Chapter Twelve #2
“What’s the alternative?” I ask, eager to find some level footing when it comes to this man.
“You could use a woman?”
“Who says I don’t like women?”
“You don’t like men or women, Olivia. You like me,” he says casually, like it isn’t an acknowledgment of everything unspoken between us .
My lips curl at the edges, threatening to break out into an all-out grin. Oh, he’s jealous.
“Well, maybe I’ll keep it fair and hire a man and a woman. They can tag-team me,” I murmur, lifting my head to gauge his reaction.
“Olivia, I’m warning you.”
“We could do different scenes, you know. What if they snuck into my bedroom, and I had to defend myself there?”
“Olivia . . .”
“Or maybe the shower. You know, really catch me off gua— AH!”
I’m flipped on my back, my wrists trapped beneath his right hand as he presses me into the grass. He’s straddling my waist and he bends so his nose is touching mine.
He strokes my lip with his thumb before trailing his fingers down my neck and my shoulder, making his way across my collarbone and down the center of my chest.
My sports bra is pressing my breasts up, squeezing them in tight so they look much bigger than usual, and I thank god the padding doesn’t reveal my hard nipples. Fuck. What is happening to me?
He exhales slowly through his nose, his chin dipped close to his chest so he can watch where his hand roams. He’s mapping me out, learning every ridge, every crevice.
When he circles the swell of my breasts, I let out a small whimper.
His eyes draw back up, and his wicked grin boasts like that of a winner.
“I’ll do it.”
God, yes, let's do it right now. I lick my lips, my eyes dipping to his soft lips. Finally.
He seems to realize what I’ve inferred and smirks. “I meant, I’ll do the videos, dirty girl.”
With a press of my wrists, his weight is off me, and my hands are released. He sits back, still straddling me, but now his hungry gaze is back on my chest. I feel him harden, and the bulge in his shorts tells me all I need to know .
“I don’t think that’s just what you meant.”
He looks away, a grin breaking out across his face. He’s smiled more in a week than the whole time I’ve known him. That must mean something, right?
“Not yet, Olivia. Come on. Let's head back and get a solid plan.”
“I’m not sure how we’re going to get the leader of The Unseen in my very popular, if I do say so myself, videos without being seen .”
◆◆◆
“This could work...” Austin murmurs before spinning around with a Chewbacca mask on—movie quality, of course.
I tug on the hairy mask. “I’m not sure your skin will thank you for doing a workout in this.”
I pull it off his face and throw it onto the couch.
Maybe this is how The Unseen have managed all these years. With multiple different masks from movies. I mean,how did he get these all ready in time if it wasn’t for that?
“Okay, what about this one?” He pulls on a thin plastic mask with thick Xs across the eyes, which glow in flickering neon red. The lips appear to be sewn shut. It looks terrifying. My core tightens despite.
“It’s a little scary. I’m not sure the viewers will go for it.”
“Well, we can try, see how it is, and then review?”
He pulls the mask up so it’s resting on his head, his hard jawline and thick stubble replacing the horror of the mask with another unsettling feeling.
Which is really the mask? He’s different from what I have imagined.
He’s calm, soft, and caring. He acts like he longs for something he can’t have, and deep down, I feel like it could be me.
But he’s still the monster I’ve heard so much about.
He murders, steals, and hurts with a level of cruelty I can’t possibly imagine .
“Why are you doing this, Austin?” I whisper.
He stares at me for a moment, uncertainty flashing across his eyes.
“Surely you know...” He drops his chin, his thumb brushing over my cheek.
His eyes are burning into mine, imploring me.
With just a touch and a look, he commands my entire body, my entire being.
I lean in, as if I could even stop myself.
“Say my name again for me,” he murmurs, his lips a breath away from mine.
I swallow, my eyes closed, entranced by the smell of him, the taste of his breath, the heat overcoming my body.
My other senses have taken over, leaning into the assault his very presence has on them.
Like an addict, I crave more, knowing that indulging it may ultimately kill me.
I can’t seem to care now. Maybe not ever.
Not as long as he continues to cradle my face and look at me like he might drag me down to the depths of hell with him.
“Austin . . . I . . .”
“OLIVIAAAA FROM BOLIVIIAAAAA! Where are you?”
My eyes snap open, and I seize Austin’s wrist and tug him to the back of the house.
“Where are you?” My brother’s voice hollers out of the hallway. I hear him shuffling out of his jacket and slipping his shoes off, no doubt leaving them in the middle of the entryway.
“Olivia from Bolivia?” Austin chuckles as I snap open the basement door and push him toward it. Once again, I feel the warm muscles of his chest pounding as my palm pushes against him, urging him into the basement. Why am I always trying to lock this guy up?
“Shhh . . . get in there, please.”
He steps back but his hand stops me from closing the door. In a low growl he whispers, “Keep it open, Killer.”
I nod, but push the door so it’s open by an inch. His silhouette haunts the exposed line, and I retreat toward the living room with a finger pressed to my lips. The head of the silhouette moves slightly in confirmation.
“Danny, you could knock, you know.”
“Livvy llama, what are you doing?”
“Nothing,” I hesitate, hating to lie to my brother. “I’ve just been working.”
“Yeah, you work too much.”
“Says you! I’ve not seen you in weeks.”
He shrugs, unperturbed. “You got anything to eat?”
I huff. I’d really rather not do this right now, although it is nice to see him in one piece.
“Come on...I know I’ve been a bad brother. But I’ve come to make it up to you. I have a good meeting with the boss next week. He wants to run through some of my ideas to make us more modern and really lean into the social media side, like you.”
