**Carl POVYeah, go home and wait for my dad to come home and send me halfway around the world. I wasn't about to let that happen!Olivia wouldn't be giving me any money now. She wasn't the only Richardson that I had a history with, though. Bethany would have the same access to that kind of money, but she would be a lot easier to control, as desperate as she was. I hailed a cab and pulled my phone out. Sliding in the back seat, I dialed Bethany's number. "What do you want?" Bethany asked when she answered. That was not the greeting I was hoping for. "Bethany, I've been missing you so much," I greeted, using the most charming tone I possibly could. "You dick! You can't be all over my sister, then call me up. I'm not your side piece and I sure as hell am not your sloppy seconds," Bethany hissed. Hey, she knew the deal when she signed up. When we'd been f*cking around behind Olivia's back all that time, she had no problems with it. Why all of a sudden were her panties
**Olivia POV"You know me, I don't do anything halfway," he purred, tickling me again with the rose. I plucked the flower from his hands so he couldn't keep torturing me with it. "But, for right now, go and mingle. I have my own rounds to make first," I said, a slight grin on my face. I brought the rose to my face and breathed in its delicious aroma. I curled my toes in my expensive Jimmy Choo's and bit my lower lip. "Very well. Remember you owe me a conversation tonight," he reminded me. He pinched my chin affectionately and stepped away. Air rushed into my lungs and the rest of the world came flooding back to me as he left. When I'd been staring at him, it was like the rest of the world had faded. Now, I was all too aware of the eyes on me. I hid my face in the rose again before glancing at some of my other party guests. Several women my age stared at me with varying glares and dropped jaws. I smiled and gave an innocent wave, causing a few to huff and turn up their nos
As my parents went after Bethany, I decided not to return inside the venue, with many guests whispering and pointing, so I headed directly to the gardens.The venue had a beautiful terrace with a large fountain, soft spotlights, and many flowers blooming in every color. I sat on the edge of the fountain – made of white marble with two lovers dancing sensually. Water poured from their fingertips.I pulled out my phone and messaged Ellis. 'If you want an answer to the question you've been waiting for, you'll find me in the gardens.'While I waited, I flicked the fountain water with my fingers, watching the ripples lap against the ankles of the dancers. Music from the venue pumped out into the garden, muffled a little by the distance.A few moments later, a hand rested on my shoulder and a warm breath tickled the back of my neck. I smelled his cologne and closed my eyes, feeling intoxicated and hazy from his scent. His hand moved to my neck, thumb on the back and fingers curling l
My phone wouldn't stop buzzing, preventing me from getting the sleep I so desperately desired. I figured it had to be Carl pestering me, so I went over to my purse and as I pressed the button to turn off the phone, I caught the name 'Bethany' popping up. I stopped and read what her latest message had said. 'Please Olivia, I'm outside waiting for you. I really want to make things right with you. Please, please, please. I owe you an apology and I wanted to say it to your face.'Sighing heavily, I grabbed a pair of slippers and an overcoat to hide my nightgown, bringing my phone with me in case we got locked out of the building at this hour, and headed down to the lobby. I didn't want to do this, but I still cared about Bethany too much to leave her outside unattended; I had to send her home.As I walked outside, I didn't see Bethany anywhere. I took a few steps forward, and noticed a figure that resembled my sister leaning up against a street light, so I continued in that directio
Ellis had Bethany's arms pinned behind her back. The knife was lost in the leaves."Are you alright?" Ellis asked me.I nodded. "Yeah, you got here just in time, as usual." I took deep breaths, realizing with Ellis here, that I'd be okay."Get your hands off me you bastard!" Bethany shrieked, struggling against Ellis."Olivia, Bethany?" I heard my mother's voice calling out and not in the direction of where my phone was."Mom?" I shouted out into the woods.I heard rustling leaves, then my mother and father came running out of the trees. My mom ran right up to me and hugged me."Oh, honey, are you okay?" she asked."I'm fine," I affirmed. I hugged her back."Mr. Peterson, we seem to keep running into each other tonight," my mother said, nodding to Ellis. "Thank you for stepping in.""This has been quite an interesting night to say the least," Ellis exhaled deeply with a slight smirk.Then my mother's attention turned to my sister. "Bethany," my mother said, turnin
I set the picture down and looked around the rest of the room. My attention was drawn into the smile of the same woman in a large portrait hanging above a vanity. The portrait was encased in an elaborate, gold-gilded frame and took up almost the entire wall. She was posed in a perfectly poised, elegant position, seated with her hands on her lap. The alluring smile on her lips was ever-so-slight. And yet, she was absolutely beautiful. Her face was clear of all blemishes and imperfections. Even though she was dressed simply, the entire effect was charming and even heartwarming. The vanity was painted gold, with an elegant mirror. On top of it there were several pieces of fine jewelry, diamonds, pearls, and sapphires. They were also polished and dust free, like they were waiting to be worn. A bottle of expensive perfume sat on the vanity in a custom-made glass bottle. I recognized the label; It was a perfume by Givenchy that cost well over a few hundred dollars an ounce.This w
