The Watcher

[SETH PACHECO]

It was so easy to get the key to Ms. Higgins’ apartment. Did the complex honestly feel so secure that they really depended on the eighty year old security guard with the master key to keep creeps like him out? There had to be residents who worried for their safety. And they should. They really should. No way should they feel safe with a man like him lurking their halls. All he had to do was engage the old man in conversation, put on his warmest smile and make the walking corpse laugh. He just pointed to a nice car in the parking lot, made some stupid comment, while his hand snuck into the man’s pocket and deftly lifted his key ring. That key ring was tucked safely in his coat pocket now. He dressed like any other guy on the street. His only remarkable feature was his height and that could be easily overlooked. Not to say he wasn’t charming. Oh no, he could charm even the most precautious person with his kindly hazel eyes and wide, long-dimpled smile. It hid the creep beneath.

Yes, he was a creep. Seth had always been a creep. He enjoyed watching people in their truest state. And a person was always the most honest when they were alone—or thought they were. Seth never let a person know when he was watching. But he was always watching. Even in his sleep, he watched through the lens of a camera. There was one person he watched more than anyone: his dear big brother. Robert had no idea he existed. The spoiled prince of the Gargoyles had lived under the delusion that he was their father’s only son. But William Snow had a weakness for women.

It was a weakness all of the Snow men shared, even those who didn’t bear the name. If you had the blood, you had the weakness. Even Seth wasn’t above it, though he tried. For him, women were prey. It wasn’t the hunt he enjoyed, though—he just loved to play with his food. He got drunk off the power of manipulating them. How far could he push them before they simply refused to do his bidding any longer? And how long after that would it take for them to beg for their release? And how long after that could he make them forget their freedom and devote themselves completely to being his slave? Oh how they cried when he threw them by the wayside, broken and weak. He understood why his father treated his mother that way. Women were just so weak—they begged to be broken by their very nature. And he was happy to oblige. Perhaps he would break Ms. Higgins too. He hadn’t quite decided.

Tonight he was just scoping out her apartment. Seth never expected his brother to actually fall in love. As much as he hated Robert for all of the privilege he received that Seth was shunned from, he had long believed the man at least had his priorities straight. He kept no one close to him, particularly not women. It made Seth’s revenge that much more difficult to plot, but he couldn’t fault his brother for keeping aloof. He knew what it was that drew Robert to Cadence (what kind of a name was that anyway?)—of course he knew. Seth knew everything about his brother to make up for the nothing that Robert knew about him. And while it shouldn’t have surprised Seth that he fell for the little sister of his only friend, he was both disappointed and thrilled by it. His brother was going soft in his old age. Perhaps a brush with his own death changed his mind on spending forever alone. William would be glad to know his precious line wasn’t ending. He once told Seth’s mother the only way he would recognize Seth as his blood would be if there was no one else to carry on the family name. So Seth had always been Seth Pacheco. Never Seth Snow. He should have been a Snow.

The announcement of Robert’s engagement to Cadence Higgins was welcome news to him. This was the start of his revenge. He’d been watching the girl for over a year, ready to strike when the moment was right. This was the right moment. She hadn’t given Robert children and yet he would be more in love with her now than he ever was. Her loss would devastate him. The thought of it made him grin as he slipped the key into the Higgins girl’s door. He had seen the place plenty from his vantage point in the trees outside, but he was excited to finally see it for himself.

It smelled like her. How many times had he passed her on the street, in the market, coming out of her building and caught this scent on the breeze left in her wake? It was refined and expensive. She was as pampered as her fiancé. He loathed her even more. Wandering through the apartment, he noted her high fashion style. Her home could have been lifted from the pages of a magazine. Had she always been into birds or did she simply let the pages of Anthropologie dictate her sense of style? This was the home of a woman who valued appearances. He wandered into her bedroom, violating the space with his foreign presence. He took his time absorbing how it felt to penetrate this inner sanctum he’d only observed through a lens. His fingers brushed along her dresser, his eyes wandering to the pictures on the wall. He couldn’t wait to return here as she slept. The thrill of it pumped through his veins. But not yet…

Or perhaps fate had decided their meeting would happen sooner than he intended. The jingle of keys at the door stopped him where he stood, his eyes snapping to the door of her bedroom. Was she here for only a moment or was she coming home for the night? If Robert expected her home, he didn’t want to keep her. Silently he slipped into the closet. If she was only here for a moment, his plans wouldn’t be ruined as long as she didn’t see him. But if she stayed for the night…well, Robert wouldn’t miss her for quite some time.

