by Alexa Riley
“You did what you could,” Oz says from the fountain, still not looking over at us.
“He started hitting me after I gave birth. And that’s when the real monster came out. He would be gone all hours of the night and come home smelling like alcohol or other women, and find something to yell at me about. I tried to leave so many times, but he always threatened to take my son from me and never let me see him again. And I knew that if Miles was left alone with Alexander he would fill his head with lies about me. I couldn’t bear the thought of never seeing my child, and thinking that he might hate me one day if I did leave. Alexander never laid a hand on our son, and I made sure I never gave him another baby. The day Miles turned eighteen I told him everything and we left together. I walked out with only the clothes on my back and went to stay with a friend. Miles had a scholarship to Yale, and the trust fund that was in his name Alexander couldn’t touch. When Miles turned eighteen, Alexander didn’t have anything to hold over my head anymore, and by that time I think he was bored of me. There wasn’t anything else he could do to hurt me, and he knew it.”
“I never knew,” Oz says through gritted teeth.
“He kept it away from you, from everyone as much as possible. He had an image to uphold. He was grooming Miles to do his dirty work, but I wasn’t going to stand by and let that happen. We found out later what he was truly capable of. I didn’t want Miles to become like his father, but I never meant to send him down a path of revenge.”
“Revenge?” I ask, looking between the two of them. Wondering what Oz had planned.
“Miles wants to make him pay for what he did to me, but that’s not why I told him. I told him the whole story so Miles wouldn’t follow in his footsteps, not so he would hate him.”
Vivien looks between us, and Oz walks over to sit down beside me.
“I went back to my maiden name of Osbourne after I left Alexander, and Miles changed his name, too. He went to college, and I was able to get a job making my own money. Miles went looking into Alexander’s past further and dug up some things that made me realize that I’d walked away lucky.”
I can’t help but think Paige wasn’t that lucky.
“I told him to leave it alone, but you know Miles. When he’s got his mind set on something, there’s no stopping him. He found out that Alexander was involved in human trafficking, prostitution, money laundering, illegal gambling and selling stolen guns. I think I may have been the only piece of his life that kept him somewhat human, because from what Miles uncovered, he’s truly a monster. I don’t know how he’s managed to avoid the inside of a jail cell for this long, but the amount of money he has keeps him clean. He’s got a lot of businesses around the city that funnel the money. He thinks I was ignorant to all that went on, because if I had dirt I would have used it by now. Or maybe it’s the twenty-four-hour security Miles keeps on me, or the overprotective measures he uses to keep me safe.”
I nod, because I understand all too well.
He turns to me then, his eyes soft and warm. I squeeze his hand, letting him know I’m here and I’m real.
“There’s so much about Alexander that’s horrible, and the things he’s done...?” She breaks off and lets out a breath. “There are so many things I wish I could change, but I can’t. We just have to move forward and try to live our lives the best way we know how.”
I can’t imagine living through what she has, and possibly the guilt she carries. But looking into her soft eyes, and seeing her still able to smile shows her true strength. She looks to Oz and then to me.
“Two beautiful women have found their way to us, and for that I’m thankful,” Vivien says, looking at me. “Paige is very special to me, though I know it’s harder for her to see it that way. I hope that one day she understands how much I care for her. And maybe one day you and I can have that, too.”
Warmth spreads in my chest, thinking about having a mother in my life. What I’ve always wanted.
“And maybe then you can get on those ten grandbabies Miles promised me.”
“Mom,” Miles warns, and Vivien laughs.
She wiggles her eyebrows at me and points between us. “Don’t wait too long. I’m not getting any younger.”
The cloud of sadness passes, and all talk of Oz’s father is pushed aside.
“Mallory, I think it’s time I get you back to work,” Oz says, standing up and holding out his hand for me.
I take it and stand up, then we say our goodbyes to Vivien.
She wraps me in a soft embrace, and I melt into her. I never knew how much I needed a hug like hers until I got it. She pulls back, squeezing my arms again and giving me a big smile.
“Lunch next week, Mallory?”
I nod happily, unable to hide my excitement.
“Good, we’ll leave Miles at home then.”
She gives me a wink as she turns to him, giving him a hug and shushing his protests.
I walk out of the garden holding Oz’s hand, feeling light and cheerful. “She’s an amazing woman with an amazing son,” I say as Oz holds open the door for me.
“Flattery will get you everywhere, my sweet Mallory.”
We walk through the lobby and onto the elevator. Before I can push the button for the accounting floor, Oz takes my hand and hits the button for his.
“Oz, I need to get back to work.” I lean into him playfully, but the look on his face is serious. He runs his knuckles along my jaw and the look in his sapphire-blue eyes is so intense, I reach up and grab his wrist. “What’s wrong?”
“My mom told you her story about my father, and now I want to tell you mine.”
The elevator dings, and the doors open revealing his secretary seated at her desk. She stands when she sees us, and they exchange a look, and she nods. It makes me anxious. He grips my hand a little tighter as we walk toward his office and to the double doors.
