A Beautiful Mess (31 page)

“Yeah. The D.A. warned me that would probably happen,” Olivia said. Alexander looked like he was deep in thought. “What? What is it? Do you know something?”

“What? Oh, no. It’s nothing. Don’t worry, Love. But humor me. Let me assign a protection detail. Please.”

Olivia sighed. “I don’t know, Alex. I think that’s a bit of an overkill, don’t you?”

“There’s no such thing when it comes to you. At least have someone with you when I’m not around. That’s all. Maybe this will be motivation for you to spend some more time with me.”

“Can I think about it at least?” She looked at him, pleading with her eyes.

“Well, it’s better than you flat out refusing,” Alexander sighed.

“Okay. Good. I’ll think about it.”

“Fine. But under no circumstances are you to walk home. Come up to my office when you are done working out and I’ll have Carter escort you home. Do you understand?”

Olivia glared at him for several long seconds before softening her gaze. It wasn’t worth fighting over. “Yes. I understand.”

“Good.” Alexander embraced Olivia and looked down into her deep brown eyes. He pressed his mouth to hers. “I’ll see you soon, Love.” He walked out of her office, feeling better.

~~~~~~~~~~

Olivia went through her regular workout, taking it somewhat easy. She had a race that weekend and hoped to qualify for the Boston Marathon. As she was on the stationary bike, she decided Alexander was overreacting. She had called the D.A. immediately after he left and was told the same thing Alexander told her. So Simon was now in prison. There was no danger to her. She hated the idea that Alexander thought she needed him to protect her. She could protect herself.

Olivia finished her workout after an hour and a half and took a quick shower before grabbing her bag to head up to the twenty-ninth floor of the building, swiping her key card for access.

“Miss Adler,” the cheery red-headed receptionist said when Olivia stepped out of the elevator. “Mr. Burnham is expecting you. Please go on in.” She punched a security code into the door leading down to Alexander’s office.

She walked down the long hallway, pausing when she heard a voice from within his office that didn’t belong to Alexander. A female voice. The door was opened just a crack and Olivia could make out the conversation.

“Oh Alex, dear. I know you have no interest in going to Newport this weekend with that girl. Mummy and Daddy are throwing a charity auction. I know you’d much rather spend time with me than Olivia. You know she’s not
your
Olivia, so stop wasting your time. I’ll make it worth your while.”

Olivia held her breath, desperate to hear Alexander’s response.

“Adele. I have plans. So no. I can’t go with you this weekend. Maybe some other time.”

Olivia’s heart dropped. Why didn’t he just tell her off? Why was he being so nice to her?

She pushed open the door, anxious for Alexander to see that she had overheard. Tears formed in Olivia’s eyes when she saw Adele in Alexander’s embrace, planting a kiss on his neck.

Alexander pushed Adele away. His eyes grew wide in terror when he noticed Olivia standing in the doorway, his heart breaking from the look on her face.
Fuck. Not again
, he thought to himself.

Adele turned toward Olivia. “Hello, dear. You must be Alexander’s friend, Olivia. Just so you know, I’m perfectly okay with him slumming it around with you for the time being. I don’t mind sharing my man with anyone. I know eventually he’ll get it all out of his system and then come crawling back to me.” Adele pushed by Olivia and walked out of Alexander’s office.

Alexander rushed to Olivia. “Darling, please. Don’t listen to a word she says. She’s crazy. I don’t know what to do about her.” Olivia put her hand up, willing Alexander to stop speaking. She knew what her eyes saw. The image of his arms around another woman were burned there.

“I’m going to leave now, Alex. And I don’t want you to follow me.” She turned and made her way down the hallway.

“Good-bye, Miss Adler,” the receptionist called out as Olivia ran through the security door into a waiting elevator car.

She exhaled loudly when the doors closed just as Alexander appeared in the reception area.

“I guess he’s upset about something,” Olivia heard, realizing she wasn’t alone in the elevator. She turned to face Adele.

“What do you want, Adele? You seem to be hell bent on breaking us up. Well, congratulations. You did it again.” A lump formed in Olivia’s throat as she struggled not to cry in front of her. She refused to let Adele see any weakness.

The elevator descended to the lobby in relative silence. When the doors opened onto the first floor, Olivia scrambled out, desperately wanting to get away from Adele.