[CADENCE HIGGINS]

Cadence was beginning to truly embrace the changes happening in her life. It wasn't the easiest transition going from girlfriend to fiance, at least for her, but she liked to think she was doing it somewhat gracefully. Her mood shifted further when the pair told her parents the news. Now Cadence had never cared much for her parents approval, so in the end it didn't matter much if they liked the idea of her marrying their deceased sons best friend or not, buy after the initial shock wore off they seemed to settle positively on the idea. Her mother even showed a great interested in helping plan the ceremony. Planning a wedding. A wedding with Robert Snow. It seemed so foreign an idea. She wasn't the type of woman to care much for planning a wedding, and insisted she would be hiring someone to do it for her, but her mother insisted on at least going over the ideas with her. She agreed readily to that, and she'd set out to find a proper wedding planner.

Robert had kept his word and had begun construction on the corner room in the east wing. She felt pampered and privileged and enjoyed it thoroughly as he treated her to whatever luxury she wanted. It wasn't the reason she was marrying him, but it was certainly a perk. Parts of the entire house were being remodeled at her suggestion, and though he was firm on keeping some rooms alone, he was quick to give her creative freedom almost anywhere she saw fit. In the end, it made the process of having to give up her own home easier. The house would soon look as though they both lived there, which would speed up her transition to feeling at home in her new home. It still left a lot of work to be done in her old home, though.

Cadence wasn't looking forward to the task of getting everything squared away, but she knew it was something she had to do. There were decades worth of memories that needed sorting through and closets full of clothes, shoes and outerwear that needed purging. Half of her wardrobe, if not more, was outdated and hadn't been worn in years. She wouldn't bring those things over to Robert's, she would donate them so Scriptor Bays less fortunate could have a hint of style. She'd put the task off for weeks though, and it was getting to the point where she really needed to either do it or have someone pack her things and sort if out once it got to her new quarters. That wasn't desirable since Robert would likely be riding her to get it done. No, it would be easier to simply poor a glass of wine, get everything done over the course of a week or so, and be done with it. plus it would give her the opportunity to truly say goodbye to her single life. In theory, she would never live on her own again. It was all so very bittersweet.

She took off shortly after finishing her evening meal with Robert, taking a little time to enjoy their meal before heading over to her old home for one of the last times. She'd stay through until tomorrow and come back the evening after. Working diligently throughout the next two day would certainly help get everything done quicker. She didn't want to draw this process out any longer than necessary. She opened the door and went first to the kitchen, opening a bottle of wine. She would definitely need a few drinks to help get through all of this and keep her sanity. She went to her ipod and turned it on, the sound of Dorothy Collins and Perry Como crooning through the speakers. She'd need a trash bag for all the things she didn't wear anymore.

Once prepared Cadence went to the closet near the front entrance of her home, opening it and beginning the process or sorting out the things she wanted to keep and the things she wanted to donate. For now she pulled those she wanted to get rid of and began dumping them on a pile at her feet. Two minutes in and she already had three coats pooled down around her legs. She decided it was somewhat cathartic cleaning her home out like this, starting new and fresh with Robert. She found she was in a better mood than expected, humming softly to the old familiar tune, oblivious to the danger lurking so terribly close.

