“Did he hurt you?” Rhys’s words were low and dangerous, but his face remained calm.
“No, not physically. He saved that for my mom,” she said. She examined the fine lines in his hands and the point where his tattoos stopped at his wrist. “For me, it was usually just emotional and verbal abuse. I was always so scared. Scared of a fight, scared that I would never be good enough.”
Rhys used his free hand to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. She was surprised that she was opening up this easily to him. These were the kinds of things that she would usually only share with the girls, or with a client if she was in need of empathy.
“I’m so sorry, Olivia,” Rhys murmured. She shrugged.
“Even though you grow up and eventually escape the situation, you’re never really free of it. The war still lives on inside your head. Every day feels like a battle. You have to tell yourself constantly that you’re good enough. That you deserve love and friends and the career that you worked so hard for.”
“You do deserve all of those things,” Rhys replied.
She smiled softly. “I know. It’s just hard to talk about because, on one hand, it’s like, why should I say anything? It’s in the past, so it shouldn’t matter anymore. But, on the other hand, it’s something that I face every day with my job. Women who are in abusive situations just like my mother and I were. I can’t go back and save my mother. I can’t save myself. So, I try to save them.”
There were goose bumps on her arms, but she didn’t feel afraid. Instead, the way Rhys’ eyes lit up, and his lips drew into a vibrant grin, assured her that he was special. He was the kind of guy who would make a woman, his woman, feel like she was the only woman in the world.
He gazed deeply into her eyes. “Do you know what I see when I look at you?”
“What?”
“I see a stunning, talented, hard-working woman who is as brave as any hero because she gets up every day to help others. I admire you for that. You’re so hard on yourself. You’re the toughest person I’ve ever met.”
Her lips parted in surprise.
“And you’re endlessly worthy of love and respect, no matter what your trauma tells you,” he added.
The golden light of dusk cast shadows under the bridge and reflected in his brown eyes, turning them into a brilliant bronze.
Olivia was speechless.
She simply smiled, soaking in the moment as he pressed a kiss to her hand.
“Come on,” he said as he looked out at the setting sun. “It’s getting late. I should probably get you back.”
“Oh, okay,” Olivia replied softly, sad that their time together was drawing to a close. He held her hand as they walked back to the motorcycle, and for the whole drive back, she held on to him just a bit tighter than she had before.
An ache in her heart clenched when he pulled up in front of her house. She didn’t want him to leave. He was so different from what she thought before. He wasn’t some lousy playboy. He was a good man and an incredible listener. Maybe that was why Drake hated his brother so much—deep down, he knew that Rhys was the better person.
Her pulse raced as she pulled her keys out of her bag. This was the moment everyone anticipated after an incredible date, an emotional connection, and a handsome guy dropping her off at her door. All signs pointed to them ending the evening with a kiss.
“I guess I’ll text you,” he said, leaning forward. She nodded in agreement, hopeful as his mouth came closer to hers. She closed her eyes in anticipation.
His lips pressed softly to her cheek.
“Good night, Olivia.”
Olivia
Another Thursday, another morning sitting on the chaise in Dr. Bannon’s office, praying that they were at least getting somewhat closer to closing the case.
“What’s on your mind?” Drake asked her from his usual position in the chair.
Olivia chewed the inside of her cheek nervously.
“Well, it’s just that I feel a little awkward,” she admitted quietly, wringing her hands and staring down at her lap. “I wanted to talk about the person I’m seeing, but it feels strange now that I know he’s your twin.”
Drake shifted in his chair, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He craned his neck to meet Olivia’s downturned gaze, forcing her to lift her head and make eye contact with him.
“When we’re in this office, it’s just you and me, Olivia. Just Olivia and Drake. No outside world,” he crooned. “Speak freely. Pretend you don’t know that I have a twin and tell me what’s bothering you.”
Olivia sighed.
“I feel inadequate,” she murmured. “Actually, I feel like a total loser.”
“Because of this man?”
“Yes. Rhys—he…well, we went on a date the other night, and I thought that he was going to—I thought we were going to—”
“It’s okay, Olivia. I can fill in the blanks.” Drake chuckled.
She pretended to exhale in relief. “He barely touched me, though. He only kissed me on the cheek. It makes me feel worthless.”
It was a lie, of course. Olivia was disappointed that Rhys only kissed her on the cheek, but she definitely didn’t feel like the moment drained her worth away. “I see,” he crooned, sitting up straight again. “You fear that he is losing interest in you. You feel inadequate, and this is causing you anxiety. You fear that you lack something he craves, but the truth is that you are some men’s idea of a perfect woman. You shouldn’t waste your time with someone who doesn’t see how special you are.”
Olivia batted her eyelashes. “You think I’m special?”
Drake smiled. It wasn’t like Rhys’s soft grin, the one that was always seconds away from melting into a playful smirk. Drake’s smile was shallow and pandering, the kind of thing that he probably practiced in the mirror so he could become better at fooling those around him.
“I do. I think you are very special.”
Olivia bit her lip. “Is it, um, okay if I ask you something?”
“Of course, you can ask me anything, darling.”
She tried not to flinch at the gross term of endearment.
