18. 3, 2, 1, Zero
“Ohhhh sir,” Olivia whimpered as Colin thrust nice and slow into her.
It was early the next morning, still dark outside, and he had her on her knees in the shower and had been fucking her for well over an hour this way. He did not care about how wet she was as the water was pounding down on them, washing it all away anyways. She was shaking, the hard thrusts he was treating her to jiggled her ass and her breasts, her hair hanging wet and wild down her face.
She’d lost count of how many orgasms she’d had. Her chest hurt, tightening painfully in preparation for another one. She let out a ragged whimper, feeling herself clamp down impossibly tight around him.
“Stop shutting me off Olivia, open up and take it beautiful. Your creamy pussy takes such a good beating, doesn’t she?” Colin growled.
Imagining her teeth bared yesterday as she threatened the judge, he thrust harder. He yanked her butt cheeks apart, spreading her mercilessly. He’d never tolerate her looking at him like that. The thought made him absolutely feral.
“Oh God!” Olivia complained, arching her back and lowering the rest of the way to the floor, the side of her face and her breasts pressed into the tile as he circled his hips on a deep grind, giving her several hard thrusts slightly to the right, brushing her cervix making her scream.
A thrill raced through him at the sound and he repeated the movement, observing the muscles on her back stand out in sharp relief as she tightened up. He grabbed her hair and snatched her up, arching her neck back.
The water splashed erotically around him as he pressed hard down on her hips, splaying her against the shower, grinding her pussy into the tile. He threw all of his body weight into her, bouncing off her pussy with every hard stroke. He let go of her hair and grabbed her breast with one hand, and her throat with the other. He pulled out and pressed into her anus.
“Colin!” she screeched wildly, trying to buck against him, forcing him to lock himself around her harder.
“Hmmm?”he growled into her ear as he pressed hard, feeling her flesh give. She suddenly stilled, her eyes wild.
Oh my God, why”s he fucking me like this?she thought. She shuddered, feeling her heart race as she attempted to calm herself down.
“What’s the matter baby?” he whispered into her ear. “Did you have something you wanted to say to me?” Colin bit out, licking into her ear. He gave her nipple a roll and sharp tug as he pulled out and pressed forward, slapping into her.
“I’ll fucking kill him, Olivia. Before I ever let him get his hands on you. I’ll kill us all before he ever gets to taste this body. You know that don’t you?” he said, letting his evil side come out to play.
Colin let go of her throat and pushed her hair out of the way before resting his hand heavily on her back. He gave her steady pressure, digging his palm into her flesh. He suddenly raised his hand and slapped it down hard onto the upper left side of her back, causing her to jerk and scream in surprise. She turned to look at him with wide,shocked eyes.
“Turn your head back around,” Colin gritted through his teeth. She obediently turned and placed the side of her face back on the tile. He rested his hand there on her back again, before repeating the stinging motion.
Olivia shrieked again at the burning pain of his hand, meeting her flesh repeatedly. He did this for long minutes listening for her safe word if she so needed to use it, his palm hitting every inch of her back until her cries turned into moans.
“This body’s fucking mine. Not his, it’s not even yours. It’s mine,” Colin said with an eerie growl that reverberated throughout the shower. “That’s everyone’s fucking mistake right now. You all think this body is yours to do with as you please. It’s not! And one day soon, I’m going to show you just how serious I am,” he snarled, his palm hitting her flesh, rubbing then repeating the motion.
“Colin!” she screamed, tears escaping her eyes.
He continued with the hard thrusts and the hard slaps on her back, not even reprimanding her for using his name.
“Shut up!”he shouted. “What’s even worse is that I can fucking relate to the sick son of a bitch. If you went away and were with another man, I’d probably be doing the same thing he’s doing. Killing everybody, losing my fucking sanity, knowing another man was sinking his cock into you. What the fuck are you doing to us?! Fucking bitch driving us crazy!” he half shouted, delivering another sharp blow to her back as he thrust impossibly deep, drawing a high scream out of her. He fucked her for several long minutes, his blows on her back becoming less and less frequent as she slipped into subspace.
A series of broken moans sounded from her as Olivia shivered, his words, and his manipulation of her nipple throwing her off the cliff as she orgasmed with a weak moan. Her body sagged weakly, but still he thrust, trying to find his. Refusing to not be satisfied.
He pulled up her hips suddenly and yanked her back on him, she screamed anew and clamped down on him so hard his eyes rolled, and he grit his own teeth, snarling as he thickened and combusted inside of her.
