“Olivia gave it to me.” Austin said as he smiled forlornly at her.
“What?” I asked in confusion.
“The nickname. I used to read Tintin to her when she was around two or three. She would laugh for hours because it sounded like my name. Now she only calls it me if I’m angry at her or she wants something, she knows I can’t refuse her then.”
“She used to go hunting for my hair products to stick his hair up like Tintin!” Suzie giggled and I couldn’t help but laugh. “I have a photo of that somewhere, I’ll have to remember to find it.”
They were quiet while they ate apart from the odd yawn here and there. “You guys should go home and get some sleep, I’ll stay with her and let you know if there is any change.”
“We aren’t leaving.” John barked at me.
“John!” Suzie scolded him. “Riley’s just trying to be nice. You know how these go, we won’t know anything for a while anyway. Come on.” I quickly sent Logan a message, he was waiting for me anyway after I told him I was going to relieve the family of watching over her.
“Cheers man.” Austin got up and slapped me on the shoulder. “If anything happens, she so much as twitches a finger, you let me know.”
“I will. Logan should be downstairs to take you home.”
Moving to the chair that her mum had vacated so that I could be closer to her, I began stroking her fingers and over her nails, enjoying the soft scratching feeling against my skin, remembering the feel of them on my back. That felt like a lifetime away, forgetting everything but being buried deep inside of her. Forgetting that she was just eighteen, that she had only just broken up with her boyfriend and that even though Austin hired me, ultimately she was my boss. None of it should have happened, it should all have just been work.
I forgot all about what Uncle Frank had told me about her and how she would try to get under my skin. “She’s a little bitch that will stop at nothing until she destroys what Robert made. She has lied so much and it has gone on long enough. She needs taking down.”
I heard her nightmare, I heard her screams, that didn’t sound like a girl that was lying to me. How could they think that? From such a short time knowing her I already knew that trust and honesty were a pretty big deal to her. I’d seen the note that she had found in the house and how upset she looked as she carried it to Austin, clutching it to her chest.
No… They were wrong.
THIRTEEN
Morning light was slowly creeping through the window. Olivia was still sedated due to some swelling still showing on her scans; the plan was to re-scan and see how she was this afternoon. I leaned up from where I was resting my head on Olivia’s lap to look at her beautiful face, hopefully the next time I see her she’ll have her eyes open.
“Morning, Baby Doll.” I whispered to her. I kissed her head and brushed a hand over her hair gently. Typical that her mum walked in at that point and gave me an odd look. She came over to stand at the other side of the bed with a slightly raised eyebrow in question at me, but said nothing. “Good morning, sweetheart. I’m here now.”
Sitting down beside Olivia, Suzie began reading another mindless magazine to her about shit that Olivia probably didn’t care for. I preferred to go through the music playlists on her phone and play the music she liked, hoping that it would help in some small way.
“The doctor gave me a letter for the court.” That was today? “I wrote a covering letter for the judge explaining why we weren’t attending today, would you mind taking it for us and listening to the pleas? The company lawyers will be there but we’d like someone more personal there for us.” Suzie looked up from her magazine smiling softly at me. “We know you’ve been here all night, but I simply don’t trust anyone else to go, Riley.” But I don’t want to leave her. I looked down to Olivia, she deserved to know what was going to happen to that little shit, Lucas.
“Of course I’ll go. I’ll just shower then set off.”
“You are an angel, Riley.” I laughed. I wouldn’t know about that, and you certainly wouldn’t think it, if you knew everything.
***
“Where’s Olivia?” I didn’t need to look up to see it was that fucker, Matthews. I never answered him. “I asked where Olivia is.”
“Yes I heard, thank you.”
“Well?” I rolled my eyes towards him. His eyes were rimmed red from not enough sleep or perhaps from being completely drunk out of his mind for the entire weekend.
“She’s a little… busy.”
“Busy? Doing what?”
“I don’t believe that that is any of your concern, Mr Matthews.”
