Page 39 of King of Rage

Finally, he let out a frustrated breath, shook his head, and turned away. Without another word, he walked out of the café.

Stella watched him disappear through the door before releasing another deep breath. Her shoulders dropped slightly as some of the tension left her body.

Convincing Triston was much more difficult than convincing anyone else that she was only playing this game with Lucius now. He knew her too well. He knew what she had been like when she had loved Lucius, and he knew exactly how badly she had been hurt when that relationship had ended.

Stella turned away from the door and went back behind the counter, forcing herself to focus on the café. She moved through the remaining hours of the day, serving customers and keeping herself occupied until evening began to settle over the city.

Chapter 7 Are You Going on a Date?

Gradually, the restaurant became quieter.

The earlier crowd disappeared, leaving only a handful of customers scattered around the tables. The noise had faded to a low murmur, and Stella finally felt some of the heaviness inside her begin to lift.

She was already planning to wrap up the restaurant for the evening when the bell above the door rang again.

Stella looked toward the entrance.

A man walked inside.

He was disheveled and dirty, his clothes rumpled and his appearance almost as worn as his face. The moment Stella recognized him, her entire body stiffened.

David.

She knew that familiar face too well.

Greed was written all over his expression as he spotted her. Without hesitation, he charged directly toward the counter, his footsteps heavy against the floor.

He stopped in front of her and slammed one hand down on the counter.

“Stella,” he said.

The man was in his late fifties, yet he looked closer to seventy. His face was weathered, his appearance neglected, and there was something ugly and entitled in his eyes that immediately made Stella’s patience disappear.

“I haven’t seen Darla. Is she around?”

Stella's expression hardened.

“You have nothing to do with her. Get out of here.”

David stared at her for a moment before a mocking smile slowly spread across his face.

“I need fifty thousand dollars.”

He extended his hand toward her as though she were simply supposed to place the money into his palm.

Stella looked at his outstretched hand, then back at his face with open disgust.

“You know you’re not getting anything out of me, right? Get the fuck out of here before I call the police on you, David.”

Her voice cracked like a whip across the nearly empty café.

David let out a loud, disbelieving scoff. Anger immediately replaced his mocking amusement as he straightened and glared at her.

“You haven’t forgotten how I controlled her, have you?”

He twisted his neck slightly, his expression becoming more arrogant.

“All I had to do was wiggle one finger, and she would come running to me.” His lips curled into another unpleasant smile. “You haven’t forgotten how she always used to come running to me, right?”