Chapter 6 Car Ride

Olivia

Once I had recovered from Leonardo’s attack. I put on the stupid wristwatch and walked to the car, Leonardo was already inside on his phone while Anna looked at herself in the mirror, acting as though she wasn’t aware of the tension between me and Leonardo, maybe she was used to the brooding Leonardo but I was not.

The car drove out of the estate in painful silence. This was the first time I was outside the gate since being locked in, and as sad as it was to see, the world hadn’t stopped moving on my account.

The car was enormous inside with enough leg room. I still felt as though the walls of the car were closing in on me. I turned my head to the window and focused on the moving scenery.

When I felt a hand touch mine, and froze, only to turn and find Anna smiling at me.

“Breathe.” she said in a low voice, squeezing my hand to reassure me.

Was I that obvious to her? I gave her hand a gentle squeeze and turned my gaze outside again, feeling some weight lifting off my shoulders.

It was streetlights and skyscrapers. But anything I saw outside was better than the dead silence inside the car. As the car moved, I stole glances at Anna. She had her eyes closed, her head against the headrest.

It gave me time to think about what happened earlier. Which made me realize one thing, that I shouldn’t relax around Leonardo. The man was dangerous and capable of bringing me harm.

The car came to a stop and there was a red carpet. Leonardo jumped out first without waiting for the door to be opened.

In a different lifetime, seeing him standing outside the car and fixing his tux on his well-formed physique would have taken my breath away. Now it only intensified the knot in my stomach.

“You two had a fight.” Anna said as soon as we were alone, not making a sign to leave the car soon.

“It was nothing.” I lied.

“Tell that to your wrist.” her eyes narrowed to my wrist and on impulse I covered it with my other hand.

She took out a sponge and beckoned me to bring it closer. For the first since entering the car, I looked at it again and the bruise was more ugly than it did earlier.

This time, there was a need to hide it. Before I could do anything, she took my hand in hers.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.” She applied a foundation to her sponge. When the sponge touched my skin, I winced.

“I’m sorry.” She said, working. I raised my eyes and noticed the driver was outside the door, waiting for a signal that we were ready to come out.

“What are you sorry for?” I asked, annoyed. The one person responsible was long gone.

“That he did this to you. He can be a beast sometimes.” She said under her breath but i caught the anger in her words.

“Sometimes? you make it sound as if he can be charming.” I said.

“More than charming.” “I’m afraid that is the only side I know.” She chuckled, making the moment lighter.

When she was done, she showed me my wrist, and it looked like the rest of my arm, and it made me sad.

“Do you do this often?” the question flew out without me thinking it through and I wished I could take it back.

But Anna didn’t seem to notice the catch in my voice. “Do what often?” she was packing her stuff away, not paying attention.

“Cover up bruises?” I asked, and she stopped what she was doing.

“Hell no. Leo would never touch me.” She said with passion, somehow me and my wrist found that hard to believe.

“We better get going. We don’t want to miss anything.” She changed the subject with ease.

“Yes, the speeches,” I said, and we both started laughing.

“I’m glad you remembered something. You are a fast learner.”