Page 84 of Brew
“Olive!” Erica scolds as Olive waltzes off into the kitchen.
My hands land on her hips as I pull her back to my front and whisper. “You make me so fuckin’ hard, baby.”
She stops struggling, leaning back into my body. “You’re a bad influence.”
“Never said I was a Boy Scout.”
“Not in front of Olive.”
“She’s already onto us,” I mutter into her hair, taking in her scent. She’s intoxicating.
“You think?”
“Go pack some shit.”
She turns in my arms. “Brew, I don’t want to live on the run. He’s still behind bars?—”
I place a finger over her lips. “Not arguin’ about this. He’s a nut. Fuck knows what other criminals he’s involved with. He successfully kept all the shit he was involved with from you for a long time,” I say. “I don’t want you or Olive to get hurt. Please do as I ask.”
Her face softens. “It bothers you, doesn’t it?”
“You not bein’ near me? Yeah.”
“Because of what happened with Valencia?”
“There will always be a part of me that will never forgive myself, and I won’t make that mistake twice.”
She runs her fingers through my beard. “I love you.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “What?”
“You heard me, I’m not going to scream it for the entire apartment to hear.”
I pull her closer. “You’ll be screamin’ more than that once I get you all to myself.”
I kiss her long and hard, not caring if Olive comes back. “You’re not just sayin’ that because I said I love you first?”
“No, I think I’ve always known it.”
I stare at her, unable to fathom what she’s saying. “What do you mean?”
She shrugs like it’s nothing. “We’ll talk about this later.” She moves away just as Olive comes back into the room.
“I’ve packed all the good snacks,” she tells us. “Just in case we’re not back for a few days.”
Erica moves toward her daughter. “This may be for a little while longer, but I’m not sure yet,” she says. “We’re under the NOLA Rebels protection, so what they say goes.”
“I know,” she says loftily. “Which is exactly why I’m taking the snacks. Oh, and Mom? It’s fine if you want to stay at Brew’s and have some alone time. Aunty Amber, Bronco and I can have a movie night.”
“I don’t need to do that,” she says, her voice a little shaky. I can see the flush spreading up her cheeks.
“Thanks, Olive, appreciate it,” I butt in as Erica elbows me in the ribs.
Olive meets my eyes, then signs ‘you’re welcome’ and leaves.
I chuckle to myself.
Erica turns on me. “You don’t have to be so encouraging, she’ll know what we’re up to.”
