I was a little drunk when I climbed into bed on top of Gavin. I was a little something else as my hands ran up his bare body, feeling every inch of beautiful muscle. I  had already stripped myself down, knowing what I wanted from him. And when my hands slid down his open jeans, I could feel what I was doing was working.

He opened his eyes, confused, but only for a second.

When he realized it was me and what I was about to do, his hands grabbed my hips. Our eyes locked and I knew right then what we had had long since crossed the threshold of being real. There was no sense of reality for the connection we shared. He was the dirty mechanic. I was the rich princess. But in that moment we were just two people.

I lowered myself down and took him inside me.

I rode him with an instant pleasure soaring through me. But then Gavin did what he did best. He tossed me to the side, down on the bed, and was on top of me. We didn’t speak a single fucking word. We didn’t need a word. We had each other.

Gavin thrust deep inside me as I groaned and bit at his shoulder for comfort. I could smell and taste my own breath, laced with a lot of wine. My head was spinning a little too, but that compared nothing to what he was doing to me. What he had done to me. What he would do to me.

Thrusting, fucking, loving, holding me, caring for me, and taking me places I never knew existed.

My hands climbing up and down his back, feeling his muscles flex as he pumped. Feeling his steel like ass hardening each time he gave himself harder and faster into me.

My lips and tongue sampled his shoulder, his chest, his neck, finally settling at his mouth.

We kissed during and long after we were both done.

He kissed me until I fell asleep.

I vaguely remembered him leaving my body, rolling to his back, pulling me on top of him. His strong arms around me.

But I remembered one important thing… falling asleep with butterflies in my belly, pleasure between my legs, love in my heart, and a smile on my face.

 

* * *

 

I surprisingly woke up before he did. I felt like someone smashed the front of my head with a hammer. Wine hangover. They were seriously the worst. And I had plenty of experience with them. So many different dinners and parties I was forced to go to where I’d drink an extra glass or two to survive the night only to pay for it the next day.

I snuck out of the bed and went to Gavin’s dresser. I snuck a t-shirt and wore that and nothing else. I exited the room and looked down the hallway and remembered that Ava was there too.

Slowly, I opened the door and saw Ava was fast asleep.

Something about it just felt good. Normal. Happiness. Even in the midst of such craziness that made this all happen. Gavin’s home. Him running a business that could barely survive in a town that could barely survive. Ava was his niece. Her mother was sleeping in my apartment in the city. Her father killed in action as a military hero. Gavin taking the reins to help Ava, her mother, and everyone else.

Nothing was easy, but that only made the peace better when it came.

I took that sense of peace downstairs.

Jesse greeted me with his tail wagging. His aged eyes big and loving. I crouched and hugged the old dog. He put his head on my shoulder and then gave me a gross lick along the entire side of my face. I kissed his wet snout and then walked to the backdoor and let him out.

I made coffee and poured myself a cup and stood in the kitchen and looked out the window to the backyard. I watched Jesse roaming around, nose to the ground, sniffing for an animal, food, or a place to do his business.

It was so perfect. It was real.

I cupped the coffee mug with two hands, feeling the warmth, smelling it. Sipping it. Thinking hard.

So hard that I didn’t realize Gavin was behind me until he touched me, scaring me. I jumped and gasped. Lucky for me my coffee mug was almost empty by then or else I would have been wearing hot coffee.

Gavin quickly spun me around, took my face into his big, strong hands, and he kissed me. He then growled. “Fucking right,” he whispered. “That’s how I want to start every morning, darling.”

“Consider it done,” I whispered back.

“So… last night…”

“Yeah,” I said. “Nikki and Stacey are still in the city.”

“What?”

“Yeah. I came back here. Well, we all did. We threw eggs at Jon’s motorcycle.”

“What?” Gavin asked.

I laughed. “I guess Stacey was dating Jon?”

“Yeah. I remember that. That guy is a…”

“I got a car and made the driver take us to Jon’s house. We egged the heck out of his motorcycle and left.”

“What are you… a teenager?”

“Maybe,” I said. “It felt good. The first time I could hang out with other women and not feel like I was competing or being compared to.”

“Well, whatever you did, you did amazing, Liv. I thought they were going to kill each other.”

“It’s all good, Gavin. All good.”

His hands slipped around to my ass. “Why don’t we make it fucking great?”

He kissed me again.

“Uncle Gavin, are you kissing Olivia?”

We both looked and there stood Ava, rubbing her eyes, half asleep.

“Yes I am,” Gavin said.

“Why?”

“Because I love her.”

“Oh. Okay. Can I have something to eat?”

I laughed. “Of course you can, Ava. I’m sure Uncle Gavin would love to make you pancakes. And some bacon. Right?”

Gavin raised an eyebrow at me. “Right.”

I stood off to the side and watched Gavin make breakfast. He brought a step ladder into the kitchen and let Ava stand on it. He had such patience as she learned how to flip a pancake.

By the time we were getting ready to eat, my heart was heavy. So damn heavy.

I ended up walking away from the table and went upstairs to get changed into my clothes.