“Can you sit next to me?” she asked, keeping her voice barely above a whisper to make him think that she was terrified, yet desperate at the same time.
Drake tutted and immediately moved from his chair to the chaise. He sat next to her, leaving about a foot of space between them.
“Is this better?” he murmured.
“Yes, thank you,” she replied, biting her lip. “I just find your presence so comforting.”
He grinned. “I’m glad to hear it.”
“Um, and then about…the guy,” Olivia continued. “I feel like you’re right that he’s not interested in me, but he asked me out again. We’re going to some kind of party tomorrow night. Why wouldn’t he just dump me if he doesn’t want to kiss me? Is he using me?”
Drake frowned in concern. “Men like that will do anything to manipulate the perfect women like yourself.” The nonsense he was spewing about Rhys made her blood boil.
“I wish I could have someone like you by my side all the time,” Olivia said quietly, willing a blush to rise to her cheeks. “You’re so wise. I feel like I’m just stumbling around blindly when I’m not in this room with you.”
“Well, I am happy to be that source of support for you,” Drake purred. “It’s okay to depend on someone, Olivia.”
It most certainly was not, but still she nodded and fed him the crap lines she knew he wanted to hear.
A half hour later, Olivia slid into the passenger seat beside Adeline, who was waiting and listening in as usual.
“We’re so close,” Adeline said with a grin as she whipped out of the parking lot. “You’re doing a great job. All of your anxious flirtations. You come across as incredibly desperate. It’s amazing.”
Olivia snorted. “Thanks, I guess.”
“Was that part about Rhys true?”
“Which part?” Olivia sighed.
<
br /> “The part about you being upset that he only kissed you on the cheek,” she clarified. “You didn’t mention that when you told me and the girls about the date.”
Olivia shrugged and sank down in the seat.
“I’m not upset,” Olivia argued. “It’s fine. I mean, I wasn’t even willing to go on a date with him until you made me an offer I couldn’t refuse, so it’s not like I really have a right to be disappointed in the lack of physical intimacy.”
Adeline pursed her lips. “But you had a good time with him, didn’t you? And you’re going to that party with him, right?”
“Yes and yes,” Olivia answered. “But, like I said, I won’t get my hopes up.”
“Well, it’s perfectly okay if you do,” Adeline countered. “And if he continues to lead you on, let me know and I’ll taser his testicles.”
Olivia laughed loudly. “I don’t think those extreme measures will be necessary. It’s just a flirtation.”
Just a flirtation. That didn’t sound right.
The truth was that it felt like so much more than that.
Olivia
When the doorbell rang, Olivia smiled as she tossed her long hair over her shoulder before pulling the door open to find Rhys on her front porch. “God, you need stop doing this to me,” he told her, clutching his chest as if he were wounded. “You look absolutely devastating. Stunning, actually.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere.” She laughed, taking in the sight of his handsome face in the evening light. His dark eyes roamed her body just like they did the last time he saw her.
“Good to know.” He chuckled. “Ready to go?”
“Yep.” She grinned, following him to where his bike was parked.
Olivia climbed onto the back of his motorcycle and wrapped her arms around his waist, more comfortable than she had been the first time.
He revved the engine, checking to make sure she was comfortable before pulling away.
She smiled, watching the city streets flash by for a while, then closed her eyes and admired the way his heartbeat felt under her hands.
As they pulled in front of the house where the party was being held, loud music boomed, and the windows vibrated. It reminded her of a frat party, but Rhys had insisted it was a housewarming party for a friend. He failed to mention that it would be more like a full-on rager, but Olivia was surprised to find that she didn’t mind. She was just happy to be around Rhys.
Inside, the house, bodies pressed in together tightly. Most people hovered and chatted with each other, but there were some pockets of people dancing like they were in a club. The stark contrast between Drake’s dinner party and this scene wasn’t lost on Olivia. The two brothers really couldn’t have been more different.
“Hey, Rhys!” shouted a short, stout guy with a beard and a friendly grin.
“Hey, Mad! How you doing, man?” yelled Rhys, excitedly clapping the guy on the back.
“Doing great. How are you?” he asked. “And who is this?”
“I’m good, yeah. This is my friend Olivia,” Rhys said, wrapping an arm around her waist and smiling down at her. “I thought I’d bring her by and show her some good, old-fashioned fun.”
“Hell yeah, I’m all about that!” The shorter guy laughed. “I’m Maddix, by the way.”
He offered her a beefy hand, which she shook with a smile. This wasn’t the type of person she expected when Rhys said the host was his friend. She pictured another tattooed, sexy man with a devilish smirk, not the smiling guy with a beer gut and pink skin. Still, Maddix gave off good energy.
“Nice to meet you,” she told him.
“Likewise, Olivia.” He grinned. “You want a beer?”
They nodded, so Maddix directed them toward the coolers on the back porch.
“You know,” she said to Rhys when he handed her a bottle dripping with condensation. “I once knew a guy who could open a beer by twisting it against his forearm.”
“Can you do that?” he asked, surprised.
“Well, no, but I can show you.” Olivia pressed the twist cap of the beer bottle firmly against her forearm. “He would just do this…and twist.”
