Page 14

Olivia

“M s. Livia? That you?” Ricky’s voice sounds from inside the tent, and I freeze knowing I’ve been caught.

Dammit.

“No!” I answer, knowing he can recognize my voice.

Crew’s eyes burn into the back of my neck, baring into me at the lie, and I wince, realizing I’ve been caught.

Twice.

Ricky pops out with a wide grin.

“Okay, maybe,” I amend, and he stands, narrowing his dark eyes at the box I planned on leaving for him.

“What’ve I told you about waking me up?”

He told me I should. But I wasn’t exactly wanting Crew looking over my shoulder while I did this.

“I know, I know.”

He laughs, the sound hearty and loud as he looks down. He recognizes the box immediately, but when he spots Crew standing close by, he scowls. “Who’s the guy?”

I plaster on my best smile, motion over my shoulder. “Ricky, meet Crew. One of my new…” I scratch my temple, realizing I have to say it out loud. “Bodyguards. Crew, meet my friend, Ricky Abbot.” Crew tips his head in greeting, obviously assessing the situation.

Ricky’s mouth narrows. “Well?” He motions. “Is he mute?”

I nearly choke on a laugh at the question, but when Crew glances at me, I stifle it, clearing my throat. “No, he’s just… not friendly. I should get him one of those dog vests. You know the one I’m talking about?”

The joke doesn’t land. Ricky doesn’t seem convinced, but I’m surprised when I see the small smile on Crew’s lips. Ricky stands to full height, squaring up with an intimidating puff of his chest. Crew doesn’t budge an inch.

“You’d never put my girl in danger now, would you?” Ricky raises a brow.

“Never, Sir.”

“Never hurt her?”

“Not a chance.”

“Protect her with your life?”

“Without hesitation.”

The look on Crew’s face tells me he isn’t just saying the words. He means them. Hearing them out loud makes a shiver run down my spine.

“Chesna likes him!” I add though the thought of her warming up to him so quickly feels sour.

Ricky considers the information before seemingly making up his mind. He nods, standing down. “She doesn’t like anybody.”

“I know!” I sigh. “I’m taking it as a good sign.”

He huffs but then he suddenly remembers it’s dark out and he has a box in his hands. “This isn’t our usual dinner date, Ms. Livia.”

I laugh, but the sound choked. I don’t know why the idea of Crew being here to witness him open it irks me so much. But it does.

“Well, it isn’t. You were sleeping.” He lifts the lid. “Don’t!” I blurt too loudly, and when he raises his brow, I feel the need to explain myself. “It’s a surprise.”

He frowns. “That’s how surprises work. I open it and I don’t know what’s in-“

“It’s for later !” I explain, smiling as I back away. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Ricky.”

“You’d better!” he calls, and I high-tail it out of there, swiping my keycard to let us inside.

I’m almost glad that my apartment doesn’t have an elevator because I can feel Crew looking at me, and I don’t particularly care to be locked in a box with him for several floors. Instead, I begin the climb, tearing my heels off my aching feet.

Another eventful wedding down in the books.

Crew follows, and part of me hates that he doesn’t even get a little winded by the fifth floor. My breath is heavy as we key into the flat.

Chesna happily waits on the credence table, and my heart warms when she leans into my touch. “Hi, Ches.”

She darts toward Crew, and I suppress a sigh. Crew tentatively reaches out a palm for her to arch into. The fact that she has a soft spot for him makes me want to pull my hair out.

“Ms. Hughes?” Crew’s voice stops me as I head toward my room.

“Yes?”

He’s quiet, contemplative, for long enough that I doubt whether he’ll continue. But finally… “The box. What was in it?”

I debate telling him. I have the impression that Crew Warden has already made up his assumptions about the kind of person I am.

A liar, for one. A spoiled brat, for two.

Giving was in my mother’s nature, but she never bragged about it… and admitting that I bought Ricky a new pair of boots feels a lot like bragging.

Years ago, I might have cared to explain myself. I might feel like I have something to prove. But I just don’t see the need any longer. Giving is the closest thing I have to remember Mom. When it comes to this week, the memory of her is a living, beating thing inside me.

So I tell him, hating that I feel a blush creep up my neck as I do.

“You do that a lot,” he says quietly, the words enough to rattle me. “Hide.”

To anyone else, I’m an open book. But when it comes to him… Maybe I do. Any attempt at secrecy is fruitless. He’ll see through it anyways.

I consider Crew slowly, trying to figure out if the casual, aloof thing he’s got going is just a mask or not. But he merely watches me for a reaction.

He confuses me endlessly. Keeping things professional seems easy enough until I feel his eyes peel away the wall I’ve built for myself. Maybe that’s why we’ve always found ourselves on opposite sides of a line drawn in the sand… whether we’ve acknowledged it or not.

“How do you feel about a game of twenty-questions, Warden?”

He shrugs. “Sounds like a contrived attempt at conversation.”

“Conversation which you don’t feel the need for, I remember,” I say, ending on a laugh. “If you want me to answer your questions, you have to answer mine.”

A game. Or a trade of sorts. When he doesn’t say anything, I assume the conversation is over.

“Take it or leave it.” I turn on my heel, leaving the statement up to his interpretation.

He’s made his thoughts of me clear. Fine. But if he wants answers, he’ll have to play for them.