“Fine.” He stomped to the other side of the hallway and leant on the wall with his arms folded. Ha! Stupid fucker! I didn’t even think about telling him where she really was, if Olivia getting hurt wasn’t an accident then it was because of him, it was all his fault. I didn’t want him anywhere near her.
Lucas Fletcher’s case was called and I entered the court room behind Mike Spencer, Austin’s lawyer. Matthews sat a couple of rows back; I could feel his eyes burning a hole in the back of my head. Fletcher was brought in looking like he was about to piss his pants, he was asked if he was guilty of the attempted attack on Olivia which he obviously was after being caught with his pants down. He was then asked if he attacked Olivia’s friend, Violet, which he denied.
We were informed that the case for that would go ahead and a trial date would be set. The judge really pissed me off when he mentioned Olivia.
“Mr Spencer, Miss Stevens had no need to attend but thank you for informing me of her condition, please pass on my wishes to her family in that I hope she wakes soon and recovers quickly.”
“What? Where is she?”
“Excuse me, sit down please.” I looked around to see Jamie with a face like thunder.
“Where is she?” He whispered loudly to me. I smirked at him and turned back around. He appeared at the side of the lawyer and asked him instead, after introducing himself as the teacher that was with her after the attack.
“Miss Stevens made an almost fatal attempt on her life a few days ago, she is under sedation at the moment while she recovers from a head injury she sustained whilst falling.” Jamie fell back onto the bench, shocked.
“Why? Did anyone say why she would do that?”
“We don’t know. Possibly something with a boyfriend but no one will know what happened until they see if they can wake her later today.”
“Where is she? Can I see her?”
“Don’t” I began to warn Spencer but he went right on and told him anyway.
Jamie jumped up from the bench and ran out of the court room. Fuck! I ran out after him.
“Matthews! Don’t you fucking dare go to that hospital!” He stopped.
“Fuck you! You knew! You fucking knew and never told me! She could be dead right now and I wouldn’t know!” He looked utterly broken and I couldn’t give a shit. He did this.
“Well she will be fine, no thanks to you and your antics.”
“Me? She cheated on me! With you, didn’t she?” I couldn’t help the small smile that pulled up the sides of my mouth.
“After you cheated on her and she broke up with you, so you weren’t together when I fucked her.” I stated calmly.
“I never had sex with anyone! That girl is practically my sister! Why wouldn’t she just listen to me? Fuck!” He sighed heavily, running his hands through his hair. “I just want to see her. Please?”
Pausing, I pretended to think about it for a moment. “No.” I said flatly and walked out ahead of him then ran to my car, driving like an idiot. I had to beat Jamie to the hospital.
I called Austin out of Olivia’s room and told him about Matthews. “Oh perfect fucking timing! I can’t deal with him right now. I’ll be having words with Spencer. He’s fired.”
“How’s she doing?” I nodded towards Liv’s door.
“They removed her meds and breathing tube but she isn’t awake yet. We’re just waiting now really to
see when she decides to come around.”
“Austin! Where is she? Can I see her?” Jamie yelled as he stormed his way through the doors.
“Want me to get rid of him?” I offered. Hope bubbled in my chest at the thought of getting to teach him a lesson or two. The irony of that wasn’t lost on me.
“No, leave him.” What? Like fuck will I!
“I don’t think you should be here, Matthews!” I said sternly.
“Leave us please, Riley. I need to talk to Jamie.” Pulling on the reins of my fury, I turned to walk into Olivia’s room. “No, go get yourself off home, I’ll call you later and let you know what is happening.”
“Yes, Sir.” I nodded and walked away. I stormed out of the ward nearly taking the door off its hinge as I went, kicking the first thing that got in my way – a rack of leaflets collided with the wall, scattering paper in its wake.
FOURTEEN
Two hours. That’s what I’d give them. I was back to punching the bag hanging from the ceiling in the gym, counting down the minutes until I could get back to Olivia. I missed her like fucking crazy and it was killing me being away from her while she was unconscious with everyone around her waiting for her to wake. Knowing that Jamie could be the first person that she’d see, I almost lost it. What if she didn’t remember anything? What if she didn’t remember me?
