Sweet Revenge

I tried to convince Detective Spencer that I could get Tony to surrender to the police. I tried to remind the detective that I was the reason Tony went on such a rampage. He didn’t want to believe that I could be of any assistance. So I sit here on the park bench looking out into the dark skies hearing the heavy waves crashing into the docks. I know I could do more good than bad. I know that I don’t need Detective Spencer’s approval to do the impossible. I pull out my cell phone knowing what I have to do.

“Tony, it’s Paige. I don’t know if you are checking your messages or if you even have your cell phone with you, I need to see you. I need to apologize for leaving you like I did. I know all of this is my fault,” Paige said leaving him a message. “Please, meet me tomorrow at eleven at our special place.”

She hung up her phone putting the cell back into her purse. Paige got up and walked out of the park as a man hidden in the shadows watched her. He had heard every word and couldn’t believe what she was going to do. He had to stop her or at least make sure he was there to help. Josh would be there for Paige no matter what she had told him the previous night.

“I won’t let you make another mistake,” Josh whispered watching Paige get into her car and drive away.

“I heard that my son hit on you,” Charles said stepping out onto the terrace where Charlotte stood looking out into the stars.

“You can say that,” Charlotte responded putting her hands on the railing. She knew the kind of man Charles Reed was, and she knew she couldn’t get to close to him.

“I know you changed the subject earlier when I said it, it’s remarkable how much you resemble your mother,” Charles stated putting his hand on her shoulder. “You even do this thing when you’re angry like she did.”

“Please, don’t,” Charlotte hissed brushing the older man’s hand away. “I am nothing like her.”

“Yes, you are.”

“No, I’m not. I would never leave my family,” Charlotte explained. “By the way that woman you adored so much is here; as here in town. She came back a couple of days ago.”

Charles looked away from Charlotte with unease. He grabbed a hold of the railing trying to find some balance then he looked back at Charlotte.

“I figured as much. Did she bring April with her,” Charles asked making Charlotte jump in shock.

“What do you mean you figured? And how do you know about April?”

“I’ve been sending your mother money every month since April was born that is until last month. April turned nineteen not to long ago, I figured by now your mother and your sister could take care of themselves,” Charles explained.

“Are you saying they came to Saunders Bay for money,” Charlotte questioned as the anger began to build inside of her. “She didn’t come back for us?”

“Oh, no, I doubt it. See last time I talked to your mother she told me if I didn’t keep supporting her and April, she would make sure everyone knew about our past.”

“I have to go,” Charlotte mumbled brushing past Charles and back into the house. Within a few minutes she had left the Donnelly residence to places unknown. She didn’t know where to go or what to do, all she knew was she needed something to stop the pain. Running down Oak Drive in high heels wasn’t very comfortable or sane, but she ran until her breathing became shallow. She took off her high heels carrying them with her as she kept running far away from everything she had ever known. When she couldn’t run anymore because of the pain in her feet, in her heart, and in her soul, she walked. She walked past the millionaire dollar houses and past the businesses until she stood in front of the Wexler Hotel. Charlotte looked inside of the window noticing the restaurant and bar inside and to the left of the lobby. She needed something to take the edge off and she was aching inside for something to take away the pain. She slipped her shoes back on, straightened her hair and dress, and walked into the hotel.

Ali stood there looking up at the house where she had spent so much of her free time. She knew this was the right choice, the only choice. Ali picked up her two suitcases and carried them to the door. Before she knocked on the door, she took a deep breath hoping someone was home, hoping they would take her in, hoping she was doing the right thing.

Seconds later the porch light came on and he opened the door standing in the doorway wearing only a pair of sweatpants. She exhaled deeply suddenly losing her train of thought. The man was muscular in all the right places and not an ounce of fat on him. She grabbed the door to steady herself and his hands came out instantly to help her.

“Are you okay? You don’t look okay. Did the doctors release you too soon,” he questioned holding on to her. In his arms she felt the safest she had ever felt before especially since her attack.

