Chapter 17 – Olivia
OLIVIA
Iwoke up to a loud bang, movie credits rolling down the projection screen. The soundtrack music belted through the speakers suspended from the ceiling, adding to the thumping in my head. My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth and felt like sandpaper.
How long was I asleep?
As I lifted my head from the pillow, I glanced around the room and grabbed my cell phone.
It was after midnight.
Where did the time go?
Empty snifters scattered across the mahogany bar to my right. Drake and my brother were nowhere to be found. As usual, Tate tossed the discarded couch pillows onto the floor. Even Drake’s favorite Batman throw blanket was under the coffee table.
My brother was a mess.
To my left, dozens of monitors flashed with red code that looked like Greek. I understood nothing Drake did for work or The Devil’s Knights. Despite staring over his shoulder while he typed, I did not know how to write code.
I flung the blanket off my legs and sat up, stretching my arms above my head. A nice, long yawn poured out of me. Without Drake here, it felt wrong to stay in the Battle Cave. His high-tech hangout was a nerd’s wet dream, but it seemed weird to be here without him.
Drake had a meeting with The Devil’s Knights, which meant he wouldn’t be home until late. I tucked my cell phone into my pocket and headed toward the elevator. It was the only way out of the secret room hidden beneath the main house.
I once asked Drake what would happen if we lost power. He said not to worry. Because of that, I assumed he had a backup generator or another access point somewhere. A pragmatic man, Drake would not leave himself without an exit plan. His job and involvement with The Devil’s Knights were dangerous.
I rode the elevator to the second floor, which I shared with Tate and Drake’s mother. Bea was rarely home and spent most nights with her boyfriend. She never remarried after her husband died. Drake’s rotten bastard of a father added a clause to his will stating she wouldn’t get a cent if she did.
At this hour, Tate was asleep down the hall. I was feeling refreshed after dozing off for most of the night. I started my first day of work in five hours, and since I wasn’t tired, I headed into the hallway bathroom and turned on the shower.
The warm water felt amazing on my sore back. Drake’s couch was comfortable, but I’d fallen asleep in an awkward position. I rubbed my neck and upper back and then washed my hair.
After a long, hot shower, I towel-dried my hair and body and wrapped a towel around me.
I flung open the door, stepped into the hallway and crashed into something hard.
My towel fell off, and as it did, Drake stepped on it, accidentally pushing it behind him, leaving me standing before a wide-eyed Drake completely naked.
I attempted to cover my body with my hands, but my curves were hard to hide. The girl Drake had saved from starvation had grown into a thick girl who liked to eat. Drake’s eyes wandered over every inch of me as if trying to commit me to memory. I’d never felt so exposed and vulnerable.
“Drake,” I shouted to snap him out of his trance. “Go get my towel.”
“Oh, shit.” He turned his head, scrubbing a hand across his jaw. “Sorry, Liv. I was just—”
“Now, Drake.”
As he turned his back, I closed the bathroom, keeping it half open. Nerves shook my limbs and slithered down my spine. I was self-conscious about Drake seeing me without clothing. The last time, I was thirty pounds lighter.
Drake returned with the towel, an apologetic look on his handsome face. “Live, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there. I was coming back from the library, and I—”
“It’s okay.” I pulled the towel around me and opened the door. “You meant nothing by it. Let’s just forget this ever happened.”
He chuckled as if that were the craziest idea. “I wish I could do that.”
I stood before all six feet three inches of him and looked into his eyes. A silent communication passed between us as he held my gaze and cupped my cheek. We’d known each other long enough not to need words to fill the void.
For years, we skated around our feelings for each other.
He was my first crush.
My first love.
The man I gave my virginity to until everything went to shit. Tate’s catching us in bed ruined everything. I knew the day Drake took us home with him I would fall for him.
How could I not?
I also knew he would break me.
And he did.
Our mouths were so close we could have kissed. I felt his breath on my skin and couldn’t stand the silence. We played this game too often.
I stared at his lips.
He studied mine.
One of us had to make the first move. It wouldn’t be Drake. He would never cross the line again, even though he wanted me. So, I closed the distance and pressed my lips to his, waiting for the rejection that never came.
Hooking his arm around me, Drake pinned my back to the wall and parted my lips with his tongue. He tasted of scotch and mint, and the scent of his sweet cologne invaded my senses. Drake kissed me like he wanted to brand me with his sinful touch and claim every part of my body for himself.
He was mine.
All mine.
But then, he paused as if he remembered his stupid deal with my brother. Our lips were still touching, but he was no longer kissing me. Then, he inched backward, locking eyes with me, his chest rising and falling faster.
“Liv,” he muttered, stepping out of my grasp. “I shouldn’t have done that.” He tugged at the ends of his dark hair. “Fuck. That was stupid.”
I shoved him out of my way and headed toward my bedroom, needing to escape.
Drake entered the room before I could shut the door in his face. “I didn’t mean that. Please just look at me, Liv. You could never be a mistake. But we—us—we can’t happen ever again.”
I spun around to face him, arms crossed under my breasts. “You don’t have to protect me anymore. I can make my own decisions.”
His eyes lowered to my chest and then went back to my face as he blew out a deep breath. “If you were mine, you would be in danger. Men would come for you. They would hunt you and hurt you just to get to me. I can’t… No, I won’t take that risk, Liv. You mean too much to me.”
“Who?” I fired back, getting in his face. “Who are you talking about? In the time I have known you, no one has hurt me but you.”
His expression darkened at my confession. “I would never… If I upset you, it was not my intention. I’m only trying to keep you safe.”
Before I could respond, I heard footsteps on the hardwood floor as someone approached my bedroom.
Judging by the direction and the sound, it was my older brother.
I glanced down at my towel-covered body and took a few steps back.
Drake did the same, spinning around to face the door as Tate appeared.
Running a hand through his dark, sleep-mussed hair, Tate leaned against the doorframe. “It’s almost one o’clock. What is going on in here?”
As Tate’s eyes shifted from Drake to me and then back to me, his jaw tightened. He shook his head and sighed. “I’m too tired for this conversation. Both of you go to bed. We have an important day at the office.”
Without another word, Tate returned to his bedroom, slamming the door in his wake.
Drake looked at me with tired eyes. “Get some sleep. You’ll need it.”
For the rest of the night, I lay in bed and stared at the ceiling, wondering if my brother would ever accept how Drake and I felt about each other. Until he did, we had no future.