He laid himself on top of her, breathing hard as they both splayed on the shower floor, feeling the water getting colder as they struggled to regain their senses. With a groan he got up, slapping his hand against the control panel and turning off the spray. He bent down and picked her weak form off the tile, carrying her back to bed.
“In a little bit when you’re settled, I’m going to brush your hair, Okay?” he said as he sat on the bed next to her, his thumb caressing her cheek intimately. Listening to her low whimpers. He might have said too much in the shower, but he meant every word, even though they came out sounding half crazed with jealousy, possessiveness, and lust. It was truly motivated by fear.
He crawled in next to her and curled himself around her trembling form.
It was a rare day that he had them do anal, he was a very big man, and it wore her out sometimes beyond reason. So, he chose carefully what days to do this on. Today was just one of those days. Her freak out yesterday bothered him more than he cared to admit, and he woke up early with a full on panic attack. He’d had a dream that Carmichael kidnapped her and was raping her in front of him as he lay there dying. And that was his last sight on earth, his wife being violated while he lay dying, unable to save her. And he’d be damned if that ever happened.
He inched closer, pressing his lips against the hair at her ear, nudging it away until he found the bare skin of her neck.
“Such a good girl, mamacita,” he murmured to her in her deep voice, calming her, giving her kisses. He rubbed his hands down her arms, her stomach, her hips, cradling her until the trembling stopped.Colin looked down at her. “I’m going to go get the brush, it’s going to be an emotional day and I think we both need this baby. Can I? Will you let me?” he said to her again in his deep voice, leaning down to press his lips against hers firmly.
“Yes,” Olivia said softly, looking up at him through shiny green eyes observing another tear slip out.She was emotional, as she always was after he’d had her the way he did in the shower. Her breaths rose and fell with small whimpers, and she moaned when he dipped down and sucked her nipple into his mouth with a desperate groan. Not able to get enough. It was never enough. Would never be enough.
Colin turned, placing himself between her legs and lowering his weight into her.
“Maybe just one more, to settle you first,” he said, taking her lips in a wet smacking kiss before lowering his head to her nipple once more, thrusting up and into her gently. Hearing her cries as he circled his hips.
“We”re not getting up until I know you’re okay,” Colin said, raising his head and looking deep into her eyes. Feeling his heart tug for his wife, this beautiful woman.
Whoever said gingers had no souls were lying. They had their own and were adept at stealing everyone else’s apparently. Lord knows Olivia had a firm hold on his. Moving firmly inside of her, their green silk sheets falling and rising with his hips, he maintained his gaze with hers as he thought about this woman’s spirit and her bravery yesterday.
He moved up that visit he planned on paying to Carmichael.
***
Colin was downstairs in the kitchen, making scrambled eggs for egg sandwiches, waiting for Olivia to come down. She was taking her time this morning getting ready. He thought about what he said to her in the shower, hoping he didn’t scare her.He put the top on the pan of eggs to keep them hot as he snatched up his phone, leaning his hips against the counter. It was almost seven forty-five and he’d been waiting for Jonathan to text him about his meeting with Allison’s principal.
What’s going on brother? -C. Kent
And a message to Vincent, who was with Jonathan.
Hey Vincent, Are we’re still on to meet in an hour?-Colin
He put his phone down and looked out the window above the sink. The sky was not looking like it was going to turn that beautiful blue it normally does, however, there was supposed to be a bad storm later on in the morning. He then took a second to call Mary, asking her to please make sure that the lanterns and lighters were all out in one spot in the lounge so they could get to them easily if they needed to and then told her to go home early.
Colin had a generator but you just never know, could never be too careful. He took out four slices of bread and began to butter two pieces, and put mayonnaise on the two along with a slice of tomato. The butter was for him, mayonnaise was for Olivia. A lot of the time, he still thought the way she ate was revolting, but he’d come to love her for it. He knew she was going to not be happy with so many carbs early in the morning, but she’d get over it.
We’re finishing up at the school. They let us bring in our own security officers. You good?- J. Dawg
Yes, it’s just been a long morning already. Olivia’s nervous. The thought of having a security detail is fucking with her head. -C. Kent
Vanessa is thankfully not taking it too hard. I think yesterday scared the shit out of her, and she’s got the baby and all the hormones. And Allison. She’s on the other side of the pendulum. Your wife on the other hand, the way she crawled in that window, bruh. She once told me that I married the evil sister, and I’m telling you that I think you married the insane one. -J. Dawg
Colin snorted, finishing putting the sandwich together and wrapping it in a paper towel before putting it into the warming drawer. He pulled up his text thread to Olivia.