“Lost my balance,” she replied putting her hand on his chest before realizing once again he wasn’t wearing a shirt. “I’m okay, really. I was wondering if Paige was home.”

“No, she said she had to go out for a bit. That was a couple of hours ago though, but she’s probably just out with Josh anyway,” Luke said stepping away from Ali and noticing the suitcases next to her. “What’s going on?”

“I had to leave my parents’ house, so I was wondering if I could stay here with you and Paige, if that’s okay. I mean I know it might be weird with everything,” she rambled on. “Oh just forget it, I’ll find someplace else to stay.”

She picked up her bags and began to walk down the steps off the porch when he took her hand stopping her from leaving.

“Please, don’t go,” he said.

Ali turned around and could tell how sincere he was being. He didn’t want her to leave, she didn’t want to leave. She wanted to stay here with him and feel safe for the rest of her life in his arms.

“Okay,” she mumbled as she let him lead her into the house.

As they made their way into the house, he carried her suitcases immediately into his room not realizing what he was doing. After he put her suitcases on his bed he turned to Ali who was standing in his doorway. Suddenly they began to feel like they did the night before her attack when everything was right in the world.

“That night seems like so long ago,” she said looking around his room again. This time her eyes fell upon a picture on his dresser of Paige and her at high school graduation that she hadn’t seen before. “Where did that come from?”

“Oh, I took it that day when the two of you weren’t looking. I came upon it the other day when I was cleaning out the garage,” he said picking up the picture of his sister and Ali throwing their caps up in the air giggling like mad. He had forgotten that he had taken the picture so long ago until he came upon it since then he couldn’t believe he never saw Ali for who she really was.

“I like it too,” Ali responded putting her hand on his. “It puts everything in perspective.”

“It sure does,” he replied staring into her green eyes. She licked her lips as he made his way closer to her, their faces were just mere inches apart when suddenly the phone rang making the jump apart. “I better get that.”

Luke walked out of the room to answer the phone as Ali circled the room for a second. It was too soon, she knew that, and she didn’t know whether or not he was dating anyone anymore. She couldn’t make the mistake of becoming one of his notches on his bed post, Ali knew better than that. Sitting down on his bed, she felt so comfortable around him yet nervous at the same time. Ali was a smart articulate young woman who knew her moral values, yet when she was with Luke everything she knew went out the window.

“What am I going to do,” she asked herself as she laid her head down on Luke’s pillow. Within minutes of being surrounded by Luke’s irreplaceable scent and his personal things, Ali was fast asleep.

Charlotte walked into the bar with confidence like she had never shown before. She needed to make everything better; she needed to come alive. Sure her relationship with Tyler was exciting at times, but their relationship was more of the rollercoaster in the middle with its ups and down. Charlotte wanted to feel like she flying instead. She needed to feel that thrill to ease the pain known as her life. She walked up to the bar sitting down next to a curly dark-haired man with the most piercing blue eyes she had ever seen.

Charlotte smiled at the man while waving for the bartender.

“What can I get you, miss,” the bartender asked.

“Can I get a sex on the beach, please,” she requested still looking at the man next to her neither of them able to take their eyes off of each other.

“Put it on my tab, Carl,” the man next to her said.

Suddenly the band started playing and the singer began to sing a tune that started off slow then picked up tempo making Charlotte sway her hips side to side on the barstool. She was feeling every beat of the song as the singer sang about a new dawn, a new day, a new life and how he’s feeling good. Charlotte felt every word of the song making it her anthem of the night as she drank her cocktail. The man next to her watched her intently as she moved side to side.

He reached his hand out to her leading her to the dance floor as the two of them rocked together moving almost as one as the song ended and another began. The two of them danced like they had done it all before anticipating each other’s every move. Everyone else circled around them as they danced the mambo making it look so easy. Charlotte felt alive with this man as he led her around like a professional dancer. When the song ended, the man led Charlotte back to the bar for another drink.

Within an hour both of them had danced so much the heat between them was pulsating throughout the bar.

