Page 56

Despite being separate from my father’s company in every legal sense, the general rumor mill assumes I am still under The Organization’s umbrella. It is time for that to change. The business has to move on, or we’ll be going the same way as my father’s business will in five years—six feet under. At least I have the foresight to see it coming and make changes. Dad is still operating under smash-and-grab warfare.

Jimmy, my driver, pulls up to Olivia’s house. The red brick pathway is bordered by flower beds full of bright, tall flowers. Blooms of oranges, pinks, and yellows guide me to her fire-engine red front door. The place could do with a little maintenance. The grass is overgrown, and the flowers are descending onto the pathway in a bid to take over. Let’s face it. I’m not sure when Olivia could fit in household maintenance on top of her extra-curricular activities.

I smile, shoulders relaxing for the first time since I left this morning and let myself straight in. Yeah, I’m not fucking knocking.

“Olivia?” I call out.

I walk into the living room and see her pacing. She’s holding her chest again, eyes wide, biting her thumbnail.

She looks up at me and steps back.

“What happened?”

I reach out to her, and she flinches.

“Olivia. I need you to tell me what happened. Now.”

The closer I get, the angrier I feel. Her eyes are red from crying; her cheeks are sunken and sallow. Her usual fight has left her eyes.

“Is this about us?”

Please say yes, because I can deal with that. I know how to deal with that.

She nods. “Please don’t hurt me.”

“Hurt you? Olivia, I’ve been thinking about taking you out all day.”

Her eyes pop open, and her lip quivers.

“Oh god, I meant to take you out on a date...not, you know, take you out, take you out.” I chuckle nervously.

I cautiously place my hands on her arms and rub them up and down.God, she’s freezing.

“Come here, Killer.” I pull her into my chest, and she lets out a small sob.

“I thought you’d come to your senses once you left. That you’d come back to take care of the problem. But then you just went down to the basement, and I...I mean, who does that? And then you’re back again, and I just can’t stop thinking about that guy saying you were playing with your food. And that’s what it feels like. It feels like you’re playing this game, and I don’t understand the rules. I’m just waiting for it to be over. Because I can’t live like this. I’d rather you just get on with it and kill me because I can’t stand the waiting.”

Jesus. This girl.

“One, no one is dying. Except maybe Luca for referring to you as food. Two, you’ve been so scared all day. Why did you stay? Why didn’t you run?”

“I figured you’d be able to find me.”

That’s fucking true.

“You’re not wrong, baby. There’s nowhere you could go that I wouldn’t be able to find you. But, Olivia. I need you to know that I’m not going to hurt you.” I stroke her hair, and her breathing begins to even out. “I meant what I said yesterday. And this is not what I meant when I told you to think about what I’ve said. Don’t doubt me, Olivia. I need you to trust that I’m telling you the truth.”

She pushes me away, “Well then, you’re crazy, Austin. I kidnapped you...I tased you.”

“I tased you back. So I think we’re even on that front.”

“It’s not a joke! I keep thinking there’s either something unbelievably wrong with me...or you...or both of us. I keep going round and round, and I can’t make sense of it.”

“Not everything has to make sense, Olivia.”

“This should, Austin. I mean, you get free from the basement, where you’ve not really been chained up, and then you ask to take me on a date...It’s ridiculous.”

“Okay, this is going to take time. I’m a patient man.”