Come on baby we gotta eat so we can go. -C. Kent
Vincent responded.
Yes. We’ll be there in maybe under an hour. There’s a storm coming.-V
His ears pricked as he heard her bare feet hitting the wood floor as she padded down the hallway. He looked up from his phone as the juicer finished doing its thing with the oranges, filling the second glass.
His eyes tightened and his heart skipped a beat as she came around the corner, a cream suit jacket in between her teeth, her purse hanging from one hand, and her shoes dangling from the other. She tilted her head, draping the jacket across one of the stools on the island and plopping her purse down and bending to put her shoes on. Sky high heels, no doubt chosen specifically to test him.
Narrowing his eyes slightly, he reluctantly dragged his eyes up her body to land on hers.
“It’s going to storm today,” he said, fighting a rising desire that was settling inside of him, despite how viciously he’d just taken her. She was beautiful, dressed in a cream pantsuit with a soft pastel lavender purple silk top that her breasts did wonderful things to. The blouse was held up by delicate tiny straps on her shoulders.
“I know,” Olivia breathed, bending down again and disappearing momentarily behind the island with the other shoe. She hopped as she put it on and stood up in a huff, blowing her perfectly blow-dried hair out of the way. She was wearing her pearls and diamonds again.
“Where’s your diamond watch?” he asked inquisitively as he pulled their sandwiches out of the drawer and pushed hers towards her.Shortly after a crack of lightning, a boom of thunder made her jump.
He wished to God they could stay in today; he loved making love to her during a thunderstorm.
“It’s upstairs,” she replied, eyeing her sandwich and only picking up one half of it that he’d cut. Her nose crinkled as she picked the sandwich apart, smiling with joy as she saw all the mayonnaise he’d put on there for her. “Thank you baby,” she sighed, putting her elbows on the island, leaning in so she could eat over the counter without getting anything on her blouse.
He tilted his head and licked his lips as the action caused her to stick her butt out far, giving him a generous view of her ass in the tight cream pants she was wearing.
“You’re welcome. The watch?” he pressed, taking his own bite. They had breakfast together every day and he loved that.
“I’ve got too much money on today,” she mumbled around the food in her mouth, swallowing it down with fresh squeezed orange juice. He raised his eyebrow in amusement.
She’s so silly, it’s adorable, but not acceptable, he thought to himself.
“Not enough for me. Go back upstairs when you’re done eating and put it on, please,” he demanded softly, taking another bite and mentally calculating how much he figured she was worth today by her clothes. His mental tally came up close to twelve thousand by her outfit, shoes, jewelry, and lingerie alone. The watch would push her to fifty grand, his sweet spot.
Though, she truly was priceless to him. However, he loved their little game.
“Ok fine,” she grumbled, reaching around her purse and pulling out her back up pill case. She popped out several pills into her palm. Holding his sandwich aloof in the air, his eyes narrowed again as he fought the rising irritation, feeling it cancel out the desire that almost always ate at his soul when it came to Olivia.
“Why are there four pills instead of three?” he asked, strumming his fingers of his free hand irritably on the island, not bothering with his sandwich.
“Oh, it”s depression medicine, birth control and ibuprofen,” she said, washing it down with the juice. Colin’s eyebrows hit the roof and he stood there stunned for a moment.
“What?” he asked, putting down his sandwich.
“Yeah, I got this from Stella, then I called my doctor to make an appointment. I’ve been crying a lot. Ever since China,” she said quietly, sipping more of her juice. Her eyes shifted rather uncomfortably away from him. Guilt of hiding this from him plagued her.
“Okay…but that’s really something you need to talk to me about, baby. I need to know these things,” Colin said gently, taking her empty plate and cup from her and putting it in the dishwasher. He fought back the sudden wave of emotion threatening to overcome him. He couldn’t stand to see her sad, it made him physically ill. Taking a second to himself, he contemplated their age gap, how hard it”s been to let go of her independence.
The fact that she didn”t tell him she added a medication to her daily pill routine bothered him. He took a deep breath, not wanting to rock the boat considering he”d just gotten her back.
“Is it because of all this stuff? We’ve been going through a lot of shit baby. I wish you would have told me you were feeling like this,” he said, turning back to her and seeing her rub her hand down her arm. The rain pounded steadily against the skylight and the back of the house that the kitchen faced.
“Well, I’m just going to try it and see if it helps. Jonathan gave me his psychiatrist friend’s name, Dr. Richardson, to contact if it gets to be too bad. But I’m starting with a therapist first, her name is Sarah Johnson…I’m sorry, I should have talked about it, but I didn’t want to give you another reason to worry. You have a lot on your plate. Your life didn’t use to be like this before I got here,” she said quietly, her eyes falling to the island between them. Her lips pouted, betraying her emotion.