Gavin caught me with my phone in my hand after I sent a text.

“What’s wrong, Liv?” he asked.

“I have to go,” I said.

“What?”

“I have to go,” I said. “There’s something I have to do.”

“I just made breakfast…”

“My ride will be here in an hour.”

“Work stuff?”

I touched Gavin’s jaw. “Something like that.”

He raised an eyebrow at me and I slid my hand to his chest and nudged at him to get out of my way.

He moved and I left the bedroom.

I looked over my shoulder halfway down the hallway and smiled.

Between last night and this morning… it was time.

To face my father once and for all.

 

* * *

 

I paced the conference room, knowing I was the one taking control. My father was already twenty minutes late, but that was his style. He would show up late all the time. Yeah, it was an ignorant move, but it was a negotiation tactic of his. He would get the other people worried, mad, flustered, and then pounce on them. They’d sit there and think about how messed up the rest of their day would be and my father would swoop in and get what he wanted.

But not today. Not with me.

I had already stopped by my apartment to get changed after calling Andy and demanding she set up the meeting. Nikki and Stacey were still there, taking in the luxury of it all. I told them to stay as long as they liked, but told Nikki that Gavin would be taking Ava to the garage to work.

I paced for another two minutes when the door opened and Andy stood there.

“He’s not coming,” I said.

“He wants you in his office.”

“Of course he does.”

“What the hell is going on here?”

I looked at Andy. “Change.”

“I don’t like that word, Olivia.”

“I have no choice,” I said.

“I have a kid…”

I stopped and looked at Andy. “I will always take care of you. But something has to give here.”

“You’re really going to take Sterling on?”

“Yeah, I guess I am.”

“Can I ask what it’s about?” Andy asked. “So I can maybe help you?”

I shook my head. “This is way beyond you, the empire, everything. This is about me and him.”

“Shit,” Andy said. “Okay. Good luck then. Please let me know what you need from me next.”

“I will.”

I took a few steps and then stopped. “Andy.”

“Yeah?”

“I have something for you to do.”

“Okay.”

“Where’s your kid right now?”

“Daycare.”

“Leave,” I said. “Get your kid. Just show up. Big surprise.”

“What?”

“Take a personal day. Fully paid. Go into my office and find my emergency cash. Take a couple hundred, even more. Go have the day of a lifetime.”

“Olivia…”

“That’s an order,” I said.

I didn’t let Andy get another word in.

I stayed focused and walked the long hall to my father’s office.

The door was massive. It reminded me of the castle door to the bad guy’s room in a video game. Two men stood there, guarding the door. Seriously. One of them opened the door for me.

My father’s office was like nothing I’d ever seen. The office of a bad guy in a superhero movie. Massive windows along the back of it. A huge desk that was probably never used. An expansive bar along the side wall. Every possible bottle of booze with dim lighting that shined off the perfectly cleaned glasses. In the one corner was a putting green. No lie. A putting green. There were leather chairs, a leather couch, a treadmill and some weights in another corner.

I couldn’t imagine how many millions the office cost.

And the kicker? Against the other wall was a fish tank built into the wall. Not for pretty, colorful fish though. Inside the tank? Sharks. Two of them. Granted, they weren’t thirty feet great white sharks, but still… sharks.

My father stood at the shark tank, hands in his pockets, staring.

My heart raced. I felt like I was in a stranger’s office. But it was my own father.

The great and powerful Sterling turned and looked at me. He smiled.

“You look more and more like your mother each time I see you,” he said.

I swallowed hard. Going for the heartstrings already.

“Thank you,” I said.

“So you needed to see me. An emergency meeting.”

My father walked across his office and stopped in front of his desk. He crossed his arms and leaned against the desk.

“The town project can’t happen,” I said. “We have to move on to something else. Stay in the city.”

“No,” he said.

“You don’t get it…”

“I found the town I want,” he said. “I have the plans. Everything is in motion. I sent you into town to get me what I wanted. You tell me you’re doing it. Now you’re not.”

“It’s not right to do.”

“Right?”

“The town depends on everyone there. You can’t just go in and…”

My father put his middle finger to a folder on his desk. “Gavin.”

“What?”

“Gavin,” he said. “That’s his name, right? Gavin. He owns the garage. The land. He has a nice little house. Some piece of shit that’s about to fall over. His dog is about to die, how sad. His brother was killed overseas while serving in the military. So he’s been living through that hell for years. He blames himself for his brother’s death because he was the oldest son. His little brother had the chance to get out but couldn’t do it. He paid the ultimate price. But his brother went overseas and left a woman behind, who was pregnant.”

“How?”

My father grinned. “I did my own investigating, Olivia. Come on now. Do you really think I trust you? I could see it in your eyes. I get it. You found something fun to mess with. I can’t blame you for that. But he’s fucking poor. He’s a loser. He fixes cars. He can’t balance a checkbook. Your destiny is Parker. So I can let this one slide because you’re going to let Parker propose soon. As for me? I’m going to push into that shithole of a town with all my might. I’m going to get the garage and the land. And then the first thing I’m going to do is pay for a memorial for Gavin’s brother. And you, Olivia, are going to host the event for it. Because Gavin will follow you with his tongue wagging like a stupid animal. You’re going to win everyone over with your sweet words. And while they’re all looking at some statue I’m going to be in the background, taking everything they own.”