[SETH PACHECO]

Seth could hear her moving about the apartment. He could hear the slid of glass on a hard surface and the soft opening and closing of cabinets. Music began to drift to him in the closet—too soft to hear what it was, but just loud enough to know it was there. After a time, the noise of her movement died down, isolated to one point. It was likely she wouldn’t stumble on him for quite some time with the concentration of the sounds she was making. He would be safe to creep out and surprise her—reasonably. At least he could make sure she wouldn’t scream. He reached for the gun tucked into the waistband of his jeans, pressed into the small of his back. Slowly, he emerged from the closet, making sure the coast was clear. Her bedroom was empty and with four walls no longer muffling the sounds, he figured she was near the front door. Walking out from the bedroom, he could see the edge of clothing strewn on the floor. Well, he wasn’t expecting her to be undressed yet, but he wouldn’t mind a close-up of the body he’d been admiring through windows for going on a couple years.

His heart hammered in his chest, the thrill of the hunt consuming him. He was silent as the grave as he crept from her room. Slowly…slowly he made his way closer. One turn of that pretty golden head and his surprise attack was done for. He needed to be quick. His muscles were tensed, his breathing silent even with how fast his heart pounded against his ribs. Slowly…slowly he came up behind her. She was close enough to touch, but he didn’t dare. Not yet. Slowly…slowly he got within inches of her back. Now.

In a smooth movement, Seth swooped down on the petite figure before him. A strong hand grabbed her mouth, the other raising his gun to the side of her head. Cool steel kissed her temple and he let out a sigh with a wide grin. “For a second I thought you might catch me before I caught you.” He murmured the words close to her ear, resting his right cheek against her golden hair. “If you scream, I’ll be forced to gag you. Do you want that?” His hazel eyes watched her face, waiting for her to answer him. When she gave a small shake of her head, he smiled wider. “Good. Now when I remove my hand, you’re going to not scream and do as I tell you. Understood?” Again, she hesitated but gave a slight nod. He rewarded her with removing his hand from her pretty mouth, pointing the gun to the back of her head as he stepped back from her enough to be able to direct her movements. “Move into the living room.” She began to walk and he looked down at what it was he was stepping over. Coats were pooled on the floor and he kicked one aside. “Ohhh, looks like you’re getting ready to move in with Robert. I guess that makes sense with your recent engagement.” She began to turn and he allowed it, making eye contact with her for the first time. It was easy to see why Robert loved those green eyes. Seth liked them because of the surprise and fear he saw there. He couldn’t wait to see that fear grow. “Oh yes, I know all about you, Cadence. I’ve been watching you.” The grin he gave was nothing short of menacing. He planned to tell her all about himself in time. For now he would enjoy making her wonder what this was all about. “Sit. And any sudden movements will be followed by a bullet in your body. Got it?”

[CADENCE HIGGINS]

Cadence dropped another coat on the floor, green eyes scrutinizing the next garment she came across. Did she like that peacoat? She hadn't worn it in ages, but it ti was still in good condition, thick and well made. She reached for it, wanting to maybe try it on, but before she could get it off the hanger something, or rather someone stopped her. A strong hand came over her mouth, the unmistakable feel of hard metal pressed to her temple. Her eyes widened and she sucked in hard, panicked breaths through her nose, struggling against her bonds. She could tell simply by the strength of the hold that this was one of her own; someone who could overpower her somewhat easily. Especially with the threat of a weapon. But who? Who would be in her home, threatening her very life?

“For a second I thought you might catch me before I caught you.” She tried placing the voice, but couldn't. Did she know him? She struggled gently in his arms, not enough to be a real fight, but enough to show she wasn't pleased with this. “If you scream, I’ll be forced to gag you. Do you want that?” Cadence was bristling, but she knew better than to allow herself to get tied down before she knew what she was up against. Years of being under Robert had taught her plenty of humility and she shook her head though it pained her to do so. She didn't want to be gagged, but she didn't like offering this man so much control over her either. Begrudgingly she shook her head. “Good. Now when I remove my hand, you’re going to not scream and do as I tell you. Understood?” She could hear the smugness in his voice. Her hands folded into tight fists at her side but she finally nodded, teeth clenched.