Colin pushed off the counter and rounded the island. Fuck if we’re dealing with unnecessary distance, he thought to himself, pulling her into his arms.
“That’s where you’re wrong. It was worse. I had nothing to live for then,” he said, putting his lips to her hair and smelling her strawberry vanilla shampoo. “I love you, Olivia.”
“I love you too, baby,” she sighed, hugging him tight.
“Now go put your watch on please,” Colin said, giving her ass a pat, making her skip a step as she hobbled away. She tried to hide it but there was a visible limp in her gait. He smiled, turning to grab his keys.
***
Forty-five minutes later, they were in Vincent’s security building in an obscure plot of land surrounded by trees and gates. They joined Vanessa and Jonathan in a plush, well decorated sitting room with leather seats and a huge aquarium that housed mini sharks which Jonathan was currently standing before staring at, fascinated.
Vanessa sat across from them with air pods on, listening intently to the band’s rendition of her song she recorded for them a month ago. She’d taken up Elijah’s offer and was demoing some covers for them while waiting for the baby to be born.
Olivia was reading a book and Colin’s eyebrow went up as he snuck and read with her over her shoulder. He broke out in a grin, thinking that the main characters might give them a run for their money. Whatever she was reading was crazy. He looked at the side of her face, she was giving no indication she was reading smut. The woman could have a poker face sometimes, but not with him.
“That’s very interesting baby, we should try that sometime,” he whispered in her ear, and she turned off her phone with a gasp, the color coming up into her face finally. He chuckled, pressing her against his chest and kissing the side of her head.
Stella walked in, and Colin almost did a double take at the gorgeous statuesque African American beauty. He nodded in approval at her business suit.
They assessed each other for style every time they met up, and this had become his and Stella’s own little game. He noted that she had traded her usual braided style for a flowing style, with hair halfway down her back and boasting a middle part. She looked like an African goddess in gold color that set off her skin tone perfectly.
You’d never know by looking at her that she was a brat and needed frequent punishments according to Vincent.
“Wow,” Olivia breathed, standing up gracefully and walking into Stella, giving her a hug. “You look gorgeous, friend. This color is to die for!”
“Thanks girl. I’m loving that pantsuit. What are we clocking today? About forty-five grand it looks like?” Stella leaned in and whispered with a small giggle at her friend. Olivia had shared their daily vie for power, and it started with how much money she was ordered to wear on her person at all times.
Colin grinned, letting out a little chuckle. Thinking that the joke was on Olivia anyway, because her wedding ring alone was four times that much. But she didn’t need to know that.
Stella thought it was cute.
“Are you all ready? Vincent is ready for the four of you in our big conference room,” she said, holding the door open and letting them out into an expansive hallway. All the doors were wooden and there were no glass windows anywhere.
“So, Nessie, when are we dueee?” Stella crooned, stroking her hand down Vanessa’s belly as they walked. Vanessa had the cutest waddle.
“Supposed to be seven weeks,” Vanessa said with a little laugh. “But he feels like a freaking bowling ball so he can come out whenever. My god. The doctor said he’s already eight pounds, can you believe it?” Vanessa said, placing a hand on her lower back and pressing.
“Girl that’s what C-sections and vaginal tightening surgeries are for,” Stella joked, making them all laugh as they rounded the corner. She opened another door and let them into a huge room with nineteen intimidating men and Vincent, making up the twentieth. He was sitting at the head of a thirty-foot table, a huge projector screen on the other side of the room across from him. The teams looked like they were split into two sides. Colin’s and Olivia’s on one side of the table, Jonathan’s and Vanessa’s on the other side.
Vincent stood up, welcoming them and waving them in.
Olivia’s eyes perused every one of them. She stared hard, getting her bearings; and they stared back too. One of the men, closest to Vincent on the right side of the table, had an intimidating scar slashed across his face. He was extremely muscular, but not bulky. His hair was in a buzz cut and he wore all black. He stood there staring silently. No life in his eyes. She felt a shiver go up her spine. The man’s aura was heavy and trained straight on hers. Her eyes widened.
Fucking God.Olivia whined in her head. Please don’t be ours, she silently prayed.
She glanced at the other members; the guy next to him was intimidating but the bullshit didn’t roll off of him like the first one. Everyone around the table looked lethal, in control, like they’d seen shit, did shit, and knew shit.