I’m hesitant, but then he moves his hand to the small of my back and opens the door in front of me. When I step inside I see a blonde woman facing away from us, and a big man in a suit next to her, his hand on her waist. She turns when she hears the door open and gives a soft smile.
I’m shocked when I recognize her as Ivy Lennox. My mind churns as she stands there, her hands twisting in front of her. She’s wearing a cream summer dress with a matching cream blazer, the sleeves pushed up. Her peach-colored sandals look expensive, like the rest of her, and I remember thinking when I saw her in the picture in the article with Oz that she appeared wealthy. I don’t know why that irritates me, but it does. But maybe it’s her presence that’s doing it. The large man beside her is in a dark suit, and he stands in such a way that’s protective. And my annoyance turns to curiosity.
Oz closes the doors behind us, and when I hear the click I snap back to reality. Turning to face him, I get right to the point.
“What’s going on?”
“Mallory, I’d like you to meet Ivy and her husband, Brian. Ivy, this is my Mallory.”
His hand presses against the small of my back again, and it comforts me, even if I’m still confused. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love the way he says “my Mallory.” But more questions are filling my head. This is the one woman I’ve ever seen him photographed with, and he’s never mentioned her. Oz leads us forward, and Ivy holds her hand out to shake mine. I automatically take it and feel how soft and delicate it is. A little insecurity runs through me, but Oz’s large palm moves up and down my back as if petting me and reassuring me that everything is going to be okay. Brian doesn’t move to shake my hand, though he greets Oz with a stern nod. He steps possessively next to Ivy and I can’t help but think he’s probably feeling the same way I am right now.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you.” Her voice is as delicate as her touch.
“Let’s have a seat. There are some things I’d like to discuss.” Oz
indicates the small couch and chairs over to the side, and we all walk over. Ivy sits on the chair, Brian silently moving next to her. Oz and I sit on the couch opposite them, and he scoots close to me. He takes my hands in his, gently squeezing them and letting me feel his strength. It’s like he knows what I need in this moment and isn’t hesitating to give it to me. I see Brian rest his hand on the top of Ivy’s crossed legs, while he stares at us, not speaking.
“I asked my assistant to set up a meeting with Ivy, and I wanted you to be here for it. Ivy and I went to Yale together and had some of the same classes. We were working on a group project one afternoon, and we happened to walk out of the coffee shop together.”
I glance from Oz to Ivy, and she tucks a lock of blond hair behind her ear nervously and picks up the story.
“My family is from old money in Connecticut and they have political ties to the White House. I was considered an up-and-coming socialite, so I was photographed every now and then when I was in college. Miles was obviously someone to watch because of his father’s business, and Miles’s growing reputation at Yale.” She puts her hand on top of Brian’s and continues. “We were photographed one day after a study group. I couldn’t even remember leaving together, and I never saw the person taking the photos. When my mom called me the next day and asked if I was dating Miles, I brushed it off. Neither of us had any romantic feelings for one another.” She lets out an exhausted laugh, one that indicates she still doesn’t understand. “Miles and I weren’t even friends. We were in a study group together, so we were hardly acquaintances. But knowing the way paparazzi make things out to be, I told my mom there was nothing going on and to brush it off.”
Oz nods, agreeing with Ivy, and he continues the story. “I’d had a couple of run-ins with my father when I was in college because he was disgusted I wasn’t going to follow in his footsteps. I’d started digging into his past and figured out where the dirty money from my trust fund came from, and the truth about some of his black market dealings. I found out that the source of it may have been made from the blood he’d shed. The trafficking, the guns, the drugs. All of it made me sick. I made a mistake then, and tipped my hand too soon. I’d told him that I was going to ruin him and take everything away from him. I didn’t want him dead, because that would have been too easy. I wanted him broke, ruined and worthless.” He shakes his head as if he’s remembering something he doesn’t want to. “I was young and angry and instead of making plans and carrying them out, I told him how I was going to get my revenge. I made a costly mistake that day. I showed my hand too early and I swore it would never happen again.”
Ivy smiles softly, picking up where Oz left off. “I was driving back home for a long weekend, and the only thing I remember is going around a curve and being run off the road by a black SUV. I woke up two months later in a hospital bed, not knowing what had happened. And with Brian at my bedside.” She turns to him and smiles so sweetly, you can see the love in her eyes.
“My father reached out to me not even hours after Ivy’s accident, letting me know he was behind it. That if I didn’t back off he’d do more to the people I cared about. Assuming Ivy and I were together. We weren’t but it still hurt that I’d gotten Ivy into this because of my anger and running my mouth.”
Ivy shrugs like it was no big deal what happened to her.
“That day gave me Brian back. He was the head of security for my family and I’d always had the biggest crush on him. We’d fallen in love, but never said the words. He refused to be with me, saying I had to go away for college for the experience. I think he thought I’d get over him if I wasn’t with him all the time. After the accident, he never left my side once in the two months I was in a coma, and when I woke up, he said we’d never be apart again.” He leans over, nuzzling her neck and giving her a kiss on the cheek.
