Twisted Dreams

Chapter 2

      He looked stunned at my sudden entrance, with his hand still caught in the middle of sweeping his dirty blonde locks from his face.

      "Vivianna," he breathed, clearly giving me a once-over with his deep blue eyes.

      "Richard," I replied sourly, but he gave no indication that he caught the hint.

      "Elsie!" she inserted rather proud of herself.

      "Elsie, yes," I chuckled with no humor, eager to leave, "I better take her inside and get her started on her studies, it was nice seeing you."

     "Wait. Vee-"

      "It's Vivianna. Only my friends and family call me Vee," I responded curtly, making direct eye-contact.

      He cleared his throat awkwardly then began again.

      "I just wanted to say that you look lovely in that color," he complimented with a dashing smile, referring to my emerald green dress.

      "Thank you," I smiled, "but I really do need to be going."

      I turned to leave, but not before he grabbed my left hand, now free of Elsie's grip, and kissed it unceremoniously.

      I responded with an angry flush and darker smile, that he naively took as my being flattered, before I took my hand back and intentionally wiped it on my dress while leaving.

      "That man, he just makes me so-," I muttered angrily before delving into a bunch of rage-filled nonsense clearly not fit for Elsie's young ears. I dragged Elsie through a series of rooms to finally end up in the hallway leading to our bedrooms.

      "Don't repeat any of that," I snapped at Elsie before turning and giving her a meaningful smile, "please."

      "Of course," she responded mischievously, clearly storing the words for future use.

      "It's just- that man! Richard, he-" I explained angrily, before being interrupted.

      "What's the problem with Mr. Vincent?" asked my father, whom I hadn't noticed had been listening from his office to the left of me.

      "Rich- er, Mr. Vincent," I repeated, searching for a polite way to phrase my raging thoughts, "just rubs me the wrong way sometimes. He seems to be full of himself, and acts without caring for others."

    "You seemed to have developed quite the educated opinion on a man you've had rare a conversation with," he mocked with a peculiar smile.

      "Well, I feel as though I am an excellent judge of character, and I happen to know for a fact that he is not good," I rebuked crossing my arms across my chest.

   "Is that so?" rumbled a voice amusingly from behind me.

    I turned around fast only to be faced with the broad chest of Richard. I stumbled backwards blushing.

      "Yes," I insisted, "It is. Shouldn't you be more upset?"

      "I would be... That is, if I believed you truly felt that way," he replied smirking.

      I rear back preparing for a snarky reply when my father stops me, knowing the limits to my tongue.

      "That's enough Vee, darling. Why don't you go down and fetch some tea for us to drink on while we discuss business."

      Business? I questioned angrily in my head. What could they possibly have to discuss?

    But I leave them be to go be a good lapdog. Just as well as my father knows my limits, I know his, and I know I shouldn't test his patience. However, I refuse to be entirely degraded.

      I get to work fast, hoping to make the tea as scalding as possible when it's served. A burnt tongue should prevent anymore yapping from him.

      From an outsider's perspective, one could believe that I am being too harsh on a seemingly kind man. However, I have seen the real Richard, and he is no gentleman.

Hi! I hope you're enjoying the book so far! This chapter was shorter than I was wanting, but I wanted it to leave off on a cliffhanger of sorts. Who is Richard, and why is Victoria so sure that he's just not a good dude? If you have any comments or suggestions about characters, plot lines, or even grammar, PLEASE don't hesitate! I would love any and all feedback! I'm excited for these next few chapters because things are about to go down!