Chapter Eleven
No one had given Olivia the silent treatment since she had been nine and Marissa accused her of giving away their secret hide out location. Not that she had, but Marissa never did believe her.
Reluctant to shower, she couldn’t help taking a little extra time prepping and preparing to see Jacques again.
Tilting her head to the side and inspecting the mane of shiny blond hair pulled back in a ponytail. Warm flushes spread across her skin in remembrance of his body joining with hers repeatedly into the twilight hours. Giddy and high on their love making, Olivia stepped out of the bathroom into the suite she shared with Marissa.
“What are you doing?” Olivia’s heart sped up into overtime.
Marissa didn’t bother to glance her way. She placed another folded set of clothes in her suitcase.
“Seriously? What are you doing?”
Marissa huffed, whirled around with her hands on her snug capris covered hips and said, “The helicopter will be here after lunch to pick us up, or did you forget?”
Quickly, Olivia counted the days in her head. “We still have two more days.”
“I’m sorry.” Marissa’s eyes lowered, and she turned back to packing her bag.
“What did you do?” Olivia rushed over and grabbed the next set of clothes.
Marissa’s lips pressed into a thin line.
Olivia thought she would cry.
“Talk or I’ll take back all those new outfits we got down at the boutique.” Olivia held up the shimmery mint-colored dress to make her point clear.
Marissa glared at Olivia, reaching for the dress. Olivia stepped back and held it away. She arched her brow not going to allow Marissa to get away with this silent treatment anymore.
“This is all your fault.”
“Mine? What did I do?” Olivia bunched up the dress in her hand not caring if she damaged the fabric.
Marissa tossed in the last article of clothing before turning on Olivia. “What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t find you!”
“As if you’ve never gone out at night. What are you now, my nanny? Besides why were you even looking for me in the middle of the night?”
Hurt, fresh and raw ripped across Marissa’s eyes. “It’s my job to look out for you, Liv. When I got up last night and you were gone I figured you slipped down to the beach. I couldn’t find you, so I called your father.”
Olivia’s knees buckled. She sank down on the corner of Marissa’s bed. “My father? Why…”
“Because I promised I wouldn’t let you out of my sight. It was the only way your father agreed to let us come on this trip. See, I did you a favor.”
“Some favor.” Olivia grumbled. Her wrist throbbing, she wrapped her hand around Jacques mark. “I am not leaving.”
Marissa crossed her arms. “You were with him, weren’t you?”
“If you mean Jacques, yes, I was.” Olivia tilted up her chin and looked Marissa directly in the eyes. “I’m sorry if that hurt you.”
“OMG.” Marissa sat down on the couch beside her. “You slept with him.”
“And you’re mad I did.” Olivia held her breath.
“Hell yes!” Marissa slapped her hand down on the table. “I wanted him first! It’s not fair! You’re getting married.”
Olivia twisted the ring on her finger. “That’s just it…” She lifted her gaze to Marissa. “There isn’t going to be a wedding anymore.”
Marissa’s eyes widened. “What do you mean? You have to marry Avram. Your father will be furious.”
Olivia took a deep breath and tried to explain. “Last night, I sort of… well, I kind of…”
Marissa tilted forward, “What?”
“Jacques and I are sort of married.” She braced herself, “I gave him the key to my secret garden.” She waited for Marissa to explode with the news.
“Sort of married? Please!” Marissa wagged her pink-tipped painted nail toward Olivia. “This isn’t the middle ages. You have to do more than give a guy the key to your garden to be tied down in marriage. There are contracts and papers you sign.”
Elbows on her knees, Olivia buried her face in her hands. Marissa’s father was a lawyer. Of course, her perception of marriage would be on paper, but what she and Jacques had, it went deeper than a piece of paper. She couldn’t explain it. She felt it with every fiber of her body and into her soul.
“It’s more than that.”
“So, you did slip down to that party on the beach last night. He got you drunk, didn’t he?”
She tilted her head back up and looked at her wrist. A faint outline of Jacques mark glowed against her skin like a golden tattoo.
Marissa caught her glimpse and grabbed Olivia’s hand twisting her wrist. “Owww… Watch it you’ll twist my arm off.”
“Now I know you were drunk.” Marissa laughed and let go of Olivia’s wrist. “Congratulations. You have officially been initiated.”
Olivia’s jaw went slack.
“It is totally okay. I get it.” The tension between them before eased.
“Men do it all the time before they get married. Good for you! I’m proud of you.” Marissa winked. “Not that I would normally share, but I can’t hold a grudge. After all, you’re leaving after lunch, so you can release your man slave to me and all will be well again.”
“Rissa!” Olivia’s entire body filled with fury. She didn’t know what upset her more, Marissa not taking her seriously, or the fact her best friend wanted to sleep with her mate.
Something hot spiked through her pulse and ran into her veins. She could feel him. And he was close. Her mate. Her man. Olivia took off the ring and put it down on the table. “I mean it. Jacques and I are together. I’m not marrying Avram.”
“Tell that to your father and Avram.” Marissa got up and grabbed her suitcase. “Do you want to have lunch here at the hotel or maybe that little cafe by the harbor, you know the one Slave Boy took us to the other day?”
Olivia looked down at the big chunk of diamond blinding her. It felt heavier than the decision weighing on her chest. Her father would never forgive her. But then again, she didn’t know how long, if ever, it would take for her to forgive him.
Sliding the ring off her finger, Olivia stood. She took Marissa’s hand and put the ring in the palm of her best friend. “You do it. I meant it. I’m not going back.”
Marissa’s eyes fell to the diamond held in her hand. Her eyes flew back up and stared at Olivia. “You’re serious?”
“There are some things I can’t explain. Maybe one day, I will be able to tell you. Marissa, you’re my best friend in the whole world and I need you to do this for me.”
“And Avram?”
“All yours.”
“You hardly know him,” Marissa said.
“I only met Avram once to take our engagement photo.”
Marissa’s fingers curled around the ring. “For your sake, Liv. I hope he’s is worth it.”