“Move into the living room.” She began to move knowing he was there behind her. Was she quick enough to disarm him? He was a gargoyle, she knew that much, which meant he would be able to stop her and potentially end her. “Ohhh, looks like you’re getting ready to move in with Robert. I guess that makes sense with your recent engagement.” It wasn't a secret they were engaged, but she had to wonder suddenly. This wasn't a random attack.. this man wanted something from her. He knew her. Before she could stop herself she turned to look at him, eyes blazing, though the sight of the gun made her anxious. Would he use such a weapon? One look at his face said yes.

“Oh yes, I know all about you, Cadence. I’ve been watching you.” Watching her? But why? There was something vaguely familiar about him, but she couldn't place it. Who was he and what did he want from her? Why would he be watching her of all people? Uninteresting Cadence Higgins? “Sit. And any sudden movements will be followed by a bullet in your body. Got it?” She wasn't about to justify him with an answer. "Who are you and what do you want?" When Robert found out, this man would be in for a world of hurt. He wasn't there to kill her, she knew that much. If he were, he'd have done so by now. He had plenty of time unless he wanted information from her. What information could she have?

[SETH PACHECO]

“Who are you and what do you want?” Seth’s smile grew, but his eyes grew colder. “All in due time, my dear. But as I recall, I told you to sit.” Cadence continued to defy him, standing firm. That was until he raised the gun and pointed it at her shoulder. He cocked it and took a step closer. “I don’t plan on killing you yet, Cadence. But if you continue to be stubborn, you’ll get a hole in your shoulder. I can tell you from experience that it doesn’t feel good.” She was so good at hiding her emotions, but even he could notice the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. One look into his would tell her that he had no qualms with shooting her. So finally she went to the couch and took a seat. “There, that wasn’t so hard.” The way he said the words made him sound like the most genial pediatrician comforting a crying child who just got her shots. His smile was wide and even friendly, a deep contrast from the gun in his hand. He released the hammer with a soft click to let her know the danger of injury was no longer so imminent.

“See? Now we can have a nice conversation in comfort. I would go grab us some drinks, but I can’t trust you just yet.” Reaching into the hem of his jeans at his back, he produced a roll of duct tape. “And because I can’t trust you, I’m afraid I’ll have to bind your wrists. If you’re good, I’ll keep your ankles free. Deal?” She didn’t deign him with an answer, but he hadn’t really expected one. Shrugging, he got to his feet again and moved behind her. He set his gun aside while he grabbed her arms and with surprising gentleness began to guide her hands behind her. She made an attempt to snatch them away, but he caught her wrists with almost the full steely strength of his large hands. Knowing his grip was hurting her, he yanked her arms back and high, threatening to dislocate her shoulders in one swift motion. The soft cry she gave woke the sadistic excitement in him. Grinning, he held them in the high, painful position firmly as his other hand brought the duct tape to his teeth. With a loud tearing sound, the tape unraveled to be placed around her soft, small wrists. Over and over he wrapped the tape, making sure she was bound quite carefully. It wasn’t until he finished securing her that he let her arms fall against her back once more. The level of discomfort she felt might deter her from trying that again. He leaned in until his chin rested on her shoulder, his lips almost brushing her ear as he spoke in dangerous hiss. “Compliance will help you avoid more pain, Ms. Higgins. And I do so love to inflict pain. Just give me an excuse.” Just the smell of her hair and her fear was enough to quicken his blood.

He moved in front of her once more, taking a seat on the couch beside her, one leg curled under him comfortably as he twisted his body to fully look at her. His gun rested comfortably against his thigh, his finger resting beside the trigger. The smile he wore was deceptively sweet knowing the poison that lay within it. “Now, you asked me a couple questions. The first I believe was, ‘Who are you?’” He gave a slightly sardonic laugh. “My name is Seth Pacheco. In another life I might have been named Seth Snow, but your darling fiancé stole that title from me.” Leaning in, he gave Cadence a secretive smile. “You see, I’m the baby brother he never knew about. I think I can trust you with that little secret, yes?” The wink he offered was playful and he could tell it obviously disgusted her. He couldn’t wait to turn that disgust into desperate despair. His grin spread across his face just thinking of it. “You see, all of us Snow men have a weakness for women. William Snow, with all of his power, was no different. Neither was Robert until you came along. And I can honestly say I’m impressed by how much you’ve tamed him.” He reached out and ran his knuckles along her cheek, slipping them down to her jaw which he traced with his fingers. They fell to her white throat, gently grabbing it without applying any pressure. His eyes drank in every inch of the face he had seen a thousand times and never so close as this. They slid down her throat and to her breasts, trying to restrain his need to see what his brother saw. “I certainly can’t blame him.” His smile was lurid as his eyes came back to hers. The hatred in her eyes set his blood on fire.