“Really?” I can’t help but glance at the basement.
“Yeah, looks like he’s coming around to pushing us toward the twenty-first century. The old man even knows how to edit a video now, thanks to me.”
He’s bragging, but how could he put his business on social media? My mouth parts slightly, my brow furrowing as my brain kicks into overdrive.
“Now I can really use some of my other skills. Maybe I’ll even be an influencer like you, Livvy.” He winks at me before grabbing an apple and taking a big bite. Juice sprays, and he mumbles through the crunch. “I forgot you never have any fun food here.”
“Why the change of pace?” I ask, ignoring his jab.
“No idea. Bossman went away for a week and came back with some fresh ideas, I guess.”
He flops down on the couch, stretching out his limbs so they cover three pieces of furniture as opposed to the usual one. I suck in a deep breath and steal another glance at the basement door. I can’t see him but I can feel his eyes on me still.
I consider moving out of his field of view, but something holds me in place. I like knowing he’s watching me .
“Sounds like things are changing. Maybe that means you’ll get a promotion. And a pay rise?” I say a little louder.
“I’m fairly compensated, don’t you worry.” He laughs while pulling out his phone.
“Maybe some more vacation days then.”
“What is wrong with you today? You’re being real fucking weird. We’ve talked about this: I’m not moving jobs; I’m happy where I am.”
“Happy or unable to leave?”
“I don’t want to leave, so that’s a redundant question.”
How I wish Austin would make him redundant.
“I just think there are better companies you could be working for,” I hiss quietly.
“I didn’t come here to get fucking lectured by you, Olivia,” he snaps back, rising to his feet.
I hear the basement door creak enough to reveal the fury of Austin’s features.
He’s Mount Vesuvius and my living room is Pompeii.
I’m preparing to get covered in hot spitting ash as Danny shucks his head in annoyance.
The blood drains from my face, and I feel like everything I’ve been worried about is going to come true.
He’s going to hurt me, or Danny, or both of us.
But as soon as his furious gaze moves from the back of Danny’s head to mine, his composure changes instantly. His mouth softens, his teeth no longer bared and ready to snap; his brow smooths; he leans back, pulling himself back into the shadows until I can’t decipher his features.
“Fuck, that was out of line, Livvy. I’m so sorry.” Danny pulls me into a hug, and I start to breathe again.
How can he flip so easily? And I don’t mean my brother.
He’s always quick to anger and quick to apologize.
But with Austin, I don’t know his moods.
I assume he’d be quick to murder, quick to bury the bodies.
Not quick to lose all sense of fury with one look from me.
It’s unsettling to be unaware of how to manage him.
“It’s okay. I just worry about you. ”
“Well. I’m more worried about you right now. I’ve seen those Millie— I’m a twat— Gilbert videos. What the hell is she doing? And with Travis, that fucking weasel.”
“I know, I know. I’ve emailed a lawyer to see if there is anything I can do. Until then, I just need to wait. They’re professing their opinions at the moment, so there’s not really a lot that can be done, unless I sue them for slander.”
“Done. Let’s fucking do it.”
“With what money, Danny? I make enough to cover the house and put a little aside, but you know Millie has her family money to fall back on.”
“Together we can sort something out.”
“No...I’m going to see what the lawyer says, and then I’ll get a plan together.”
He pauses for a moment and shuffles back and forth from his heels to his toes. “There is an alternative option.”
“And what’s that? Use your new muscles to go all gangsta?” I laugh.
Silence envelops the room like an oil spill. It seeps slowly until everything is sticky with it.
“Danny, no. I don’t want you getting messed up in that. Not at all. I don’t want to hear anything of the sort, okay? Besides, it would only make things worse. I’m sure she’d somehow find out I had something to do with it.”
He scoffs and shakes his head, leaning back into the couch.
“What?”
“Livvy,” he says, his voice barely above a whisper, “there’s a reason why it’s called The Unseen.”
“Okay . . .”
“Those who see us aren’t around long enough to tell the tale.” He laughs, throwing his head back. “Just kidding.”
I swallow hard and try to avoid glancing over at the basement doorway.
We relax for a while. Danny catches me up with what he’s been up to.
It’s a watered-down version. I give my own PG-13 version of what I’ve been doing, too.
I omit to mention that his boss is in my basement, not locked up this time.
Danny doesn't know that I know him. Or at least, I don’t think he does.
I never mentioned his visits to Squeeze the Day or the way he watched me. I never considered why before, and I suppose the answer is still unclear.
Eventually, Danny leaves with the promise that he’ll be back soon to visit. This means I could see him tomorrow or in a few weeks.
With the click of the front door, the basement door creaks open ominously. Austin heard the way Danny spoke to me earlier. And although my brother was quick to apologize, I still can’t seem to recover from the sick feeling Austin’s expression left in my gut.
His mask slipped, and for a second, I caught a glimpse of the monster that lies beneath.
Like boiling water on a stove on the cusp of bubbling over.
The hiss and spit of the steam puffs into the air, a constant reminder that at any moment, the peaceful tranquility could be annihilated in one swift eruption.
He stalks toward me, his face soft and comforting. Is this the face of a man who comforts the loved ones of a man he’s just killed? Or is about to kill?
“I’ve got to take care of a few things. I’ll be back, okay?” He drops a kiss on my forehead.
“Wait. How much did you hear when Danny was here?”
“Everything’s going to be okay, I promise.” He cups my face, his eyes swimming with an explanation I can’t decipher. Before I can protest, he lets me go and picks up a set of keys, the door swinging shut behind him.