“By the way the name is Greg,” he said as they had another drink.

“Char,” she replied finishing off her third sex on the beach.

Both the dancing and the drinking were beginning to affect Charlotte in a way she had never felt. She was feeling more adventurous than ever before. She put her hand on his thigh as she got closer to him.

“How about a nightcap,” she whispered in his ear.

“Let’s go,” he responded throwing a couple of twenties on the bar leading Charlotte out of the bar and towards the elevator.

“Let’s have a night to remember,” Charlotte murmured as the elevators closed with only them inside. She turned to him pushing him against the wall as they lips met in a hungry kiss where their tongues began to do a dance of their own. She couldn’t get enough of this man she had just met. She wrapped one leg around his waist while his hand made its way up her dress. Charlotte felt like she was on fire feeling such a desire for a man she had just met. She never had this with Tyler she knew that much. With Tyler things were slow and easy, this man with her now was anything but easy.

The elevator came to a jolt and as the elevator doors began to open, Charlotte straightened out her dress and the man fixed his tie. As the doors opened on the seventh floor revealing the elderly couple on the other side, Charlotte’s face was flushed and Greg had a smile across his face. They stepped off the elevator with Greg leading Charlotte to his room. He fumbled with the keycard as Charlotte put her hands in the pockets of his slacks from behind him. She could feel how much he wanted her through the thin material of his suit. When the door opened he took her hand bringing her into his hotel room. He turned his back to the door as she began to undo his tie; Greg kicked the door closed as his hands found the zipper of her dress. He wrapped his fingers under the straps of her black cocktail dress pulling them down over her shoulders. The dress fell to the ground leaving Charlotte standing there in her black lace bra and panties. They tucked and pulled the rest of their clothes off each other in a flash leaving a trail of garments towards the bed.

Dragging her to the bed, he pushed her onto her back with him falling on top of her. They rolled and tossed together each of them trying to kiss and touch as much of the other as they could. Greg licked and sucked every inch of her body before he buried himself deep inside of her. They found the rhythm between them matching every thrust and every moan as they began to creep closer to the edge.

Tyler comes upon the room seeing the door ajar a bit, he opened the door walking in to see the two people he loved the most betray him in a way he never thought possible. His heart broke into a million pieces watching Charlotte having sex with his brother. Tyler couldn't bare to see them any longer and exited the room as quietly as he entered shutting the door completely this time. He walks out of the hotel minutes later feeling sick to his stomach. He knows things will never be the same now.

Ariel watched her niece sleep peacefully in her crib. Ella was curled up on her side with her blanket wrapped around her, Ariel just wanted to reach out and touch the angel, yet she knew if she did that she risked waking up the little girl she had watched for the past few hours. Ariel had promised Charlotte everything would be okay if she watched Ella while her and Tyler went to the dinner party, and after chasing Ella around for a bath, getting soaked during that bath, reading two stories, and one time playing dolls together, Ariel was starting to feel something she had never really felt before – her biological clock.

She walked out of Ella’s room leaving the door open a crack to scare away any monsters. She walked into the guestroom where Cooper was waiting for her.

“Why do you have to leave,” she asked watching Cooper pack his suitcase.

“Like I said earlier, something came up with a story I was working on. If I don’t go this lead I have will disappear. I’ll be back,” Cooper lied knowing full well he couldn’t keep doing this to himself or to Ariel. “I’ll call you as soon as I get home.”

“Cooper, what’s going on,” Ariel asked pulling the suitcase out of his reach. “When we left you didn’t have any stories, so what gives? Is it me? Do you think I’m smothering you or something? Is it my family? What? Don’t sit there and lie to me that it’s work because it’s not.”

“It’s a story I said. Now, please, before I say something I’ll regret just let me leave,” he replied trying to grab the suitcase away from her.

“No!”

“Fine, it’s the way you look at Ella. I know what you are thinking Ariel, you want children; well I’m not in that place right now. I don’t want to have kids yet, and I can’t even think about marriage.”

