All of Olivia’s jealousy evaporated as she followed Janice inside. She seemed friendly and chatty and immediately set Olivia at ease.
“Would you look at this place?” Janice motioned to the clutter. It didn’t bother Olivia so much but apparently it was a crime as far as Paul’s sister was concerned. “He needs a maid service, but why would he do that when his sister is willing to do it for free?” she muttered as she picked up a forgotten glass off the coffee table and his shoes and socks tucked beneath.
Olivia hung near the doorway as Janice bustled around tidying everything. Paul’s home was drastically different from hers. Where hers hadn’t been updated since it was built in the eighties, Paul’s had been completely renovated. He told her he’d done most of the work himself. His kitchen was new with granite countertops and stainless appliances. Recessed lighting cast a warm glow in all the rooms. His family room had a fireplace, newly buffed wood floors, and his furniture was comfortable leather. Olivia glanced at the couch and blushed. That’s where Paul had done amazing things with his mouth just last night.
“Can I get you something to drink?” Janice called from the kitchen. “I stopped by to drop off a casserole Mom had made for Paul then I noticed he hadn’t done laundry for a week. It’s probably stupid, but I always clean up after him. Maybe because he always does things for me. You know he drives deliveries for me when Dave or Jason call in?”
“Yes, he did say he helps you out from time to time.”
“You sure you don’t want a soda?” Janice asked from the doorway. She carried two Pepsis.
After abstaining her entire life it felt wrong to accept, but Olivia took the offered soda. She didn’t have to worry about weight gain and training any longer. And she didn’t have Ethan controlling what she ate and drank.
Janice eyed her speculatively as she took a sip from her can. “You look familiar to me, you know that? What are you, about twenty-six, twenty-seven?”
“I’m twenty-seven,” Olivia answered uneasily. She hoped Janice didn’t recognize her – it would make things awkward if she started connecting the dots. Too many questions and internet searches would put Olivia on the run again.
“Where’d you go to school? Denver? Maybe it was college. You remind me of someone. You have a movie star look to you,” Janice said with a grin then waved her hand. “Don’t worry, I’ll figure it out. It’ll probably come to me in the middle of the night.”
That’s what Olivia was afraid of. She gave Janice a tight smile as she edged away. She had to get out of there – now. She needed to get home and lock the door where no one could give her speculative looks and ask too many questions. “Well, I won’t bother you any longer. I just stopped by to see if Paul wanted to come over for dinner, but it looks like his food is taken care of tonight. It was nice meeting you, Janice.”
“You too,” Janice responded with an absent frown. As Olivia hurried to the door she realized she hadn’t introduced herself. But that didn’t matter. If Janice remembered why she recognized Olivia, then she would be packing and leaving soon anyway.
***
“I know her from somewhere,” Janice mumbled as she pulled Paul’s shirts from the dryer. “Why don’t you ever wash your own clothes?” she growled as she dumped the clean load into a basket.
“Because you always do it for me,” Paul answered with a shrug as he took a bite of his mother’s chicken casserole. It was nice that all the women in his family thought he was helpless. “How do you know her?”
“Chelsey? I’m not sure. It’ll bug me until I figure it out. It’s one of those things where it’s on the tip of my tongue but I can’t form the word, you know? But I do know I’ve seen her somewhere. What about you?” She eyed him with interest as she folded his favorite tee shirt. “You’ve really got a thing for this girl, don’t you?”
Paul shrugged again but didn’t bother to answer. He knew if he revealed too much to Janice then his entire family would know the story by tomorrow afternoon. He’d get messages online from distant cousins and have his mother planning the wedding. “She’s nice. And yeah, I have a thing for her. She needs someone to look out for her.”
“And you want to be her knight in shining armor. Well, be careful, Paul. You did the same thing for that girl, Jodee, and look how it messed you up. Don’t confuse duty with personal feelings and get yourself wrapped up in some weird sense of obligation.”
“Since when did I come to you for counseling?” Paul grumbled but he knew Janice was right. Was he confusing attraction for Liv with a misplaced need to make penance for Jodee? Liv had told him often enough to leave matters alone but he couldn’t. His drive to protect her pushed him forward. She needed his help whether she wanted it or not and he couldn’t turn away.
“You’re my brother and I love you, which is why I get to stick my nose in your business,” Janice retorted. “You need to take a step back from this situation and think about your motives.”
“You’re saying you don’t like her?”
“No, I’m not saying that at all.” Janice reached for another shirt and folded it as she considered her answer. “Something just seems off, like she doesn’t belong, you know? It’s like that show where the CEO wears a disguise and slums it with his entry level employees. She’s high class and she doesn’t belong here. You think she got in trouble for embezzling and is in hiding now? Maybe she left her rich husband and is waiting for him to come apologize for all his affairs and sweep her off her feet.”
