Chapter 9: Stay

OLLIE

“You don’t understand how this feels,” she broke into tears, sobbing uncontrollably. “They hate me. They absolutely hate me.”

Sarah was sitting on the bed next to me, her sad eyes searching mine.

I breathed in slowly, calming myself to mask the rush of adrenaline that was still pumping from that dinner.

I inspected her eyes again, filled with such undeniable shame and unworthiness that I had to look away.

Fuck him. Fuck this family.

Why did she care so much about what this stupid family thought?

“Well, it’s plural. I am sure they hate me too. It is not the end of the world.” Each word that fell off my tongue stung her.

She whimpered, and I lost my patience.

“Sarah! Talk to me,” I demanded.

~Just tell me the fucking truth.~

“I am so sorry,” she murmured, holding my hands in hers.

What was she sorry about?

That tight knot got bigger and bigger in my stomach.

I wasn’t only mad at Darius.

I was mad at her too.

“What could you be sorry about?”

“I don’t know if I am strong enough.” She hid her face in her hands.

I wanted to slap her just as I slapped Darius.

~Don’t lose your cool, Ollie.~

This was so typical of her, manipulating me into feeling bad about her life decisions.

I was not going to feel sorry for her.

That was a horrible feeling to have for someone.

This pity game was exhausting.

I spoke calmly. “Sarah, what is going on?”

“Stay,” she pleaded.

I sat by her side, my hand passing over her shoulders and gave her what misery craves most: company.

I decided to change my approach.

Maybe I truly was a monster.

Her weakness always made me do cruel things.

I caressed her head while she muffled her cries in her hands.

It made me uncomfortable.

I offered a new lie. “Darius tried to kiss me.”

Tried to fuck me and kill me would be a better description.

He hadn’t tried to kiss me.

“He what?” she gasped, her eyes like saucers as she brought her hands to her mouth.

I knew it would work.

“Yes, right before dinner,” I added.

I smiled.

I don’t know why I enjoyed lying to her so much.

“He’s mean,” she declared.

“I am aware.”

My strategy was paying off.

The normal Sarah was slowly coming back.

That curious stare was closing in, hungry for any juicy detail.

“Do you like him?” Her eyes were crystal clear, with no trace of her tears.

I huffed, my nose flaring at the thought of how much control he had over me with his strong arms.

He’d cornered me and touched me without my consent, and all I managed to do was slap him.

I could have done more damage than that.

This guy had a stick so far up his ass.

He was cold, controlled, mean, and I… I really hated myself for feeling this repulsive attraction.

That brute could choke on his empty threats.

A strange new feeling was now growing in me, like I wanted him to try to hurt me so that I could bite back.

~Hard.~

“No, I hate him. Do ~you~ like him?” I shot back.

“I am scared of him,” she answered quickly, and I hated to admit the same.

She crawled to the left side of the bed and slipped her legs under the duvet, suddenly ready for bed and relieved from all of the crying.

“He has openly disapproved of my relationship with his brother.” Sarah rolled her head to one side to hide her face.

I could sense that knowing this gave her so much pain.

“Well fuck him. Fuck Darius Rothschild,”

“I wish I could say the same,” she sighed. “But Darius is as important in Alexander’s life as you are in mine.”

Looking at Sarah so sad made me angry.

“Look, if gaining this dude’s approval is what we need to make you happy, we will make it happen,”

I couldn’t believe my words, but they were already out before I could think clearly about what I was proposing.

Impressing Darius Rothschild? Impressing the snob dude that tried to fuck me like a slut in his parents’ house? Yep, exactly that ~dude.~

~Shit.~

“Really?” Sarah’s face brightened. “You would do that?”

“Oh, please,” I muttered indignantly, narrowing my eyes. “How difficult could it be?”

~Whatever you and your sister are playing, you can both cut the act.~

Maybe he was right.

Maybe I did hate men and money.

He couldn’t have read me any better.

He represented everything I hated most in this world and now this was personal because he was messing with my little sis.

Definitely now my acting game was just beginning and I was not planning on cutting it any time soon.

~Yes, Darius, my nemesis. I would gladly push you to your downfall.~

I was no coward.

I was not going to let him bully me.~ ~Bully~ us.~

At that moment it was clear I had to start studying my new victim.

“What does this dude like to do in his spare time?” I asked Sarah.

“Darius? It is hard to tell,”

“He looks…sporty?” I said.

“Ripped,” she corrected.

Yeah, well, he obviously has more than one fitness hobby.

Not that I remembered how his hard chest felt on my hands.

“All I know is that he never has spare time. He is always busy working. He freed his schedule to show us the manor after breakfast before we play cricket with the family.”

“What else is there to see in the manor other than these two houses?”

“It is acres and acres of land.”

~Oh.~

“It will be fun and we will get to play a sport.”

“I am not playing cricket tomorrow.”

I was way too competitive and too bad at sports at the same time.

It was like I was born with a left foot for all things that involved sports and dancing.

People have been offended by my no-skills so I just spared the world of having to witness me doing any of these things.

“You just said we were gaining his approval. You can’t be the only one not playing.”

***

I woke up hearing someone yelling and moaning.

It took me a second to see what was happening.

Sarah was chanting hysterically while laughing. “Oooh, Da-arius… Yes, yes, ~yes~!”

