Chapter 26

twenty-six

Olympia

As promised, I was ready in twenty minutes. Thank goodness I’d showered that morning, or I’d never have been able to get ready so fast. With a splash of cool water on my face, and a light dusting of makeup, I looked presentable in my little blue dress. I decided to pair the dress with my strappy gold heels, a few gold bangles, and a set of gold stackable rings. My natural waves hid the kinks in my hair from crying in bed for the better part of the day, as I struggled with my emotions, and all things regarding Tav.

Still, with a swipe of nude lipstick, I felt presentable enough to present myself to Tav.

When I did, his lips parted and his eyes—I think they heated.

When he licked at his lips, my traitorous body hummed in warm response. I ignored the physical effect he had on my body by gesturing to the entrance. “Ready?”

His answering, “Yeah,” sounded impossibly deep and decadently delicious.

I scolded my body when it raised another degree in temperature. Silly, silly body. Get a grip!

Now, tucked into the passenger seat of Tav’s SUV as he pulls into the parking lot of a car dealership, I ask, “What are we doing?”

Tav parks as my heart begins to thump at an unsteady, anxious beat. He kills the engine and turns to me. “You’re mine, Olympia. This has nothing to do with the bet, but if it did, you won. Not only did you fool everyone else into believing you were head over heels for me, but you tricked my heart into falling for you.” He pins me with those dark eyes as I hold my breath. “I’m in love with you. Don’t know when it happened, but I figure it happened around that first kiss. First taste of apples.” He chuckles. “Addicted. I fucking taste sweet peas and rain with every breath I breathe. I’m hooked on you, and, yeah, I tried to fight it and lost. I lost hard, so now I’m yours. I get that I’ve got work to do when it comes to claiming your heart, but I’ll do it, Olympia. I’ll work until I’ve worked myself to the bone, and then I’ll work through the bone to the marrow to prove it to you, because you. Are. Mine.” He pulls in breath. “And baby, I’m yours. So, we’re getting you a car, because it’s time you start living that life you dreamed, you’d have when you trusted me enough to run to me. To give yourself, your safety, and your future to me. And I want to help you do all the things you want.”

I’m too shocked and too overcome with feeling to do anything but stare at him. In my mind, I’m jumping with joy. Hell, in my mind, I’m leaping over the console into his lap and kissing the ever-loving hell out of him. In reality, I can’t move. I can hardly breathe.

Tav exits the vehicle and rounds to my side where I’m still sitting stone-stiff, processing. He opens the door and leans in, dark eyes connecting with mine. “Kiss me, baby.”

“What?” I breathe, shaking my head at the surrealness of this moment.

“Kiss me.”

“I—”

Hooking me around the side of the neck, Tav leans in and claims my mouth. The kiss isn’t tender. He kisses me hard and deep and long. Our tongues clash as though in a battle for the very heart in my chest. He doesn’t pull away until a little moan escapes from the deep of me to linger on his lips.

His eyes search my now flushed face before he shoots me a killer grin. “There’s my girl.”

With that, his hand wrapped around mine, he leads me into the dealership.

* * *

Not old enough to drink in public—at least at an establishment like this—I swirl my sweet tea in my glass. The half-eaten chicken alfredo on my plate settling heavy in my belly as my mind drifts over the last twenty-four hours.

Really, these hours have been a dream.

Tomorrow, the dealership will deliver my brand new, sparkly blue Land Rover SUV that Tav bought for me, even though I’d protested hard when I saw the price of the car. Still, with a single glance at me, he’d silenced all protests.

Then he took me for dinner.

The conversation had been easy, and mostly about Devils Heartbreak, until now.

Now, Tav’s most recent question rings in my ears. How did I become engaged to Darius, and why did I run?

I feel dizzy. Because my mouth is dry, I take a sip of my sweet tea.

I’ve already told him—sort of.

Inhaling a deep breath, I wet my lips and begin, “I told you my family is struggling financially?” Tav nods. “Well, Dad—William—” My eyes close because thinking of Dad hurts. I’ve never met a weaker man. “After everything with Ophelia—when your mom died, and you left—when she married Abe⁠—”

“Take your time. I’m listening,” Tav encourages gently.

“Dad—h-he fell apart. Honestly, both him and Remira just crumbled. They became different people in their shock and humiliation. Where Remira turned hard and mean, William just—he disconnected. From everything. It wasn’t instant. It took time, but then he just wasn’t there anymore. I’ve always thought something happened. I’ve always thought maybe he saw something he shouldn’t. After I found the will; I figured maybe it was that. When I saw it, I was crushed by it. William had loved your family. He’d loved Annika as a sister, I think. So, I can see the betrayal of having her will be altered after her death to cut you down when you were already so cut—well, I could see how that might make him shut down.” I meet his eyes and give him a helpless shrug. “William has never been strong.”

“So, he started drinking?”

I nod. “And gambling.”

Tav makes a noise. “He gambled everything?”

“Everything but his shares of Laurier Lines.” Just saying it hurts. “I’m sorry for the part my family played in hurting you.”

A muscle in his jaw jumps. “You don’t apologize for them.” Feeling tender, I glance to the side. Tav asks, “Tell me about how you became engaged to my brother.”

I’ve already told him most of it, but I set in to give it all to him. “We spent a lot of time with your family after—after everything. Remira decided it would look better if we supported Ophelia’s love of Abe instead of cutting her out of our lives. So, we saw them—a lot. Darius was always around.” Uncomfortable, I tuck my hair behind my ear. “He used to look at me. Even when I was younger, I’d catch him watching me. It used to make Ophelia so mad. She cornered me once in a restroom where we were having brunch and told me to stop trying to seduce Darius. She told me that I’d never be able to handle a man like him—that I was too soft. I was sixteen. It wasn’t long after Remira had taken a belt studded with jewels to my butt after that boy stole a kiss. So, I panicked. I was horrified that she might think I was trying to flirt, in any way, with any man. I started to cry.” I admit shamefully, my voice growing quiet.

“You don’t have to tell me.”

My eyes land on his. “I want to. Ophelia laughed at me when I begged her not to tell Remira that she thought I was trying to get Darius’ attention. She laughed, and she left me there in that restroom, terrified that I’d go home to another beating.” I clear my throat. “After that, Ophelia liked to taunt me with comments about Darius. About how interested he was in my innocence. How he’d break me if he ever got the chance. How I’d shatter and bleed for him, but he’d never love me.”

“Fucking bitch.” Hot anger flares in his eyes.

“I thought she was just tormenting me until our money problems got bad. Like, really bad. We were going to lose our house. The credit cards were maxed. The Laurier’s were going to go bankrupt. Remira asked Ophelia for help. Ophelia and Abe called Darius.”

“You were the payment.”

I nod somberly. “I was the payment.”

“Fuckers,” he grits, jaw grinding.

“I think we should talk about something else.”

“He tormented you,” he says instead of changing the subject.

For a moment, I say nothing. Then I admit, “Yes.”

“I could kill him.” He curses again.

“It’s in the past. They’re forgotten. I’ll never go back.” I pin his eyes with my own. “No matter what happens, I’ll never go back.”

“You’re right about that.” His dark eyes flare as they take me in. Then he tosses bills onto the table and stands. “I’m taking you home.”