Tangled in Vows (Tangled & Torn #2)

14. Holden

Chapter 14

Holden

Day 387 without you: The walls close on me more each day. Your absence makes it hard to breathe.

S tormy has been shadowing me ever since Olivia’s neighbor dropped her off. I’m positive it’s the bacon smell in the air, but I enjoy having her around to care for either way. Plus, it’s been keeping her downstairs instead of heading to Olivia’s room and waking her up.

With the bacon sizzling in the pan and the scrambled eggs ready to be cooked, I grab a cutting board and the fruit I had delivered. I notice Olivia leaning against the wall when I’m halfway through cutting the strawberries. Although I already fed Stormy, she must be really desperate for more food because she hasn’t noticed Olivia yet. So I pretend I haven’t either.

Let her have her fill and enjoy the show. After all, I didn’t come out here in only my gray sweatpants for nothing.

For some unknown reason, this morning, I had the grand idea to test Evie’s belief that gray sweatpants are basically catnip to women. If she made that up, she’ll pay for it.

Don’t act like you haven’t been plotting how to explore Olivia’s interest since you danced with her yesterday.

Fair enough.

One thing is for sure though: I love having her gaze on me.

I did last night, and I very much do right now.

Until yesterday, I thought the next six months would be filled with Olivia avoiding me as much as possible while I try to become her friend again. Being around her has shown me how much I’ve missed her.

Just being her friend would have sucked, but it would have been enough.

But not anymore. Her undisguised jealousy at the club elevated my obsession with her to a whole new level, and there’s no way I can forget how she felt pressed against me or how she reacted so beautifully to my touch.

Refusing to kiss her was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. But I couldn’t take advantage of her when she wasn’t in her right mind.

And with the utmost certainty, I will never forget how Olivia made herself come after I left her room. With my name on her lips. I headed back to my guest room so painfully hard, it only took me two strokes to come all over the shower wall with a picture of her in my mind and her name floating in the air around me.

This woman has me bewitched all over again. But things are very different this time from how they were when I first met her. She’s not the same girl anymore, who ran away from the cult-like community her aunt pulled her into. She doesn’t need to worry about being married off to someone she doesn’t want. None of those issues are imminent anymore. Now, she also won’t think she owes me.

By leaving her, I practically forced her to harden up, to draw up walls around her. She doesn’t know Tom and Archer helped from behind the scenes to ensure she never had to worry about anything monetary and would always be safe. It was too risky to tell her. My disappearance and her having to navigate her life on her own were unavoidable and something I deeply regret. Yet, it was still better than the alternative, which I’ve had to harbor for my sanity.

I don’t know if we have a future, but I know something is between us. Something I want to explore badly but know I probably shouldn’t. Knowing Olivia, she’ll demand answers from me before I’m allowed to touch her. Which would be more than fair and something she deserves. However, that would also mean the end of us before there was ever a chance of there being an us.

Once she knows the truth, her opinion of me will change. Will there be fear in her eyes? Or even disgust?

Maybe that kiss last night was my only chance to know what she tastes like, and I should have taken that opportunity after all.

That sobering thought is enough to dampen my good mood. But Olivia can’t know something is wrong, so I push those thoughts out of my head, glance at her over my shoulder, and smile. “Hey, sleepyhead.”

Her eyes widen at being caught, her cheeks turning a pretty shade of pink. She lifts her hand in an awkward wave and says, “Hey.”

Stormy is already off to the rescue, running over to Olivia, who promptly hides her flaming face in her fur.

Little cheat. I love her flushed look. It makes me wonder if she was just as flushed when she came last night.

Wrong thought. Fuck.

I will my dick to go back down, but of course, it doesn’t listen to me. Especially not now that Olivia is in the room.

And there’s no way to hide it either with only wearing my sweatpants and nothing else.

Way to go, Evie. I wanted to tease her with the goods, not show her all the goods like some pervert.

To distract myself, I push bowls around and flip the bacon again, even though I just did that. I don’t pay enough attention, and some of the hot oil hits my bare stomach. I hiss at the burn. “Shit.”

“Oh my God, are you okay?”

I nod. “Yeah, I just got some oil on myself. No biggie.”

No. Don’t think about anything big. Think small thoughts. Tiny thoughts.

“What? Let me see.”

