15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Y ou can’t build anything real on a lie. That’s what his mother used to say. Yet, that’s exactly what he had done here. It did not matter that his feelings for her were real. It did not matter that he was now questioning his plans. All that mattered was that he had lied to her, let her believe that she now knew his secret.

It was the morning after the Fall Festival and he had gotten no sleep last night.

He was riding high after hearing what Olivia felt for him, how she could see him being a part of her family. He made it home not a minute before she was knocking on his door. When he saw her there in the doorway, hair flowing free, flower crown on her head, the moon shining brightly on her face, he was helpless. She was a goddess and he needed to be with her.

She was everything he had never known he was waiting for. She was funny and smart, always ready with a sarcastic quip to make him smile. She was also kind, kinder than anyone with her background had any right to be. But she was also tough. As a single mom, she had to be. But she never let that toughness harden her heart.

She made him feel things, which was something he had been avoiding for a long time now.

Last night had been particularly intense. Even now, the memory of it assaulted his senses. Olivia stretched out before him on the couch, her bright eyes wide and pleading for him to make her feel good.

“I’d like to take care of you if you would let me,” he had said.

“Yes, please.”

His hands tugged at the fabric of her dress until it fell to the floor, and she was in nothing but matching tan bra and panties. He gently lowered her to the couch before settling between her thighs. In the next second, he had pushed aside the fabric covering her center, pushing a finger inside her slick heat.

His thumb flattened on her clit with the slightest pressure as he inserted another finger and moved so slowly so that she was agonized and writhing.

Oh God, this is perfect. She’s perfect. Maybe we can have it all.

He leaned up, placing kisses on her ribs, along her stomach, her hipbone, her thigh.

The heat of his breath created goosebumps when it reached the insides of her thighs. He lifted one of her legs over his shoulder.

He pressed his face into her cunt to inhale her.

“Draven.”

“I’ve got you, baby,” he said before taking his first taste of her.

A full lick up her slit. His tongue nudged her clit. He flicked the sensitive nub rapidly, just a tease, before kissing her cunt. She grew wetter and wetter, his mouth and chin drenched with it.

Using two fingers, he spread her open and lapped at her in heavy strokes with the flat of his tongue. He drew her clit into his mouth and sucked.

“Oh, fuck,” she whispered.

Soon, her thighs started to tense up and he released the nub before she could come too quickly.

His eyes flicked up to hers. She was panting, her hands on her tits, pinching and rolling her hard nipples.

He dove back into her cunt, determined to finish her off. Her hips rocked toward his face, chasing her pleasure. He pushed two fingers inside her again and curled them in time with his mouth. She shoved her fist in her mouth, trying to hold back her scream.

“Draven,” she rasped.

He paused to glance up, meeting her glazed eyes. “Yeah, babe?”

“Fuck me with your tongue,” she asked almost shyly. “Please.”

Parting her folds again, he lowered his mouth to her cunt. His tongue circled her entrance before slipping inside. He kept his face pressed close to her, his nose nudging her clit as his tongue licked in a steady pattern.

“Fuck,” he moaned into her. “You taste so good.”

She writhed under him. “Fuck, don’t stop!”

She was getting close. Practically riding his face, her pelvis bones grinding against his mouth. Her moans got louder and louder until her orgasm pulled the air from her lungs.

“Draven,” she cried out. Then she fell silent, breathless.

Her cunt pulsed around his tongue and her legs shook from the force of her climax. Her back arched off the couch and then she fell back, her fingers relaxing their grip on his hair.

He’d sat up on his knees, wiping her slickness from his face.

She had opened her eyes as she came down and he knew he had looked at her with something far too tender in his eyes.

He shouldn’t have let it happen again. None of it should’ve happened: getting to know her, getting to know her son and caring about her so damn much. It was all wrong. But last night, when she had shown up at his door, he had lost all sense. She was perfect and he just could not help himself.

You can’t build anything real on a lie.