“Well, just so you know. I’m not really sleeping with him or anything,” Adele shouted, causing Olivia to turn back to the bank of elevators. “I just want you to think I am.”

“Why the fuck would you want that?” Olivia spat out, glaring at the fake blonde.

“Well, if you think I’m fucking him, then you’ll leave him. I mean, he is a good fuck, so I could understand why you’d stay just for that, but I have more long term plans with him.”

“What are your plans? Take over his bank account?”

“I’m sure that’s yours, dear. It’s like the pot calling the kettle black.”

“I’m not discussing this with you, Adele. But, just so you know, I’m not interested in Alexander’s money. I’m interested in him as a person. A loving, caring person who worships the ground I walk on.” Olivia took a step closer to Adele. “He’s affectionate and kind, something you only wish you could be. And he deserves someone who treasures who he is. Not just the figures in his bank account.”

“Oh, honey. He only worships the ground you walk on because your name is Olivia. He wishes you were his friend from all those years ago. That’s all this is. It’s just his childhood obsession with Olivia continuing into his adulthood. Soon, he’ll realize that you’re not his Olivia and leave you.”

Olivia couldn’t stand it anymore. Before she knew it, her clenched fist met with Adele’s face. Adele fell to the ground, screaming, as Olivia stood over her, unable to control her laughter.

“Holy crap!” Alexander said, running out of the elevator car into the lobby. He rushed to Olivia and looked into her eyes. “Olivia, Love. Are you okay?”

“What about me?” Adele whined on the floor, clutching her cheek.

“Adele, I don’t give a fuck about you. You should know that by now.” Alexander turned to Jerry, sitting at the security desk, an amused look on his face. “Jerry, Adele Peters is no longer allowed anywhere in this building. Alert my security team that, should she try to make contact with Miss Adler in any way, she should be dealt with as they deem necessary.”

“Yes, sir,” Jerry smiled. “About time, sir, with all due respect.”

Alexander nodded. “I agree.” He looked down at Olivia who still looked rather shaken up. “That was incredible. I’ve been wanting someone to punch that little bitch for years now. I’m so glad it was you.” Alexander laughed as he walked Olivia out of the building.

Once outside, he turned to face her, a worried look on his face. “Are we okay?”

Olivia sighed, running her fingers through his hair. “Of course we are.”

A smile spread across his face. “Good.”

A black SUV pulled up instantly with Carter at the wheel. Alexander opened the back passenger side door and helped Olivia into the car.

“I wish I could come with you, Love, but I have some work to do. Carter will see you home safe. If you need anything, let me know.”

“I will.”

“I’ll see you later, beautiful.” Alexander kissed Olivia briefly before closing the door to the car. He watched Carter drive off before returning to his office, the image of Olivia standing over Adele with her fist clenched making his heart flutter.

O
LIVIA
had a relatively uneventful remainder of her day. Carter dropped her off and did a quick sweep of the house to make sure it was safe. She made a delicious salmon dinner and settled onto her couch to snuggle with Nepenthe for a little bit. Her phone beeped at around eight. She looked at the text from Alexander letting her know that he probably wouldn’t get to her until after midnight. She replied, giving him the code to the door as well as the alarm. She received a response immediately.

Alexander:
You really shouldn’t be giving that to anyone. That defeats the purpose.

Olivia:
You’re not just anyone. You’re my BOYFRIEND. :-)

Alexander:
Say it again, Love.

Olivia:
Later. XOXO

Olivia fell asleep quickly that night. After midnight, she felt Alexander crawl in next to her. She could smell the alcohol on his breath.

“Livia, you smell great,” he slurred. He was definitely drunk.

He snuggled into the girl sleeping next to him, his front to her back, wrapping his legs around hers. She felt his bare chest on her back, savoring the warmth of his body. His breathing became even, a perfect lullaby to fall back asleep to. When Olivia was in that place between being asleep and being awake, she heard him whisper, “I’m going to protect you always, Olibia.”

Her eyes flung open. She must have been dreaming about the crash again. The only person that had ever called her Olibia was the boy with the green eyes. The boy who haunted her dreams. She brushed it off and closed her eyes, dreaming of beautiful green eyes and the man sleeping next to her.

