. He must see me as a complete loony; he can’t possibly be seriously
considering what I said to be true.
Yet he stayed there the entire time. His
eyes were focused and without judgment. He made me believe he wasn’t lying.
That I could trust him, and I do. The entire issue was still completely out-of-this-world
crazy, though.
I go to bed that night with all of these
thoughts swirling around in my mind. Chalk up another sleepless night. This is
getting old…
When I make it to Jack’s place, he can
tell right away how ragged I am. I’m sure my hair is a mess and I can feel my
eyes almost desperate to jump out from my head. I’m exhausted. But there is
nothing I can do. I made a promise to my friend to take her shift, and if I
hadn’t come in, Jack would be in big trouble.
After I bat away Jack and Roy
Before I even notice, it’s close to
quitting time. Michael’s text messages help the day go by faster and even
though I’m ecstatic to see him tonight, I don’t think I’m up to it. The door to
the restaurant swings open and my heart jumps immediately. I’m hoping it’s
Michael so he can just sit at the bar with the boys and keep me company until
we are really done for the entire day.
But instead of a surprise early visit from
Michael, it’s just another customer. Except I’ve never seen him before in my
life. And honestly, I don’t know if it’s the exhaustion or the last-minute
patron, but this guy has me feeling irked.
Until I see his face, that is.
He stares at me with a smirk on his face.
He has this arrogant look about him, the kind of look that would make me almost
immediately hate him. But his face is perfect. He’s almost the complete
opposite of Michael. Whereas Michael has green eyes this man’s are sea blue,
and they glisten like sapphires. Once again I find myself wondering if a
person’s eyes could possibly really be that color. They are just so blue. The
angles of his face, his cheeks, his complexion, he is…beautiful. Instead of
Michael’s big, athletic build, this man is
lithe, but his muscles are also very clearly defined. His hair is light,
not like a dyed blonde, but his hair almost looks as if it is spun of gold.
“Hey sweetheart,” he whispers softly near
me. I’m so lost in my own thoughts I must not have noticed him walking towards
me. “You are the one to see about a
table, right? Or am I being too presumptuous?”
He smiles at me confidently, seductively.
His smile is also perfect. This guy has to be a model or something. If he
isn’t, he really should be.
“This way,” I reply as I walk him to a
table. I extend my arm and motion for him to sit, but he just stands there,
looking at me. Almost as if he’s judging me.
“I think we have a mutual friend,
Elizabeth,” he whispers again as if we are exchanging pillow talk.
“And who might that be?”
Truth be told, this guy is incredibly
attractive. But I’ve seen his kind a million times before, all over campus.
Spoiled rich kid who‘s been given everything he ever wanted in his life.
Exhibit A is his perfect smile. It screams of braces and whitening treatments.
Besides, I am technically seeing Michael.
Technically. And I am way too inexperienced in romance to even be thinking of
flirting with a guy like this.
“I know where this is headed, hotshot,” I
respond assertively. “You’re a great looking guy, and I’m sure you have all the
women fawning over you. But I’m just not that type of girl. I never was and I
doubt I ever will be. Besides, I like my men to be manly and honorable. I bet
you’re just your typical player who stepped out of a fashion catalog. So if you
don’t mind, here is your menu, if you need anything, I’ll be waiting right over
there.”
“Ouch, crash and burn,” he says, feigning
a wounded heart. “Always treat your customers that way? How could you earn a
living like that? I’m guessing you’re a student, right? Working here to make
ends meet? The public can’t possibly tip you well with that attitude. I like
that attitude, though. It’s like a tiger, caged all her life. All she needs is
someone to release the lock.”
“Very smooth turnaround,” I remark
sharply. I wasn’t lying, either, but I try to make it sound as snarky as I can
as I turn to walk away. I give him my back in hopes of hiding my smile. Something
about his confidence is really attractive. “Just let me know when you get your
mind settled on something to eat.”
