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The Make Up, Part 2
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The Consumed Series The Make Up, Part 3
"I want to kiss you a little more," Seth murmurs, flicking his chin. Our breaths clash as we stare at each other, neither one of us moving our hips and stirring the water. "Come here."I dip my head and press my mouth to his. I don't know how long we kiss for. Seemingly lost in it, in each other, we kiss until the bubbles die. We kiss until the water no longer burns our skin, until its sudden coolness stirs goosebumps on our exposed flesh instead."My bed," Seth demands, breathless, digging his fingers into my thighs. His dark, chaotic midnight eyes flash. "Now."I place a quick peck on the tip of his nose and lift myself off him. We stand at the same time and the bathwater drops. Water trickles off our bodies and splashes, making music, and we leave the tub behind, barely running the towels over our bodies on our way out the door.Laughter escapes me as Seth scoops me up and carries me to his made bed. He tosses me from his arms and I land on the mattress with a bounce. His body is on
The Consumed Series The Pick Up
"O?"Stirred from my dreamless sleep, I open my eyes. My eyelids are heavy as if tiny bricks hang from my lashes, so I close them again. Nausea from being woken too soon churn in my gut, and I shift on the bed, pulling the blankets higher, tucking them under my chin.A warm finger brushes softly over my cheek, pushing more sleep away. "Olivia?"I open one eye. It's dark, but I can just make out Seth's silhouette as he hangs over me."What is it? I ask, my voice husky with sleep. "Is everything okay?""I need to pick up Mom." He gently teases my cheek with his knuckle. "Do you want to come with me?"Inhaling deeply through my nose, I arch my back and stretch. "Yeah. Yes, of course."I sit up and rub my face, desperate to chase away the exhaustion plaguing me. My vision adjusts to the darkness as Seth places my clothes at the end of the bed, his car keys jingling in his hand. I shove the blankets off and swing my legs over the edge of the mattress. My hair, still damp, sticks to my back,
The Consumed Series The Bet, Part 1
I don't know if I fall asleep or not. All I know is, when I blink, the sun is higher in the sky and I'm alone in a bed much too big for one person. I sling my arm over my face with a groan. How is it morning already? I open my eyes and shoot up in the bed. Morning already! Shoot! I shove the blankets off and roll out of the bed. "Seth?" I call, rushing across the bedroom floor. "Olivia?" He appears in the door frame at the same time I do and we collide. I bounce off him with a shriek and flail. Swearing, he catches me by my shoulders and steadies me on my feet. He laughs. "What's wrong with you?"I push my hair out of my face. "What's the time?""Early," he simply says and I settle, blowing air from my cheeks. "Early? How early?" "Early enough to have breakfast together, attend my training session, then take you to work." I lift my eyebrows, then frown. It's that early? "What time do you wake up?" "Early." Smiling, he leans forward and kisses me on the lips. "Come to the kitche
The Consumed Series The Bet, Part 2
I can't get to the row of treadmills fast enough. I pick the first one, climb on without stretching, and jog. When my treadmill hits the thirty-minute mark, and the generous serving of embarrassment Dad heaped on me has melted away, I peer over at Seth. He's still in the ring with his team. While he spars, Dad watches him closely, his eyes wide with awe like a kid in a candy store. Seth and his partner touch gloves, then Seth turns away and approaches my father. Dad tugs at Seth's gloves, pulling them off his big hands, and pats him on the back.An ear-splitting whistle demands my attention. I slow my treadmill and look for the source of the noise-to Jackson who waves his arm, gesturing for me to come over. I stop the machine and drop off the end. I grab my backpack, eyeing Seth and Dad chatting over the ropes. I don't join them in fear of what my father will say next, so I go to Jackson and join him in Seth's training room."Cute babies, huh?" He gestures to a stack of long, thick mat
The Consumed Series The Team
I hiss as I catch my fingers in my wet, tangled hair. I tug them free, and my scalp burns. I thought the shower would help reduce some of the frustration that's built up under my skin. It doesn't.Then quit. I'll cover it, recalling Seth's tone grates on my nerves. I pull a face at the tiled wall, scowling as if Seth is standing right in front of me. And don't get me started on my father. My fingers catch in another tangle. I clench my teeth and rip through it, cursing the fact I had no conditioner in my locker to help with the knots. How dare he make me feel like I'm being unreasonable. He's lucky he's still allowed to come to work and participate in Seth's training.I squeeze grapefruit and pomegranate-scented soap onto a loofah and scrub under my arms and across my chest. The delightful scent emanating from the bubbles takes the edge off, easing some of my agitation.Knock. Knock. I pause, holding my loofah to my stomach."I'm showering," I call out."You think that will make me go
The Consumed Series The Bomb Drop
I run my fingers over the keyboard, desperate to stay on top of the emails, of sending the requested clinical notes exactly where they need to go. Import. Export. Attach. Type. Send. Rinse and repeat. I catch my tongue between my teeth and hold it prisoner as I get to the end of a lengthy email to an insurance company who refused to pay out on our last patient's appointment even though it was pre-approved."Excuse me." I lift my head as an elderly woman slides her slender arms along the glass top of the reception desk. "I've been waiting for over an hour. My appointment was meant to be forty minutes ago."I fake a warm smile. "Thank you for being so patient. Mason won't be much longer."With an elongated sigh, she turns away from me, and I hit send on my email. I sit back in my seat as Mason exits his therapy room with his current patient. The man, who goes by the name of Gary Voss, keeps his head down and strolls from the clinic without so much as a glance in my direction."File this,
The Consumed Series The Hospital, Part 1
My heart stops dead and my throat constricts. My veins surge in my hand which tightly grips the phone's handset. The plastic creaks and the static is a knife in my ear. A cold sweat slides from the nape of my neck and down my back as I swallow thickly, tears welling in my eyes. At the forefront of my mind, all I can see is Dad's heart breaking in his face when I made Seth deny him his trip to Boston. Has this happened because I argued with him? Did I cause him more stress than his body could handle?"Olivia?""Is..." I force a sharp pinch of air into my lungs. "I-is he okay?"Mason leans forward, planting his hands on the desk, his body softer than it was moments ago."He's okay."I gasp and fall into my seat. I swipe my hand over my forehead, then press my palm to my cheeks, encouraging blood to return to my face. My welling tears empty themselves of grief and fill with relief. I let them spill over the edge and roll down my cheek, then I swipe them away."We're at the Portland Hospit
The Consumed Series The Hospital, Part 2
"I guess I can't go to Boston now," Dad grumbles, pouting. "You're gonna have to go in my place."I frown. "I told you I can't go.""You have to. You have to go, Olly."I gesture to him lying there, hooked up to more machines than I can count. "What about you? What about-""Me?" He pulls a face, like he has no idea what I'm talking about. "What about me? I'm fine. I'm fine, aren't I, Sandra?""You're the opposite of fine," I state and he shifts in his bed, a failed attempt at sitting up."Listen to me. There's nothing for you here in Portland." He looks to Mom. "What are we gonna do for the next few weeks, hm? Hang around here with the nurses? Laze around at home?" Mom sticks her lower lip out and nods, agreeing. "Olivia, if you don't go to Boston you will regret it.""How so?"He points out the door. "You only have him to yourself for a short time amount of time. Once he goes pro, and he will, he'll belong to the world and you'll wish you made the most of the quieter times.""I don't
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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
