Frog Tale (7 page)

Chloe loves me unconditionally.

He remembered the fateful night and the wicked witch’s curse. His heart stopped beating. True love
, not only unconditional love, but the kiss of true love.

Oh hell, she not only loves me, but she’s in love with me.

It was at that moment his heart broke and his soul shattered as he realized the situation, the consequences of what had evolved and became a man.

I love her, but oh dear God, I’m
in love with her too…

Chloe walked into the quiet house just after midnight.

Oh dear. It’s quarter after midnight. Both Dad and Luc are going to be mad since I am past curfew.

She ascended the stairs and strolled down the hall past her sisters’ bedrooms and toward her father’s office
. Best to deal with father first since she wanted to tell Luc about her day and knew he would be royally pissed over the fact she had stayed out so late and past curfew. Oddly, enough she’d missed Luc and had no clue as to why.

Maybe the reason was as simple as the fact she rarely went anywhere. She stayed home, read, and certainly didn’t go on dates or party like Stella and Georgina. Only during her date with Scott at the concert and even while at the mall, she’d wished Luc had been there.
She especially wanted the Luc who’d been in her dream. The man that had protected her had been positively…well…dreamy. She had little doubt if what Luc said to be true and he’d been human, then he looked like the guy ready to battle the dragon, right down to the…

Her gaze fell on the hall clock and her mind shifted to her dad. She knew all too well what kind of lecture her father had waiting for her since she had overheard the arguments with her parents and wicked siblings on the worries of parents when children don’t arrive home on time. Thankful tonight the only one awake being her father, she could avoid her mother’s dramatics on the crazy people out there wanting to prey on pretty girls and the importance of clean underwear. She’d overheard that speech so many times thanks to her sisters she
not only could recite the monologue verbatim but even knew when her mother paused for emphasis.

With her father’s office door already ajar, she nudged further and glanced in. The sight of her father sound asleep, book resting on his chest bothered her more than she wanted to admit. He never fell asleep waiting for her sisters.

No.

He wore holes in his office rug from pacing like a caged animal. Why didn’t he do that now? Didn’t he care what time she came home? Petty, and possibly off base, she wondered if she mattered to him as much as her sisters did. Since he didn’t appear worried, she shut the door and walked down the hall to her bedroom. At least Luc would be happy to see her, even if he was slightly cantankerous over the time and late hour. She opened her door and stepped over the threshold.

The room’s ambiance held something different from normal and greeted her with an eerie sensation. “Luc?”

Silence.

“Luc, I’m home,” she whispered, wondering if the amphibian slept. She flicked on her bedroom light and the rhythm of her heart picked up speed. Wrong, wrong, wrong, the whole situation felt wrong. Her gaze fell on the glass castle with the silver engraved nameplate and her heart slammed to a stop.

Empty.

She swallowed hard and her eyes darted around the room. Her heart now raced at an out of control rate and she wondered if she was too young to have a heart attack because she was almost positive she was going to have one. “Luc?” Fear infiltrated her veins and coursed through where blood had once traveled.

Silence.

Panic overtook her body and she searched the room, knowing if he were there, he would’ve answered. Tears welled in her eyes and she faced the cold hard truth.

He’s gone.

She never should have left him for so long with her sisters around the house. Stella hated him with such vengeance and just yesterday had made a move for him. She wanted to tell her father, she wanted to scream. Knowing he couldn’t care less what time she even walked in the door led her to believe he wouldn’t care about her missing frog. Then again her dad did like Luc and they talked often. Still she highly doubted her father would care since this had nothing to do with his precious Stella or Georgina.

Grief
wreaked havoc on her soul with intense grief. She collapsed in a sitting position at the edge of her bed. Hot tears trickled down her cheeks and emptiness consumed her soul. “Luc, what did I do?”

Her date with Scott Phillips had been fun but not at the cost of Luc. He meant more to her than was sane and yes, she probably was crazy, but she loved the amphibian and didn’t want life to be without him.

