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The Epilogue of Vol 1
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2024-10-29 19:42:56
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The Consumed Series The Break-Up, Part 1
FROM: BLADE 7:23 P.M.Hey babe can't make dinner.Going out with the boys. Don't wait up. X-I clench my phone in my fist and slide my teeth together. Great, just great. Opening my black handbag, I toss the phone inside and glance around the room, a defeated exhale on my lips. I blink, my eyes stinging with frustration. Pooling tears threaten to liquify my mascara as thick humiliation seeps through my veins. I hate him. I hate him so much. "Excuse me, ma'am. Are you ready to order?" I startle, my attention snapping to the young waiter at my side. He taps his pen against his notepad with his long, slender fingers, his impatience a symphony echoing in my ears. I blink at him, trying to pinpoint why his boyish face, crooked nose, and long, blond hair looks so familiar-oh. Dread hurtles through me, its sharp tendrils burrowing deep in my chest. I've seen him before. He's the waiter assigned to my table every time Blade has stood me up at this God-forsaken restaurant.I must look patheti
The Consumed Series The Break-Up, Part 2
I storm around my apartment with a box tucked under my arm, collecting Blade's belongings. Though he doesn't live with me, he sure has a lot of things lying around my place. Each of his items I collect drives a wedge of unease deeper into the pit of my stomach. He won't be happy. He'll fight me. He'll argue his right to stay. He'll try and intimidate me until I cave. I need to remain strong. For my future, and the future I want.When I've grabbed everything he owns, I run downstairs and place the box on the drive. I whirl on my heel to face my house, only to be stopped by the gentle hum of an engine and a set of headlights as they cast my shadow against the white weatherboard wall. Panic punches me in the gut and seizes my lungs. He's here."Olivia?" Blade shouts, demanding my attention. "What're you doing?"I drag an inhale through my nose and blow it out between my lips, calming my racing heart. Forcing the panic and apprehension to melt from my face, I turn to look at him. Blade ste
The Consumed Series The Stranger at the Gym, Part 1
I pull up outside Dad's gym and lift myself high enough out of the driver's seat to check my reflection in the mirror. Usually, I'm well put together when I go to the gym. This morning, however, I look like death warmed up. My lids are heavy with exhaustion and my skin is an odd shade of pale.I spent more time trying to pinpoint the exact moment Blade turned into an astronomical douche than I should have last night. Of course, I couldn't. It's as if he woke up one morning and decided I was no longer worth his time, respect, or love. I replayed our relationship over and over and I kept coming back to the same question. If I'm such a terrible girlfriend, why didn't he leave me sooner? I guess I'll never know.Sighing, I fluff my long, high pony, lean across, and pull my gym bag off the passenger seat. After my workout, I'll need to shower and get dressed for work-which is the last thing I want to do on a day like today. Unfortunately for me, I've already taken too many days off this yea
The Consumed Series The Stranger at the Gym Part 2
The water is nice on my skin - a little too cold for my liking, but I need it to be if I'm going to make it through the day without relieving whatever has me wound tighter than a damn jack-in-the-box.After I dry off, I slip into a black pair of lacy underwear, zip myself into my tight, black dress, and slip on a matching pair of black stilettos. Then, I gather my things and make my way over to the foggy mirrors. I stare at my reflection. Even after the cool shower, my cheeks are still flushed.I rub on my foundation to lessen the pinkish hue, apply some subtle eye make-up, and pull my long, damp hair into a makeshift bun. It's messy, but at least it looks deliberate. Then, I swap out my makeup for my cell phone and carry my bag on one shoulder. When I switch on my phone, I'm bombarded with text messages and voicemails from Blade, Mom, and my best friend, Selena.TEXT FROM: SELENA 12:00 A.M.Why is Blade calling me non-stop?Please tell me it's for real andYou dumped his arrogant ass
The Consumed Series The Boss
I sit at work typing names and taking calls, like the good little receptionist I'm paid to be. I'm smiling, being polite, and doing everything I should as the first point of contact for the psychology business my boss, Mason, is running here. Deep down, however, I'm scowling. I hate my job. I used to enjoy the work, but I've been glancing around the same spacious, sterile waiting room for the last two years and I'm over it. I should quit and find something more fulfilling, but I'm put off by the thought of Mason's negative reaction to my resignation.I hope one day I can do something different with my life, like writing love stories or children's books. Of course, my mother doesn't consider writing an actual career, neither does Blade. When I brought it up with him, he snorted and said, "Reading sucks."Since when does reading suck? If I ran the world, people who didn't read would be the first to go. Boom. Put them out of their misery.I pick up an entered patient information form and
The Consumed Series The Steakhouse, Part 1
Selena and I pull into our favorite steakhouse off the main road, a few streets from my father's gym. She fought tooth and nail for Mexican, but I think I made it clear I never want to set foot in Maine's only Mexican restaurant again. Ever. Inside the steakhouse, a lovely red-headed waitress seats us in a large booth by a window that showcases the not-so-beautiful scenery of the semi-dilapidated parking lot we parked in, and a small block of stores that could use an upgrade. "I am so sick of living in this place," Selena groans, shuddering away from the view."Tell me about it." The waitress simpers, opening her tiny notepad. "What can I get you, ladies?"Selena doesn't bother looking at the menu. This place sells her favorite kind of fries, and she can't get enough of their specialty craft beer. "I'll have a plate of cheesy fries and a jug of your best beer, please," she says, ordering exactly as I expect her to. Even so, I still arch an eyebrow at her. "That's it? No vegetables?
