Chapter 3
Olivia
Past
Don't be a weirdo stalker, Olivia. I repeated that to myself every morning when I passed his house. I kept my head down, carelessly thumbing through Twitter on my phone. My eyes darted gingerly toward his house, hoping to get a look at him as I passed.
I wanted to talk to him so bad, but I didn't have the nerve. It had only been a month since school started. I was running out of time. I needed to make a good impression on him before he found out how weird and awkward I was.
Who was I kidding?
The sooner I got that ridiculous fantasy out of my head the better. My classmates automatically assumed I was this stuck up bitch just because of who my father was. The hope for having any real friends here dried up a long time ago.
Suddenly I heard squeaky barking, followed by Bastien cursing, and then I was attacked. A little ball of fluff hurled itself through the open chain fence and crashed into my legs, getting knocked on its back for the effort. I immediately bent down to pet my tiny attacker, but the puppy seemed to want to roll around my hands and legs rather than stay put.
Bastien stormed out a second later, looking winded like he'd been chasing this little guy around all morning. “Grab that runt, would ya?”
He didn't sound pleased.
My throat dried out when I saw that he was shirtless. A light sweat glistened on his olive skin from the morning sunlight. I think I found a new late-night image to keep me warm before bed.
Bastien typically kept himself looking immaculate, probably for all the girls in his fan club. Not this morning though. His hair and clothing were a disheveled mess. He looked less GQ handsome and more ruggedly hot. It felt like I was glimpsing behind the well-maintained facade to the real Bastien.
I was seeing him more intimately than any of the girls he took home.
Bastien looked me over. His eyes flitted down to my Doc Martin's and leggings, then up past my purple skirt and black superhero tee. It was the kind of look that made my bones turn to pudding, and one that I'd carry in my mind every time I took a shower.
I reached for the little golden retriever as an excuse to not meet his eyes and turn into a puddle. The puppy was too quick. He darted away, then dove back at me again, wanting more of whatever game we were playing. “He's adorable. What's his name?”
“Not sure yet.” Bastien towered over both me and the dog. “I'm somewhere between 'stop chewing on that, you little asshole,' and 'get the fuck out of there'.”
“Tough choice.” I idly brushed my bangs further to the side of my face. “Both names just roll off the tongue.”
“My dad dropped him off for me as an early birthday present before he was redeployed with his unit. I asked him for the new GTA game and he gets me a fucking dog.”
The puppy flops unceremoniously to my feet and rolls over, begging for tummy rubs. How could I possibly resist? While I rubbed his sides I desperately tried to refrain from making any stupid baby noises. “Aww, he just wants some love.”
“He said the dog will help teach me responsibility or some shit. Be glad you don't have a Marine for a father. Nothing can ever be easy. They always want to teach you shit. You're Olivia, right?”
Oh crap, he already knew my name! We didn't have any of the same classes together, so the only way he could've heard it was by someone else. I didn’t have many friends so whatever he heard probably wasn’t great.
“Yeah,” I said, trying to remember how to act normal. How are you so much hotter than the other seniors? I didn't say that. “And you're Bastien, right? Is that short for Sebastian? Like the crab in The Little Mermaid?”
Bastien sighed. All the expression drained from his face. He gave me a flat look.
What the hell was that? Was I trying to be funny? I felt my cheeks begin to flush red, which was devastating for my pale complexion. I screamed on the inside.
Would it be weird if I ran away right now, dropped out of school and hid in my room for the rest of my life?
“It’s Greek, not crab.” Bastien cracked a smile at my obvious discomfort. “How ‘bout I call you 'Olive' instead?”
“Olive?” My mouth pinched to the side. It wasn’t a super flattering nickname.
“What?” Bastien’s eyebrows furrowed before tugging down and shading his dark eyes. There was a look in his eyes that sped up my pulse. “I love olives. They taste amazing. What do you say? Olive?”
“I guess,” I shrugged. The more he said it the more I loved the way it rolled off his tongue. Another quick glance at him and I knew I was in trouble.
This was going to be such a long school year.
I finished petting the dog, then pulled a red ribbon scrap from my backpack and tied it around his collar. The ribbon was from the dress I'd be wearing as Juliet in the play we were doing this year in drama. “Hey, you should name the puppy Romeo.”
Almost as if he was trained to do so, the puppy flipped back onto his paws, then proceeded to start humping my leg.
“Hey!” I protested, prying the fur ball off me.
“Romeo, huh?” Bastien's cool smile cracked into a laugh. “He's obviously got good taste. Maybe I'll have to give the dog a chance after all.” Bastien teased and I felt my organs start to melt. “You wanna walk with me to school?”
Present.