She smiles at Oz and I. “I know I shouldn’t say this, but I don’t regret what happened. It brought us together, and for that I’m forever thankful. I don’t blame you for what happened that day, and I’ve made Brian swear to not seek his own revenge on your father.”
She glances over to him and then back to us. “To be honest, his need for payback almost broke us. It was only when I explained to him that his desire for vengeance felt more important than me and our future. There comes a point in your life where you have to decide what’s most important. I didn’t want the anger and hate to consume him, or come in the middle of our relationship anymore. Being with Brian and being in love was the most important thing. Letting that go, and living our lives, is the only thing that matters now.”
I examine Oz, who has his brow furrowed and a concerned thought in his eyes. Seeing our joined hands, I think about what it would mean if he continued to seek his own revenge. Would it always be a cloud between us? Would only the death of his father fix everything? Somehow I don’t think the answer is yes. And Oz doesn’t want him dead, he wants him ruined. Eventually will that be enough? Will this be a constant worry?
“I never meant for any of this to touch you, Ivy. And it’s the reason I kept Mallory at arm’s length for so long. I wanted to be sure all of my plans were in place before I let it be known what she meant to me.” He turns to me and brushes a loose strand of hair from my eyes. “I wanted you to understand the danger you were in by being seen with me, but the time’s come for all that to be over. I promise to watch over you, and to take care of you. Always.”
We sit for a moment in silence before a deep voice breaks it.
“If you need anything, you know where to find us.”
With Brian’s words, we all stand, and he and Ivy make their way out of the office. After the double doors close, Oz comes over to me and we sit down on the couch again.
“Are you okay, baby?”
His eyes that have held a part of my soul for so long, give me a sense of being more connected to him. To know that all of this has been to protect me, makes my love for him even deeper than before. Oz doesn’t do anything lightly, and to know that he calculated all of this so that none of his darkness touched me, could only make me cling to him more.
“Yeah, I think I understand now.”
“It’s the reason I had Paige on you from the beginning. It’s the reason I’ve always had eyes on you, and I’ve panicked every second you haven’t been completely protected, or by my side.” He grabs my face with both hands, and the intense, almost-dark shadow in his eyes shows me all of his emotions. “I can’t lose you. And I won’t allow a situation where that’s a possibility. Ever.”
His words are hard and final, and I know there’s no stopping his plan that’s in place. I can only hope that at the end of this, we both come out safe.
He kisses me so passionately and so thoroughly that there is no room for argument. I belong to him now, and as much as I should be fighting it, I won’t. I’m his, and he’s mine. I would do whatever it took to protect our love, and our possible family in the making.
Chapter Thirty
Mallory
* * *
The next day, I walk through the lobby with Oz. Paige had to be in early for some training exercise, and when we get on the elevator, I’m about to hit the button for the accounting department but Oz halts me and presses the button for his floor.
“I don’t know what you’re up to, Oz, but I’m going to be late.” I turn to him, and his face is sheepish. He already tried to make me late by pouncing on me this morning when I was getting dressed. Then he insisted on dragging me back up to his home to pick out a tie for him to wear, all while mumbling we wouldn’t have to do this if I moved my stuff in already.
“Oz?” I say hesitantly when he won’t look at me. “What’s going on? What did you do?” He tenses a little, making me worry more.
The elevator shoots to the top floor and the doors slide open. His administrative assistant, Jay, is at her desk, and stops writing furiously when she hears u
s arrive.
“Mr. Osbourne, Ms. Sullivan,” she says in greeting, standing and nodding to us. “The offices have been moved and are in place.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Rose.”
The admin smiles brightly and sits down, going back to scribbling away once again.
Oz takes my hand and leads me to the right, away from the double doors of his office.
“Oz, where are we going?” I ask as he pulls me down the hallway, making me wonder if anyone will see. People have got to be noticing that we seem to be together a lot, but I haven’t heard any whispers yet. I’m guessing no one would say anything to me. And his administrative assistant seems to know.
At the end of the short hall is another set of double doors, and Oz opens them wide. There are two desks facing one another in the middle of a large, window-lined room. Sitting at one of the desks is Skyler, tapping away on her computer.
“What the...” I say, and Skyler turns to look at us.
“I like the view a lot better up here, so don’t get all sassy yet,” she says, cutting me off, clearly enjoying the office change.
I turn to Oz, who shrugs, and I give him a death stare.
“Perhaps you can give us a moment of privacy, Skyler?” I ask, not taking my eyes off Oz.
“Sure, I’ll go grab a Diet Coke from the cold Keurig in the break room.” As she’s about to exit the room, she throws over her shoulder, “Cold Keurig, Mallory. Don’t ruin this for me.”
I roll my eyes, and then the door shuts. I cross my arms over my chest, waiting for an explanation.
“I actually need some help with a special project, and I talked to Linda about borrowing you and Skyler.”