Chapter Twenty
Liam
Five a.m.
I open my eyes and slowly yawn. The room is still dark, only starlight coming through the window. Below, the ocean’s endless hiss and suck goes on like it will forever.
Normally I’d just get up and go for my morning swim.
But today I don’t want to. I have Olivia curled up against me right here in my bed.
My heart settles as a syrupy sweetness fills my senses.
Part of me wants to cuddle with her until I have to get up for work, but skipping the morning swim too often isn’t good.
Gotta maintain the old body—especially now that I have a wife who’s fond of my abs and forearms. She acts cool, but I see her eyeing me.
Cute. And gratifying to sweat for.
I slip out of bed carefully, put on my swim trunks and head to the heated pool with its open ocean view.
After a light stretch, I hop into the water and start my laps.
I normally do a freestyle or breaststroke, but in case she gets up early, I go for the butterfly since it’ll look more impressive.
And I do want her to carry the image of me looking amazing in the water, as shallow as that sounds.
By the time I hit the twentieth lap, the sun has come up and my muscles are screaming. I stop at the edge, pull the goggles off my face, then smile at the sight of Olivia wrapped in a robe, watching me.
“Good morning, wife,” I say, puffing slightly.
“Good morning. Very impressive.”
I grin and push myself out of the pool. “Thank you. Like the view?”
“Yes.” Her eyes follow the droplets rolling down my abs. She sees me seeing her and laughs. “Am I that obvious?”
I nod. Then, unable to resist, I pull her into my arms for a proper kiss. She slaps my chest. “You’re getting me wet!”
“That’s kind of my job now.” Grinning, I pick her up and move toward the pool.
“What—?” she says, then realizes. “No! No, wait—!”
I jump, still holding her, into the water. She shrieks and comes up sputtering, then smacks my shoulder. “Agh! You, you—”
“Got you wetter.”
She mock-glares, but her eyes are bright with humor. “Very clever.”
“Seeing as how you’re so appreciative of amazing views, look.” I point toward the Pacific.
A small pod of dolphins breaks through the sparkling surface, leaping and twisting playfully.
“Oh my God…” Olivia breathes, her eyes widening. She reaches out and threads her fingers through mine. “Look at them! They’re spinning in the air!”
I grin. Dolphins sometimes come by in the morning, and I’m glad she got to see them. What a way to start her first Monday as Mrs. Kingswood.
The soft morning light hits her, but the glow is all her. The twinkles in her eyes, the wide smile on her face, the joy radiating within.
“Beautiful,” I say.
“Totally,” she agrees, her eyes still glued to the acrobatic dolphins. She remains captivated until they’re gone.
“Worth getting wet for?” I tease.
She laughs. “Okay. Yes.” She wraps her arms around me. “Thank you, Liam. It was one of the nicest things anybody’s ever shown me.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad your morning started with something beautiful.”
We climb out of the pool and get ready for the morning. It takes me no time at all—just shower, shave, slick back my hair and put on whichever suit catches my eye.
Olivia takes considerably longer, and watching her go through her routine is inexplicably intimate.
She dabs several things from fancy-looking jars on her face, then slathers the properly scented Creed bespoke cream all over her body.
I make a mental note to do that job myself when we have more time.
Blow-drying her hair takes about fifteen minutes—also fun to watch as she bends and twists to get every strand.
She slithers into a conservatively cut navy dress and slips her feet into nude stilettos that make her legs look longer and shapelier.
Quick taps of the sponge on her face, then mascara—totally unnecessary for her long, thick lashes—a dab of pink lipstick and she’s done.
“You need some diamonds,” I say.
She raises her hand. “I have this.”
I grin at the sight of the Rubedo. “Still need something for your ears.” I go to the closet and pull out a set of yellow diamond solitaires from the island. “Allow me.”
She tilts her head, showing the long, elegant line of her neck.
I’d love nothing more than to nibble on it for the rest of the morning, but business waits for no one and it wouldn’t be good to be late on the first day of work after our marriage.
I put the stones on her ears. They sparkle like tiny suns.
“Perfect. And they’re yours.”
Her eyes glint as she studies them in the mirror. “You give me the prettiest things.”
“My wife, my prerogative.”
She laughs. “I should bring you something pretty too.”
I pull her into my arms and hold her tight, then look into her radiant smile. “You already did.”
Confusion, then uncertainty flicker across her face. What’s causing her the anxiety? I wish she’d tell me so I can slay it for her. Nobody gets to upset my wife—her phone pings with a harp sound, something you might use with a person who generally brings good news. She sighs. “That’s Simon.”
My mood drops. “What does he want first thing Monday morning? You haven’t even gotten to the office.”
“He’s worried about the fallout from the tabloids.
Tyler also made a public statement on Instagram about how Brielle’s life’s been tough, and her marriage shouldn’t be overshadowed by her more glamorous and powerful sister, and asked that people respect their privacy.
