Page 15 of Pain and Possession

"Where's my phone?" I ask, shrugging off his jacket and all but flinging it at him. Fuck your shiny toys. He catches it before it can collide with his face easily. His wolfish smile never wavering, "You mean the one with the shattered screen and blown out speakers that barely worked?"

He grips my arm tugging me to him before shoving the phone into the waistband of my skirt.

"I don't want gifts, I'm not some whore you played with for a few hours. I'm a mistake you made, one that doesn't require payment. Please give me my phone back." I know aggression won't get me anywhere but how does one reason with a monster?

He grips my chin in one hand, pushing my messy hair from my face with the other, "Never say that again, you are many things Olive Jeanette Hayes a mistake is not one. Also, I don't buy my whores gifts.”

I suck in a sharp breath at his use of my full name. How much does he know about me? My name, number probably, now address. I couldn't be more exposed, more on his radar.

"It's gone either way. After I woke up this morning, I had an associate pick you up a new one. It has all your information on it. Even your old number. I won't leave until you accept it."

I pull away from him, "I could scream."

He just laughs at me, “I did so enjoy them last night. Please Olive, scream again for me."

I shake my head turning towards my apartment door that still sits wide open. Blake is sat on the scuffed hardwood floor working on our jigsaw puzzle that has taken up my coffee table for the last week. I immediately feel bad for spilling some wine on it last night but you know… it shouldn't have mattered at all. Not even a little bit.

"Goodbye Noè Arcuri."

I don't look back to see the expression on his face or wait for his response before I slam the door and lock it.

Please stay away from me.

Noè

The next week is the longest of my life, countless meetings and discussions about reformations now that the world hasn't ended. It's been relatively busy, everyone is still worked up. On edge, including me.

A week without Olive has been the worst part.

I round the long mahogany colored hallway heading towards my office, my footsteps echo around the dark walls of the compound.

A king in his kingdom.

Hock is already sitting in the corner waiting for me, I groan when he stands up heading towards the desk. He's a smart guy, loyal. Good friend. Everything I could want in a Consigliere. That being said, I want him to fuck off at the moment.I sit behind the desk pulling out my phone immediately and loading the tracking app I had installed on the new phone I bought her. She'll be none the wiser although I'm sure she suspects something.

My clever little doll.

She's at work, a small place called Costa's. I dropped by the other day while she was at home. Food was excellent, hard to find true New York-style pizza these days. I stare at the location marker on the screen for a moment. A tinge of anxiety fills my chest at the thought of her going somewhere that isn't work or that oil stain of an apartment she calls home. Going somewhere with someone else.I tried to leave her alone, I really did. Tried to ignore her existence like she asked but that lasted less than three days before I enabled the tracking.

Hock sorts through papers on the other side of my desk as I pull open a drawer taking out her old cell phone. It's conveniently still logged into all her social media accounts. Primarily the messaging app she uses, when I see a new conversation pop up underTrentmy heart drops to my stomach and my blood boils in my veins.

"Noè, you need to focus, the Riviera family is on the brink of declaring a turf war." Hock comments, distracting me from trying to figure out what the fuck she thinks she's doing talking to another man.

"Out!" I demand, my heart racing. I shouldn't snap at him. It's not his fault but none of that matters right now.

Trent: hey been a minute wanna get some lunch

Olive: at work sorry

Trent: Dinner then? My treat

….

Olive: pick me up at 6?

Trent: sure thing

My hands shake, keeping my distance was doable. I wanted to give her space to think. I wanted her to come to me. Instead, she's making dinner plans with another man. I take a deep breath, but it does nothing to settle my nerves. My mind hits overdrive as I jerk up my sleeve shoving my wrist against the jagged spot I carved underneath my wooden desk. I push against it, grinding until I feel the familiar bite of ripping flesh, I keep it there digging the bleeding flesh into the wood until some version of calmness hits me.I lean my head back against my seat, eyeing the blood that's welling from the angry scratches. It won't scar, I try not to injure myself where it's visible but there's something about Olive that throws my self control straight out the fucking window.

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