All Chapters of TEMPTING THE LONER: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

- ISOBEL - “How long do you plan to stalk him?” Nina’s words of our conversation yesterday replays in my head. “As long as I can to know the kind of woman he likes. Know the things he’s accustomed to so I can bend my way into his life .” Was my response to Nina. I plan to be the lioness heading towards the target. It won’t be long before he succumbs to my whims once I approach him. A honk snaps me back to earth and I stare at the path I’m walking on. It’s morning. I’m making my way to my usual café with my very first and best client’s child by my side with my hand tugged well in his. James. I do have a nutrition list for every child I babysit and so far, his parents are the most fluid. James loves coming to the café with me and while part of me thinks it’s because of the cute cashier, the other part believes he enjoys the snacks here. Either way, it’s good for me. It’s my third time babysitting him this week. And my third time having the splendour of coming here. I push the

- ISOBEL - I couldn’t catch my breath all through the drive. He managed to break every bit of composure in my body with just a few sentences. Did he just ask me out? Well, indirectly. My mind is in scrambles and I can’t fully wrap my head around what happened in his car. ‘See you later, angel.’ Still replays in my mind, that’s the last thing he said when I got out of his car. My eyes roll in my socket as I bite my lower lip. He did what I didn’t have the courage to do!! I try to hide my blush with my hair by pushing strands of hair over my face as I walk through the pedestrian walkway in my estate. I couldn’t let him drop me home and lied I was going to meet with a friend. If Cain was home and even sighted just a bit of his car from a distance with me in it, he would act out. I can’t risk Cain acting out and ruining my chances. Not anymore. He’d destroy things before it even starts. I turn back to look around, checking for traces of his car, when I found none, I stare

- ISOBEL -I look at my maps then at the time on my cell phone as I step into the café. This is the one. Nina should be here somewhere. I run my eyes around the eating area, looking for the lady who both pissed me off and made me worried at the same time. I swear she’ll get what’s coming to her but I have to find her first.My lips flatten as I still search for her, examining the café. I can’t find traces of her. Not even one. I can’t even hear her voice in the midst of the chatter here. Although scantier than the one I usually go to stalk Cameron, the not-so-subtle noise in this place is unmissable.I look at my phone and unlock my screen, heading to my chat with Nina. I want to alert her of my arrival.“She’s here.” A man’s voice trail in my ears. This makes me sigh, if I didn’t know too well, I’d say it was familiar. Eerily familiar. Pfft. I roll my eyes. Amongst the sea of people, someone raises her hand up. I try my luck and look at the person. Seeing her ginger hair now, I’m

- ISOBEL - I’m not working today. Not after how shaken I was by yesterday’s run in with Cain. Laying on my bed with my tummy pressed on the sheets and eyes glued to my laptop, I’m researching ways to start a fire. Secure ways without leaving trails. If there’s one thing I am bad at doing other than approaching a long, lost crush, it’s committing a crime. I need to have thorough information if I want this to work and the internet is the best place for research. I scribble something down on my sketchpad. Gasoline. I need lots and lots of gasoline in the house. Since I can’t get my hand on Chlorine trifluoride, it’s what I’ll work with. My thumb make it’s way to my teeth and I chew on my finger tip. I have a long list of things written down here. I’ll have to review this list and choose the ones which are best suited for me. The ones I can buy without catching alarming awareness.I also need to think of a way to get mom out of the house when I pull this whole charade. I don’t like h

- NINA - There he is, stepping inside. I watch a man, from the comfort of my suv, covered in black from head to toe waltz out of the back entrance of an underground flat. Two large, rusted, metal bins cover the entry, making the area look deserted. The man walks up to me and mutters something in mandarin. “Nǐ de wénjiàn.” He says in a calm, grumpy tone as he sways his head to both sides, checking for passersby. His body movement is unstable. Although standing in a spot, he’s moving a bit too restlessly. [Translation: The files you need.] I stretch my hand out of the car window and take the thick, black, leather travel bag from him. This will be given anonymously to the FBI. “Xièxiè. Hurios wǒ dǎzhāohū.” I say to the Asian back in mandarin with an Irish accent. [ Translation: Thank you. Tell Hurios I said Hi.] My face is straight. Although with a full disguise on my face, I have my shades on and my fingers are padded with gloves and a fake hand. The face this man se