The Consumed Series The Steakhouse, Part 2
Tingles pulse in waves, heightening every nerve in my body. They dance up my spine, wrapping themselves around each vertebra until they reach my hairline at the top of my neck. I stare at his full lips, lips that look like they were expertly molded to give the most perfect kisses and deliver the naughtiest promises. They curve slightly, a teasing smirk, daring me to acknowledge him.Why would I? We don't know each other. We're not friends. I avert my gaze to the menu beside me and pluck it from its holder. Opening it, I pull it up to cover my burning face and buy myself a few seconds to catch my breath. What are the odds of him being here at the same time I am? Please, for the love of God, don't let him come over here. I barely manage to control my racing heart when two long, thick fingers curl around the top of the menu. Oh, no. Blood drains from my face and pools in the deep pit of my stomach as the thick menu card is pulled from my hands."Olivia," he says in a voice so sinfully r
The Consumed Series The Towel
Spending last night at home with my best friend, eating snacks and watching movies, was exactly what the doctor ordered. Last night was the first time in a long time I've truly felt at peace. I even slept through the night. I can't recall the last time I had an unbroken sleep.I approach my father's gym and, as I curl my fingers around the long door handle, I realize I'm holding my breath. Why? Probably because I'm afraid of running into Seth. He has a way of burrowing under my skin with a single look and it terrifies me. I barely know him, yet he's controlled every thought I've had these past few days. It's insane. Exhaling, I shake my head, open the door, and step inside. Do not look at him. Do not look at him, I tell myself.And I fail miserably. My eyes betray me, darting straight to where he was standing yesterday. Nothing. I pout when my gaze falls onto an empty space. Seth isn't here. Suddenly, my motivation to be at the gym depletes. I wish I was back in bed, sleeping."Olivi
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The Consumed Series The Epilogue of Vol 1
I push away from the heavy bag with a sigh, then drag an inhale in through my nose. My lungs burn, and my arms feel like stones. I pluck the towel from my shoulder and swipe it over my face. I've been slamming my fists into this bag of sand for the last hour, waiting for Olivia to finish cleaning the gym. There's no one left, the doors are locked, the blinds drawn, but she insists on having everything in top shape for when it opens in the morning.I can't say I don't enjoy watching her walk around the place with a determined little pout on her lips, because I do. I enjoy it so damn much.Blowing air from my lips, I lean against the ropes of the boxing ring. She does another round, picking up a missed towel here and there. I track her every step, my shorts growing tighter every time she bends over. Eventually, she enters my area of the gym.She doesn't pay me any attention.And it drives me crazy."Olivia," I call out, and she whips her head in my direction, her perfect, long hair whirl
The Consumed Series The Surprise Visit
I sit in my car outside Mom's house, gripping my steering. I stare at the quaint little home nestled somewhere in the middle of Sparrow Road and dread burrows deep. If I walk through those doors, I'll be alone in the house for the first time since Dad's death. The thought is isolating.Chase left for Pakistan this morning and Mom is spending alone time in a hideaway cabin in the hills. The house will be quiet. And I'll be alone.Loneliness has been the theme of my life for more days than I can count. I miss Dad. I miss Seth. It gets harder to pin Seth down with a phone call with every passing day. He calls me and I miss it. I call him back and he misses it. By the time we catch each other, he's exhausted and sleeping on the other end of the line before I can ask him how he is. He asks me to join him in every city he lands in, but I haven't had the heart to leave Mom alone, especially now Chase is gone.Releasing the wheel, I sit back against my seat with a sigh. The vermilion afternoon
The Consumed Series The Vegas Fight, Part 2
With a shake of his arms, Seth tilts his head to the ceiling, exposing the thick column of his throat, and he closes his eyes. His chest falls as he lets out a long, slow breath. What I wouldn't give to know what he's thinking. Is he nervous? Scared? Neither?A small eternity later, the referee calls both the men to the middle of the ring. He demands a good, clean fight, then sends them back to their corner. With a clap of his hands, the fight begins.Seth plays it cool, each step premeditated and predatory. Don, however, goes in guns blazing. Shooting forward, and swallowing up the distance, Don swings hard and fast, his fists flying through the air like sledgehammers. He wants to make sure that, if he connects, Seth won't get back up.I yank my blanket from Chase and pull it up to my chin. I clench my teeth together. My fingers twitch with the urge to hide under the blanket until it's over, but I told Seth I'd watch the fight.And I want to watch it......but only if Don gets what he
The Consumed Series The Vegas Fight, Part 1
