The Sinclair Series Book #1: Tragedy Of Love

Chapter Eight: Obsessions

Vivienne's POV
"I can say no to tips."

The girl beside me raised an eyebrow at me. I pushed the chunk of cash her way. I don't want his money. I would rather give it away. She quickly grabbed the cash and put it in the pocket of her apron.

"You are stupid." She told me.

I glanced in the direction of the German man smoking a cigar in the cafe. Smoking is not allowed but this man is feared. Even the manager -who yells at everyone about sticking to the rules- has backed off. His eyes are raking over me shamelessly. He has seen me give away his money. It doesn't stop him from dropping a chunk of money each time.

"Who is he?" I asked.

Heidi glanced in his direction before quickly looking at me. "A wealthy corrupt dirty politician." She whispered. "He has his eyes on you. You should not say no."

"I think I have a right to." I laughed.

"Like I said, you are stupid. No one gets away from him. If he wants you he will have you. I have been here longer. I know how this works." She polished a spoon to perfection. ",Men like him prey on girls like you."

"Girls like me?" I frowned.

"Foreigners."

"I think I blend in well."

"With an Irish accent so thick you can't fake it to save your life." She happens to have a thick German accent and so does the man who tried to grab my butt. I moved away swiftly bumping into another customer who gave me hell but it was worth not allowing a man like that to grab me. "You are prey. He is hunter. You are dead."

Heidi's grim message for me unsettles my insides. I gripped the towel tightly making eye contact with the man looking at me like I'm meat. He comes in every evening with his four bodyguards. They sit in the tables around him and he sits there alone smoking a cigar and taking coffee. This is not an upscale cafe. It's ordinary for ordinary people. The only reason he started coming here is because I bumped into him in a museum I toured a few weeks ago while delivering coffee. I was wearing my maroon cap and tee with the cafe logo. He tried to make conversation but even then I saw the devil in his eyes and I refused to talk to him. On the next day, he showed up and asked the manager to send me to his table with his order. It's self service but well, the rich always get what they want. He asked me my name and I told him Olga. That is what he calls me. It's the name I have taken up in the months I have been hiding in Berlin.

When I saw him making his way to the counter I froze. I don't think I'm a coward but there's always that one person who can scare me to death and it is this man. I escaped Dublin to avoid one dangerous man to run smack into another.

"You give away my money. It is rude."

"I did not ask for your money." I answered flatly.

"You look like you need it."

"I'm making an honest living. I don't want hand-outs. Show yourself out because I'm busy."

He smiled at me only for one of his men to jump over the counter. He took the cups and my apron. He carried on with what I was doing. Everyone is watching us. I hate the attention. This once in my life I don't want attention.

"Now you're not busy." He walked away and I didn't understand until another man took me forcefully dragging me to follow.

I tried to slap his hand away but in vain. "Stop it! Let me go! Help me!" I addressed the staff who have known me for months but they decided not to break the cluster they had formed to spectate me getting dragged away by strangers.