There wasn’t a single doubt. Stella had to be behind this. The beats of Chloe’s heart pumped in an erratic rhythm while she mourned her frog. Her soul started to numb from the sorrow and grief consuming her. Deep inside her temper rose to the surface of her existence. What her sister had done was completely unforgivable.

Stella was so self-centered, she didn’t know how wonderful it was to have a true friend or love someone other than herself. Conceited, selfish and cruel all ruled her sister’s world as much as her emphasizes on her looks. How quickly all those things could be taken away.

Standing, courage and rage built within her. Chloe walked over to her desk and pulled out the scissors. She’d had her fill of Stella’s attitude and decided it was time to teach her sister a lesson. Quietly, she walked over to her bedroom door and pulled the heavy oak open. She glanced down to her father’s office and still all remained quiet there.

Perfect. Serves them all right. Sister dearest is about to reap what she has sewn.

Stella’s room was next to hers and with a little luck she’d left the handle unlocked. With careful and quiet steps, Chloe made her way across the floor to her sister’s threshold. Sure enough the silver knob turned beneath her touch, and with stealth like grace opened her sister’s door, then entered the room in silence.

Her sister slept with her back to the door and her long blonde hair hanging in a ponytail. The demonic bitch made this far too easy. Nearing the bed, she studied the long blonde hair. If she tried to cut it all at once, Stella might wake. However, if she made too many snips, the sound would disturb her sleeping sister. Stabbing her was always an option only she really didn’t want to kill her sister or go to jail, especially since she’d probably become grounded when she got out of prison by her parents.

She decided if she could snip at the ponytail and cut the hair in a few simple chunks, life would be good. Well, not for Stella since she loved her hair almost more than life itself.  Her hand trembled slightly as she lifted the scissors and quickly captured about a fifth of Stella’s hair between the duo blades and closed them together. The hair sliced away from the hair scrunchie and other strands, her sister remained undisturbed. Again she lifted the scissors, captured the same amount and snipped. Her sister tossed slightly and Chloe hid the weapon behind her back and waited. 

Stella rolled onto her stomach and Chloe knew she had to make this quick. She lifted the scissors two more times until nothing but a stub poked through the hair tie. A slow smile worked across her lips as she silently left the room and shut the door, leaving the long sheared locks all over the bed and floor.

Guilt nudged her and she did feel a slight bit of remorse for what she did. Okay, so maybe cutting over twelve inches of hair off was extreme. Her sister had done something to her frog and earned the same amount of heartache that Chloe currently experienced. Stopping at her own bedroom door she glanced down the hall toward her father’s office. The light snoring still echoed faint and her heart tightened.

He obviously didn’t care if I came home or not. Fine. Maybe he will care what I’ve done to his precious oldest child.

Her body and soul ached as she stepped in her room and locked the door. Stella was no longer her sister maybe in name and by genetics but not in her heart and if for some strange reason, Georgina was behind the disappearance of her frog, she would punish her too. After putting her scissors back in her desk drawer, she faced the empty glass castle. Sorrow consumed her body and tears flooded down her cheeks in hot burning tracks.  A big empty hole infiltrated her body where her heart had been and she slowly made her way to the bathroom to take out her contacts. The task would not be a simple one since she was still getting used to them and she couldn’t stop crying.

Will I ever stop crying?

Part of her wondered if she would heal from this loss. She didn’t really think so as she struggled with removing the plastic lens from her eyes.

What have I done? Why did I leave him?

The process of getting undressed and changing into her pajamas didn’t even faze her. She went through the emotions as every feeling in her body shut down and coldness overtook her with an assaulting shiver.

She threw her body onto the bed and buried her face in her pillow. Life wasn’t going to be the same without her little froggy friend. She already longed for Luc and highly doubted she would ever recover.

I’ll always love you Luc and never forget you.

A sob broke against her pillow and instead of the words being a promise in memory; she knew she had just cursed her own soul.

