Chapter Thirteen
Alia
“Thank you,” I muttered, pressing the off button on my phone.
It had been the cops. They'd called to tell me that they’d given Brandon a second warning and if he had one more, he would be taken to jail, no questions asked.
Touching the bruise on my cheek, I cringed and stepped away from the counter. I understood why so many women were killed by their ex-partners or stalkers now. The cops did fuck all.
“Everything okay?” Lydia, Gracie’s mom, went to the food counter and placed down a tray of empty cups.
Plastering a smile on my face, I nodded. “Yeah, all good.”
“Was that the author?” She busied herself by putting the cups in the washer before getting out a clean one. “You sounded disappointed yesterday and mentioned that she could pull out.”
Searching my brain, I frowned. “Oh, no. She just texted to confirm that she can make the grand opening. I'm… just unsure whether it's a good idea. Maybe I should leave that room closed.”
It was Lydia’s turn to frown at me. She paused her coffee making and looked over her shoulder, checking who came into the store when the bell went. She had picked up a couple of shifts while Gracie was at school and we were fast becoming friends.
“You've put so much hard work into this place, including that room.” She passed me the freshly brewed caramel latte. “You can't get cold feet now. You just have to do a couple of TikTok videos to reach the dark romance girlies. I'm sure plenty will turn up.”
Sipping the hot drink, I smiled in appreciation. I hadn't known that I needed coffee… lovely sweet hot coffee. I'd not slept well the night before, tossing and turning, or dreaming of Moth and how he'd given me the best orgasm I'd ever experienced.
“I'm not sure about that, I…” My phone beeped a couple of times, so I picked it up. “…oh.”
Talking of the video app, I was being tagged, several times over. What was happening?
“Look at that photo!” Lydia exclaimed, her eyes wide as she stared at her own phone. “Who is that? Oh and that one. Someone had a good time yesterday.”
She winked at me, prompting me to open the app and study the posts. There I was, in amongst several masked men. I looked a little wide-eyed and tired… shit, I looked tired. There was Moth, bigger than the other men with his helmet on… and… my heartbeat sped up as I spotted Brandon in his balaclava.
The sick psycho stood behind me in one of the pictures, looking down at the back of my head.
He even had his real knife pointed at my side, as if he were play acting.
He could've stabbed me at any moment, and for some reason, he didn't. He still wanted me.
No doubt he had a sick fantasy of raping me before slitting my throat.
A shudder moved my whole body as a customer came to the counter and placed a copy of Haunting Adeline in front of me.
“I'd just like this, please.”
“Sorry,” I muttered, putting my phone down, “but where did you get that?”
The woman's eyebrows creased. “In the amazing dark room upstairs. Why? Oh, sorry, was I not meant to go in there?”
Her face was so panicked, I put a hand on the book to somehow reassure her. “No, it's okay. I hadn't officially opened it yet, but I'm glad you like the space.”
Smiling, she did an excited wiggle. “I absolutely love it. I was going to ask when people can use it to read or have a drink. I suppose I should've guessed when all the lights were off. I might have ogled the men a little bit.”
“I know!” Lydia exclaimed. “Isn't the UV paint a genius idea?”
They giggled together, their faces lit up. Their excitement lifted my mood and I smiled with them. So, I was all over social media with my stalker, right there, ready to pounce… which he'd done… but I had to find a way to live, even if it was just until he got me.
Oh and he would get me. He’d be back now that Moth had hurt him too.
“We do have an opening night next week.” I flicked my hair over my shoulder nervously. “I have been debating putting it off, but–”
“Oh no!” The women wagged her finger at me. “You must carry out your plan. I do have just one question, though”.
Nodding, I gestured for her to go on. I loved her enthusiastic energy and hoped she'd give me the courage to go for it.
“How will you police kids under eighteen?” She held up the book she was about to buy. “I wouldn't want my eleven-year-old having any type of access to this stuff, you know?”
Opening the drawer under the counter, I grinned and brought out the cards I'd had made.
“These!” I handed her one. “The after-hours book club is members only. I tried to think of the best way to host these events and to have a safe space for readers who like the darker genre. It needed to be a space that couldn’t be encroached on by young people and the non-approval readers.”