Fuck. He was supposed to come here, learn the truth about his mother, write a story and leave. He wasn’t supposed to meet someone, wasn’t supposed to fall for her and start questioning every decision he had ever made.

Now that he knew where the book was and what destroying it could possibly do. He was so on edge once they were done and just lying in bed, he couldn’t relax. So much so that Olivia offered to leave him alone. He only nodded, guilt and sadness tightening his chest. He had spent the night tossing and turning after she went home. His mind jumped from one decision to the next until he could not stand it anymore.

He had thrown on some clothes and in the early grey light of morning, made his way down to the beach. Everything seemed better when he was looking out at the ocean. But still his stomach churned. He was able to ignore the guilt last night when she was in his arms. He was able to pretend that they could have everything together, that his plans no longer mattered. When he was with her, it was easy to pretend that he was no longer angry over the loss of his mother. That his grief no longer weighed him down. That what he had with Olivia wasn’t based on a lie. But the minute she had gone, that dream had vanished.

He remembered all that he had come here to do—write an exposé—and now that he knew where the book was, it was exactly the kind of proof he needed. Guilt ate away at him for wanting to forget the plan and just be with Olivia.

He glanced down at the phone in his hand, it was silent for once. With each passing day his editor had grown more relentless. She had questions that he either had no answers to or did not want to give. She wanted to know where the story was. Was there something supernatural going on in the town, or were they all just a bunch of crooks? What was taking him so long? Was there a story here or not?

The problem was his plans had changed. He might be able to take away magic now and that would certainly do more damage than an exposé in a newspaper—the ultimate revenge for his mother having to go through life alone.

So, he lied, explaining that he had been mistaken in his assumptions. There was no story here after all. She was not happy, not that he had expected her to be. Being fired was something he hadn’t expected, though he probably should have. A secret part of him was glad. It gave him a reason to stay here, to be with Olivia and Daniel.

But he could not stay, not if he went through with his plan. There was no doubt in his mind they would figure out his involvement very quickly. Even if he ultimately decided not to go through with it, he still could not stay. Not without telling Olivia the truth.

She would hate him.

He did not know what to do. So, here he was, still standing on this beach, waiting for a sign.

The ocean always calmed him. Breathing in the salty air reminded him of his mother and every summer spent under the sun. Sunscreen and sand coated his skin, as he and Lucas built giant sandcastles. The beach was his childhood and now more than ever, he ached to have his family here with him.

“You can’t build anything real on a lie,” that’s what his mother always used to say.

Whenever she would catch him in a lie, no matter how small, that’s what she would say. She taught him and his brother that trust was a privilege, not a right, which is why she was always so open and honest with them about everything.

Except for this one thing. Why had she hidden her history from them? Was it just easier that way?

He wanted to be angry with her, wanted to scream to the heavens that she explain herself. But he just could not. Grief was a funny thing and right now, all it allowed him to feel was hate. Even here, in this place that normally brought so much peace.

He hated the people in this town for letting his mother go. Hated his father for leaving them alone. Hated the magic that seemed to be the cause of all his troubles.

But then he thought of Olivia and that look of pure joy on her face as she helped to cast the protection spell last night. She did not deserve to be punished. But he could not let it go. He had come here to make things up to his mother and now he was ready to just give that up? He had to see this through, for her.

“I’m sorry, Mom. I’m so, so sorry.” Then he let himself cry. He cried for his mom and for how much he missed her. He cried for Olivia and Daniel and the deception he’d brought into their lives. Then he cried for himself, wept for the life he was sure he could never have.

If only Lucas were here. His brother always seemed to know the right thing to do. It was Draven’s fault they barely spoke. Lucas had tried to comfort him after Mom died, tried to be there for him and Draven pushed him away. It was all too much. The pain of losing Mom was too much, so Draven shut down and locked the world out.

He put everything he had into his career and it paid off. The bosses at the paper loved his work and they rewarded him for it. But it still wasn’t enough; he wanted more, he wanted to be the best. At the time, he thought success was the true measure of happiness. What better way to make Mom proud?