Luciano stared at the palace as the limousine slowed to a stop in front of his boyhood home and where he’d lived until his fateful trip to America. The gray clouds that hung above his head did nothing to comfort the ache in his heart. He had wanted to leave a note to Chloe but Albert had said it was best with nothing said, however when he had left the suit store and had seen the necklace in Cartier he knew he had to have the sparkling gold and diamond item.

When he entered the store, Albert begged him not to buy such an expensive gift, but then nodded. It didn’t take a smart man to see the agony in Luciano’s eyes. Down to his soul he would miss Chloe for a very long time. He knew Albert had seen the pain. In truth, Luciano wouldn’t recover. He didn’t want to even think of the women who’d be calling, none would ever hold a candle to the young lady who would one day be a woman, holding his heart.

The driver opened the door and he exited the car and continued to stare at the grand palace before him. He again thought of Chloe. How she would be c
aptivated with the grander of the palace as well as the gardens around. Only she wasn’t here and wouldn’t be coming for a great many years. He and Albert had agreed, for her own good, she wouldn’t know who Luciano was―not for a very long time and when the timing was right.

His steps carried him toward the front entrance and a strange empty sensation crossed his spine, sending a shiver across his back.  The solid heavy oak doors opened and he entered his childhood home.

“
Welcome home Prince Luciano,” one of the butlers greeted.

Quick steps echoed across the spotless tile of the foyer and his father came into sight. “Luciano!” he called and hurried toward his son. Strong arms hugged around him tight and he truly believed his father had missed him. Albert had said but Luciano hadn’t wanted to believe.

Mario Mercury stepped back and eyed him then rested his attention on the long scar above Luciano’s brow.  Horror marred his father’s expression and he stared Luciano in the eyes. “What happened to your face? Who left you with such an ugly scar?”

“Ramona. Where is she
? I want the witch’s head on a platter and I have no qualms to use one of our family swords to do the job myself.” He meant every word and anger grew inside him. “Where is Satan’s bitch?”

His father shook his head. “Gone. Shortly after your disappearance, she fled without a trace. I think she might have had something to do with your mother’s murder.”

All heartbeats ceased and he blinked at his father. “Come again?”

“I hoped and thought Albert would have told you.” Agony worked itself across his father’s features. “Your mother was murdered a couple weeks after you disappeared. I would never have survived, but Albert Starling, the good man he is, was a great strength. He listened and was always a phone call away, helping me through the loss of you and your mother.”

Why didn’t Albert tell me my mother died?

The question, he would ask his friend another time. Movement captured his attention from the corner of his eye and his gaze rested on a brunette woman with blue eyes an
d full lips. He raked his gaze over her and placed her a few years younger than his father. However, there was something about the strange lady that sent his nerves on edge and instantly, he didn’t trust the woman.

“Who is this Mario?” She asked his dad drawing close to his father’s side.

His father wrapped an arm around the woman’s waist and smiled. “I’m sorry, I forgot, you haven’t met my son. He’s been away. Ella this is Luciano.” His father turned and an odd expression crossed his face. “Son, this is Ella, my new wife and your stepmother.”

No, this is wrong, everything is wrong. This has to be a nightmare or a sick joke to punish me for not calling home.

“I know this is a shock Luciano, but I hope in your time gone you haven’t forgot your manners.”

He glanced to his father and shook his head. Every ounce of energy seized control over his emotions and he forced a weak smile and extended a hand. “It’s nice to meet you Ella.”

She stepped away from his touch and smiled. “The pleasure is mine.” Sincerity lacked in her words. “I didn’t realize Mario had any living family.”

Luciano narrowed his gaze on the woman and disliked her further. There was something incredibly odd about her and he couldn’t put his finger on exactly to what. He had no reason as to why he thought the idea, but whatever he couldn’t identify as being off with her, truly emanated wicked. He turned his attention to his father. “I was hoping to talk to you alone.”