“You should really take my advice, you
know,” he continues, unfazed. “I know what I’m talking about. The customer is
always right and all that. It’ll affect your tips. But then again, I’m sure you
aren’t really concerned about tips right now, are you? Good ol’ Michael is
tipping you as much as you need, isn’t he?”
I feel both indignation and fear. Who is
this creepy model guy who knows about Michael?
“Is that the mutual friend you spoke of
earlier?” I ask, still turned around to avoid his expression.
“Yep, sure is,” he answers proudly. I
imagine a large grin on his face. “You’re really quick to judge people. That’s
a very savage quality, especially in a young lady like you. You don’t want the
folks around here to think of you as unladylike, would you? But then again,
they really don’t have you figured out…do they? I wonder why that is.”
I turn slowly towards him and prepare
myself for the worst. Did Michael tell this guy everything about us? Is this
his employee, or a friend? Or maybe even worse, some sort of relative?
He smiles at me again and extends his hand
to me.
“Please, sit down here,” he says as I
notice his eyes staring deeply into mine. “It’s a really comfortable booth.
Take a seat next to me, I insist. You could learn a thing or two.”
As if the sea truly was in his eyes, those
two deep blue orbs are sucking me in. I feel a need to sit down next to him as
he asks. But I’m not that type of girl.
And I’m definitely not falling for
his playboy crap. I want to know everything he knows about Michael.
So I’ll bite and listen to him rant. For
now.
I
walk closer to the booth and sit across from him. Ironically, we’re in the same
exact booth I sat Michael down in when we first met. I notice the man’s face
smirk once more as he chuckles to himself.
“I see,” he says softly, as if he is the
only person in the room who gets the joke. “Well then, so your Michael’s new
friend eh? It’s the talk on the internet and newspapers worldwide.”
I eye him suspiciously as I arrange the
salt and pepper shakers on the table. He’s starting to make me more than a bit
nervous. Is Michael really the kind of guy that would brag about us to his
friends? We haven’t even done
anything yet! If he is that type, I
swear…I could just punch him in the face.
But I do suppose it’s my fault as well.
I’m the one that’s rushing into everything. And I also might have made Michael
out to be better than he is. He’s the first guy I ever dated as an adult. after
all. Who am I kidding? He’s the first guy I’ve ever dated.
“Don’t pout, now,” the man says as he
reaches for my face. “I’m only joking. I’m sorry; I have a dark sense of humor.
I hope it can grow on you?”
“That’s not something you joke about. I
have never been accused of being that kind of girl. I don’t intend to start
that reputation now either.”
“What kind of girl are you referring to
exactly?” he asks with another confident smile. “A girl who has fun? As opposed
to the nun you currently are?” He places his right elbow on the table and
plants his face in his hand, examining me closely. Just who does this guy think
he is?
“So, let me get this straight,” I say as I
motion to Roy
“Hey now, I can see you’re getting upset,”
he states as he straightens and offers his hands up in peace. “I never meant
anything like that. But I do have a way of knowing people. For example, I can
tell you’re a very intelligent girl. You want to be taken seriously. And
although you could get by in the world easily with your looks, you want to get
by with your brains. You’re also a goody two shoes. Were you a girl scout?”
“What?!” I almost yell at the top of my
lungs. “I was never a scout, I didn’t have the time. It wasn’t really my thing
either. You obviously aren’t as good at reading people as you thought you
were.”
“Everything alright here, Lizzy?” Roy asks
as he places my soda on the table in front of me.
I nod at him and take a deep sip of my
glass. Roy walks away with clear confusion on his face. I stare at this guy
sitting across from me. Oh, if my eyes could burn a hole in him…
“See that?” he says as he tilts his head
to the side without a care in the world. “That glance right there. Only a caged
tiger could produce such a powerful stare. If I’m wrong, please, feel free to
tell me how wrong I am.”
