Page 58 of Awakening

Pounding on the door shakes me from my thoughts. I know it’s him before I hear his voice. “Olivia! I know she’s in there, Moretti! Open the fucking door!”

“I don’t have to let him in,” Anthony says. “I can have him removed. It’s your call.”

“Olivia! Moretti! Somebody open this fucking door!” He continues pounding, as Anthony’s guards argue with him.

“He’s going to disrupt the entire building. I’m letting him in,” I say, moving toward the door.

Anthony grabs my hand, holding me back. “Liv, let me.”

“No. I need to face him,” I say, going to the door and opening it to reveal a red in the face Ethan, chest heaving. I move aside and he storms past me, into Anthony’s apartment. “The two of you,” I say to Anthony’s guards, “go away.” I slam the door in their faces and turn to accept my fate.

“I’m so fucking furious right now,” Ethan says, with his anger directed straight at me. “Here you are with him, exactly where I knew you’d run. Exactly where you shouldn’t be.”

“I know, but Ethan, I?—”

“She can be anywhere she fucking well pleases,” Anthony says, stepping toward Ethan. “She feels safe here with me.”

Ethan steps closer, shoving Anthony in the chest. “You don’t want to fuck with me tonight, Moretti. This is none of your fucking business.”

“She makes it my business when she shows up here in tears because of you and your fucking family.”

Ethan turns his attention to me and the pain in his eyes makes my heart sink. “You agreed to be mine and put us first when you put your ring back on today…when you asked to put your ring back on.”

Anthony turns to me as his posture stiffens. “You asked?” He’s clearly shocked and obviously hurt.

“She did,” Ethan says. “She’s also the one who said she was ready to come home to me permanently. Weren’t you, Olivia?”

“Yes,” I whisper.

“Did I force you into anything?” Ethan asks.

“No. It was my choice, but Ethan?—”

“But, what?”

“Your mom was so terrible to me. Do you have any idea how that made me feel?”

“I’m pissed at my mom, Olivia. I stood up for you when you left the table. I was going to work through that with you, but you ran before I had the opportunity.”

“Yeah, you left me sitting there in your kitchen feeling lost and alone,” I say as these damn tears surface again.

“I know. That was wrong, and for that I’m so sorry, but when things got hard, you ran the first fucking chance you got.” Ethan gestures toward Anthony. “To him!”

“I’m sorry that I panicked, and I ran, but I didn’t intend on coming to Anthony. I ran into him in the hallway, but he’s my friend, Ethan. He listens to me.”

“I listen to you, Olivia.” Ethan sighs and his body seems to relax a little. “Look, tonight went to shit, and we both made poor choices. We can work through this,” he says, “but not here.” He holds his hand out to me. “Let’s go home.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Anthony says, stepping between Ethan and me. “She’s not fucking going anywhere.”

“Yes, I am,” I say, barely above a whisper.

Anthony turns to me and his mouth drops open. “Olivia?—”

“I made a commitment to Ethan today, Anthony. He’s right. I ran when things got hard. I never should have come back here. I’m going home with him…and…I’ll be staying.”

Ethan breathes a sigh of relief, while Anthony stands in shock. “What? No. Olivia, you can’t go with him.”

“How many times do I have to tell you this is none of your fucking business?” Ethan growls as he pushes Anthony.

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