"What's so secret?" My eyes were closed and I let Ellis lead me down the hallway."You'll see," he said.When I opened my eyes again, I was brought into his playroom.I hadn't been expecting that. Well, I wanted him too, but I was worried after finding me in Nancy's room that maybe he wasn't in the mood… However, Ellis seemed happy to forget about the encounter. Maybe that meant it really wasn't a big deal to him. "What are we doing here?" I asked, looking around. "I got something for you and I thought it would be fun to try it out," he said, giving me a charming smile. My stomach fluttered as Ellis turned away. When he turned back, he had a box in hand, wrapped and tied with a red, silk scarf. "What's this?" I asked as I took the box. Ellis bit his lower lip, his eyes smoldering into me. "Go on, open it," he said. I licked my lips and untied the scarf, handing it to Ellis. He moved around behind me and ran the silky fabric up and down my bare arm. I shuddere
"The room?" Ellis asked, tilting his head slightly. My stomach dropped. I didn't like how he was being evasive and it only made me more suspicious. "The room with the piano, where you found me earlier," I elaborated. Ellis' lips turned down slightly at the corners, a subtle frown. His eyes didn't change, though. It was hard to tell if he was disappointed or upset. "It is just a room," he said. "A room that you keep clean, perfectly polished, and enshrined," I pointed out. His frown deepened slightly and he reached for a glass of water, like he was trying to mask his expression. "I like to keep my house in order. Clean, polished, ready for visitors and guests at any moment," he explained. It sounded rational enough, but Ellis had never been so concerned about me touching things in his house before. "Ellis, please, is there something I need to know about that room?" I asked. "Is something going on that I should be aware of?""Olivia, it is in the past and that is w
Ellis POVI sat in the executive chair in the office, getting work done as well as I could under the circumstances. Even with the new legal troubles, some things never changed. “And tell them if they don’t they will have to answer to me,” I said. “Got it,” my project manager, William, said, looking a little shaken. Handling contractors came with the job, and was mostly a matter of patience, and being commanding. Much the same as handling a child having a tantrum. I relaxed a little as the call went away, taking more of the immediate problems with it. There were other problems hanging over my head that I didn’t like to think about. A little annoyed and very tired I loosen my tie, which had come to feel like a noose. After the house arrest, theoretical as it might have been, I hardly wore one anymore.I felt Olivia’s absence in my chest, like a weight. One I tried to lighten with another drink. Sipping lightly from the tumbler of rum, careful not to get drunk. I wanted to be alert
**Olivia POVI woke up still groggy, the world going from a dark blur to a light blur. Everything that had happened slowly rearranged itself in my mind.Pain came back along with the memories, if in a reduced form. With a wince, my head turned just right, and I saw Ellis seated by the bed, where he’d always been before getting arrested and would always be if I had anything to say about it.Ellis looked troubled, something I rarely saw. He was always so capable and in control of himself if not the situation. I reached out to him instinctively, and Ellis took it tenderly.“Can you be here?”“Of course,” he said.“No, I mean your house arrest.”“That is taken care of. Even if it wasn’t, I think this counts as compassionate grounds.”I relaxed a little, letting out a breath. Then I remembered what happened with the baby.“How is she?” I asked.He squeezed my hand, letting me know something was wrong, no matter what he might say.“She will be fine,” he said, “I’ll take you to the NICU to se
**Olivia POVI’d always heard bad things about hospital food. Fortunately, this proved not to be true. Everything Amber brought was great. I started to feel stronger just from the diet alone.If it wasn’t for hospital policy, I probably could have walked on our twice daily outings onto the hospital grounds. The baby seemed better too, moving even more than before.I started to suspect Nurse Anderson might have cooked the meals at home and smuggled them onto the hospital plates.I was near the end of my bacon and eggs, when a familiar face peeked in through the door.“Mom!?” I asked, more delighted to see her than I had words to say.“Hey, baby.”Mom came over and gave me a kiss on the cheek, like she used to do when I was little and feeling sick.“Me or her?” I asked, patting my belly.“Both of you, really,” mom said with a rare smile.Mom put her hand on my belly and felt it as the baby moved again.“Hello, little one, it’s Grandma.”I was surprised to hear her use the term. Something
**Ellis POVI paced the hallway, resisting the urge to hit something. The control I showed in most situations was carefully built up over years. There were times I worried about Ken and his potential impulse control. Then again his mother was so patient and gentle, except when truly riled, it could be her genetics that might win out. I went to the door again, just to see if I could hear what was being said. The wood was too thick and all I could hear was muffled hums. “You know you could just go in right? You’re on the list.”Spinning on my heel, resisting the urge to yell in fright, I saw Nurse Anderson with a food tray. “I can’t actually.”