“No, see we have talked about this before. I never said anything about children, you know me I like my freedom. The marriage talk you have always bought up first. Cooper, seriously, what is it? Does this have anything to do with April?”

“What? April? Don’t be silly. I just need to go,” Cooper said pulling the suitcase out of her hand and walking out of the room.

Ariel stood there in shock filled with grief. Cooper was supposed to be her rock, now as things began to fall into pieces at home, her love life was crumbling. Somehow she knew this had to do with April, she seemed a little too conniving for her own good and Ariel wouldn’t stop until she found out exactly what happened between Cooper and April.

The man tied his boat to the marina looking around the dark night skies. He was excited to finally reach his destination. The one thing he was looking forward to was finding the young woman who tricked him out of fifty thousand dollars. Yes, revenge was sweet. April Carson would pay for making him look like a fool. No one makes Brandon Ellsworth look like a fool let alone some young tramp who stole his heart and his money.

The dark-haired man with eyes that looked like pools of chocolate walked up the pier towards the shore where he would hunt down April and get back every bit of his money. His white button down shirt and khaki shorts made him look like everyone else around. Brandon’s source told him that April was staying at the Wexler Hotel in room two thirteen and that her family owned a restaurant downtown. Yes, revenge would be very sweet for Miss Carson.

As the morning sun began to shine upon Saunders Bay a couple cuddled together in bed. Luke’s arms were tightly around Ali as they lay spooning each other. Luke’s eyes opened from the bright sun shining into his bedroom. He looked over at the blond beautiful woman next to him. He couldn’t believe what had happened between them last night. For the first time in years Luke spent the night with a woman and didn’t have sex with her. They just laid there in each other’s arms welcoming the warmth of each others bodies, for Ali is was more than that.

“Good morning,” Ali whispered feeling Luke behind her. He tightened his arms around her, moving her hair off her shoulders he kissed her neck softly. “Awe.”

“It definitely is,” he murmured as his hand traced figures on her stomach. “How did you sleep?”

“Better than I have in days,” she replied putting her hand over his. She may not have had the experience like he had, but she knew what he was doing. “I better get up and ready for class.”

“Please, just a little longer,” he whispered in her ear breathing erratically. “I need you to stay with me a little longer.”

“Luke, please,” Ali commanded pushing his hand off of her and sitting up. “I know you mean well.”

He knew she was angry. He didn’t want that. He realized what she had recently been through, but his body was telling him something different. Luke climbed off the bed and knelt on one knee in front of Ali as he took her hands in his.

“I don’t where this is going or what this is exactly. All I know is I am crazy about you, Ali James, and I would never pressure you into doing anything you’re not ready for. When you say stop or get uncomfortable in any way, just tell me, please, just don’t push me away.”

“Okay,” she replied as she reached down to kiss him on the cheek but he moved his head swiftly letting their lips meet for the first time. The kiss sent shock waves through them as they craved more of each other. He stood up without breaking the kiss and slid next to her on the bed. His hands began a trail over her arm across her shoulder to her neck where he bought her closer to him.

Breaking their passionate embrace was a knock on the front door. Luke stood up straightened his shirt and kissed Ali’s cheek quickly before walking out of the bedroom.

“Who is it,” Luke shouted across the living room going to the door upset on how once again someone interrupted another precious moment with Ali. “If you realized what you just interrupted.”

Standing before Luke was Kenneth James, and even though they were both over six foot, Luke felt a bit shaken The look in the father’s eyes chilled Luke to the bone, but knew he couldn’t do anything to him or Ali.

“I want to see my daughter,” Kenneth ordered. “I know she’s here.”

“Sorry, Mr. James, your daughter is busy right now,” Luke stated as he tried to shut the door on the man.

Kenneth put his foot in the door and his hand on the door making sure it didn’t close on him. The six foot three inches of a man stood before Luke ready to get his daughter back at any cost.