I continue drinking from my glass and
staring at him. I don’t know what to say. I’m still wishing for that ability to
burn holes in him with my eyes.
“So I’m right, I take it? What a
surprise,” he says in a mocking tone before extending his arm. “I’m not only
right, you know. I’m also Vincent. And it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
I breathe deeply as I remove the glass
from my mouth and extend my hand also to shake his. At least now I have a name,
and that’s enough to interrogate Michael with.
“So Vincent, did you come over here tonight
to eat, drink, or just torture me?”
“Oh but I was hoping I could do a little
of everything,” he says with a boyish laugh. “I suppose I’d take the torture
option if I only have my choice of one. But really, I just came to see what had
Michael so enraptured and out of focus. I can clearly see why he hasn’t been
able to…concentrate lately.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s just that I knew you’d be lovely,
and knowing Michael the way I do, I figured you were more than just another
pretty face,” he continues on as if having a monologue in front of a sold out
audience. “Michael’s a brooder. When something took him out of that loop, I
figured it had to be someone extraordinary. I never counted on it to be so very
exquisite, however.”
“So, are you a family member or do you
work with Michael…?” My unease is growing and I fear that Vincent will realize
it immediately if given a free moment. “Has he talked about me to you much? And
I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, Vincent, but you do have a lousy way
of introducing yourself to people.”
Another soft laugh. This time he doesn’t
even allow his mouth to open as he stifles the noise. He looks down briefly
before turning right back to me with yet another smile.
“Michael and I met through work,” he
explains as if the topic itself is dull. “Now, I merely consider him a very old
friend, more likely my little brother. Frankly, I’m hurt he never told you
about me. I guess I’ll have to cross him off my Christmas list this year.”
Vincent was right, now that I think about
it. And as I allow myself to return to my first impression of Vincent, I
realize that I was spot on with my initial instinct. This is a man that is
completely different, almost a polar opposite of Michael. Michael is tough and
rugged; Vincent seems more like an aristocrat. Michael is extremely tall with
wide shoulders and large arms and legs. Vincent is noticeably in shape, his
muscles easily visible in any light I’d imagine, but he is still very slender
and statuesque.
But their biggest difference perhaps is
what Vincent himself pointed out. Michael does seem to be the quieter of the
two. He is introverted and pensive. Vincent seems to be at home in social
situations and wears his thoughts on his sleeve. He has a dark sense of humor
and seems like the guy who is always sarcastic and cracking jokes. Most of all,
Vincent seems to enjoy making me squirm. How could these two be friends?
“To ease your mind, no, Michael never told
me about you,” Vincent announces. “Michael doesn’t really talk to me about
women or his relationships. I don’t think Michael talks to anyone about his
personal life, really. I just saw that he was a little off key lately, for him,
anyway.”
“What do you mean, off key?” I ask with
worry ringing clearly in my voice.
“He’s happy,” Vincent says, almost as if
the idea of Michael being happy distresses him. “I can see why now. I guess I
just didn’t expect the object of his newfound bliss to be such a…keeper.”
Yet again, Vincent laughs to himself. I
officially have had enough. I was done playing his game.
“Listen here Vinny,” I say as I look at
him dead in the eyes. “I bet you make all the women fall all over you with your
subtle wit and banter. I’m sure that icy, mysterious stare works on all the
girls, but it doesn’t do a thing for me. And this whole act of laughing to
yourself as if you’re the only one who knows what’s going on behind the scenes
and everyone else is in the dark; it’s getting really old. So how about you stop laughing to yourself like a jerk
and let the world in on the joke? If Michael is in trouble or if he’s going
through something, I want to help him. I feel he would do the same for me. So
fess up, order something to eat, or leave. Because right now, you’re really
getting on my nerves. And I’m nowhere near nice when I’m angry.”
Vincent curls his lips up in a toothless
smile and tilts his head to the other side.