Lucas tried to tell him he was wrong. Mom had never cared about money or possessions. She just wanted her boys to be happy and they were. But grief changes us all and Draven was drowning in his. So, things with Lucas grew worse and now they barely spoke to each other.

He wiped the tears from his eyes as he looked out at the ocean again. There, near the horizon, sat a small blue sailboat. It looked almost exactly like the one he and Lucas had sailed as teenagers. They worked and saved for months to afford that boat, with mom chipping in just a little. They had fixed it up one summer and learned to sail the next. Mom would sit on the beach, cheering and waving.

He did not know how the boat had gotten there or why. Maybe it was magic. But he took it as a sign from his brother and maybe his mom too. Tell Olivia the truth, Draven. You can’t build anything real on a lie .

He would tell her the truth and hope like hell that she would understand.

Now seemed like a good time to reach out to Lucas. He pulled his phone back out from the inner pocket of his jacket, navigating to his text messages.

He typed out a text and hit send, feeling a weight lift off his chest. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.

‘I miss you. Please call me.’

He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out the purple and white shell, running his fingers along its smooth surface. He had kept it since the night he and Olivia had first been together. It still had the lines of gold. The truth was staring him right in the face. Acknowledging it would be like leaping off a cliff. He just wasn’t sure anyone would be there to catch him after the fall.

But he had to try. It was time to lay everything out on the table. He could only hope Olivia would be willing to do the same. He gave the shell a squeeze for courage and shoved it back in his pocket. He needed to tell her the truth. He needed to tell her, right now. Maybe it was foolish. But maybe she would understand. Maybe she would give him a reason to let it all go.

The weather was affecting Olivia’s mood. That had to be it. The sky was gray and overcast, with the threat of rain looming on the horizon.

Normally, this was her favorite kind of weather. It gave her an excuse to sit inside, under a blanket with a good book. Daniel would be curled up beside her, watching a movie or drawing while they both sipped on hot chocolate. But today was different. Today, the weather was an omen. Not the good kind.

She glanced out the front window just as the first drop of rain fell from the sky. A single tear slid down her cheek and she sucked in a breath.

It was her. She was affecting the weather. She was crying and so it started to rain.

This was new. She had read about this kind of thing, talked about it at length with Parker. But no one she knew had ever experienced it.

She wasn’t as surprised as maybe she should have been. Sometimes her magic went a little wonky when her emotions were strong and at the forefront. It was a witch’s prerogative and right now, she was a complete mess. It had to be Draven. Her thoughts, her feelings, they were all currently unsettled. Apparently, they were so strong she was now influencing the weather. She had no idea what to do about that.

She did not want to think about what that might mean in terms of her feelings for Draven. Because given the current situation, the distance he seemed to be placing between them right now, it was looking more and more likely that his feelings did not match hers. He’d basically asked her to leave last night.

Jill. She needed to talk to Jill.

Reaching down to grab her phone from where it rested on the coffee table, she smiled softly when she clicked on the screen. There was a text from Jill already waiting for her. She was on her way.

That sometimes happened in their group, another byproduct of their magic. “A witch perk,” as Parker liked to say. They sometimes just knew when one of them needed the other.

She perched on the couch to wait, crossing her arms over her chest to ward off the chill.

The front door opened. “Penny for your thoughts?” Jill asked from the doorway.

“I think they're worth a bit more than that.”

“Okay, fair enough,” Jill said as she reached into the pockets of her jeans and pulled out a crumpled bill. “I've got a twenty; is that enough?”

Olivia laughed, the vice in her chest loosening. Where would she be without her best friend? Although she really did not want to talk about everything going on in her head, she knew from experience that those were often the most important conversations. The ones you did not want to have but needed to have. She was glad that Jill was here.

“Afraid not,” she said as she walked into the living room with Jill following her.

She waited. Jill was never one to pass up an opportunity to give her opinion. It was one of her annoying yet strangely helpful qualities and in this case, she could really use some of her best friend’s wisdom.

“Look, Olivia, I don't want to push you, but I'm concerned. So, let’s talk, okay? I can tell how upset you are.”