“Give Romeo a chance.” Bastien shrugged the heavy backpack off the shoulder he was carrying it on. Bastien absently looked around at the inside of my massive apartment.
I watched his reaction. Some part of me was really hoping to impress him. Look what I did without you!
Nothing. Bastien was thoroughly unimpressed. I found that weird for some reason. Maybe it was because he worked in security and saw wealthy clients’ houses all the time. It bothered me that my lifestyle did nothing for him.
Why was that important to me?
I guess it didn’t matter anymore now that I was broke.
I wish I could say I couldn’t believe my father did that to me. But I could. Dad only ever saw things his way, everyone close to him had to just conform to that. That’s how it’s always been growing up.
What the hell was I going to do without any money?
Trish wasn’t kidding about the card not being much. There was basically only enough money to buy food. I wasn’t even sure I was going to be able to get to auditions now. There goes any chance of replacing Bastien as my bodyguard.
“I’m not giving either of you a chance,” I snapped back at him. “I don’t want you here, Bastien.”
“That’s tough shit.” Bastien shrugged. “There’s an attacker out there targeting your family, there is no way in hell I’m going to leave you defenseless.”
“I’m basically broke now. You know I can’t pay you.”
“My employer is taking care of all that.”
“Dad?” I snorted. “He sure-as-hell won’t—”
“Your father couldn’t afford me.” Bastien laughed.
What the hell did that mean? If not Dad, then who was signing Bastien’s checks?
“Who’s paying you to be here?” I asked.
“Someone who’s extremely wealthy and has a vested interest in your safety and well being, let’s leave it at that.”
“I don’t like this.”
“You don’t have a damn choice.” Bastien eyed me. “Don't be a diva, Olivia. This is your life. Put your feelings aside long enough to let me and Romeo protect you.”
The last thing I wanted was to be alone with Bastien in my home with no cameras around to force me to keep up appearances. Even as I thought it, I felt a familiar blush heat my face. And other places.
Damn him.
Hearing his name, the golden retriever barked and wagged his tail. His nails clicked against the freshly polished wooden floor of my condo. He was so big now! Hard to imagine that this was the same ball of fluff that attacked me when we first met.
“Fine,” I said. “But only because I can’t afford anyone else. The second I get my money back, you’re gone.” It was always all or nothing with Bastien. I tried ‘all’ once and ended up with a shattered heart.
If it wasn't for Romeo, I might have never talked to Bastien at all. I was worried that if I fell in love with Romeo again, then...
“Everyone knows that dogs make the best security system.” Bastien gave me a look that used to turn my knees into rubber.
I swallowed hard, hating that he was still able to do that.
“Oh? And how’s that exactly? They’d have to bypasses security on the first floor by repelling through one of my windows.” I swept an arm out toward my floor to ceiling palladium windows that overlook the wraparound terrace and the whole of Boston's inner harbor.
“And when they do, Romeo will be here to defend you.” Bastien smirked, choosing to take my obvious sarcasm at face value.
This man was so frustrating!
“Besides, you used to love dogs,” he added with a smooth wink.
I just wished he wasn't so damn charming about it.
“Yeah, I grew out of that.” I took a hard look at the man who crashed back into my life as abruptly as he disappeared from it so many years ago. “I grew out of a lot of things.”
Charming or not, I didn’t want him messing me up all over again. It took so long to get over him and now he was here to ruin all the progress I made.
Bastien's cockiness faded into a knowing glance. 'You can't outgrow me, Olivia,' the look said. I felt pressure to blurt out 'Yes, I can!' But I held my tongue. Somehow, I felt that lie still on my face and quickly shifted my gaze toward the kitchen. I needed something to wet my suddenly dry throat.
He was the only man I'd ever met that could break me down with just a look. Even the thought of Bastien was scandalous. The damage he could do to my career, to the life I'd worked so hard to build...
He'd always had this hold over me growing up. Bastien was this larger-than-life figure that always got his way, even during the bad times. It made helping him after the tragedy so much harder.
“So you gonna give us the tour or what?” Bastien, now wearing just the fitted gray tank top, had crouched down to play with Romeo. He'd stripped off his button-down and tied it around his waist, completing his ninety's grunge look. Bastien's huge, defined arms flexed slightly as he scratched behind Romeo's ears.
I couldn't believe how different he looked from high school. He'd always managed to walk the line of being incredibly fashionable, while looking like he hadn't put any thought into it at all. He was our school's rock star without ever picking up an instrument. If Bastien wore it, you'd better believe every other popular guy would follow suit.
It wasn't just his style that was completely different, but his physicality too. Back in the day, Bastien was the epitome of lean, athletic kid. He was strong and extremely well defined. Younger-me can still recall the groves of his muscles more completely than my old locker combination.