Shit,Olivia tightened her lips before taking Vincent’s warm handshake, not quite able to look him in the eye. The testosterone in the room was killing her. She looked across the table at Vanessa, who was being helped into one of the empty chairs next to Vincent, on the same side as the intimidating scar face guy.
Olivia breathed a sigh of relief, settling into the chair that was on the opposite side.
Oh dear God, thank you. We can officially be friends again,she offered Vincent a tiny smile as she leaned back in her chair, waiting for them all to settle. Stella took the second seat at the head of the table, throwing Olivia a glance that made her look at her phone, seeing her friend had texted her.
I’m sorry-I just want you to know that I tried. -Stella.
Olivia’s brows furrowed and she glanced up at Stella who was shooting her a little apologetic glance before turning her face to her husband who started speaking.
And then Olivia’s stomach fell through the floor. She stood there, mute, trying to process what her friend’s husband was saying. And when it finally clicked, she let out a hilarious laugh. Shaking her head.
Jonathan was looking rather alarmed at her, leaning in to whisper something to Vanessa who was shooting her a ‘what the hell’ glance.
Olivia sat in her chair giggling. Uncontrollably. Like about to pee-my-pants uncontrollably. So she looked at Colin and said it.
“If I fucking pee myself it’s going to be all your fault. Because I can’t believe what the fuck I just heard,” she said leaning forward and putting her forehead very unlady-like against the table, shaking she was laughing so hard. She looked up at Vincent.
“I’m sorry Vincent, can you just say it again please. Because this is fucking crazy,” she said to the African American man, who was sitting back, reaching into his pocket. He suddenly took out a small device and slid it across the table to the scarred man who he’d just introduced as Zero.
Her personal security detail. One of two.
Zero’s hand reached out and snagged the object, spinning it around in front of him before he stopped it facing her. He picked it up and she heard a click. She raised her eyebrows before looking over at Stella, who had unconsciously scootched back in her seat. She looked back at Zero before sitting back in her seat and smiling.
Fuck this,Olivia thought.
“Click,” she whispered across the table at him. She felt Colin stiffen before turning to look at her with an incredulous expression. She ignored him.
Zero picked up the device and clicked it again. She tilted her head.
“Click,” she said louder as she crossed her arms and legs, throwing Zero a filthy stare. The other men on either side of the table watched this interaction carefully.
Zero clicked the device again. Still saying not a word.
“Cli-”
“Olivia,”Colin said, his voice sounding so deep and hoarse. Like he was trying to keep from strangling her so he was strangling himself instead. “Fucking stop it,”
She turned and looked at him, her lips twisted. She looked back at Vincent.
“He’s not coming on my team,” she snarled.
“Why?” Vincent said, his baritone slightly louder than she was used to hearing from him.
“Because this is MY body and I fucking said I don’t want him BODYGUARDING IT. That’s why!” she leaned forward and hissed the words at her friend’s husband.
Colin turned her in her chair abruptly, making her cry out in shock at the violent motion, her fingers curled under the lip of her seat and her eyes went wide. Colin leaned forward with an audible rumble that stopped her heart momentarily before he leaned even further forward, getting into her face. She paled, leaning back and scooching down in her chair. She shook her head minutely.
Not her body. His. Colin’s. Olivia gasped as the words bounced around her head, making her dizzy.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she whispered, the words barely making it out. She understood him without him having to say anything. The clicker clicked two more times and her mouth dropped as she craned her neck to look around him at Zero. Still staring at her impassively.
Colin roughly grabbed her by her chin and firmly turned her face back to his. His eyes were cold as they stared into her. He remained silent and Olivia felt her heart rate ramp up so uncomfortably that it was almost choking her. She stared back, blinking the rising tears away.
“This is why,” Vincent barked, slamming his hand down on the table so hard that Stella pushed back in her chair all the way to the wall behind them. “This is why we are having this meeting today all together instead of two separate meetings,” he stood up, placing his hands behind his back in an intimidating stance.
“Olivia is a flight risk and she will put herself in danger when provoked. You ALL need to see the attitude and what she’s capable of. If she is in your presence, you protect her just as if she was Vanessa. Do you understand me? She will engage with Carmichael. She threatened him just yesterday, bursting down his gate and breaking into his house. This is unacceptable, and anyone who is found lagging in regards to the safety of this family will be immediately terminated, and your security license revoked without question,” Vincent boomed, his speech aimed at the Sinclair team, who was commissioned for Jonathan and Vanessa. Everyone at the table nodded, regardless of whose team they were on.