When the apartment phone rang I realised that I’d left my phone in the hospital along with my bag of clothes. Frank’s voice was not the one that I expected to hear.
“You’ve been ignoring me again, Connor.”
“I haven’t, I’ve just been preoccupied.”
“Yes, with your wee girlfriend laid up in hospital. I saw you this morning when I stopped by. It was so touching how you held her hand as you slept. It’s all so unfortunate really, isn’t it? Well, not for me.”
“Don’t be an arsehole, Frank. Cut to the chase.”
“Well, I heard that the little Princess would be waking up today and I need you to do me a favour.”
“What?”
“Bring her to me.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me, no way in hell! You heard me when I told you that she wasn’t lying didn’t you? You’re out of your mind if you think I’m still going ahead with this bullshit!”
“Perhaps this will change your mind.”
“Connor? Connor is that you?” My sister’s voice drained all of the blood from my head and I wobbled where I stood.
“Caitlin? Are you ok? Where are you?”
“I’m ok. I don’t know where I am, it’s an old house somewhere. Uncle Frank said that we were taking a trip yesterday but he won’t take me home, Connor. He said you need to bring Olivia. Who’s Olivia?” My hand tightened around the phone as I heard Frank and Julie speak in the background. “You have to go to the barn.” Cait’s voice became distant as she shouted. “Hey give that back! Connor!” Tears stung my eyes at the thought of them being aggressive with her.
“I trust you know where to go?”
“You lay one fucking finger on her and I swear I’ll–”
“You’ll do what exactly? You try to do anything but what I’ve asked of you and Caitlin will go the same way as your dear old daddy. You wouldn’t want that would you? I’ve been more than helpful, I’ve even added some things to that bag of yours if you hadn’t already noticed; those should help you get her here in one piece. There’s plenty of tape to shut that mouth of hers. You should blindfold her too. Now, you have an hour from the moment that she wakes, to get her here. Don’t try to fuck with me, Connor, because I’ll know and that’s when I’ll start on your precious little sister. One hour.”
The line went dead and I ripped the phone from the wall in a fit of rage. The one thing that could make me change my mind and he’d found it. I didn’t want to hurt Olivia, but Frank had me by the balls and he knew it.
***
Olivia was awake when I returned to the hospital and I felt so torn. She was awake! My girl was awake but that meant that the clock was ticking to get her out before Frank hurt Caitlin.
Dr Murphy – Colin, was in talking with Olivia and her family so I hovered outside the room until he’d left before I could enter. He shifted slightly giving me a view of Olivia’s face as she smiled up at him, but also revealing Jamie sat on her other side. Holding her hand.
My world felt as though it had crashed around my feet. She was back with him, just like that. How can she stand being so close to him? Had what happened between us meant so little to her? That’s what you get when you let your emotions control your dick.
I slumped against the wall, watching the doctor and his nurse leave Olivia’s room. “Riley, hello.” The nurse smiled down at me and I nodded my greeting to her trying to hide my emptiness. Emptiness was exactly what I needed – I couldn’t allow myself to feel anything from here on out.
“Can you let Austin know he has meetings that need attending now that Olivia is awake?”
“Of course.” She smiled as she returned to speak to him. I waited around the corner as Austin, John and Suzie left the room. Three down, just one to go. I spied a payphone at the end of the corridor and called Frank. If he wanted this to happen he was going to help me. I told him how I’d left my phone in with Olivia, and that if he wanted me to get her to him, he was the one that would need to get Jamie out of her room for a while.
I watched as Jamie picked up my phone and look at in confusion once Frank had obviously hung up on him. It was another couple of minutes before he left the room and thank fuck when he did. Caitlin didn’t have time for this shit.
Olivia was packing things away into her bag when I finally entered her room.
“You were qu-” I shushed her as I looked back out into the corridor to make sure it was still clear. “Riley, what are you doing? Where have you been?” The relief in her voice and the small smile appearing on her face hurt. I tried to push my feelings back down but it was hard.