What? Shit. No.

Olivia does some kind of magic trick because one second, she’s behind the counter, and the next, she’s right next to me, grabbing my arm and spinning me around to face her.

Well, double shit.

Her hands land on my skin, gentle and warm. “Where did it hit you?”

Before I can respond, she pauses her perusal.

“Oh . . . wow.”

She does a tiny giggle-cough-splutter thing while I bite my bottom lip so hard I taste a hint of copper.

Her gaze is fixed on my crotch, and I don’t dare move. Her nails dig into my stomach, and I’m pretty sure she forgot her hands are on me. My cock makes an involuntary twitch at the touch, only getting harder when she gasps. Yet, she still doesn’t avert her gaze. Since her head is simultaneously blocking my view, I can’t check if my dick has decided it’s done with the confinement of my sweats and is now peeking directly at her.

Not that I’d blame him. Olivia and her curves are clearly doing it for us. Big time.

I continue to impersonate a statue, trying to figure out what my next move should be.

Explaining to her that thoughts of her are enough to turn me the fuck on might not work in my favor. I’m not positive she’s ready to hear that yet either.

Stormy decides she’s done staring at us in confusion and barks.

Olivia shakes her head slightly, as if trying to clear her thoughts.

“Well . . . mmm . . . it seems you’re okay.” She relaxes her fingers and brushes them down my torso before they fall away completely.

Dangerously close to my way too excited dick.

“Oh yeah, totally okay. It only hurt for a second, and I didn’t mean to worry you, but thanks for checking on me anyway. He, uh, I mean, I really appreciate it.” The words tumble out of my mouth in one big breath.

Somebody, shoot me now.

Her gaze snaps to mine, and she blinks. Her pupils are almost entirely blown, the lust so evident in them I have to bite my lip again.

Don’t do anything. Don’t do anything.

Her gaze drops to my mouth, and she licks her lips.

“Fuck it.” I push my hands deep into her hair and tilt her head back.

There’s a loud knock on the door.

Fucking hell. The universe must really hate me.

Olivia jumps back as if she just got burned, staring everywhere but at me.

I roughly rub my hands through my beard, a frustrated sound rumbling from my chest.

Later, I’ll probably be grateful for the interruption. But right now, all I can think about is how close I was to finally tasting those sweet lips.

Whoever is at the door better have his will written.

Another knock sounds, deflating my dick for good.

Well, at least that problem is solved.

I sternly look at Olivia. “Stay back.”

I march to the door, not bothering with a shirt. Although there are several guards outside, I still snatch my gun from underneath the entryway table, ignoring the gasp from Olivia.

I didn’t tell her I hid several guns around the place, but I guess that cat’s out of the bag now.

Peeking through the peephole, I stare straight into Jax’s grim face. Relaxing my stance, I open the door wide enough to double-check it’s safe.

Jax clears his throat. “Something was dropped off at the front desk for Olivia by the regular courier.”

I open the door and take the offered envelope. I’m about to open my mouth, but Jax beats me to it.

“It’s safe, a photo. I already updated Archer.”

I slap Jax on the arm. “Good work, man. I appreciate it.”

He nods. “Of course. I’m going downstairs to recheck the security footage.”

With that, he leaves. I focus on the remaining two guards, Maverick and Beck, and they immediately dip their chins.

“Morning, boss.”

Lowering my voice, I say, “I want you to tell me anything you think could be out of the ordinary, okay? Any small detail.”

Beck lifts his chin. “You got it.”

“Thanks.”

They’re both newer recruits to Archer and my security company, but both are well-trained and can hold their own. We intermittently scout out fights at the club to add to our team.

“Hold?” Olivia calls from behind me, and I close the door with another nod at the guys.

After putting the gun back in place, I walk to where she stayed with Stormy behind the kitchen island.

There isn’t a trace of the earlier lust left on her face, all of it replaced by worry and maybe some fear.

I want to find the person who’s behind this shit and peel the skin slowly off their body.

Olivia takes the envelope from me with shaky hands and pulls out a large photo with a sharp inhale. She stares at it with wide eyes before turning it around for me to see.

Time stops.

It’s a picture of us dancing last night. But that’s not what has my blood boiling. It’s what’s written on the picture in bold letters.

You’re both going to pay for what you did.