I startle, sitting upright on the couch as the T.V. changes from the live stream loading screen to the emerald exterior of Las Vegas's MGM Grand. "Shhhh!" I shush Chase mid-story about some girl he met when he was stationed in Afghanistan by clamping my palm over his face and pushing him away. I've already heard the story twice. He's in love with her but doesn't know it. "It's starting!" On the screen, cars zip by, and people flood the streets, milling about like ants. "It's an eight-man fighting format," the commentator says as the camera phases into the arena. "The winner receives one hundred thousand dollars, a professional contract with the MMAC, and the title of Amateur Champion."They continue to discuss the layout of the championship and I tune it out. I'm too distracted by the grandiosity of it all as the camera pans over tens of thousands of roaring people, seated around the cage, ready for the fight. "It's a big deal, isn't it?" Chase muses between chomps of buttered popc
The Consumed Series The Swing, Part 2
"What are you doing out here?" I ask. How long has he been out here? Blush gathers in my cheeks at the thought of him hearing the things I said about him. About us."Hiding from Darryl." Seth lowers his hands and straightens. The way he holds himself with such confidence is breathtaking. "Saving you from your asshole ex. Again." I sigh and turn toward the swing. I sit down on it and pat the space beside me. Seth looks up at the worn branch while shrugging out of his jacket. "That's not going to hold me." I glance up, then at Seth. If he weighs every bit of the two-hundred pounds Chase claims he does, then I suppose it won't. I shift into the middle of the plank as Seth steps forward and drapes his jacket over my shoulders. The fabric envelops me and I melt into its warmth, into its crisp citrus and sandalwood scents. "I saw him follow you out here," Seth says, rolling up the sleeves of his fitted, black formal shirt. Each twist of the fabric reveals an inch of, perfect ropy muscle
The Consumed Series The Swing, Part 1
After the funeral, Mom invites over as many people as she can fit into her home for refreshments. They come in droves and I'm too tired to entertain, but I do it anyway. I accept condolences and hugs with grace and enthusiasm and I mingle with relatives I haven't seen since I was a child, relatives who live on the other side of the country. I keep Seth in my peripheral the whole time, wanting nothing more than to be spending this time with him since he flew all this way on the eve of his championship match. I want his touch, his comfort, and maybe that's selfish, but after the day I've had...I just want to be coddled. Chase keeps Seth out of my reach and insists on interrogating him under the guise of friendly conversation. I've tried to save him, but I can barely move a foot before I'm swept up by someone else. I wonder if Seth thinks I'm avoiding him, or can he feel my aura pining for his? Can he feel every cell in my being pushing against my skin, willing me in his direction? I hop
The Consumed Series The Funeral
Funerals happen a lot quicker than I imagined they would. This is the first time I've been at the helm of planning one and I didn't realize I'd be expected to make sensible and coherent decisions while drowning in an ocean of grief. I thought I'd have more time to come to terms with the fact my father has passed. I thought I'd wake up from this nightmare by now.To make matters worse, Seth is in Vegas. His schedule didn't allow a trip back to Portland for Dad's funeral. He demanded the MMAC approve his request for a twenty-four-hour leave, but they declined it because Dad wasn't immediate family. The championship fight is tomorrow night and it's a risk they can't take. And I get it. It just sucks. He's been so busy we've barely spoken. He calls me after midnight every night, but we fall asleep before the conversation goes anywhere. I miss him."Shit," I swear as the zipper of my dress eludes me for the millionth time.It sits between my shoulder blades, where I can't reach, taunting me
The Consumed Series The Breakdown
We pull up outside my parents' home and I cast my gaze over the property. It looks exactly as it did when I left Portland and I don't know why that surprises me. I don't know why I expected it to be any different. The glow of the sitting room light filters through the cracks in the curtains and I suck air deep into my lungs. Mom's awake.Dad's truck sits in the drive and sticks me like a knife in the heart. I glance at Selena who's looking at it too. She clears her throat, casting her attention to the road."Should I come with?"I nod, not wanting to be left alone with the tornado of emotion undoubtedly waiting for me on the other side of the front door. "Yeah, come with me."We exit the car and make our way to the front porch, Selena dragging my suitcase behind us. My palms grow clammy with every step, my heart racing. What's waiting for me inside? I grab Selena's hand and thread my fingers through hers. She wraps her arm across her body and holds the inside of my elbow. I lean on her
The Consumed Series The Declaration
I lie on the bed for a while, thinking about my brother, Chase. Does he even know? Will he have time to attend his father's funeral? I think about it for hours, it feels like. In and out of focus, of exhaustion, of grief, I remain on the bed, my mind too tired to process whether or not I've slept. I must have because the next voice I hear zipping up the stairs is female."Where is she?" Shoes hit the stairs and I shoot up in bed as Selena tears through the door, her pretty face displaying every thread of grief she feels. "Olivia?"Seeing her brings memories flooding back and I burst into tears all over again. Selena rushes over to the bed and climbs on, drawing me into her hoodie-clad arms. We fall against the mattress, our limbs intertwined."I can't believe it." She sniffles, her chest vibrating as she combs her fingers through my hair. "I can't believe it, O.""He's gone," I sob. "And I don't know what I'm supposed to do.""You'll know once you get home." She holds me for a while lo
