Chapter Three
Olivia
Two months after kissing Miles and I still can’t get that night out of my head. I’ve been walking around in a confusing fog ever since. He avoids me at every turn which makes it easier to focus on my boyfriend so I can be happy.
I am happy.
I am happy.
I am happy.
“Why the long face, Liv?” Daddy scrutinizes me as he saws through his steak.
I feel my lips pull into a fake smile. “I was just thinking,” I chirp. “How was work today?”
He groans as he chews and shakes his head. After he swallows, he takes a sip of his red wine before grumbling, “Awful.”
“Why, Daddy?” my sixteen-year old sister, Sophia, asks.
His palm rubs at the back of his neck, something he does often when he’s stressed. Despite his age of fifty-one, Daddy is young looking. It’s obvious he’s appealing to many women because they all but throw themselves all over him everywhere we go. Everyone in this town knows our mother died when Soph and I were young and that Daddy is a single dad. But they also know he doesn’t date. Ever. My sister and I have probed him about it before but we always get shut down.
“I sentenced a mother to eighteen months in jail. Drunk driving. It wasn’t her first offense,” he says with a sigh.
Daddy, or Judge Maximillian Rowe, is our town’s most revered judge. He’s been practicing law for longer than I’ve been alive.
“Sucks to be her,” Soph says.
He frowns at her choice of words but begins cutting more of his steak up. “I thought you were going out with Caleb tonight.”
I swallow down my unease and give him a tight smile. “He said something came up and he had to help his dad.”
Daddy nods as if he approves. “I like Caleb. He’s a good boy. Better than some of those others you’ve dated in the past.”
I pick at my food and attempt to hide my expression. If Daddy knew I made out with Caleb’s dad nearly two months ago, he’d be pissed. He’d probably try to have Miles arrested or something.
Sophia and Daddy start talking about her upcoming softball game so I let my thoughts drift to the man who’s somehow implanted himself permanently in my head.
Tall. Dear God is he tall. And solid. So manly.
“Caleb’s no good for you.”
“And you are?”
“Damsel, I’m no good for you either. I told you I was the villain.”
He’d kissed me and it was the best kiss I’d ever had in my life. Even better than the kisses I share with his son. But it was wrong. Guilt consumes me as I recall what I’d done. Things only got more awkward that night when he dropped me off in front of my house and told me I should move on to see other people.
It upset me because, despite the kiss with his dad, I’d thought things with Caleb were good. Caleb is funny and sweet and cute. And he’s good to me. Even if we don’t have sex anymore after the first time went south.
My phone buzzes and I smile when I see that my best friend, River, has texted. She’s the big scandal at our school right now. Word got out she’s pregnant but nobody knows who the father is. Instead of trying to hide it, she struts around with no shame. God, I love that girl.
I can’t go to the party. Everett said it was fine if I went but then his mom was feeling ill so we came over to see her instead. I feel bad. She’s not doing well.
I scrunch my nose in confusion.
What party?
She pings back immediately.
Caleb’s, dork. Whose party did you think?
Caleb is helping his dad tonight. He isn’t having a party. Daddy and Soph are still chatting so I text Caleb.
Hey. Miss you.
He responds right away.
Miss you too, babe. Dad has me helping him clean out the garage. Tomorrow let’s go see that movie with Jake and his cousin Alyssa.
I let out a sigh and text River.
He’s not having a party. They’re cleaning the garage.
A few minutes later, she replies.
I love you, girl...but someone tagged Caleb on Facebook. At. His. Party.
A picture comes through and sure enough Caleb is leaned against the kitchen island talking to some of his guy friends.
“Liv, honey,” Daddy asks, “everything okay?”
I blink to keep tears from forming. “River’s boyfriend’s mom is sick. She wants me to come over tonight and help out with her. Can I go, Daddy?”
He smiles at me. “Of course, sweetheart. Make sure you’re home by one tomorrow. Soph has a game.”
I finish eating and then deposit my plate into the sink. One of my favorite things about Fridays is dinner with our dad. No matter what’s going on in our lives, we try to make time to cook dinner together. Daddy is in charge of the grill while Soph and I handle the sides. He said he and Mom used to love to cook together before cancer stole her from us. It’s something we do to feel closer to her.
I bound upstairs to pack a bag. I’m not sure why Caleb is lying to me. It hurts my feelings though. What if he knows I kissed his dad? Unease skitters down my spine as I toss some clothes into a backpack. It doesn’t take long to pack and then I’m frowning at my jeans and T-shirt. If Caleb does know, I need to distract him. I’ll explain to him that it was nothing. Something silly. A mistake.
But was it?
I ignore the stupid thought and walk into my large closet. It’s cool outside so I opt for an off the shoulder sweater dress. I pair it with some black knee-high boots and a funky teal belt. The material is tight over my breasts. Caleb will have a hard time keeping his eyes off my chest.
Twenty minutes later, I’m pulling up in front of their massive home. Sure enough, cars line the streets. He had to have known I’d find out about this party.
What if it’s his dad’s party?