“Upset is an understatement, Jill. I don’t know what’s going on. I think I freaking caused it to rain. I swear I feel like something really bad is about to happen.”

Jill looked at her, brow furrowed. “Wait, you caused it to rain? Are you sure?”

“No, not completely. But it started raining the exact second I started to cry. Hell of a coincidence, don’t you think?”

“Well, we can ask Parker about that later. Now tell me, why were you crying?”

“I think something’s going on with Draven and I’m scared.”

“What kind of something?”

She sighed. “I just have this really bad feeling. We had such a great night together last night. But then he got really weird. So, I asked him if he wanted some space and he just nodded, he wouldn’t even look at me. When I woke up this morning, I hadn’t heard from him.”

“And you usually do?”

“Yes! He always texts me good morning, first thing, even if he’s planning on seeing me later that day. But today, nothing and it’s already almost ten.”

“Where’s Daniel?” Jill asked, looking around as if he might be hiding somewhere.

“At a friend’s house. He won’t be home until dinner.”

“Okay, so why haven’t you gone over to Draven’s to check on him? Maybe he’s sick or something.”

“I can’t, Jill. I’ve already called and texted. What if he’s still sleeping and I go over there all freaked out. He’ll think I’m ridiculous.”

Jill rolled her eyes. “He will not. Honesty, Olivia. Can’t you see how crazy he is about you? I don’t understand. What exactly happened between yesterday and today? When you left us last night, you were so happy. You were all “I understand him so much better now, and maybe we could be a family.”

She shrugged, feeling completely at a loss. “I don’t know. Something just feels off. I can’t really explain it. I just feel like I’m losing him.”

“Liv,” Jill said, stepping forward to place a hand on her arm. “Listen to me. Not everyone is going to leave. Haven’t you learned that by now? You’re never getting rid of me, for example. Draven is not Shawn. You told Draven you were a witch and nothing happened. How much more proof do you need?”

“I didn’t tell him about what the protection spell did until last night at the festival. He said he wasn’t mad. But maybe he lied?”

“Why would that matter?”

“Because I kept a secret from him. I just didn’t want him to feel bad about all of us knowing he was lying the entire time.”

“You think that would make him angry enough to just walk away from you? From Daniel?”

“I don’t know, maybe,” she said quietly. The reasoning sounded a little pathetic even to her own ears.

“Bullshit! You're letting yourself get caught up in this cycle of fear. Draven's not going anywhere, so why are we still pretending there's a chance that he is?”

She stayed quiet. There was no way to articulate her muddled and messy feelings. Jill might be right, but she could not truly understand how she was feeling. Things were going so well. But she could not help but feel like at any moment, the other shoe was going to drop.

She wanted to be happy for once without some looming threat or deep dark secret scaring her. But that was easier said than done.

“Look, Olivia, I get it—”

“No, you don't!”

No one understood. No one got it. She did not even understand the full extent of her mindset right now, so how in the hell could Jill presume to know? “You don't, Jill. All of this is so precarious. It's not just my baggage and my fears I have to worry about. I have Daniel. I have to protect him, even if it means sacrificing my own happiness. Daniel likes Draven so much. So, what am I supposed to do?”

Jill's eyes softened at the mention of Daniel. Guilt gnawed at Olivia’s gut for using her son in her argument. Yes, she did want to keep Daniel from getting hurt. It was part of why she wanted to get involved with Draven in the first place. But it wasn’t just about Daniel. Her son was strong and tough. He had a resilient heart and he could make it through anything.

But her? She wasn't as strong as Daniel. She had had her heart shattered and her faith broken in the past. Now that she was finally feeling good and whole and alive, she could not handle the thought of it all slipping away.

“Okay, maybe I don't understand,” Jill countered softly but with a strict sense of purpose. “But I'm trying, and I know Draven will try too, if you give him a chance.”

“Then why haven’t I heard from him? We have this amazing night together and then nothing? That doesn’t seem strange to you?”