“We need to get you out of here. Come on, get up.” I paced the floor at the foot of her bed as I tried to think of what to do next. I threw things to take care of her wounds into my bag, which was now stocked with heavy duty tape, ropes and cable ties. Jesus Christ. I needed to unhook her. I looked over checking how much there was to remove and sighed, I needed to be quick but careful, making things up about Jamie as I went. Making her unsure of him again was the only way I could get her out.
I realised I was scaring her but I couldn’t let that seep in. I had to think of the next immediate step if I was ever going to get us out of here.
Caitlin. Think of Caitlin. Get Olivia out of the bed. Get her dressed. Walk out. Simple.
“Why is Jamie dangerous?” Why the fuck would she care after he cheated on her?
“He was… planning something. I don’t know what or why and I don’t want to stay to find out.” Lie to her. “Do you know he was fucking four other girls? Not just you!” Tears. Tears were good. “I saw him with three of them, kissing each of them.” More lies. “He’s the head of MTI, Liv, you know this makes sense … He has photos of you Liv. Private photos. Do you want those getting out?” Her tears rolled down her cheeks. “Look, I’m sorry Baby Doll, I didn’t want to tell you all of that but we need to go.”
Tucking her under my arm I had to all but pull her through the hospital but she wasn’t quick enough for my liking. How could I forget about the amount of glass that she’d had in her feet? Picking her up, I carried her out to my car. I hated the feel of her against my body; I was betraying her and she was here, trusting me. I was very close to changing my mind about everything and attempting to get Caitlin without any exchange, but I couldn’t risk her safety. But you can risk Olivia’s?
“Riley?” Olivia whispered.
“What?” I snapped back at her, making her cower into her seat. “Look, I’m sorry… I was just worried about you and needed you out of there. We need to get away from here.” Twisting her body to face out of the window she ignored me. “Olivia, look at me
.” I couldn’t stand for her to be upset with me. It was breaking my heart to hurt her but I needed to save Caitlin. Taking her chin between my thumb and index finger I pulled her around to face me. Her eyes scrunched closed as she refused to look at me. Her lashes were wet. I felt like an arsehole. “Liv, I’m sorry for snapping. Come on, look at me.”
Slowly, her eyes opened. Her beautiful green eyes were glassy with unshed tears and I desperately wanted to kiss all of her pain away until she pulled away from me to throw up all over the footwell of my car.
“What the fuck, Olivia?”
“I’m sorry! Open my door! I don’t feel right Riley; we need to go back inside.” Like hell we did, I needed to get to Caitlin. Opening up the glove box I pulled out a pack of tissues and threw them at her before racing out of the car park to head for the motorway.
***
Traffic was a nightmare around London as usual, but within two hours I’d made it out and arrived at the farmhouse. I sat and watched Olivia sleeping for a few minutes before I woke her. I needed these last few moments of quiet with her before whatever was about to happen transpired. She looked so peaceful as she slept and I hated myself for all of this.
“Baby Doll…” I called to her; the nickname that I’d given her twisted in my stomach like a serrated knife. “Olivia? Wake up, Liv.” I nudged her gently.
“Riley, why are we here?” Her using my last name hurt. It was so detached – impersonal. “Riley? Riley, please.” She pushed herself back into the seat as if to climb away from the house in front of us. Pulling at the locked door again she started crying. “We need to leave! I can’t be here! Please!” She cried in panic.
So this was why Frank wanted her here. This was where she’d been with him. This was where Robert had hurt her. I wanted to slam the car into reverse and get the fuck out of there but I was so close to Caitlin. A new plan formed in my head. I’d make a show for Frank, get Caitlin safely in the car then come back for Olivia.
I hurried out of the car, grabbing cable ties from the back and looped them together to make cuffs. I heard a door open over at the barn and gravel crunching under someone’s feet as they walked towards us. I dragged Olivia from the car more forcefully than was necessary; no matter how much it hurt us both, I had to make sure that Frank believed I was helping him.
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