Page 82 of Light My Fire Three Times
“You don’t get to talk about her like that.”
Jesse’s voice is sharp enough to cut glass. His fists are balled, his shoulders squared, and he looks about two seconds from putting Karl through the drywall.
Karl just grins wider. That cocky, dangerous grin he wears whenever he knows he’s struck a nerve.
“So, I just let this keep going on as is?”
Olivia’s face flames red, but she is steady when she snaps, “Shut up, Karl.”
That gets his attention. He swings his gaze on her, and suddenly it’s not playful anymore. His smirk falters, his jaw tightens, and I can see the crack in his armor.
“You serious, Liv? After everything? After…” He jabs a finger toward Jesse, “him? In my house?”
“You don’t own me, Karl,” she shoots back. “Yes, we had a date. But in your own words, it was never serious. You were just being kind.”
The words hang there loud as a gunshot.
Shit, she overheard me and Karl arguing that day.
Fucking hell, this is messy.
Karl blinks, looking slapped. Then his jaw sets hard. “Kind? That’s what you think that was? Me being kind?”
Olivia doesn’t flinch. She squares her shoulders, clutching the towel tight. “That’s what you said, Karl. Don’t twist it now.”
I can practically see the vein pulsing in Karl’s temple. “Christ, Liv. I didn’t mean it like that.”
Jesse barks a humorless laugh. “Yeah, sure you didn’t.”
Karl whirls on him. “Stay the hell out of this.”
But Jesse doesn’t move, doesn’t back off an inch. “Funny, considering you’re the one barging in here, playing territorial, like she’s some trophy you get to keep on a shelf.”
Karl shoves forward a step, chest out, shoulders squared. “Better than you sneaking in behind everyone’s back to get your hands on her.”
“Stop it!” Olivia cries loudly.
I should say something. Should cut in, drag them both apart before they rip the house down around us. But I’m rooted to the spot, stomach twisted, throat locked. Watching.
Karl sneers. “What, Jesse? You think this makes you a man? Taking her like that, pressed up against the damn wall?”
“You don’t get to talk about her like that,” Jesse snaps, breaking with fury. “Not when you’ve done nothing but play games with her feelings.”
“You son of a…” Karl lunges, but Olivia shoves herself between them.
“Enough!” She looks at Karl, then Jesse, her eyes wild. “Do you even hear yourselves? This isn’t about me anymore. It’sabout you two, trying to outdo each other. I’m not some prize to win. I’m a person!”
The silence after that hits harder than the shouting.
Karl’s chest heaves, eyes burning holes into Jesse. Jesse’s fists tremble at his sides, rage bleeding off him in waves. And me? I feel sick because she’s right. And because somewhere deep down, I know I’m part of this too.
Karl drags a hand over his face, muttering low. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Olivia’s laugh is sharp, broken. “I know exactly what I’m talking about. You both treat me like I don’t get a say. Like, my choices don’t matter. Well, guess what? They do. And maybe I don’t want either of you.”
The silence after her words is deafening.
Karl’s jaw works. Jesse clearly wants to punch through the drywall to bleed off the fury.