“Vinny, huh? Like I said, you’re a tiger,”
he says as he licks his lips. “I have quite the temper on me as well, you
should know. I guess that makes us both tigers. It just recently dawned on me,
just now, that is. He hasn’t told you, has he?”
“Told me what? Michael isn’t the type to
keep secrets. He’s been nothing but honest with me. You, on the other hand, are
playing some sick, twisted game that only you’re
enjoying.”
“Michael is a stickler for the truth,”
Vincent says with a couple clicks of his tongue and a nod of his head. “I’m
amazed he’d keep such a secret from you. But then again, he’s probably trying
to protect you. You are indeed worth protecting. I’m not so sure he really is
by keeping the truth from you. And in keeping the truth from you, some might
say that in itself is lying. How do you feel on the issue, Elizabeth? If I
withhold some important information from you, is that lying?”
My mind races at all the possibilities
Vincent could possibly be getting at. I really don’t know this man; I should
just brush off whatever he says to me. But for some reason, I know he’s telling
me the truth. But I also suspect it’s a distorted truth.
“Is he married or engaged?” I ask with a
shake of my head. Confusion and panic are starting to settle in. That would
definitely explain his absence earlier and why sometimes it was near impossible
to get in contact with him.
But Vincent just laughs, harder than
before.. His face is flooded with amusement.
“No, it’s nothing like that,” he answers
softly, calmly. This time, there is a tenderness to his tone. “Michael is a good
guy, a goody two shoes, like you. He wouldn’t do something like that.”
I exhale a sigh of deep relief. What else
could be so bad to make such a big spectacle of it? It’s like Vincent was
intentionally trying to make it ominous, just to grab my attention firmer. He
reaches across the table and takes my drink, pulling it towards him without a
second thought, and takes a sip.
“Excuse me?!” I exclaim in frustration.
“How could you just grab my drink like that?”
“I was thirsty, you haven’t taken my drink
order,” Vincent says as he looks up from the glass. “You really are a very poor
waitress.”
This guy has a real way of getting under
my skin. Worst thing about it is that he wasn’t really upsetting me. The only
time I was truly frustrated was when I thought Michael might have been in
trouble or seeing someone else. Now I’m just surprised at the depths of
Vincent’s confidence. I wonder if he has any limits in trying to push my
buttons. It’s as if all of this is a game to him. I’m not about to give him the
satisfaction.
“What did he tell you he does for a
living?” Vincent asks nonchalantly, still attending my drink.
“He told me he inherited his family’s
wealth,” I reply, a little unbalanced by the question. “But he said he also has
a family business that’s involved with protection of the environment. I assumed
it was mostly pro bono work.”
Vincent smiles to himself as he wipes the
excess liquid from his lips with a napkin.
“I suppose all that is truthful, if a
little…skewed,” he answers. “Did he tell you why he was here? I hear he’s going
to school. Always very meticulous, that one. I’m just surprised he’s stayed in
the area for so long. It’s not usual for him.”
Vincent is giving me more than plenty to
think about.
“Skewed…?” I ask, trailing off. “I know
his work takes him many places, but I didn’t know it was strange for him to be
in one area for long. You make it seem like he’s always on the move. What do
you mean, skewed?”
“I mean it’s all really at how you look at
it,” he answers without a second’s thought. “Kind of how I asked whether it’s a
lie to withhold a truth. I like to ponder these types of petty, perhaps
insignificant things. So, did he tell you why he was here?”
With growing concern, I’m starting to
hesitate before answering Vincent’s questions. But if I don’t answer them then
that meant that Vincent succeeded in making me uncomfortable enough to avoid
him. I’m not about to let that happen.
“He’s trying to scare a Russian
businessman away from here,” I say as I look Vincent dead in the eyes, trying
to appear completely unafraid. “The guy wants the land to build some stores and
things like that. It’ll destroy this tiny town. The small businesses will go
bankrupt almost immediately, and all the animals in the forest will have to
find another place to go. We’ll end up with rabbits and wolves and who knows
what else in our front yards.”
