All I Ask of You
Chapter One
After they had sat down on barstools at the local bar, Lisa turned to face Ian.
"So, what have you been up to all these years?" she asked him.
"Just the usual—traveling the world, meeting new people, trying to find my place in life... What about you?"
"Pretty much the same."
"Really? The last I heard, you were the manager of some swanky hotel in Miami. What brought you here?"
"Well," Lisa replied nervously. "Things change."
"Yeah, I guess they do."
Their drinks arrived and Lisa was suddenly transported in her mind back to a place that she had tried her hardest to forget. It had been a while since she had though about it—about him.
"That taste okay?" he asked with a concerned tone and glance.
"Yeah, it's fine."
She was nervous. What was I thinking? I'm not ready for this…
"We could always get you that sea breeze."
He keeps pushing that—why? What makes him think that I ordered the wrong drink or might be unhappy?
He smiled at her, his blue eyes light and calm. He was picture of charm and charisma. After all, he was Jackson Rippner and he would destroy her life once more.
"I'm guessing that it's still your favorite, right?" Ian questioned, breaking her free from the memories of the Tex-Mex.
"Oh, yeah, I just drifted away," she said with a smile, then took a careful sip of her drink. She half-expected it taste like a bay breeze. As luck would have it, it tasted like the sea breeze that she had craved and needed.
"I could tell."
"I'm sorry, but there's just a lot on my mind."
"It's okay, really," Ian said. He gulped down some of his own drink. "It's enough just to see you after all this time."
"Has it really been that long?"
"Probably at least ten years—I've lost count."
"Wow…"
"Yeah, I know."
"So, are you really going to take that part?" Lisa inquired, bringing up the incident that had brought them to each other's attention.
"Well, playing a woman is rather tricky, so perhaps you'd like the part?"
Lisa nearly spit the sip that she had just taken of her sea breeze. "Are you joking? Me? Play a lead role?"
"Why not? You're certainly more talented than the prima donna that stalked out of the theatre today," Ian encouraged.
"No, I couldn't…"
"Come on, Leese, please…"
She froze. Leese? That was what he—he always called me that…
"Lisa? Are you okay?" Ian's concerned voice stopped her wandering thoughts.
"Fine, I just think I'm going to head back to the theatre. I'm exhausted. Thanks for the drink. Hopefully we can talk soon?"
"I'd like that very much."
"Sorry that I'm bailing on you," she said with a grimace.
"No, it's okay, really. Don't worry about it."
"Bye," she said before taking a large gulp of her sea breeze and grabbing her purse. She paused to give him a hug and then confidently strode out the door—only to end up leaning against the wall outside for support. Her legs were wobbly and she was trembling.
Why did you have to do this to me? Why?
XXX
Beautiful Lisa, you are the highlight of my day. Despite what you've done to me and I to you, I still want you. You'll never be safe from me. I still have to steal you, my dear.
His brown hair fell into his vivid blue eyes as he watched her from a distance. She was leaning against the brick wall outside the bar and she was alone. Her friend from earlier had disappeared.
She was having a breakdown right in front of him. He could see her shaking and he knew instinctively that Lisa was about to cry. He knew her too well.
Lisa had tried to run from him shortly after her father passed on. She had believed that he had been responsible for it. Her fear was understandable, but he was innocent. He had just been watching over her. He was always watching her—even when she rarely left the theatre. She rarely went anywhere outside of walking distance and tracking her was a piece of cake.
She would never be free of him. It was only a matter of time before she would never leave him again. The plans were already in motion and no one—not even this Ian Rickler—would stop him.
XXX
-BregoBeauty-