“Shh! Stay quiet, you idiot,” I hissed, throwing a pillow at her face. “You are going to wake everyone up!”

She caught the pillow with a wide smile and went on, “Please, I can’t take it anymore, Darius, please.”

My sister was enjoying this, mocking and torturing me.

She took the pillow in her arms and kissed it.

~Fuck. My. Life.~ It was just a dream. Nothing more.

I pressed my hand to my forehead. I was sweaty, and my skin was still sensitive.

It felt so real; his touch felt so good.

No, ~Disgusting.~ I closed my eyes, and vivid images of the dream came back—his neck, his muscular chest, and his chiseled, tight abs that ended in low-slung black joggers.

“Sarah! It’s not funny,” I said.

Sarah’s giggles made me blush.

I knew my efforts to stop her from mocking me were futile.

I watched her, deciding whether to thank her or punch her.

Probably punch her.

“Someone had a wet dream with Darius. Guess you don’t hate him ~that~ much, do you?”

I would never talk about it. This was my secret to keep.

I had been so mesmerized by the delicious feeling growing slowly in my core that I had done the unthinkable and followed my deepest desire.

I opened my legs wider for him.

I could still hear his low, masculine groan, his hands touching me and pressing on my hips. ~Hard~.

“It’s not what you think!” I lied.

It was exactly as she thought.

“It was an intense dream of a cricket match.”

I didn’t dare give her the juicy details; that would make this worse.

Thank heavens, nothing major happened besides that.

It probably would have, but ~thankfully~, Sarah woke me up before I could be destroyed forever.

~Keep telling yourself that.~

She smiled. “Sure, Ollie. Sorry I had to wake you in the most interesting part. It seemed like you were going straight to do the dirty, raw and rough—of the cricket match.”

I wondered how I could shut her up.

Maybe chop her head off.

“Just go back to sleep, okay? It’s three a.m.,” I said, ignoring her and cuddling with a pillow on my side of the bed.

“Oh, no. I’m not sharing a bed with your horny self anymore. No way I am waking up to your moans again. You’re going to traumatize me, Olivia.”

She stood and went to the door.

“Just so you know, his bedroom is the second to your left on the third floor.”

I rolled my eyes at her.

“Good to know.”

The moment she was gone, I groaned.

It was hard falling asleep again.

Flashes of the dream tormented me, making my heart race.

Those silver, lustful eyes fixed on me.

His mouth sucking my neck.

His fingertips brushing my skin, making my knees buckle.

~Oh, shit, Olivia. This is bad.~

I shivered at the images my brain kept showing me.

That motherfucker had infiltrated my mind!

I screamed into my pillow.

To think that I had begged that son of a monkey in my dream. ~Begged~.

Begged to be fucked, and hard!

Of course, that dream would never happen in real life.

I would only spread my legs to grapple his neck and suck the life out of him.

His chances of getting out alive from between my legs were slim.~

My phone flashed with a message.

Who was awake at this time texting me?

I saw the name of my best friend and immediately opened the conversation.

Thomas

Your ex needs to be in jail for being cringe-worthy.

Olivia

What now!? 😮

Thomas

I bumped into the weasel last night. He was in the hunt for investors. Which made me remember you discarded the seed investment option when you took that huge loan. Why weren’t you here talking to investors? no one pitches your startup like you.

How could I explain to Thomas that my ex-fiancé slash business partner left me and took everything?

Maybe by telling the truth?

My hands shook while I texted the only person I trusted in this world.

Olivia

Yeah, well, he took off with everything. You are right. I need therapy.

Thomas

The exact number of years in therapy you need keeps accumulating. What do you mean he took off with everything!? I am calling you.

~Oh, shit, no!~ Thomas was already calling, and I ignored the call while typing fast.

Olivia

I can’t talk; Sarah is sleeping. Look, don’t worry. I plan to pursue this legally once I’m back in the city.

Fuck, I wanted to ask if I could crash on his couch, but that would just set off more alarms.

Shit, I had no time, I had to. I sent the message.

Olivia

Can I crash your couch? 😬

Thomas

Olivia Summer, what is happening?

Olivia

I am in a bit of a pickle.

Thomas

So what? He took you out of the business and is now on a solo mission to get investors while you find a couch to crash? Ollie Polly, is Roger keeping the apartment?

~Ha!~ I was about to lose my apartment soon; I had to pay the bank installments or renew my contract.

I deflected the question.

Olivia

Don’t call me that.

Thomas

I already left one of my spare keys taped under your sink.

Olivia

You did?!

Thomas

🙂 I knew your relationship was sinking.

Olivia

Jeez, thanks for the trust of confidence?

Thomas

Nothing to do with you but with him, honey...

Olivia

Have you played Cricket ever? Any advice?

Thomas

Wow, wow, wow! Who in their sane mind would give you a bat to start with? And the answer to your question is no, I’ve only seen matches while getting heavily drunk.

My advice, show some skin, maybe you’ll distract your opponent with that lil cute ass of yours while you freeze.

Olivia

HA. HA. Okay, thanks for this early hour wisdom I have to mentally prepare to not kill anyone tomorrow.

I put the phone down, letting out a big breath as I tried to ease the growing tension in my temples with my fingers.

I needed to up my game.

I couldn’t let Darius get to me.

I had to show up for my sister and, starting tomorrow, the game was on.

Darius fucking Rothschild was going down.