Again, a smile from Vincent.
“I suppose that’s true also,” he says as
he scratches his right eye. “Although one might consider that to be skewed as
well. A Russian businessman can’t be the only reason he’s staying here.”
“You’re his friend,” I answer immediately
in protest. “Shouldn’t you know if there’s more? Maybe he’s staying here
because he likes my company. Does that make you jealous? Am I taking away your
best friend, and you just can’t handle it?”
In my meager attempt to act and sound
tough, I only succeed in making Vincent laugh louder than ever. All of the
customers left in the restaurant are now completely focused on Vincent and me.
This is beyond embarrassing. After what seems like an eternity, Vincent stops
laughing and everyone goes back to their meals and drinks. My face is undeniably
red, I can feel it.
“You couldn’t be farther away from the
truth, my dear Elizabeth,” he assures me smugly as he sits up again properly.
“If Michael wants to ignore me for the rest of all eternity, he could. I
wouldn’t say I won’t miss my playful jabs at his oh-so-serious demeanor, but
there has to be more than just you keeping him here. Or perhaps I should say,
you weren’t the original reason why he came here.”
“Of course not,” I report incredulously.
“He came here for his work. He didn’t know I existed until he just happened to
come in to get a bite to eat here.”
“Somehow, I really doubt he didn’t know
you existed,” Vincent asserts confidently. “What I really do doubt is what that
old dog is still doing here. I came looking for something. It was only after
coming here that I knew Michael was here. But you…you might be the reason he
came here to begin with.”
“Vincenzo” I hear Michael’s voice call out
calmly. I didn’t notice him appear next to us. Even though Michael speaks low,
his voice still booms, almost menacingly, to Vincent. “That’s enough.”
Vincent smiles and winks at me before
standing up to face Michael. Michael towers over Vincent, who, in his own
right, was pretty tall himself.
“Playing games as usual?” Michael asks,
his tone and expression deadly serious. What kind of relationship did these two
“friends” have?
“Ah, I see it now,” Vincent answers
suavely as he measures Michael’s body language. Vincent isn’t backing down. It
was clear he wasn’t intimidated at all by Michael’s presence. “You did come for
the keeper. That’s extremely interesting. I assume you know why I came?”
“To ruin my life, as per usual?” Michael
answers with a hint of hostility.
“I came for the ring,” Vincent answers
calmly. “I’m sure you know why I would do such a dumb thing?”
“That’s unimportant right now,” Michael
says as he diverts his attention to me. “I’m sorry if he bothered you. It’s his
way. He gets a kick out of playing with people’s minds. Are you okay?”
Amidst this confusion, I don’t know if I
am okay. What in the world are these two talking about? And for old friends,
they really do act oddly with one another. I shake my head nervously in hopes
that the attention can focus away from me. I want and need an explanation, but
Michael can enlighten me later. I have the feeling this should be discussed in
private.
“What did you tell her, Vincenzo?” Michael
asks, as if he was an interrogator.
“Elizabeth?” Vincent asks coyly as he
turns to me once more. “We were just talking. We were getting to know one
another. I found out about your…philanthropic work here and your concerns with
a Russian businessman. I must say, your work with nature sure has you working a
very…unorthodox angle this time.”
“It’s not an angle,” Michael defends his
stance as he aggressively grabs Vincent by his shirt. Vincent does nothing to
engage or even resist Michael’s grasp. “You know the truth. You also know the
danger of finding the ring by yourself. You should have told me, sought me out.
Even you shouldn’t take on a circle of this size by yourself. And why did you
involve her in all this? She has nothing to do with it.”
“Oh, but Michael,” Vincent says as he
turns to face me with a large, comfortable smile even while still gripped by
Michaels large and overpowering hands. He stares at me, right in the eyes
again. “I think she has everything to do with this, and I bet you knew all
about it.”
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O.L. Ramos was born in Miami ,
Florida
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