49. Olivia #4
“I’m here for her,” JJ growls, gritting his teeth. “You leave her out of it. She’s innocent.”
Malic grins more. “Oh? Innocent,” he hums, rubbing his hands together. “Oh, this will be so much fun, don’t you think, Olivia? I know something you don’t know,” he sings, doing a small dance in place.
“Malic,” Wilder whines again. “Shut the fuck up. Aren’t you concerned he got in the fucking house?” There’s an edge to his tone now as his hazy eyes narrow at JJ.
“You are no fucking fun, Keeper. Let me have my moment,” he huffs, crossing his arms. “But yes, how interesting you magically showed up.” Malic raises a brow, but there’s no urgency, as if he isn’t concerned in the slightest that JJ happened to show up at their house without an invitation or a key.
“You didn’t call. And when you didn’t call, I tracked your phone here, ” JJ says with disdain, coming further into the kitchen, frowning with no fear.
He doesn’t seem to mind that he’s so easily wandered into his sworn enemies’ home.
His eyes dart around to the pancakes and Wilder on the ground, looking off into space.
“So, I’ll take it that they know about you? ”
“We know some things, Jasper,” Malic says, tilting his head. His gaze darts between me and JJ. “But I’m guessing I also know some fun things about our girl that you don’t know.”
“Malic,” I grit out.
“I can’t take anymore,” Wilder huffs, standing on shaky legs and throwing what’s left of the burning cigarette into the sink. “I fucking… Jesus Christ,” he stammers, staring at JJ like he didn’t realize he was standing in his house.
“Wilder,” JJ says, narrowing his eyes.
“So, you know, too? Does my brother fucking know this shit?” Wilder clutches his head again, groaning.
“I need… This!” he says, grabbing a large bottle of Stagg and staggering to the kitchen island again.
He takes the lid off with a small pop and drinks directly from it.
After several gulps, he sets it down and tries to catch his breath.
“No, Mack doesn’t know,” I helpfully reply. “Only the people in this room know.” And I really hope to keep it that way. The fewer people who know I’m a woman dressing as Oliver to investigate this fuck ass town, the better.
I’m so fucking screwed. How can I explain this to Jonathan? Oh, I’m one of your best agents who has never been caught before, but here I am getting caught a second time. All because of my brilliant idea to get my glasses back. Fuck me.
“Oh, and your agency?” Malic adds.
“Agency?” JJ asks, looking between the two of us.
I let out a breath and march to the bottle Wilder is holding tightly like he’s protecting it with his life.
“I need a drink, too,” I mumble, wiggling my fingers until he slides it to me hesitantly.
“Why’re you drinking?” Wilder grumbles.
“Because my life just got ten times more fucking complicated,” I groan, taking a large swig and reveling in the heat running down my throat. I close my eyes until the bottle is ripped away from me.
“Now, now, Little Ghost. Drinking has never brought you anything good. Well, except me,” he says through a grin, giving the bottle back to Wilder.
“Why don’t the four of us sit down and have a little conversation?
I’m sure JJ would love to know where you’ve been these past five years.
Because, by the confused look on his face, I’d say you haven’t been entirely up front with him. ”
JJ watches us carefully.
“And if I say I’d rather go home and forget this ever happened?” I say hopefully.
“Then I’d say you’re delusional, Little Ghost. Now, let’s have a seat and see what we can do for each other.” Malic grins, gesturing to the seat across from Wilder.
“She doesn’t have to do shit she doesn’t want to,” JJ pipes up, coming to grab my arm. “If she wants to leave, then she can leave.”
“What he said,” I mumble wearily, letting JJ drag me a few steps.
“Then, the campus would love to know that Olivia Viotto, the girl everyone thought was dead, is still wandering around as Oliver Davenport. They’d be even more excited to know that she’s a secret agent with Veritas,” Malic says confidently, stopping us in our tracks.
“And that she’s here for revenge against you, your foster father, and everyone in town.
That’d go over well with the student body, wouldn’t it?
You know, the Mafia-based student body that has daddies in the right places.
It’d rain hell down on Olivia. You know, if word got out, of course. ”
I close my eyes, taking in several deep breaths as the weight of what Malic said rests on my shoulders. I swallow hard when JJ’s grip flexes on my arm and the warmth of his breath blows across my cheek.
“So, do you have something to tell me?” JJ murmurs softly.
“Yeah,” I say, clearing my throat. “How about we have a seat and hear him out?”
“Fuck me,” JJ mutters, not changing his grip on me.
“Oh, goody! Should I break out some champagne for the occasion?” Malic quips happily, clapping his hands again. “Because this is going to be a very fruitful conversation.”