[CADENCE HIGGINS]

“All in due time, my dear. But as I recall, I told you to sit.” The cool smile on his face did nothing but make her want to rip his smug head clear off his neck.  He was intentionally taunting her, and it was difficult not to fall prey to him.  She refused to sit, not wanting to actually listen to him, but when his gun slipped towards her shoulder she clenched her teeth hard.  Was it worth it? Would he pull the trigger?  “I don’t plan on killing you yet, Cadence. But if you continue to be stubborn, you’ll get a hole in your shoulder. I can tell you from experience that it doesn’t feel good.” So he'd been shot before.  She could easily see why someone would waste a bullet on him.  Still, if he was crazy enough to sneak in and attack her, than he was crazy enough to pull the trigger and though she had a high tolerance for pain, she didn't care much to be shot, especially with Robert not expecting her for a few days.

Gritting her teeth, the woman made her way to the sofa and sat herself down.  “There, that wasn’t so hard.” As if she were an errant child.  “See? Now we can have a nice conversation in comfort. I would go grab us some drinks, but I can’t trust you just yet.” Well he wasn't a complete idiot.  The second he turned away she would reach for her phone.  All she needed to do was call her fiance.  The second he heard another man speak he would be there.  Cadence was certain it would take no more than five minutes for him to arrive if he sensed she were in any amount of danger at all.  “And because I can’t trust you, I’m afraid I’ll have to bind your wrists. If you’re good, I’ll keep your ankles free. Deal?” And there went her first plan. She didn't bother entertaining him with an answer as he showed her the roll of tape.  She didn't move, her mind racing to come up with a plan.  She could attempt to attack him, but he'd proved he was stronger already and surely he was expecting it.  He wouldn't be tying her up otherwise.  No, she needed to be more clever..

Her body tensed slightly as he got to his feet, her eyes following him until he was out of her line of sight.  His hands pulled hers back and she tugged at them, his own grip suddenly turning steely as he held her arms back.  Cadence felt her heart begin to hammer with the growing agitation of this situation she had found herself in, the man behind her pulling her arms uncomfortably high on her back now; a silent punishment for refusing to cooperate.  Over and over he wrapped the tape around her wrists, binding her tight enough that she wouldn't be able to easily escape, if at all.  She winced but made no noise as he finished, her arms crumbling behind her back as he finally let her go.  Her body tensed further when she felt his face so terribly close to her, his hot breath warming her neck and causing her skin to crawl.  “Compliance will help you avoid more pain, Ms. Higgins. And I do so love to inflict pain. Just give me an excuse.” A chill ran down her spine at his words.  The pain he would cause would be nothing like her lovers.  She enjoyed the pain Robert inflicted, when he threw her over his knee for being disobedient.  She lived to feel his hand at her backside, even if it drove her mad with anger at times.

Cadence was relieved when he finally moved back, her eyes able to focus on him once more.  He was slightly less dangerous when she could watch him and predict his moves, though she was nearly helpless to him.  She still had her legs, after all.  “Now, you asked me a couple questions. The first I believe was, ‘Who are you?’  My name is Seth Pacheco. In another life I might have been named Seth Snow, but your darling fiancé stole that title from me.” The anger drained into surprise.  Robert had a brother? Why hadn't he told her! After all this time together he nev- “You see, I’m the baby brother he never knew about. I think I can trust you with that little secret, yes?” Plump pink lips parted slightly with the shock of this information.  Robert had a brother.  A baby brother, with a different name, who had her tied up in her own apartment. Her eyes narrowed slightly at him as the anger seeped back into her features, now mixed clearly with disgust.  “You see, all of us Snow men have a weakness for women. William Snow, with all of his power, was no different. Neither was Robert until you came along. And I can honestly say I’m impressed by how much you’ve tamed him.” Tamed Robert.  It was laughable, really.  If anyone had been tamed it was she.  Robert had always been rough around the edges, but he needed to be.  Deep down he was softer, and that side of him had always been there, but he'd suffocated it.  She had pulled it to the surface, where she had to develop those sorts of feelings.  She had by far been the colder of them both.  Seth didn't know his brother at all.  