“Oh,” she murmured, “I like it! Will it cost much? Please don't think I'm being rude. I have a ton of online friends from around the town who would die for a place to speak to like-minded smut readers without being judged.”
I glanced at Lydia and shrugged. “We've been talking about it between us, but we're not actually sure.”
“Okay.” Taking out her phone, the woman pressed the screen several times. “I'm a bit of a TikTok influencer with a few BookTok followers, let's find out! If you don't mind, of course?”
Waving at her to carry on, I looked at Lydia, who was now leaning on the counter, staring at our latest customer.
“My BookTok girlies,” the woman started as she held her phone up in front of her, “I'm here at The Bookworms and Brews Cafe and the owner Alia has a surprise for you.”
I held my chest as my stomach churned. Was she about to put the spotlight on me? I had always frozen when a camera was pointed in my direction, let alone a video.
“She's opening an exclusive club for the dark romance girlies.” She moved closer to the stairs and pointed at the arrow on the wall.
“And let me tell you, I've seen the top-secret members’ only clubroom.
You can come to read to your hearts content and there's even a stage. Maybe we can get some sexy rock stars to play here and indulge in our fantasies.”
I gasped and bit my lip, shaking my head as the woman put a hand over her mouth in mock surprise.
“The owner has a dilemma,” the woman went on. “Firstly, would any of you actually turn up? And, secondly, how much would you lovely lot pay to access a clubroom with books, booze and like-minded readers? And maybe I'll persuade her to do a theme-night or two. Let me know in the comments.”
Blowing a kiss, the woman ended the video and turned back to me. “Are you happy with that?”
Opening my mouth, I nodded, unable to think of what to say. She was talented and so confident in front of the camera. How did people do that?
“That was fantastic,” Lydia spoke for me. “What's your name so I can follow you?”
“Liona.” She shook Lydia’s hand and then mine, grinning wildly as she waited for me to speak.
“Oh, yeah,” I said, almost stuttering. “That was incredible and so helpful. Hopefully you'll get a few replies and that'll help me decide. We've only been open a few months so I'm still catching up.”
Handing me her card, she tapped Haunting Adeline. “I'm happy to collab on your marketing. It's literally my job. I've been in a few times and enjoyed the atmosphere you've created in here, in all the genre areas. I just had to sneak a peek at the room marked Staff Only. It was just a sixth sense.”
“I appreciate you so much.” Picking up the book, I handed it to her. “And this is payment for helping me with the video.”
She tilted her head to the side, her gorgeous reddish-brown hair flowing over her shoulder effortlessly. “Now that's my kind of business transaction. I'll be back soon!”
As she left, Lydia stared, watching the flow of Liona's coat as it fanned out behind her. I stared too, mesmerized by her presence. If her post worked, I would have no choice but to go ahead with the dark romance themed room.
“Oh!” Lydia suddenly grabbed up her phone. “I'm going to comment on all of those photos from yesterday, inviting everyone to follow our TikTok for info on a private dark romance membership book club.”
Licking my lips, I wrung my hands together. If Brandon saw what we were doing, would he turn up? I'd have security on the door and insist that all ID gets checked. I'd even consider asking a cop to patrol outside to deter Brandon from coming close. I also had to think of Moth.
I hadn't heard from him since he'd left the day before. Our talk had played out in my mind, over and over. Would he tell the cops about the fire? They would have grounds to arrest me for manslaughter, even though I hadn't told the whole truth about the events of that day.
Or would he exact his revenge now that he thought he knew the truth? He'd threatened me all those years ago, and I could still feel the hatred radiating from him, even when he'd fucked me.
“Sounds good, although I'm terrible at social media.” I came out from behind the counter and headed towards the stairs. “I just need to go and tidy upstairs and lock the room so no one else can get in there.”
Lydia was distracted by her phone, so I left her to it, smiling at a customer who was reading The Hobbit in the fantasy section. The way he lounged and sipped on his tea was the epitome of what I'd hoped to achieve with the bookstore. Somewhere for readers to feel comfortable to get lost in a book.
My palms were damp as I checked the contemporary room, smiling at the small group of women who were discussing the book they'd been reading that week. A couple of small children played in the corner with the toys I'd provided, keeping quiet while their mothers did something for themselves.
“Everything okay in here?” I asked as I cleared a table of two coffee cups. “Can I get you anything?”