Chapter 39
Rina
The drive back to the penthouse at the end of the day is made in silence.
Oliver sits beside me in his black Porsche Panamera Turbo S, the engine’s low growl vibrating through the leather seats.
His hand rests loosely over mine, possessive and oddly steadying at the same time.
I keep my gaze fixed on the lights streaking past the tinted window, and pretend I don’t feel the weight of his gaze flicking toward me every few minutes.
Even though I’m surrounded by quiet, it’s like I’m still bracing for impact, waiting for the next blow to fall.
By the time he eases the car into the garage and kills the engine, my thoughts are still tangled in knots.
The conversation in Hugh’s office replays on an endless loop I can’t shut off.
At some point, Oliver and I will have to sit down and talk it through, but right now, the words are jammed in my throat.
The garage smells faintly of oil and exhaust, every sound echoing in the stillness. Kia slips out of the back seat without waiting, her sneakers slapping against the concrete as she makes a beeline for the elevator.
“Get a move on,” she calls, holding the metal doors. “I’m starving.”
As soon as we step inside, Oliver tugs me against him. His palm slides to the small of my back, then higher, spanning my spine until his thumb grazes the sensitive spot at the nape of my neck. The gesture sends a tremor racing through me. Instead of resisting, I melt into him.
Oliver’s steadiness isn’t loud or demanding. It’s simply there. Quiet and unwavering, wrapping around me in a way I didn’t realize I needed.
His chin dips until the rough line of his jaw brushes my temple, his mouth close enough for me to feel the warmth of his breath.
“I don’t understand how you do it,” I say. “How you make everything else disappear.”
“It’ll all be fine,” he murmurs, stroking the back of my neck. “We’ll figure it out together. I promise.”
The craziest part is that I almost believe him.
Once the doors slide open, we’re met with the hush of the penthouse. Muted light spills from the recessed fixtures above, washing everything in warm gold. It’s calm and sterile all at once.
If I keep moving, maybe I can convince myself the ground isn’t still shifting under my feet.
“We should probably figure out what to do for dinner,” Oliver says, tone easy, like this is just any other normal night.
“My vote’s for Chinese,” Kia pipes up immediately. “Extra eggrolls. Never mind, just get the family pack. Don’t judge me.”
Oliver grins. “Who said you get a vote?”
With a snort, she tosses her blonde hair over her shoulder. “I get a vote in anything that involves my stomach.”
Their easy back-and-forth draws a reluctant smile from me. The bond between them is effortless, the kind only siblings can share. I’ve never had someone who understood me without needing an explanation. Maybe my parents’ marriage would’ve been easier to weather if I hadn’t faced it alone.
“How about us? Do we get a vote too?” a deep voice rumbles from the living room.
I freeze. Every muscle locks tight as the hair at the back of my neck prickles.
Who the hell is that?
Panic shoots through me as my ears strain for any hint of movement.
I catch Oliver’s steady, unruffled profile, and something inside me falters.
A beat of silence stretches before a man steps into the light.
Not only is he blond with broad shoulders that strain against his shirt, he’s also muscular and way too handsome for his own good.
Oliver closes the distance in a few easy strides before pulling him into a solid embrace.
The hug is quick but genuine, the kind that speaks of easy familiarity and years of having each other’s backs.
The resemblance between them is obvious.
They have the same chiseled jawline and piercing blue eyes, though this man’s features are rougher, more lived in.
It hits me that this must be one of Oliver’s brothers.
A petite blonde drifts toward them. Oliver immediately folds her into his arms before pressing a kiss to her cheek. Her perfume is delicate and floral, the kind that lingers without overpowering. There’s something familiar about her bright smile and the graceful confidence she carries herself with.
Oliver turns back toward me with a grin that tugs at his mouth. “This is my older brother Hayes, and his wife Ava.”
Ava’s lips curve as she lifts a hand to wave. “It’s nice to meet you. Oliver’s been a lot quieter than usual lately; I was starting to wonder who managed to pull that off.”
Barely am I able to nod before Oliver steamrolls ahead. “And this,” he says, gesturing toward me, “is Rina—”
Heat rushes to my cheeks as I lift a hand in protest. “Please don’t introduce me as the future mother—”
“Of my child,” he finishes smoothly, that infuriating grin widening as he cuts me off.
My glare only makes his eyes glint brighter with amusement.
“It’s nice to meet you, Rina,” Ava says again, biting back a chuckle.
Hayes studies me before nudging Oliver with his elbow. “So, you’re the woman brave enough to take him on. You’ve got my respect.”
“Yup, this is the one,” Oliver agrees without hesitation before his gaze slides back to his brother. “What are you two doing here?”
Hayes glances at their sister, who’s standing stiffly in the entryway. “Mom wanted us to check on Kia and make sure she was all right.”
“I texted her,” Kia mutters, crossing her arms in front of her like armor.
“What she needed, and what you owed her, was a real conversation,” Hayes shoots back, tone edged with concern rather than anger. “She’s been losing sleep over you, kid.”
Oliver moves closer to me, the warmth of his body brushing against mine. His hand finds the small of my back, and the contact sends a ripple through me even as it anchors me in place.
“She’s going to stay with me for a while,” he says firmly. “Whatever’s going on, we’ll figure it out. Tell Mom not to worry.”
Ava steps forward, her expression gentling as she wraps Kia in a warm embrace, murmuring something against her ear that’s too low for me to catch.
After a beat of resistance, Kia’s rigid shoulders sag as she allows Ava to steer her toward the kitchen, her defenses lowering just enough for affection to slip through.
When Ava finally releases her, Kia’s gaze meets mine for a brief second. There’s something stripped bare and vulnerable in her eyes.
It’s a look I recognize all too well.
The quiet relief of not having to be strong for once.
The sight scrapes against an old, hollow ache I thought I’d buried years ago.
For as long as I can remember, there hasn’t been anyone to share the fallout with.
No siblings to divide the weight or cushion the blows.
Watching Kia fold into Ava’s arms, accepting comfort she might not have realized she needed, stirs something raw and unfamiliar in me.
It’s envy, yes, but also longing.
I don’t know what’s worse… wanting to belong here or knowing I wouldn’t know how if I tried.
Oliver’s palm drifts higher along my spine, as if he can feel the storm brewing beneath my skin.
He doesn’t fill the silence with useless chatter.
Instead, he traces lazy circles with his thumb, each one sending little tremors through me.
Somehow, that quiet comfort speaks louder than anything he could ever say.
Hayes’s curious gaze bounces between us before his mouth quirks into a knowing smirk. “I guess this would be a good time to welcome you to the family, huh?”
A rumble of laughter vibrates through Oliver. “Don’t scare her off. She’s already trying to come up with any reason to bolt.”
Even though heat floods my cheeks, I don’t move away. If anything, I’m hyperaware of Oliver’s hand pressed to the curve of my back. Instead of letting go, his touch settles more firmly, possessive in a way that sends a thrill through me.
It’s a subtle but unmistakable claim. One that tells everyone in the room exactly where I belong.
And who I belong with.
The most dangerous part?
There’s a traitorous, secret piece of me I can’t seem to silence that doesn’t want him to let go.
Far below the penthouse, a siren wails before fading into the distance.
For everyone else, it’s just another Wednesday night.
For me, it’s a fragile interlude.
One that I fear won’t last.