~~~~~~~~~~

Olivia’s alarm went off bright and early the following morning at five. She turned it off, hitting the snooze button. Alexander pulled her back to him. “Don’t go, angel,” he begged, his voice raspy from sleep.

“I don’t want to, but I have to teach a six a.m. class today.” Olivia nuzzled up to him, placing several kisses on his chest. He flipped her on her back and held her arms above her head with one hand, caressing the side of her body with his other.

“Well, I just need to give you something to think about the rest of the day, Love.” He grinned, planting a deep kiss on her lips and lifting her tank top over her head.

“Olivia,” he growled, gawking at her bare chest. It didn’t matter how many times he had seen her with her shirt off. Each time still excited him as if it were the first. “It’s almost like you were plucked from heaven just for me.” He truly believed she was. He loved her since the day she was born. Even as a child, he loved making her happy. Because when she was happy, she would smile. And when she smiled, his heart would melt.

Alexander kissed her neck, savoring the taste of her soft skin as he moved his way down her chest. His breath was warm on her breast, making her nipple become alert. He teased it, tugging and licking. Olivia was about to become unhinged as his tongue circled her chest. She wanted that tongue on other parts of her body. She was on edge after not having an orgasm the day before and felt like she was ready to fall apart in a matter of seconds.

He slowly made his way down her stomach, lifting her butt so he could slip off her shorts. He lowered himself between her legs, Olivia’s breathing heavy with anticipation. She moaned when he gave her clit a quick lick.

“You like that, Olivia?”

She nodded her head, not able to make a sound.

“I said, do you like that, Olivia?” he asked sternly.

“Yes,” she replied, having trouble breathing through all the overwhelming sensations coursing through her body.

“Well, what should I do about that, Olivia? What do you want?”

“I want you. Now.”

Alexander was being coy. He wanted to hear Olivia beg for him. He needed to hear it.

“I want your tongue on me. On my clit,” she directed him.

He started gliding his tongue slowly over her swollen nub, sucking and licking gently.

“Is that all, Olivia?” His breath on her made her moan.

“I want your fingers inside me.”

“Your wish is my command.” He gently pressed a finger inside of her, making circular motions as he licked. Olivia’s body was on fire from the electricity flowing through her core. “God, you taste sweet, Love,” he said, taking a break before diving back in. “One of these days I’m going to make you fuck my face.” His words were her undoing and she screamed out his name as waves of pleasure overtook her body.

He crawled back up to her and stared at the beautiful woman laying panting on her bed. Olivia was utterly spent. He propped himself on his elbow, kissing her. She deepened the kiss, invading his mouth with her tongue as she threw him on his back and straddled him, grinding against him, her breathing still uneven from her last mind-blowing orgasm.

“Oh, Love. Say it.”

Olivia knew what he wanted her to say. “No,” she whispered into his ear. “You say it.”

“So, it’s a game then, is it?” She could feel his arousal getting harder. “Well, I must tell you, angel. I am very competitive. I’ll do almost anything to win, including playing dirty.”

She liked the sound of that. “Oh, really?” she asked with her eyebrow raised. “How dirty?”

“Oh, wouldn’t you like to find out?” He flipped her onto her back and, stripping off his clothes, knelt between her legs, teasing her with his erection. “What do you want Olivia? I know what I want, but I just want to make sure we’re on the same page, Love.”

“Oh, we’re on the same page, Alexander,” she smirked.

“Well, I wouldn’t want to be presumptuous,” Alexander replied, continuing to tease Olivia. She was still a bundle of sensation. Just the feeling of his arousal against her sex was turning her on.

“Fuck, Alexander,” she exhaled, her breathing rapid as she stared at him, a devilish smile on his face. “OKAY!” Olivia screamed. “You win! I want you to fuck me!”

He slammed into her, groaning out. “I love when you say that, Olivia” he said, pumping into her, a fast rhythm.

Olivia wrapped her legs around his waist, deepening the sensation, and moved with the pace Alexander set.