Page 36 of Pain and Possession

You're going to be late for work Olive.

The boy waits until the swing is at its perfect position, leaping off into the gravel. It doesn't take but a few seconds for her to do the same. Giggling like a small child when her knees scrape along the tiny rocks that line the playground section of the park. Blissfully unaware of the drug deal taking place at the end of the park underneath the pavilion, or the older man that's been shuffling around a little too close to the kids.

She certainly doesn't notice my black SUV that followed her and the boy from the moment they left the drug den turned apartment complex she calls home.

Any moment now.

Olive takes off hand in hand with the boy quickly, realizing how late she is. I look up in my rearview as one of our vans pulls into the lot. Buffy and Kurt step out quickly walking towards the man that hasn't taken his eyes off a small boy since I pulled up. The child's mothers none the wiser, she hasn't even looked up from her phone once in the last fifteen minutes. They meet my gaze as I give them a nod, pulling from the curb and heading towards the parking garage near her apartment.The city barely mended from the event that brought her into my life.

I pull my eyes from Olive's perfect ass as she bobs around people heading home, tugging the excited boy behind her. Her dark wavy hair stops just past her shoulders. Her small frame, only adding to her doll-like appearance. She's so fucking beautiful.Nothing like the silicone filled women that typically accompany men like me, not that it's ever bothered me before. What's real or fake, shape, size, color. I never had a preference as long as I could stick my cock in them and not be expected to speak to them the next day.

Until Olive.

Olive

I pull my hands from the hot water taking in the way my reddened skin and pads of my fingers wrinkle as suds drip off back into the sink.

"Bella, we might as well close early and let Olive head home. There hasn't been anyone for the past two hours." Frank's loud voice booms from the kitchen. I glance over my shoulder, staring at May as she peeks over her red-rimmed glasses glaring at her husband, "Absolutely not. Olive and you can wait another hour until we close."

I chuckle as Frank slaps at the counter lightly with his kitchen rag, "Woman, I have a game to watch."May ignores him as she punches away on her calculator counting the till for the night.

"You got food kid, need anything from the restaurant?" His tall, large frame and round belly taking up nearly all the space behind the counter at the server station.

I nod my head yes, even though it's a lie. I have enough to get by I don't want to take anything from them. They've given me so much already. I hadn't even noticed how late it had gotten. I've been so out of it the past few days, stressed about pretty much everything. The park today with Blake was the most fun I've had in a while.My phone buzzes as I dry my hands on my apron. I take a deep breath tugging it out, my tense muscles relaxing slightly when I see it's not from Noè.

Laney: Come see me at work tonight. I won't be able 2 hang a lot but I miss u!

I lock the screen staring at my tired reflection in the glass, already knowing I'll say no. Club Raver is nice, I'm also moderately broke and just not in the mood.

Ding!

"See Frank if we had closed early this nice young man might've gone hungry!"

I faintly see Frank shake his head at May before leaning down and kissing the top of her graying head.The dangerous and misguided romantic in me can't help but smile a little, a love like theirs is rare and that makes it so much more beautiful. Which makes my chest hurt.

"Welcome to Costa's! Sit anywhere you like." Frank booms in the grand way he does as I turn, filling a small cup with ice water.

"Thank you."

I slam the lid of the ice chest on my hand, making me squeak as that voice stops my heart mid beat. I don't need to look up to know who will be standing there but I do anyway.

You want to see him, stupid girl.

"Good grief Olive, be careful." May exclaims, eyeing me suspiciously.

Noè hikes an eyebrow at me, his full lips turning up at the sides. He's dressed in a full black suit, the gray tie and white shirt unbuttoned enough to show the crest on his neck sends heat to my core.He stands out like a sore thumb in a place where the most expensive menu item is thirty dollars.

He takes a seat by the windows, strategically placing his back to the wall facing the door.

He's a bad man.

I take a deep breath willing my hands to stop shaking and my core to unclench as I walk to him, setting the water down.

"I've missed you, Olive."

He wastes no time ruining my night, week, life. I hear May gasp slightly as my cheeks heat.

"Funny I nearly forgot all about you Noè." I deadpan, "What do you want?"

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