Hearts Divided: A Mafia Love Triangle Volume 1

Chapter 13 - Scarlett

I had a strong urge to remove my boots; my feet were in agony and if I needed to make a quick escape, these fancy shoes would only hinder me. They were beautiful, but not practical at all. I rarely wore them, for this very reason. I tried to convince myself that things would be alright, but deep down, I knew they wouldn't be. Despite trying to stay composed, I couldn't help but admire the elegant atmosphere of the restaurant.

From the moment I entered, I was struck by the Venetian mirrors that hung on several walls in the restaurant. The light, which was warm and pleasant reflected in them, making the whole place seem much larger than it was. The champagne-toned walls and gold trim gave the whole place a much more refined feel. The floor was covered with soft carpets in maple shades, making it so that no footsteps could be heard. I was surprised to see how clean the carpets were, even though many people were walking over them. They were perfect, as if they had been bought now.

The solid wood tables had white tablecloths on the tops, and the edges were embroidered with the restaurant's logo and name. Each chair was upholstered and, as I had already learned, offered the comfort needed to spend hours here. Meticulously folded white cotton napkins awaited their guests.

I reached for the leather menu, engraved with gold lettering. It felt pleasant to the touch. I opened it and glanced fleetingly over a few dishes, then turned my attention back to the walls of the restaurant. There were several paintings hanging that I assumed were by famous painters, but I didn't recognize any of them, since I had no artistic inclination.

I liked that the table I was sitting at was more secluded and no one was around. There were two other tables nearby, but they were vacant so no one could see me marveling at the location. I had been to one such restaurant once before, but it was for work and I couldn't really enjoy what I was seeing.

It didn't seem like the kind of restaurant Cain would frequent, although the last few hours had shown me that I knew next to nothing about him. Still, I took the plunge and accepted his offer. Was it too late to back down? I couldn't think the whole situation through because of the phone vibrating continuously on the table.

After sending multiple messages to my sister, we had been arguing back and forth. All I wanted was a simple answer about her plans to come home today.

I silenced my phone to avoid constant interruptions as Cain took a seat in front of me. I was still upset with him for ignoring me, and the fear lingered despite his lack of bloodthirsty expression.

I tried my best to maintain eye contact with him, but my gaze kept drifting towards his hand. After he first reached out to me in the park, I couldn't help but notice that he never used his right hand and would make subtle grimaces while driving. I had a hunch about what might have caused his injury, but I decided to keep my suspicions to myself.

The waiter, dressed impeccably in a uniform, came to our table and inquired about our beverage choices. I shifted my focus to Cain, who caught on quickly, and then glanced back at the menu to appear interested in the variety of dishes offered by the restaurant.

"As usual, please", he said to the waiter, which didn't surprise me at all. I stifled a smile, happy that I could still put two pieces of information together.

The words on the menu blurred as I struggled to find an explanation for his frequent visits to this place. It seemed too simple to chalk it up to just wanting food and a good time; there had to be more to it than that.

"Is everything okay?", I heard him ask.

My attention shifted to him as he spoke. I was just about to respond when I noticed Kristopher and Detective Carter approaching from behind Cain, taking a seat at the adjacent table.