Oh my God, Olivia’s eyes widened, still on Colin’s. Whose eyes were unwavering on hers.
She turned her gaze back to Zero. “Not him,” she said out loud. Uncaring of the speech Vincent just made. She was going to be heard.
“Why?” Zero questioned her now, and Olivia felt her entire body stand at attention. It was as if a cord was attached to a string on her spine and someone was standing over her pulling her up. She cursed as she felt her nipples harden and she didn’t know why. She wasn’t even attracted to this man. She was suddenly grateful for her jacket, to hide it.
The man’s voice sounded like Lucifer himself. It was scratchy, raw, unfiltered, and dangerous.
Her eyes widened.“That’s why. You’re too much like my husband and I don’t like it,” she hissed.
Zero nodded once standing up and brushing his hand down his shirt calmly, before rounding the table behind Vincent and coming up to her side. She moved quickly, scooting herself into Colin’s lap and pulling her legs up, her heels digging into her husband’s thighs. She watched as Zero sat on the table next to her and looked down at her with that cold stare of his.
“This is why I’m here. For you. To keep you in line. When you’re not with Mr. McDermont, you answer to me,” he said simply. His big hand reached out and she moaned as Colin reached forward to shake it.
“No. No. You’re my security so you answer to me,” she whispered. The room was deathly quiet. Aside from a click.
“What?” Stella breathed from her seat across the room. “Why do I get a click?” she said tearfully.
“Because your friend is a pain in the ass,” Vincent growled in reply, sitting back in his chair.
“You will answer to me, or you will get no freedom. I know you, Kat,” he said quietly, his eyes on hers.
Olivia’s jaw dropped. It clicked, quite literally, why she didn’t like him.
He used to be security for one of her more prolific and powerful clients, and he would stand outside the door in the shadows and make sure she didn’t go too far with the one particular client she had who liked more nefarious sessions than others.
“Oh my God, it’s you,” she breathed. Zero nodded with just the barest hint of a grin that betrayed a dimple in his cheek.
“So, I’m actually more qualified than everyone here in this room as to what you’re capable of because I’ve actually seen you in action and let me tell you,” his eyes slid to Colin’s. “She’s wicked. A fucking true born manipulator, Medusa herself. We nicknamed her Lilith.”
Colin raised his eyebrow, amused by this. Lilith couldn’t be dominated.
Olivia’s mouth fell open as she bristled. No the fuck this man didn’t.
“Lilith? What a fucking insult,” she said, her face scrunched up as Zero continued, his eyes still trained on Colin, effectively ignoring her.
“She was the best, I’m talking head honcho status. Whatever she said to Carmichael yesterday, I’d take it as gospel. She’s more than capable of it. How on earth did you manage to nail down this? I would pay good money to have seen that in action. Mad respect brother,” his eyes slid to Olivia’s and perused down Olivia’s huddled form, still snuggled on top of Colin’s.
Zero got up and resumed his seat and Olivia sat back down in hers quietly. Colin’s rough style of domination this morning made sense. He already knew what was going to happen today.
She huddled tightly against herself, only looking up to nod to the rest of the folks on her team. The men had already vetted the teams, now they were going over their house layout, a security manual for the home and what guys would be on what shifts for the house. Mary was even brought into it somehow, but Olivia was already retreating in her head, looking to the side blankly, wondering how she could get away with killing Carmichael so they could be done with all this.
Then she knew. That’s why they gave her who they gave her. She wasn’t on her own anymore; she had multiple people’s safety to look out for. She wasn’t superwoman anymore, slaying dragons on her own and conquering demons. She bit her lip, chancing a look at her husband, aware of Zero’s eyes on her every movement. Learning her.
Colin was in complete control. She reddened as she realized he even let her have her little outburst as a lesson to everyone there what they were dealing with. Her eyes narrowed.
Was she ever really in control with him? She couldn’t tell.
Olivia felt physically sick when she was told she was basically going to always be followed from here on out. Until the Carmichael situation gets resolved, anyway. She couldn’t go anywhere without a security detail. If she was driving, they had to be in the car, and one tailing her. They would be with her on campus, when she went on outings, the grocery store, she damn near wouldn’t be able to go to the bathroom without someone knowing about it.
“Olivia!” Colin said sharply, shaking her out of her thoughts. She looked up from staring at the floor as if in a daze, noticing the place was silent. Her sister was looking at her with a melancholy expression. “What was that?” he asked, leaning into her with an eyebrow raised. She had said her thoughts out loud and didn’t realize it. She blinked.