Jill shrugged. “A little, maybe. But it could be nothing. Maybe he’s not feeling well like I said before. Or maybe he’s busy writing. I bet he just got distracted and lost track of time. We could do a locator spell if you’re worried about him?”

“No!” she yelled. “Magic is the last thing I’d want to use in this situation. Mine is all over the place right now and I’d have to follow an object of his. How would I look to him if he saw me chasing his shirt? Especially if he is just sitting at home right now. It would be too much.”

“Okay, okay, I guess you’re right, bu—” Jill’s eyes narrowed. “Hang on. Why do you have his shirt?”

A blush rose to her cheeks. “Oh. Well, I, umm … I sort of stole it yesterday before I left. I just wanted to feel close to him even when we weren’t together.”

“Aww, Liv. That’s really sweet.”

“Okay, yes, whatever. Let’s get back to the actual problem. What do I do about Draven? Am I just making up this bad feeling in my head?”

“Look, Liv. I think you and I both know how much Draven cares about you. Just go over there and talk to him. Tell him how his actions made you feel. I’m sure he’ll understand. You’ll kiss and makeup and all will be right with the world again. No risk, no reward,” Jill said with a wink.

She smiled. No risk, no reward. It’s something Jill used to say to her a lot when they first met, back when she still hadn’t fully embraced the title of witch. Before the people in this town became her family.

Saying it now was Jill’s way of reminding her what could be if only she would let it.

“I get it, Jill. I just have to do it. Today. I just need some time alone first and then I’ll track him down.”

Jill pulled her in for a hug. “Good. Let me know how it goes. Remember, Liv. Not everyone leaves, you know. The right people, the right person, will stay, no matter what.”

Tears welled in her eyes. Jill always knew just what to say. As always, she was eternally grateful for her bestie.

They both stepped away from each other, not bothering to hide their wet eyes and red noses.

“Oh, shit. I forgot. I was actually going to call you this morning, but I got a little distracted when I felt how upset you were. Parker came into the bakery this morning. I guess she finally asked Rosa about Draven’s mom.”

“What did she say?”

“That Draven’s mom tried to share her magic with someone else, someone who never had magic of their own and she tried to use the book to do it.”

She cringed. “Oh no.”

Jill nodded. “I know. That’s against the rules. Draven’s mom must have known this. I mean, she grew up here and she was a witch herself. She lost her magic because of it. Apparently, it was the book’s way of punishing her.”

“There was nothing anyone could do?”

“No,” Jill shook her head. “According to Parker, they tried to find a way to get her magic back. But when it became clear there was no way to do that, his mom decided to leave town. No one could really stop her. I guess Janella was a friend of hers. They kept in touch.”

“Did Janella have anything to say?”

“Parker didn’t ask. I guess she doesn’t like to talk about it much. She still feels bad.”

“Does she know Draven’s mom passed away?”

“I’m honestly not sure. Maybe you could talk to Draven and he could go see Janella? I’m sure it would mean a lot to her.”

She nodded. “Yeah, I’ll do that. Hey, do we know who his mom tried to share her magic with?”

Jill shrugged. “Rosa wouldn’t say. I think she would rather we asked Draven about it ourselves. It is his story to tell, after all.”

“But I’m not even sure he knows.”

“That’s what Parker said. But Rosa would not budge. She must think he does know or that he could figure it out if he had all the information. But we kind of thought it might be his dad.”

“Maybe. I’ll ask him about it if I ever see him again,” she tried to joke, though it fell flat.

“Everything is going to work out, Liv, you’ll see. I’ll get out of your hair, you witch with a b,” Jill said with a wink as she made it to the front door. “Remember, let me know how it goes with Draven when you find him.”

She smiled. “I will. Love you, Jillybean.”

Jill hated that nickname. But today, she just waved it off. “Love you too.”

Then the house was still and quiet again, just Olivia and her messy thoughts. She plopped down on the couch, the familiar creak of the springs an oddly comforting sound. She just needed a few minutes to figure out what to say before she headed over to Draven’s.