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1.

-HER-

I clutched the umbrella’s handle tightly as a strong wind tried to steal it away from me. The angry raindrops managed to reach me under the umbrella. I desperately looked for shelter as the rainstorm continued.

My shoes were completely wet and so were half of my clothes. The rain was the last thing I was anticipating when I had stepped out of the house.

White curtains of rain surrounded me but I was able to spot a small gift shop. Without thinking much, I ran towards the shop. I sighed when I was finally under its shade. I shut my umbrella and shook the water away from it.

“You must be cold,” A voice spoke behind me out of nowhere, giving me a fright. I turned around to find a middle-aged woman smiling widely at me. She was wearing old vintage clothes but to me, what stood out the most was her tattooed skin.

“Um yes,” I answered after calming my racing heart.

“You can come inside. This is my shop,” She offered. There was something about her that creeped me out. I took this moment to look at her shop. It had eerie vibes to it but I found myself stepping inside the shop nonetheless because I didn’t want to freeze to death.

“Would you like some tea?” She asked politely as I stepped in. I nodded without thinking much. I got too busy looking at the things in her shop. Sets of tarot cards and various sculptures of hands, tracing lines of palmistry alined the shelves at a far corner of the shop.

“Would you like some sugar in your tea?” She asked as she set down teacups and a kettle.

“I read tarot cards and hands,” The woman told me when she saw me looking at the things keenly. I shook my head at her, “These are so useless,”

My comment made her stop pouring tea into my cup and look at me pointedly.

“What?” I asked as she handed me my cup.

“Never criticize the things you don’t understand,” She said to me gently. Though I did not miss how her eyes darkened at me while she took a sip from her tea.

I gave her a momentarily look before sipping from my cup of tea.

“Thanks for the tea,” I spoke and she smiled at me again. Her never eyes left me. She kept looking at me as if she knew something about me. The way the tips of her lips were curled up, it was bothering me.

“Is your shop new? I have never seen it before,” I spoke, breaking the uncomfortable silence between us.

“This shop has been around even before you were born,” She said, quietly sipping from her cup. I raised an eyebrow at her. I spent half my life here but I never saw this shop before.

“Ok,” I muttered anyway.

“Can I see your hand?” She asked politely. I stopped sipping and put my cup down. Without thinking, I found myself putting my hand forward on the table.

As she ran her cold fingertips over my palm, I shivered. She gave me a sly smile, “Your lines say interesting things about you,”

“Ok,” I muttered.

“You have a very strong sex drive,” she mused before continuing, “but you’ve never been touched by a man,” I was taken back by how right she was but I wasn’t going to admit it to her.

“You’re shooting arrows in the dark,” I commented but she shook her head and smiled widely at me.

“I know what I am talking about,” This made me raise an eyebrow at her, “I can see it here,” She added while pointing to my palm.

“What else?” I pushed her. She smirked at me before answering, “You’ve had a troubled childhood. Papa and mama weren’t around. Nanna took care of you, isn’t it?” I was stunned at her words. My eyes went wide while she chuckled.

I sighed, “Yeah…”

“You never had any masculine power around and unfortunately, it’s what you crave the most,” She told. I pressed my lips in a thin line as I looked out of the window and thought about Derek.

I couldn’t believe he chose her even after what I did for him. I bent over backward to have him in my life and he took advantage of this.

“That’s not entirely true,” I grumbled but she chuckled.

“I can see everything,” She said, “Also, you are stubborn and it’s what gets you in trouble. You fight for the wrong people and end up pushing away the right people,” I was dumbstruck as she continued to spill all the beans of my life.

This was no less than a confrontation of my problems - from which I was constantly trying running away.

“No one is loyal these days,” I muttered as I withdrew my hand, “Also, men prefer pretty girls. They’d rather have a bimbo than a quality woman who actually cares for them and understands them,” I added, thinking about Derek’s girlfriend, Amanda.

“That’s a wrong generalization and I think it pretty much explains your frustration. But there are men who’d rather have you,” She said, eyeing my curves. I don’t know why but the way she said that completely threw me off.

“No thanks. I don’t want anyone. This is very stupid and I don’t even know why I agreed to this. I must keep going now. Thanks for the tea,” I said sternly as I took my bag and umbrella and stormed out of the store.

“Anytime, Anna…” I heard her call after me as I left.

I don’t remember telling her my name.

...

This is my first Minotaur Erotica book.

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