“The tour...” I repeated automatically, not really paying attention. Now Bastien was this sculpted god of a man, massive arms and chest that were riddled with tattoos. Being an actor surrounded me with beautiful men all the time. That was the nature of the entertainment business.
They were a dime a dozen. But Bastien was a hundred-dollar bill.
He glanced over at me expectantly, to which I immediately looked away not wanting to get caught ogling him. I cleared my throat and took a sip of the water bottle I'd pulled from the fridge.
“I'm not your tour guide, there is no tour.” I was already flustered by this whole arrangement. I haven't seen him in forever and suddenly he's living with me? Younger-me's head would've exploded knowing he'd be sleeping under the same roof.
“Just pick a room.” I found my resolve and snapped a glare at him. “I don’t care what my father says. This is all temporary. You’re gone the second I find a replacement.”
“Good luck with that.” Bastien shrugged knowingly. “Any room? There are no roommates I should know about?” Bastien stood up, eyeing me. “Boyfriend? Girlfriend?”
What was that look? Was he already jealous at the thought of another person living with me?
“Of course not—” I blurted the words before catching myself.
You're not a teenager anymore Olivia! You don't answer to him.
“What if there is?” I tested his reaction. “How is that any of your concern?”
Bastien brushed by me to search the fridge. His touch lit tingles through my arm. I always kept my fridge stocked in case my agent or any producers wanted to come over and pitch me projects.
Bastien grabbed a beer, then looked at me. Using his ring, he popped the cap and drained a mouthful, all the while not breaking eye contact. “I like to sleep naked and I don't want to scare anyone.” Playfulness and sex dripped from every word.
My breath spiked. Damn him for putting the image of him naked in bed into my head. I eagerly chugged some more water, hoping that would put out the fire I felt in my lower stomach.
“It is good to see you again, Olivia.” His tone took on a more earnest quality. It almost sounded... sincere.
It was hard not wanting to fall into him, like I did on prom night. Memories about how much I cared for him swelled inside of me, to the point that I felt like I might burst. He was at arm's length for the first time in years. It took everything I had not to hug him.
It's alright, my heart cooed. Everything's alright now.
No!
Everything was not alright!
I turned and walked away from him. Years of worry and resentment churned within me. This was him. This is what he does!
I won’t be hypnotized by him, not again. I barely survived last time. Bastien's just going to disappear again, and I refused to go through that much pain.
I texted my agent and asked her how the search for auditions was going.
Kelsey said she was coming up empty, but would keep trying. Then, about as subtle as a sledgehammer, she texted me the names of several female actors and celebrities who were available. She was subtly encouraging me to start dating again to boost my image.
“Not yet.” I replied.
Between the attempt on my father’s life and Bastien being back, there was too much going on right now to think about a relationship.
And just because I fell for Samantha didn’t mean I was only interested in women. My career had already started to suffer from the shift in public opinion. I hadn’t been offered nearly as many roles lately which stressed me out a lot.
Velvet Intentions was the only big role I’d been considered for since Samantha and I got together. I couldn’t just blindly turn it down. Besides I didn’t want to turn it down! It was the first important role I’d ever do. Everything before this was generic young adult stuff. A serious, dramatic role like this could define my whole career.
I refused to let my father run my life any longer.
First thing’s first, I reminded myself, clearing my head.
“I'm giving this...” I waved my hands searching for the word. “Insanity two weeks tops. So, don't get comfortable.”
“And my dog?” Bastien's concerned voice stopped me right before I could climb the stairs and escape into my bedroom.
“Romeo?” I had to say his name out loud to mentally process the request. After Bastien got a dog, I all but begged my father to let me get one. He called it a waste of time and money, and said that I couldn't afford meaningless attachments if I wanted a career.
At the sound of his name, Romeo rushed over to me, tail wagging like crazy. He nuzzled my leg and barked, making the urge to pet him a hundred times harder to resist. It was then that I saw what was still tied to Romeo's collar. A stained, faded ribbon that looked so much smaller on the now grown dog.
Bastien had kept the ribbon I gave Romeo.
I sighed, feeling defeated by nostalgia. “Romeo can stay,” I said, giving in and scratching the top of his head. What kind of monster would I be if I separated him from Bastien after all these years? Maybe it didn't have to be all or nothing. “But on one condition. You'd better make sure that he doesn't—.”
Romeo, deciding to help with a visual aid, immediately started humping my leg. Bastien broke into mostly restrained laughter as I shook my head and pushed Romeo off.
“When you get a dog too excited,” Bastien hopped up to grab his dog. “Sometimes they just can't control themselves.”
Oh God, what have I agreed to?