CHAPTER SIXTEEN
OLIVIA KING
A week has passed since Sebastian’s surprise visit and I still can’t wipe the dreamy smirk off my face.
Because it was so brief, it feels like something I dreamed up in my overactive imagination.
I still can’t believe he’d dropped everything only to be with me for a few hours. No one has ever made a gesture quite that big for me before. Not that I usually date men wealthy enough to pull such a stunt. But still, you catch my drift. It’s the thought behind it that counts which is why I can’t stop grinning like a fool.
Currently, I’m in the kitchen cleaning up Arnold’s breakfast. We’re going to do some exercises together once I finish tidying. It’s a part of our morning routine.
“Your smile is pretty bright considering it’s not even seven,” a male voice calls from the entrance of the room.
I know it’s Gavin so I don’t even bother looking up. Gathering plates and a glass from the table, I mosey over to the sink and throw a greeting over my shoulder.
“Hi, Gavin. How are you this morning?” I ask politely.
It’s a Saturday so he has the day off. His mood has improved only marginally since our tense encounter and Sebastian’s pop-up visit last week hadn’t helped at all.
“When you’re done in here, come to my office. We need to have a word.”
Frowning, I turn to face him now.
“What about your father’s exercises? You know I like to maintain a routine.”
Gavin shrugs flippantly. “The exercises can wait. I’ll be expecting you,” he says turning to leave.
Somewhat peeved, I place the dishes into the dishwasher and wipe down the table and countertops. After popping my head into the living room to tell Arnold I’m coming shortly, I journey to the back of the house to meet Gavin as he requested.
“Have a seat, Olivia,” he commands with his gaze focused on the chair across from him.
“What’s going on, Gavin?”
Eyes trained on me, he starts speaking.
“I wanted to tell you how much my father and I love having you here.”
Praise? From him? Given the last month or so, I definitely hadn’t been expecting that.
“I love being here. You know I have a soft spot for Arnold and I enjoy taking care of him,” I tell him.
“Yeah,” he nods slowly before looking at me.
What is this about? I can’t stop the suspicious thoughts flitting through my head because something about this just feels off.
“You’re pretty special,” he remarks, meeting my eyes. Something in his look sets off my internal alarm bells.
Standing, I try to bow out gracefully, “If it’s all right with you, it’s time for your father’s exercises and I hate to keep him waiting long.”
“Not so fast,” he says practically sprinting around his desk to stand next to me. “There’s something else I wanted to discuss.”
I gulp audibly, afraid of what it will be.
“Such as?”
Please don’t be a creep, please don’t be a creep.
Chanting that repeatedly in my head doesn’t change the wary feeling rising in my gut.
“Watching you with my father has made me realize just how special you are. To the both of us,” he says significantly.
No, no, no.
“It’s no secret that you’re attractive but your patience and kindness with him makes me crave you even more.”
He did NOT just say that!
“Gavin, please don’t do this.”
“It’s time you know how I feel.” He leans in to me. “I want you, Olivia.”
Taking two steps back, my head is shaking furiously. “I have to go, Gavin.”
In the blink of an eye, his back is flush against the door blocking my escape.
“No. You don’t.”
A chill runs up my spine at his sinister tone.
“Let me out of here right now, Gavin.” My voice is shaking, but only because I’m pissed.
“What? You don’t want me because I’m not a billionaire like that dick who showed up in the middle of the night?”
“Gavin, move out of my way.”
His other words aren’t even worth a response.
“No,” he taunts, reaching out to grab my wrist. “I want my turn with you.”
Sick to my stomach, I try to yank my arm from his grasp but he only tightens his hold.
“Gavin, don’t do this. Don’t be this guy,” I warn, still wriggling my wrist and trying to get free of his tight hold.
“You’re so damn beautiful, Olivia. Initially, I was okay watching you from a distance because it was best for my father’s care if things didn’t get too messy between us. However, now I want more. The thought of you with anyone else makes my blood boil and I want you to myself,” he says possessively, pulling me in closer to him.
“Let me go,” I demand hotly. Anger is the only emotion I feel right now and it’s tinting my vision with streaks of red.
“No,” he laughs darkly. “I told you, I want my turn.”
When Gavin dips his head to kiss me, I lose it.
With a swift kick to his groin and a right hook to his jaw with my free hand, I disentangle myself as he falls to the floor.
Seizing the freedom in the moment, I pull the door open and take off down the hallway to my room.
Pulse pounding in my ears, my fingers grab my phone from the nightstand. With shaky fingers, I key in the passcode just as Gavin appears in the doorway.
“Come near me and I swear to God, I’m calling the cops.”
“You think you’re so smart,” he leers, watching me from his post at the door.
“Gavin, why are you doing this? Don’t you care about your father? That’s the only reason I’m here and I thought I made that crystal clear.”
Gavin tilts his head at my statement before shaking it.
“Things change, Olivia. The same way you swore up and down you were single when I hired you. And now you’re suddenly flying to exotic islands for vacations and sneaking off in the middle of the night to fuck some guy. I decided that I want my turn, too. I’ve been patient enough,” he snarls at me.
“You disgust me,” I say with enough venom in my voice to scare even me.
“That may be the case but you’ll do it if you care about my father as much as you say.”
My antenna sticks straight up when he says that. What the hell does he mean by that?
“Because if you don’t give in, you’re fired and I know you don’t want to disappoint the old man, isn’t that right?” he asks, his voice taking on a mocking tone.
“Why are you doing this?”
None of it makes sense. Before my trip, he’d never so much as acknowledged me beyond saying “hi” and “bye.” Now he wants me to believe he’s just been “waiting his turn”?
The whole thing makes me want to vomit.
“I’m not sleeping with you,” I tell him. “But I’m not going to abandon your father.”
“Tread lightly, Olivia. A lot is on the line here. Before you say no, make sure you’re okay with failing my father in the process.”
Shaking my head, I regard him with hatred in my eyes. I can’t believe he’d be so heartless. He knows how much I’ve grown to care for Arnold and my determination to see this fight through until the end. Would he really put his father’s life in danger just to prove a point?
“You wouldn’t.”
“Give me what I want and you’ll never have to find out.”
“No,” I say firmly, so sure that he’ll drop it.
I should know better because he doesn’t let it go.
“That’s a shame,” he murmurs shaking his head sorrowfully. “I was really looking forward to having my fill of you. But I guess you want to do this the hard way. Have your stuff out of my house in twenty-four hours. You no longer have a job.”
And with that, he turns and walks away.
What the hell just happened?