“Why? Is the door locked?” she asked, testing the knob. “Yes, but that is not the biggest problem.” “Oh, how so?” Nurse Anderson asked. “It was locked from the inside,” I said.“Yes, that is how it works.” “By someone else, on purpose I mean.” “Who?” “Some Fed, I think he said his name was Smiley.” “Agent Smiley?” Nurse An
**Olivia POV Ken came out of nowhere. The only warning of his arrival, an excited shout echoed down the hall. He still hadn’t got the hang of his ‘inside voice.’ Like a shot he was in the room, shattering the quiet solitude. I couldn’t have been happier. Kevin was more subtle, coming in behind and waiting to be beckoned before coming forward. There was something about hospitals that made him less than comfortable. “Mommy,” Ken cried, up on the bed like a shot. “Hey, baby,” I said, as he took me in a near-choking hug. “Hi,” Kevin said, quietly, keeping his wheelchair near the door.. “Get over here,” I said. Kevin came up beside the bed, not needing to be told twice. From my bed I hugged Ken and held Kevin’s hand tightly, tears started to roll with little choice. “Mommy?” Ken asked. “Happy tears, baby,” I said. “Oh.” The room felt smaller all of the sudden and all I wanted to do was go outside with my boys. Pressing the button to page her, Amber appeared in no
**Olivia POV Day came again even as I was sitting on the plane back to New York. It had been a dream, and Ellis was still there, looking deeply worried. “How are you doing?” he asked with a smile that once melted me. “Fine and only getting better. As soon as the doctor gives me the all clear I’m going home with Ken.” “Ken is at home,” Ellis said. “Not your home, my home,” I said. I could see the words cut deep, and almost felt sorry for him. Second thoughts were just coming up when the doctor came in, his expression grim.I instinctively reached for Ellis’s hand. Bad news no doubt on the horizon. “It can’t be that bad,” Ellis and I blurted at once. “It can actually,” the doctor said, looking at the chart. “How so?” Ellis butted in. It didn’t really concern him anymore, but he was the sort to think he needed to be the center of attention in any situation. He must have been a joy at funerals. “You are severely dehydrated, Mrs. Peterson. The amniotic fluid is mu
**Ellis POVI held her hand in the back of the ambulance, never letting her go again if I had anything to do about it. I had gotten far too close to losing her. “We’ll be there soon,” I said, minding the volume. She flinched at the smallest noise if it was unexpected. God only knew what the sick f*cks had done to her, and it was best not to think about it. Anytime I did, the urge to kill them rose. I didn't want to kill Carl, no matter how much of a f*ck up he was.No matter what he did he was still my son. People like us had other ways to deal with our kids when they got off the track. Military service was one popular option, as well as “career opportunities” in another country. Olivia stayed silent, her head lolling to the left before she closed her eyes. “Everyone is excited to see you again,’ I tried, “especially Ken and Kevin.”Olivia winched at the mention of their names. It was probably a touchy subject, after she’d been away for so long, not sure if she’d ever get ba
**Olivia POV“How are you doing, honey?” I asked, rubbing my belly. The baby didn’t move, but she could have been asleep. Apparently, they did that a lot. Resting up for the rest of their life. Bethany and Carl were down there for a few hours. Mostly quiet but with the occasional argument. Things shifted and I heard steps coming towards the attic. I held my breath hoping everything would be okay. I wasn’t sure I’d done the lock up right, and hoped they wouldn’t notice if they came back. It would be an obvious sign of what I’d done, and the punishment could be awful. There was no telling what Bethany might do. She could be merciful and just break my ankles. Or my wrists, to stop me from getting the lock picked again. It would make Ellis really mad, but it didn’t sound like they were planning to stay around, after everything. The clock clicked open, making me flinch and the baby move. I nearly cried to feel her again but had to hold it together. If we were going to get out of
**Olivia POVI felt a thrilling chill run over my body and the baby moved in response, celebrating in my womb. The door was open and we were close to freedom. I rubbed my belly, calming her down. I would need all my focus for the next part. Carl and Bethany could have been back at any time, and I had to be gone before then if there was going to be any chance of getting back to the boys and Ellis tonight. I cracked the door open slowly and I listened to the deafening silence. All was dark but I could just make out the staircase below the door. There was no light from below, so I had to try to get down blind. A little at a time, always sure to hold something, down I climbed. Getting one foot down on the stairs and then the other. Holding the sides of the steps in a death-grip, I finally reached solid ground. The floorboards down below creaking like the ones up above. There was another door at the base of the steps and my heart sank to think that I might have to work to pick another l