Page 7 of Forbidden Obsessions

“Does she know?” James shakes his head no. I stifle a sigh. Normally, how James handles his business isn’t my concern, but I’m not good with secrets.

“Call me. Let me know when she knows, and make it soon, please,” I say before shutting the door softly behind me. What the fuck am I going to do if Olivia loses Maura? She’s still so young. Both of them are.

Olivia just turned twenty. Maura’s barely fifty. Both have so much life left. I can imagine Maura pinning Olivia’s hair atour wedding. Handing her flowers at her graduation ceremony. Holding her grandchildren for the first time.

My mind hasn’t stopped racing the entire drive home, and I keep drawing the same conclusion: this is going to destroy Olivia. I arrive home to find her waiting at the door. She had sent a text saying she was picking up dinner and asked where I was.

When I arrive, Olivia’s already at the table with dinner plated and two glasses of red wine sitting next to them. “What did Dad want?” she asks, suspiciously. I already regret telling her the truth about the meeting.

“Dinner,” I say too quickly. She narrows her eyes. This is what I wanted to avoid. “He’s hurt that we haven’t been over for Sunday dinner in a few weeks. He wants us there this weekend,” I offer. It’s not exactly a lie.

Olivia flings her hands in defeat. “What? He can’t talk to me anymore? Him or Mom could have called me.”

I twirl the pasta on my fork. “Olivia, if you want to talk to them, call them. Your dad is on campus all the same days you are. Go see him,” I say with a shrug.

She rolls her eyes. “I’ll see them on Sunday.”

“What else do you want to do this weekend?” I get the sense James wants to tell her this weekend, so I might as well make it a good one first.

“I haven’t had a really good night with the girls in a while,” Olivia says through a mouthful of noodles. I bet Lex and Mia would help me plan a fun little getaway.

“No, you haven’t. Is Lex still planning on moving in with you and Mia?”

“As far as I know.” Another eye roll. What is with her tonight?

My jaw ticks. “My apologies. I didn’t realize that also meant you haven’t talked to them in a while.”

The silence ticks as we eat and stare at one another. We don’t have many days like this. I can’t help but wonder if the honeymoon phase is nearing the end.

“I’m sorry,” she says, dropping her fork with a sigh.

“For what?” I drain the rest of my wine, unsure of what she’s going to say next.

“Being a bitch. I don’t feel well. I think I’m going to go to bed early.” She pushes back in her chair and stands to put her plate in the dishwasher.

“Don’t feel well, how?” She has her back to me, but I can feel the tension radiating from her.

“I just don’t, okay?” she says, slamming the dishwasher door shut.

“Enough ambiguity, Olivia. Tell me what’s bothering you,” I say, closing the distance between us. I spin her to face me. While I don’t know what’s bothering her, I know what will get her to open up.

She looks down and studies the white tile floor, looking everywhere except at me.

“Olivia,” I say in a low warning. Her eyes flit to mine. My fingers skate up her neck, tipping up her jaw so she looks at me. She continues her defiant pout. “Am I going to have to fuck the answer out of you?” I ask sternly, my palm moving to collar her neck.

“Maybe,” she answers, gritting her teeth.

“Maybe, huh? Just know, if it comes to that, you’re going in the spreader bar with minimal input.” Her mouth falls open in indignation. “You might want to close that pretty little mouth of yours unless you want me to fuck that first.”

Her eyes widen with surprise at my filthy words. She licks her bottom lip before opening her mouth. “I did something bad,” she confesses softly.

“Oh?” This should be interesting. She assesses me hesitantly. Olivia has come a long way from walking on eggshells, trying to anticipate everyone’s reaction before she spills news. Today seems to be the exception.

“I watched it,” she squeaks out. Trepidation squeezes my chest.Watched what?Oh God. She can’t be saying what I think she is.

“Watched what, exactly?” I ask cautiously.

“The video. The video of you and Vanessa.” My stomach drops as I pull myself away from Olivia. I’ve always been vocal about my shame and self-loathing surrounding Vanessa. How could she betray me like this?

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