“I said, given the first chance, I’m going to find him and take his life away. Because he’s taking mine, ours,” she gritted, the tears finally falling through angry eyes and her breath hitched as she assessed her husband with emotion.
Pushing back in her seat, she stood up calmly, taking off her jacket, her earrings, her watch before pinning Zero boldly with a stare. The men all watched quietly.
“Olivia, you’re foolish,” Vanessa said across the table, her cat eyes narrowed at her sister.
Olivia leaned forward, placing her hands on the table, not even caring if her blouse gaped open for everyone to see.
“I’m a fucking survivor,” she yelled, baring her teeth at her sister before turning her eyes to Zero. “You have no fucking clue what I’m capable of. He hasn’t tamed me,” she whispered, jerking her head to Colin who sat there quietly, crossing his ankle over his knee and remaining silent. Zero stood up.
“Let’s go,” she said. “You think you can handle this? Let’s see what you got, since you know me so. Fucking. Well,” she hissed this last part.
“Okay Lilith, after you,” Zero said, his hands at attention behind his back.
“Let her go,” Vincent said quietly to Colin. “and observe what you’re paying for,” he turned his eyes to Zero. “No hitting her in the face.”
Colin sat back, nodding his head, accepting a drink from Jonathan, who had poured something for them to take the edge off.
Olivia turned and walked out of the room barefoot, hearing nothing behind her. She pushed through the other doors until she made her way out of the building into the storm outside. She turned on her heel, beginning to run, her red hair flying behind her as lightning cracked the sky around them.
She was quite literally going to give the security a run for their money.
***
Olivia laid back in the bathroom hours later, sitting back in a steaming hot tub with the window cracked, letting the sounds of the storm in. There were lit candles stationed in various spots in the spacious room and the recessed lights were dimmed. Grateful for the dark, moody atmosphere that matched her mood she turned back to her phone after taking a sip of wine. Her phone was on a holding receptacle that sat across the tub.
She was currently on a group facetime call with Vanessa, Stella, and Aaliyah and she moaned as she moved her aching muscles, closing her eyes on a wince.
“See that’s what you get for being such a hard headed bitch,” Stella said, angry with her.
Olivia winced, thinking she really showed out today. If she hadn’t been in so much pain, she’d be rather proud of herself. She took both Zero and Byson on a straight up manhunt, though she could tell they were all toying with each other. She came to the conclusion that whatever they were getting paid for their services, it probably wasn’t enough.
“Yo, you threw a brick at Zero?” Aaliyah gasped in shock. Stella had sent them the security footage of her episode today outside of the building and she was watching it on replay. “Girl, I didn’t know you had moves like this oh my God,”
“Yeah, and he caught that shit with his bare hands then threw dirt at her face, blinding her,” Stella said, a little eye roll breaking through.
“He fucked up my cream pantsuit,” Olivia moaned, sinking further into the water.
“Serves you right,” Vanessa said, annoyed.
“They were out there for over an hour fighting, running, being straight chaotic. One of our security cars has to be replaced,” Stella said, huffing as she threw herself into a comfy looking bean bag that swallowed her whole. “But the best was when Zero kept calling her ‘Lilith’, he was chanting it while they were out in the storm being children. Apparently, that was your girl’s nickname back in the day when she was head honcho of Esmerelda’s Ring,” Stella said, filling Aaliyah in on everything that came out in the boardroom today.
Aaliyah grunted and then was silent. She was still pissed and in disbelief that her oldest friend was involved to the extent that she was. “But you’re a badass. So that’s all that matters, eh Ollie?” Aaliyah finally spoke, breaking her silence.
All the women murmured their agreement, even Vanessa who didn’t even want to talk to her right now.
“Well, enough about that please. Let’s talk about Vanessa’s vacation we’re supposed to be going on in a week! We’re decided on Bora Bora right?” Olivia said, pulling up her browser and looking up resorts.
“Yes,” Vanessa said, a crash blared through the phone as she dropped something, followed by a rather unladylike grunt as bent down to pick it up. They saw her stoic looking security guard turn the corner and her irritated “I’m fine. Thank you,” before he walked away.
“Jesus fucking Christ. I can’t even have the pregnancy farts anymore,” Vanessa huffed, sitting down at her island, and pushing her hair out of the way. They all busted out laughing.
“Okay, well there’s a private Villa with a private beach near nice eateries, and it has a separate wing for the boys,” Olivia stated, sharing her screen with them. She took a slow minute scrolling through all the pictures for them to see.
“For the boys?” Aaliyah said in an irritated tone. “This is supposed to be a not-a-baby-shower-girls-trip! Why are they coming?”