“Daddy,” Ali said coming up behind Luke. “I’m staying here with Luke, daddy. You can’t make me leave.”

“Do you understand what you are doing, Ali? You are turning your back on your family and the church. You can never take that back,” Kenneth explained. “You will be banned from your family and your church for life.”

“I understand,” Ali whispered grabbing Luke’s hand for courage. “I love you, daddy, but you made the choice for me when you said I couldn’t see my friends anymore or that I couldn’t work at Juniper’s.”

“This is far from over,” Kenneth threatened Luke before walking away from the house.

Luke turned to Ali bringing her hand to his chest. He realized what she had just given up.

“Why did you just do that,” he asked. “I’m sure your father and you could have come to a compromise.”

“I did it for you,” Ali answered breaking her hand away and walking back into the house leaving Luke standing there in shock.

She had done it all for him. She had given up her family for him. He couldn’t understand why. Luke knew he was a catch, but not one to give up everything for. Ali loved her family especially her little brother, and she gave it up to be with him.

Paige stood there looking at her watch for the millionth time as she tapped her left foot on the ground. She had forty-five minutes left until she had to meet Tony in their spot under the tunnel in park. She jumped out of her skin as her cell phone began to ring.

“Hello,” Paige answered.

“Hi, where are you, I thought we were going to meet for breakfast,” Ali said sitting in a booth at Juniper’s two hours after talking to her father at the Parker residence.

“I am in the park, I’m sorry I forgot about breakfast. You’re going to have to take a rain check,” Paige replied sitting on a bench in the park.

“Paige, what’s going on? You should different,” Ali wondered knowing full well Paige would do something dangerous to save her family and friends. “I showed up at your house last night and Luke told me you went out for awhile, but you came home.”

“I know. I had some things to take care of at the police station. Do you know the police don’t plan on doing anything to catch Tony? I couldn’t let him get away with what he did to you.”

“Please, tell me you’re not doing what I think you’re doing,” Ali stated looking around for Luke who had come with her to the restaurant.

“I can neither confirm nor deny that I’m meeting Tony,” Paige commented knowing full well she couldn’t lie to her best friend.

“Don’t do anything stupid, Paige, to get back at him. Just stay there and I’ll call the police,” Ali begged her friend before she lost the connection. “Oh no!”

Ali jumped up from the table running towards the kitchen where she had last seen Luke heading towards. When she entered the kitchen she noticed the back door open where the trash bins were. She ran outside finding Luke throwing a couple of large trash bags into the trash bin. Out of breath, she stopped and grabbed his arm pulling him back towards the restaurant.

“Paige is at the park, you have to help her,” Ali declared in shallow breaths. “She set up a meeting with Tony.”

“What,” Luke shouted. “At the park, where?”

“It could only be one place – at the tunnel. It’s where they would meet all the time.”

“Okay, stay here and call the police,” Luke uttered before kissing Ali’s forehead and running into the restaurant.

Twenty minutes later Luke was running through the park with his father’s gun he kept hidden behind the counter at Juniper’s. Luke knew that Tony needed to pay for his crimes against his sister and Ali. He was about thirty feet away when he noticed Tony walking up the path in front of him. Luke jumped behind the bushes and watched as Tony walked up to Paige who was sitting on the bench right in front of the tunnel. Paige stood up to greet Tony and instantly Tony pulled Paige into a hug then kissed her. Out of the corner of her eye, Paige noticed a familiar face hidden behind one of the trees.

“Josh,” Paige whispered hoping Tony didn’t hear her.

“What,” Tony screamed pulling the knife out of his back pocket pulling Paige towards him and bringing the knife to her throat. “How dare you trick me?”

“I didn’t trick you,” Paige shouted when she noticed another figure from the other side of the sidewalk behind the bushes.

Both men jumped out from where they were hiding running towards Tony and Paige when a gunshot rang out. One body fell to the ground instantaneously and another one ran fell to their knees in agony. Suddenly the area was surrounding by police officers and a dangerous fugitive was on the run once again.