That makes a little more sense. But if that’s the case, I’m going to look really stupid just showing up. I sit in my car for a few moments before I make the decision. I’m going in. With a huff, I abandon my car and leave everything but my key fob inside. I storm across the lawn and pass two kids we go to school with who are smoking weed. Irritation floods through me. This is not his dad’s party.
I push through the front door. People are everywhere. All of them are people we know from school. A quick scan tells me he’s not here.
Tears are threatening as I stomp up the stairs. When Caleb has parties, the second floor is off limits. It’s quiet but something tells me I’ll find him there.
I’m headed for his room when someone steps out into the hallway. I smell him before I see him.
Miles Reynolds.
“Party’s downstairs,” he says in a husky voice.
I dart my eyes to his dark ones and frown. “Evidently, I wasn’t invited.”
Shock morphs his features. “Is that so?”
My lip wobbles and I bite it to keep from crying. His sharp gaze is watching my mouth and his nostrils flare.
“Yeah.” I look down at my feet. “Maybe he knows about our kiss.”
His finger touches under my chin and he lifts it to meet my gaze. The hardness in his eyes has softened. “He doesn’t know.”
“Then why didn’t he invite me?” I question, my voice a mere whisper.
He runs his fingers through his messy hair and closes his eyes as if he’s mentally struggling with something. “I have an idea.” Guilt flashes across his features.
“Is he with a girl?” I bite out.
His brows furl together. “Olivia...”
But I hear it in his voice. Caleb is with a girl right now. God, I am so stupid.
“Oh my God,” I cry out as I push past him.
His strong grip snags my bicep. “Don’t.”
I glare at him over my shoulder. “I need to see for myself. Please let me go.”
He drops my arm and I bolt down the hallway. His footsteps are heavy behind me as I make a beeline to Caleb’s room. When I near his door, Miles hangs back and rests his shoulder against the wall. I catch myself staring at him for a long moment. The suit he’s wearing seems as if it were made just for him. It hugs him in the shoulders and biceps but is tailored to fit his body perfectly. He almost looks silly—a wild man trying to be contained by a suit. One day, he’ll rip right through the suit when his animal is set free.
I shiver and turn back to the door. I’m about to knock but then I decide I’m going to catch him with this girl. So help me if it’s Lacy—
When I shove it open, I’m not fully prepared for what I see. Sex. Loud and rough. Jake’s ass flexes as he thrusts into Caleb from behind. They’re both so into it that they don’t notice me gaping at them. I’m frozen in horror. Miles grabs my wrist and pulls me from the room closing the door behind us.
“Olivia—”
I burst into tears and take off running down the hall. I just want to hide away to sort out what I just saw. My boyfriend is cheating on me with Jake. Each door I try is locked. I eventually find a door that opens and push through it. The room is dark and I fumble my way over to the bed before flinging myself on it. I curl up into a ball and cry.
Light shines in from the hallway but it soon darkens when the door is closed. Footsteps near me but I ignore who they belong to. I let out a squeak when the bed dips and a giant man pulls me against his chest. His kindness makes me sob harder.
“I’m sorry,” Miles murmurs, his fingers stroking through my hair. “I didn’t want you to see that. But...” He sighs. “You needed to.”
“How long has he been cheating on me?” I demand through my tears.
He pulls me tight against his chest. Miles Reynolds smells good—too good. I’m probably ruining his fancy suit with my snot and tears. “Long enough.”
“Before or after our kiss?”
His body stiffens. “Before.”
“You knew and didn’t tell me?” I screech and attempt to wriggle away.
He grabs my wrists and pins them to the bed as his weight shifts on top of mine. In the dark, I can’t see him but I feel every hard inch of him.
“It wasn’t my place,” he rumbles. The sound reverberates to my core. “Olivia, I’m sorry.”
His lips press against my cheek near my mouth. A quiet sob escapes me but is quickly silenced by his soft kiss. The wiry hairs of his beard scratch along my chin as he peppers kisses all over my mouth.
“I should have told you,” he murmurs. “I wanted to tell you.”
I part my lips because his mouth on mine feels good and I want him to kiss away the betrayal. His hands release my wrists and his kiss deepens. I moan when his tongue dances with mine. He cradles my cheek with his palm, his thumb rubbing back and forth along my flesh in a comforting manner.
“Jesus, Olivia,” he murmurs against my mouth before he nips at my bottom lip. “I shouldn’t be kissing you in my bed.”
I run my fingers through his hair. So soft. “Why not?”
“Because you’re my son’s girlfriend and—”
“Ex-girlfriend,” I spit, a tremor of fury rippling through me.
He slides off me and soon light from the lamp floods the room. Indecision flickers across his features. I swipe my tears away and sit up.
“Tell me about your rooms. The locked ones.”
His eyes widen and a smile tugs at his lips. “No.”
“Why not?” I argue, my anger squashing away my sadness.
“Because you’re just a little girl who can’t handle that shit.”
I glare at him. “Show me.”
“No.”
“Then take me to your club.”
“No.”
“Pussy.”