Stella shook her head, her beautiful mouth pouting, as Vincent suddenly appeared on the screen as he gave her a rather raunchy kiss followed by a hard slap that no one could tell where it landed.
“Owww, Goddammit V!” Stella complained, her face scrunching up.
Suddenly Colin came into the bathroom, and Jonathan appeared on the screen with Vanessa. Olivia hurriedly scooted down in the water hiding with a horrified look on her face.
“You guys what the fuck,” Olivia hissed, her face now screwed up in annoyance. Her face was red on the screen. “Any one of us could be naked at any given time!” she said, pulling more bubbles to cover her chest.
“Well, then don’t facetime while you’re in the bathtub Ukhat!” Jonathan joked, giving her his toothiest smile yet. “Hey, I wanted to congratulate you on a job well done, huh? Vincent sent us all the security footage of you and Zero and man! Wow! Your ass should have been in the army, Lilith!”
Her jaw dropped and she cracked her head sharply to look at Colin, who’d squatted behind her and put his lips to her neck with an amused chuckle.
She turned back and scowled hard at the screen.
“Yes, we have to come, Beau,” Colin replied, using Olivia’s nickname for her best friend. “Everyone’s under security watch right now. How bad would it be if while you’re out of the state something detrimental happened. It would be hours before we could get to you,” Colin said rather sternly, his fingers digging into Olivia’s shoulders and massaging her sore muscles firmly.
Though Colin was pissed at her temper and outbursts today, the stories that Zero shared with him gave him a fresher perspective on this woman. She was a beast, and he’d tamed her somehow. A grin graced his face at the knowledge, and unbeknownst to her, his chest puffed out slightly with male triumph.
“Ladies, I’ll take care of the arrangements, ok? You don’t have to worry about anything. We’ll sit back, out of your hair and smoke our cigars and just be men in Bora Bora,” he smiled as Stella shot him a disbelieving look through the screen.
Aaliyah tsked. “I don’t even believe that shit though forreal,” she said with a slight laugh. “But uhm, bring me one of those cigars you like, and I’ll smoke with yall and be friendly. Now, love yall but I gotta go eat some ass now. Bye,” and with that she hung up.
They all either laughed uncontrollably or hid in embarrassment. Olivia did both.
“Bye you guys,” she said with a little wave as she disconnected the call and sat back with a sigh. Colin stood up and disappeared, coming back with a warm towel.
“Up you get, Lilith,” he joked, unplugging the tub and helping her up. Though he thought she’d put herself through it, he was sympathetic to her plight as she’d really been through a lot today. He wrapped the towel around her carefully, pulling her wet hair out from where it was snagged in the towel.
“Oww, and stop calling me that,” she complained with a wince, her body smarting everywhere.
“Yikes, that’s not a word that I’d have thought was in your vocabulary, beautiful,” Colin said, a twinkle in his eyes. He’d been in a much better mood once he saw how well Zero handled Olivia. He didn’t like him throwing dirt at her, but he wanted to see exactly how far she was wanting to push things, and what Zero’s response would be to her.
Colin was worried that they’d wind up with a security guard that would be easily manipulated. However, because Zero knew Olivia’s mannerisms, he had a heads up. He’d previously asked what the name Zero meant, knowing it wasn’t his God given name. And Zero explained to Colin that he’d earned his name because he had zero failures. He scored every time.
Colin breathed a genuine sigh of relief for the first time in weeks. He picked her up carefully, ignoring her little whines as he carried her to the vanity and blow dried her hair. He took the brush and caught her eye, not wanting to trigger her. This was brand new between them, so he was going slow. Olivia gave him a little nod and he kissed her lightly in between brushes, telling her how amazing he thought she was.
She listened quietly as the brush whooshed through her hair stroke after stroke and he turned the blow dryer on. He gave her a cheeky grin and massaged the muscles at her nape as he dried her air, playfully blowing some warm air in her face to shock her. She giggled, the sound warming his heart.
Colin’s eyes tightened as he regarded her beautiful face carefully, he did not like her on depression pills. They were going to have to seriously figure that out. Unfortunately, things were getting worse before they were getting better. They had all kinds of security, and yet it stole their freedom. Carmichael was still on a rampage, they were still in danger, and it didn’t look like it was going to get better yet.
Not yet.
Colin carried her to bed. Where he took oil and massaged her body thoroughly, waiting until she drifted off to sleep before he stopped. Placing the covers over her and crawling into bed after her.
No, it was going to get worse before it got better. And he’d be here to hold her through it all.