Olivia pressed hard and twisted, immediately regretting the attempt and grimacing in pain.
“Here.” He laughed. “Let me try.”
He mimicked her motion, and a satisfying pop filled the air and Olivia’s mouth dropped open.
“Impressive.”
“Thanks. Follow me and I’ll show you another trick.”
He grabbed her hand and led her into the kitchen. It was probably the only room in the house that wasn’t totally packed with people.
“What are we doing here?” she asked.
“I’m going show you something I learned in college,” Rhys said.
“Uh-oh.” Olivia snorted, then glanced over her shoulder. “Are they going to care that we’re in their pantry?”
“No, not at all. Maddix is very mi casa su casa, you know?”
Rhys found an apple, holding it out in his palm to show Olivia like he was about to do a magic trick. With one quick move, he snapped the apple in half from stem to bottom, then offered her the crisp fruit dripping with juice.
“Wow, you have to teach me how to do that.” Olivia grinned. “I could look so badass doing it in front of the girls.”
“Sure.” He grabbed another apple. “Just hold it like this…”
He placed the apple in her waiting palms, putting his hands over hers to guide her fingers in the right position. Olivia smiled at his touch.
“Okay, now grip it tightly and then in one quick jerk, just pull it apart. Okay? Ready? One, two, three!”
She jerked her hands apart, but the apple sprang from her grip and collided with a pitcher of margarita on the counter, spilling the sticky, green juice across the floor.
“Damn.” She blinked in surprise, shocked at her ability to create such a disaster.
Rhys chuckled and squeezed her shoulder.
“Don’t worry about it. It took me a while to figure it out, too. How about you practice, and I’ll go find something to clean this up with.”
Rhys stepped away, and Olivia took another apple from the shelf. Suddenly, the kitchen door swung open hard and loud music filled the room. A small group of people bustled over to the fridge and, feeling suddenly awkward, Olivia slipped out of sight deeper into the pantry.
“Dude, did you see Rhys with that brunette chick?” said one of the guys.
Olivia froze.
“Bro, I was shocked when I saw that,” another man replied. “I wasn’t expecting him to show up with someone like that.”
“Don’t get me wrong, she’s hot as hell,” said the first guy. “But she’s not his usual type. She looks too smart for him.”
All of them laughed, but Olivia cringed at the fact that she was being talked about. “Right? He usually has one of those model girls hanging off him. Man, I love it when he brings those ladies around.”
“What do you think he sees in her?” the first guy continued, still going on about Rhys and Olivia.
“Maybe she’s good in bed.” Another offered.
Fed up with their revolting conversation, she cleared her throat and stepped out of the pantry. She lifted an eyebrow as their foolish grins froze in place, struck with the realization that she had overheard their conversation. One of the men coughed awkwardly as if to somehow distract her from his words, but there was no use.
“I found the towels,” Rhys chirped, his voice cheerful as he came back into the kitchen and began to mop up the mess. He paused as he saw the look on her face, glancing in confusion at the men shuffling awkwardly out of the kitchen. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she lied.
He moved the towels around with his foot. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.”
“What do you mean?” she asked. Was he really going to call things off that quickly? Just because she wasn’t having the time of her life at a house party full of strangers
?
“I should’ve known that this would be a weird scene to get to know each other in,” Rhys said. “What do you say we get out of here? Somewhere more quiet? The night is young! Why don’t you come back to my place and we can have a few drinks?”
Oh. That wasn’t the direction she expected his speech to take.
“Um, like to hang out as friends or…” Olivia felt lame asking the question, but she wanted to know if she was going to just end up with more disappointment on her plate if she said yes.
Rhys let out an incredulous laugh. “Friends?”
Without hesitation, he stepped forward and reached out a hand to cup her jaw, tilting her face toward his. He kissed her—on the lips this time—in a slow, almost steamy way. Olivia pressed herself closer to him and melted into the kiss.
“Would I do that if I was only interested in being your friend?” he asked as he pulled away.
“No, I suppose not.” She laughed.
Rhys
Rhys opened the front door of his condo and guided Olivia inside.
“What do you think?” he asked as he flicked on the lights, revealing soft white walls and glossy hardwood floors.
“Oh, this is nice! It’s very modern. I wasn’t expecting it,” Olivia said.
Rhys grinned, shrugging off his leather jacket and tossing it aside.
She glanced to her right where Rhys had a large wine cabinet.
“I should probably admit that I overheard what those guys were saying in the kitchen about me and you.” He sighed. “I didn’t want to force you to confront me, though.”
“No, it’s fine.” Olivia frowned. She didn’t care about this conversation at the moment. She just wanted Rhys to step close to her. However, it was nice that he clearly thought that having a discussion like this before anything happened between them was important. “Really, it’s none of my business who you’ve been with.”
“I want you to know I’m sorry you had to deal with that.” He sighed. “I’m not going to lie and say there’s no reason for me to have a reputation like that, but I promise that I am absolutely, totally, one hundred percent clean. And, anyway, those playboy days are behind me.”
Olivia, Striking Back (Iron Ladies Book 4) Page 8