“You’re a monster,” I said. “You really are. You’re a bad person.”

“Says the woman who’s been enjoying my money for years.”

“No more,” I said. “I’m done with it all.”

“Right. You have money so you can just walk away, huh?”

“No,” I said. “No. This is all wrong.”

“You have a soul now?”

“I’ve always had a soul,” I said. “You just used me.”

“I paid you for a job you always did well.”

“No. I refuse this.”

“So what happened? You fell in love?”

I gritted my teeth. “It’s beyond that. Abigail.”

“Oh, Olivia,” my father said. “There are so many sick kids. So many die each day.”

I gasped. “You’re a bad person. And it’s going to catch up to you. I won’t allow this.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Fight it.”

My father laughed. “And when I call Gavin and offer him seven figures for his piece of shit life, what will he say?”

I thought about it. Gavin’s life could forever be changed. But it wouldn’t be for the better. Having money didn’t make up for everything else.

“I’ll fight it,” I said. It was all I had.

“With what? This is my next project. You know, you’re so focused on this righteous side of life, you don’t even see the truth, Olivia.”

“And what’s that?”

“Whitney has Gavin by the heart already.”

“What?”

“She keeps going there,” my father said. “She’s going to get the deal for her father. I will not let that happen. And she’s smarter than you. I should have known better. She’s subtle. She knows how to work her way in. In fact…” My father looked around and then nodded. “In fact… if I’m not mistaken… I think she was seen going there not too long ago.”

“Today?”

My father nodded.

“No,” I said.

“Olivia. Life is about money and power. You don’t have to like it, but it’s the truth.”

“You’re like this because you couldn’t save Mom,” I said. “So you turned into this greedy pig. No money could save her so what do you get out of this now?”

My father curled his lip. “Don’t bring her into this.”

“She’d be ashamed of you.”

“Olivia…”

“No,” I said. “She’s gone. And instead of leading a good life, you chose this life. And you taught me that it was all okay. But I can see now. I quit. I quit this company. This life. Being your so-called daughter even. I quit it all. And I’ll fight all of it.”

“You’re going to get lawyers and come after your own father?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

“That makes me proud,” he said. “Now get out.”

I turned and hurried to the door.

“Olivia,” my father called out. “I really hope you have your heart protected. You can’t live with love on the outside, Olivia. If you do, you’ll end up getting crushed. I’ll be here when you need me.”

I looked back at him. “I’ll never need you.”

I stormed out of the office and set my eyes forward.

I tried to call Gavin but he didn’t answer.

So I left the building. I got into my car. And I left the city.

As far as I was concerned, I was leaving the city for good.

I would give up everything for Gavin.

And that included my heart.

 

* * *

 

I called Gavin three more times but he didn’t answer. I went to the garage and he wasn’t there. Rich told me he called and said he’d be in late. So I figured he was home with Ava, waiting for Nikki to show up. But he told me he would just take Ava to the garage.

I drove to Gavin’s house, looking at the town. My father’s vision was wrong. It was greed. It was deception. He was going to play on the emotions of everyone because of what happened to Luke. That was wrong.

When I pulled into the driveway and saw Gavin’s house, I felt a sense of peace. Comfort. A place I wanted to call home for myself. I’d give it all up for him and start over and do something else.

Then I saw Gavin. He stood on the second to last step of the front porch.

And he wasn’t alone.

My father had been right.

Whitney was there.

I gritted my teeth.

Bitch.

I had been dealing with her my entire life. Her greed, lies, deception. A pretend friendship that was built off our fathers competing. But Whitney always took it another step. Always trying to attack me, hurt me, steal from me.

I had plenty to say to her but I never got my chance.

Because I sat there and couldn’t believe what I saw next.

Whitney and Gavin kissed.

 

* * *

 

I was speeding. The road was a blur from the tears. I tried to hold it in, suck it all back down, swallow everything. This was my life. Nothing but deceit. And now Gavin? I thought about turning around to fight back. To go after Whitney. To go after Gavin. Or maybe I would just keep driving. Get away from everything. Everyone. Find a way to seriously just start over. A new person. A new life. A new everything.

Except my heart hurt.

I was in love with Gavin. I looked at him beyond who he was and I knew he did the same to me.

I wiped my eyes and gritted my teeth.

“Don’t run,” I whispered. “Don’t run.”

Tears flooded my eyes again as I cut the wheel.

I was going too fast.

The back tires kicked against the dirt road and kept going.

I cut the wheel and thought I had it. A cool turn around like you’d see in a movie.

Except the back of the car kept going. It darted off the road and the entire car started to pull. I panicked and cut the wheel left, right, back and forth, thinking I could save myself.

But I couldn’t.

My entire life was crashing all around me…