Of course, the tabloids he’s been feeding posted pictures of my car since who cares about my privacy. ”
My gut tightens. “Is it safe for you to be out at all? All you need is one lunatic having a shitty day, taking all this the wrong way.”
“I’ll be fine. No one can get through here, and only a few people know where I work. Simon says he’ll pick me up, just in case.”
Her tone is casual, but it feels like a slap in the face. “I can provide security.” Better than that bastard, I swallow the second part. She doesn’t need jealousy, just protection.
“I know, but this may be easier.”
“Olivia, easy isn’t the point. I want you safe.”
She smiles, placing a hand over my cheek. “I’ll be fine. I’m not letting some scumbag like Tyler affect my life. And I promise if I feel threatened, even a little, you’ll be the first to know.”
I lay my palm over her hand and look into her eyes. “You have to call me, okay? I don’t care how minor it is.”
She nods. I expel the air in my lungs harshly, but evicting the tension from my gut is impossible.
Fucking Tyler. I should’ve done more than just flick that pathetic ring at him.
Next time, he’d better run because I’m going to break every joint in his body, starting with his toes and working my way up.
Plus his face. I hate the way he looks, and I loathe the way he sneered at Olivia.
We head to the kitchen. Acting like internet hostility is nothing out of the ordinary, she pours me a cup of coffee, then serves herself.
I hand her a toasted bagel with cream cheese—which I noticed she enjoyed yesterday—then grab a chocolate protein bar from the pantry.
Emmie will have something more substantial waiting in the office.
Wait… Is the bagel just to tide her over until she gets a real breakfast in the office, provided by Simon? The idea sits in my belly like a large bowl of bleach. At the same time, if she needs to eat, she should. And without my ego bristling in the background.
“Want anything else?”
“Nope, the bagel’s plenty. Thanks.” She smiles. “I don’t usually eat anything until lunch, but these are really good.”
“Frederich’s recipe.” I make a mental note to get him something extra special for Christmas. Maybe a tennis bracelet for his wife or daughter.
Olivia’s phone pings with that harp tone again. “It’s Simon.”
Is that Simon’s special ringtone? I try not to grind my teeth too obviously.
“He’s here to pick me up.”
Dammit. I don’t want him in my home, but if I refuse entry it’s just going to make me look petty and ridiculous. I open the security app to let him in, then frown when a text from Grandmother’s assistant pops up.
–Georgia: Don’t forget dinner tonight. Sorcha is expecting you.
“By the way, about my grandmother’s dinner… You don’t have to come if you don’t want to.” Nothing makes a woman recoil faster than experiencing my family elders’ dramas. Max overcame it, but she wanted a forever with Rhys. Olivia, on the other hand, isn’t nearly as committed.
She hesitates for a second, then shakes her head. “I’ll go. It’s what I should do as your wife.” No hint of a smile, just grim determination. It reminds me of how she was in the conference room during the prenup negotiation.
“This is marriage, not just a job with obligations.” Or some bullshit you have to swallow to get what you want.
“I don’t want to put you in a difficult position with your family.”
“You’re my wife now. That makes you family, too.” And far more important than Czarina.
Olivia’s eyes widen for a moment. “Yes, I suppose it does.”
Her reaction is like a punch in the solar plexus. “Did I, uh, not make you feel married enough?”
“You did. You’re the most perfect husband. I just…” She shakes her head. “It just really hit me that I have a family now. I haven’t had one for so long.” Her eyes shimmer slightly.
The sharp pain vanishes, and aching tenderness fills my heart.
She’s just so unused to being cared for after being with a father like Hugh for so long.
Probably needs time to adjust. I’ve waited twelve years.
I can be a little more patient. “No matter what, you’re always going to be my family, Olivia. ”
The entry system announces Simon’s arrival. I force a smile that hopefully looks polite and head out, with an arm around my wife’s waist as she carries her purse.
He looks at her greedily. Bastard.
“Are you all right?” he asks.
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?” Her voice is light and glib.
It’s the exact tone she used before when she mentioned he’d come pick her up. She treats me the way she treats Simon and even Tyler—at arm’s length, outside the wall around her heart. The realization unfurls in my gut, more bitter than Campari.
Calm down. We’ve been married for all of two days. I still have time to change things between us. She already smiles more easily around me. We shared a lovely moment this morning. It’s just a matter of time before she opens up—and I become the one in her heart.
She presses a quick kiss on my cheek. “See you later.”
“It’s going to be a long day.”
She laughs while Simon glowers at me from behind her. I suppress a smirk.
He opens the car door for her, and she climbs into the passenger seat of the gray Audi. As he shuts the door, I wave. “Have a great day, wife.”
He shoots me a sharp glance. “I’ll make sure she does.”
I just smile. “Know your place, Simon. The best you can hope for is to share a car ride. Meanwhile, she shares my life and my bed.”