Her instinct was the pull away when he touched her, but she decided not to give him the pleasure of seeing such a reaction.  It was what he wanted and she wouldn't give in to this pathetic waste of life.  “I certainly can’t blame him.” Cadence held back her sneer, feeling his hands explore her.  Kicking and fighting would only further excite him and her aim was to piss him off as much as she could while retaining her life.  "What is it exactly you want from me?" She inquired, raising a brow, her tone bordering on venomous.  She wanted to know how Robert had a brother he didn't know about, and why the man knew so much about them when they didn't know anything about him.  She didn't want to ask too many questions, though.  Somehow she got the feeling Seth would like her  asking if only to deny her answers.  Fortunately, she was somewhat patient.

[SETH PACHECO]

“What is it exactly you want from me?” Cadence spat the words like an angry mamba. She was remaining stoically still as his hands wandered over her body. Seth had to admire her determination. It also got him hot to ponder all the ways he could break that strong, unflinching veneer. His lips stretched into a smug grin, allowing his fingers to trace the line of her throat once more. “Your life.” That made her green eyes flicker. What emotion they flickered with, he couldn’t tell. Fear? Anger? Disbelief? Whatever it was, it made his grin spread wider as he let out a soft chuckle. “Well, maybe not that much. The truth is, I haven’t quite decided. You caught me by surprise here.” He released the willowy woman and got to his feet. This was a conversation he should be facing her for.

With a sigh, Seth sank to the couch once more, his knees nearly touching Cadence’s. “I just snuck in here about twenty minutes ago. I wasn’t expecting you now. Normally at this time you would be getting ready for a meal with Robert.” He saw her eyebrows furrow slightly, which was enough for him to know her curiosity was peaked. “Yes, I’m very familiar with your schedule. I’ve watched you. Robert as well, but recently I’ve been more interested in you. My brother has been the subject of my studies for years, but you have only been in my sights for a couple years now. It was very sweet watching you and Robert fall in love from afar. Quite the twist with him being more head over heels in love with you than you are with him; or perhaps that should be he ‘was’ more in love with you. You could be equally in love now.” The look on Cadence’s face was both fury and hesitation. Her emotions were gone almost as soon as they came, but he could tell his words unnerved her.

“It doesn’t really matter how deeply in love you are with him, though—it only matters that he is deeply in love with you. If something were to happen to you, Robert wouldn’t know what to do with himself. Any pain done to you because of him will hurt twice as much as anything I do physically to him.” Tilting his head to the side, he gave a sympathetic wince of his mouth, giving a crooked smile afterward. “If only you had never met Robert…You may not think that now, but you might in a few hours.” He gave a short, soft chuckle, his fingers already itching for a knife. There was no question he was going to cut her before he left her. He narrowed his eyes and pointed at her, smiling slyly. “If I’m not mistaken, I’d say you’re curious as to why I’m so set on hurting Robert. Am I right?” His eyes and smile widened, almost excited, like a little boy hoping he won at twenty questions. And why not? He was excited!

[CADENCE HIGGINS]

“Your life.” For a brief moment her eyes widened, fearing he wanted to take her life from her, but if he were going to do that he would have.  Besides, he'd mentioned wanting her alive already.  No, his words had a different meaning.  He didn't want to actually take her life, he wanted something more.  He wanted the life she had, or rather more specifically the one she shared with Robert.  Her lips curled downward in disgust at the very thought of it.  Trading Robert in for this snake of a Gargoyle.  He was revolting, and not just because he looked like a weasel.  He had to tie women up and hold a gun to them in order to attempt to intimidate her.

