Page 10 of Ivory Sins
“Do you find this funny?” I fix my gaze on her, my expression dark and serious.
“No, what I find funny is your audacity.” She unhooks her seatbelt, opens the door, and steps out of the car.
Damn it! She's trying my patience.
Without a word, I step out into the rain, my footsteps hasty as I walk over to her. “What the hell is wrong with you?” I grab her wrist, forcing her to turn around and look at me.
“You wanna know what's wrong with me?” she snaps, yanking her hand out of my hold, her voice rising against the pouringrain. “You are!” Olivia points at my chest, her eyes red and misty. “You're what's wrong with me, Marco.”
I grow cold for a moment, watching her lips quiver. She's drenched in the rain, the fabric of her dress clinging to her skin, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of her cleavage. But that's not my focus at the moment, the words flying out of her mouth are.
“Three years,” she blurts out, her voice cracking under the weight of her emotions. “Three fucking years, Marco. That's how long you were gone for.” She pauses, letting her words sink in. “Do you know what you put me through, huh? The pain, the heartbreak—God! I didn't even know whether you were dead or alive!”
I just stand there, weak in my bones, as I watch the rain hide her tears.
She continues, her hands moving fast as she talks. “I didn't know how to feel, Marco—I didn't know if I should mourn or hate you.” She goes silent, her chest rising and falling in anger before adding in a calmer tone, “And then you show up three years later and act like you still own me…like nothing happened. How dare you? How dare you mess with my emotions, Marco?” She blinks rapidly as her voice trails off.
I dare to close the distance between us until we're mere inches apart. My hands frame her face, and I watch her melt at my touch. Ollie raises her head and meets my eyes, a glint of desire flickering in hers. She claims to be mad at me, yet she doesn't pull away.
Without a word, I caress her skin, my fingers dressing a wet strand of her hair behind her ear. I can feel her body trembling, her lips shuddering. Perhaps it's the cold from the relentless rain, or perhaps it's the effect of my touch.
The longer we stare into each other's eyes, the more the tension between us brews. In a moment of pure adrenaline, she pulls me close, and our lips clash in a hot, fiery kiss. I push my tongue in her mouth and she lets me, our heads tilting to the rhythm of the passion burning within us.
Before I can grab her waist and give in to the kiss, she withdraws. Olivia stares at me with a mix of arousal and hatred in her eyes. She holds my gaze. “Take me home,” she says, her voice laced with authority.
Olivia walks back toward the car, her heels clicking against the pavement. I smooth my hair backwards and let out a soft sigh, confused as to what had just happened. “Fuck,” I cuss under my breath.
6
Olivia
Afewdayshavepassed,and the pressure builds. More bloodied dolls and toys keep popping up here and there. The most sinister part of this whole thing is that the toys allude to specific details and references to my college days.
Marco can surely tell that I know more than I'm letting on, and he's seems suspicious. He watches me closely nowadays, his eyes roaming over me, day and night.
I can't deny that a part of me likes the attention—the way he's so determined to keep me safe. I don't doubt his ability to protect me, not a single bit, but my concerns are more than that.
Marco just might get to the truth sooner than I want him to, and I don't think I'm ready for that.
It's not like I can keep this hidden forever, especially now that this stalker is on my trail. But I really am not ready to face it. Not yet.
I've yet to come to terms with the truth: that the kiss Marco and I shared a few days ignited a flame within me. I can't stop thinking about it. I've tried. But the images of the day flood my mind when I least expect it.
The taste of his tongue still lingers on mine and my body shivers when I recall the feeling of his hands around my waist.
I'm sitting in the living room, my leg absently tapping on the floor as I nibble a fingernail. I'm so lost in my own thoughts that I don't hear Marco come in until he conspicuously clears his throat.
The sudden sound startles me, and I flinch, turning in his direction.
“Wanna tell me what's going on?” he asks, staring at me, his tone low and serious.
I look into his eyes, my heart hammering in my chest. “I don't know what you're talking about.” My voice sounds faint, my eyes unable to hold his stare.
“Don't bullshit me, Ollie,” he says, drawing closer. “What the hell is going on?” Marco halts in front of me, his gaze locked on me. “You've been acting weird lately, like you're always terrified about something. You barely eat, barely sleep—I can tell becausethere are bags under your eyes and you are thin. Not to mention, you get spooked over the littlest disturbances around you.”
He pauses for effect, then adds solemnly. “So, I'm gonna ask you one more time. What the hell is going on, Ollie?”
My heart’s beating too fast and I can't even breathe.