“Well, maybe not that much. The truth is, I haven’t quite decided. You caught me by surprise here.” His hands left her frame and she could feel the shift in the couch as he got up.  Caught him by surprise by actually being home? Did he suspect she wouldn't be? She had been spending quite a bit of time with Robert at his own home, so it made sense.  Not to mention the only reason she was here was to pack her belongings so she could move into his home, a decision she still couldn't believe he swayed her to make.  He was convincing when he wanted to be.  The ring she wore was proof enough of that.

Seth moved before and slid back onto the couch, now facing her.  She glowered into his eyes, now seeing some of the resemblance he shared with his half brother.  She remained quiet for now, something that she often did when being spoken to.  In fact she barely spoke to Robert at all the first year she worked for him, and when she did speak it was strictly related to the job she was performing for him.  “I just snuck in here about twenty minutes ago. I wasn’t expecting you now. Normally at this time you would be getting ready for a meal with Robert.” The revulsion made her stomach twist angrily.  Were they so predictable? Or was it he had been following them so closely that he simply knew what to expect? Well, he couldn't have known that well if he didn't know she would be here.  Fool.  She realized then that if she wanted to get out of this situation she needed to act in a way unlike how she normally would.  He needed to not suspect her actions, but being so vulnerable there on the couch would make that difficult.  She would have to be crafty.. "Yes, I’m very familiar with your schedule. I’ve watched you. Robert as well, but recently I’ve been more interested in you." This information didn't surprise her in the least.  A pathetic worm like him would spend more time watching after her than the previous focus of his attentions.  "My brother has been the subject of my studies for years, but you have only been in my sights for a couple years now. It was very sweet watching you and Robert fall in love from afar. Quite the twist with him being more head over heels in love with you than you are with him; or perhaps that should be he ‘was’ more in love with you. You could be equally in love now.” She silently seethed.  She did love Robert but it was no concern of his.  A thought entered her mind, causing her to grow a heavy pit in her stomach.  He'd been watching her a couple of years now, but she had not been in Scriptor Bay for all of that time.  For nearly nine months she had vacated the coastal city to find herself, afraid of the feelings she had for the man she was now engaged to. But of course there was more; a secret not even Robert knew of and the sick fear gripped her.  Did Seth know? Did he know of his brother's child that didn't exist because of her fear and selfishness?  She tried not to let the terror show, that she had come to such a conclusion, because there was a good chance he hadn't followed her, or if he had, perhaps he grew bored of her quickly.  She was no longer in Robert's life at that point.  Or maybe he had never followed her at all.  She hoped that was the case.  

“It doesn’t really matter how deeply in love you are with him, though—it only matters that he is deeply in love with you. If something were to happen to you, Robert wouldn’t know what to do with himself. Any pain done to you because of him will hurt twice as much as anything I do physically to him.” Her mind wandered back to the present predicament at hand as Seth slowly unraveled his intentions.  If his aim was to hurt his brother, it would be through her.  They both knew there was merit to what Seth had come up with.  Robert's threshold for pain was something to be admired, but to watch her suffer.. it would kill him.  Cadence braced herself, her mind trying to come up with a plan, but until he made a move there was little she could do.  Besides, his threats could be empty.  There was no saying just how crazy Seth was, even if he had stalked them for years.

“If only you had never met Robert…You may not think that now, but you might in a few hours.” His threat was almost amusing, and for the first time since he pulled her into his custody, she gave something that resembled a smirk.  "We'll see." She taunted back gently, and she meant it.  He underestimated her, which was probably her greatest asset in this situation. His eyes narrowed and he lifted a hand to point at her, smiling slyly. “If I’m not mistaken, I’d say you’re curious as to why I’m so set on hurting Robert. Am I right?” Why on earth did he look so excited about the question? It was obvious, really.  He had been so enamoured with his brother with absolutely no one to confide in about it, and now he had someone to listen to his lame, diabolical plans.  "Penis envy?" She questioned, quirking her head to the side as she tried not to laugh at him.