“Or maybe you watch too much TV and her life is none of your business,” Paul growled.
Janice ignored his warning. “Maybe she’s an actress and that’s how I know her.”
“Leave it alone, Janny. I have no idea why she’s hiding but I have a feeling it’s bad. Don’t go snooping in her business to try to figure it out. I mean it, this is serious; maybe as serious as the case with Jodee.”
Janice looked intrigued but she took his warning seriously. “All right. I won’t Google her. Though I am tempted. This is going to drive me crazy.”
“Yeah, me too,” Paul muttered darkly. But he intended to get to the bottom of Liv’s mysteries, one way or another.
SIX
Olivia tore open the envelope she pulled from the mailbox and quickly scanned the contents. She didn’t receive much mail and she wished she hadn’t gotten this piece either. It was an evacuation notice. Apparently the owner planned to sell the condo and wanted her to vacate within two weeks. She’d moved with less notice, mere minutes, thanks to Ethan’s henchmen chasing after her, but she wasn’t ready for this one. She didn’t want to leave Paul.
She glanced around the condo to mentally tabulate what needed packing. Very little would go with her since the home came furnished. She had her clothes, a burned CD of her favorite classical music for working out, a few books. She had to travel light and kept a bag ready at all times.
The real question was should she go ahead and leave now? Things were getting dicey. She’d been in Colorado three weeks. That was plenty of time for Ethan to track her down. The longest she’d stayed anywhere was two months but the time in each location was getting shorter and shorter. She’d never gotten to know her neighbors or formed relationships with co-workers. There were a couple of girls at work she liked. And she was in danger of falling in love with Paul. She’d lost her mind, and certainly her edge of caution. Yes, she definitely needed to leave. She reached for her duffle that contained her new ID along with emergency provisions. She pulled out the envelope of cash and frowned. She didn’t have enough, but she would have to make do.
First, she had to tell Paul she was leaving. She owed him an explanation but it was a confrontation she dreaded.
She stuffed as much as she could fit into the bag then left the condo after a final look around. There was no sense in prolonging her stay by the full two weeks. What would fourteen days matter when she had to move either way?
As she pulled the door closed and turned the multiple locks Paul had install
ed she spotted him jogging up the main pathway of their complex. Her heart rate quickened at the sight of him. She didn’t want to tell him goodbye but she had no choice.
She waited on their joined front porch as he jogged up the walk and came to a huffing stop in front of her. He eyed her heavy bag warily and swiped his hand down his face. She bit her lip nervously as she waited for him to catch his breath.
“Going somewhere?” he asked finally. He sounded grim and resigned.
Olivia gave him a reluctant nod and handed him the letter from her landlord. She figured it would explain things better than she could. At least he would understand why she was leaving. He quickly scanned the letter and handed it back to her.
“You can’t go,” he stated firmly as he brushed past her and unlocked his door.
Olivia turned to follow him. “I have to. I’m being evicted so it’s a good time as any to leave. He’s going to catch up soon so I have to stay ahead of him.”
“You’re using this as an excuse, Liv.” He reached for the heavy bag and motioned for her to enter his condo. “You can’t keep running forever. At some point you have to stop and face this.”
Olivia shook her head firmly before he even finished. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. I can’t simply face him. No one can. He’s too smart and too twisted. I got away once but if he catches me again I’ll never get away. I have to go.” She reached for the bag but Paul held it away from her. She gave him a look of frustration. “Please, Paul, don’t do this.”
“Stay with me. Move in here. I already told you I’ll protect you. It’ll be easier if you’re living under my roof.”
“I can’t,” she whispered firmly.
“Why? Are you afraid?” he demanded sharply.
“Of course I’m afraid! He’ll kill you, Paul! Don’t you understand? It doesn’t matter that you used to be a cop; he’s ruined many cops with a few strokes of his keyboard. Nothing can stop him. All I can hope is to evade him long enough so he doesn’t catch up.”
Obviously Paul wasn’t as intimidated as he should have been. He crossed his arms over his chest and eyed her grimly. She had a feeling he wouldn’t give up until he heard her say what he wanted. “Tell me who he is, Liv. For that matter, tell me who you are. It’s time for you to come clean. Tell me everything.”
Again she shook her head. She was so afraid she was trembling. She knew Paul had good intentions but the truth would only involve him more and she couldn’t stand for Ethan to hurt him. Paul was too important to her and if Ethan had a clue of their involvement, that he’d touched her, kissed her – she shuddered at the thought. “I can’t,” she whispered desperately. “Don’t you understand? He’s psychotic and obsessive. He will kill both of us.”
Paul’s expression was grim. “So you’re going to let him win. I care for you; hell I may even be falling in love with you, and you’re just going to walk away because of some idiot.”
Olivia’s eyes filled with tears at his admission. “That idiot thinks he owns me!”
“Nobody owns you, honey. Come here.” Paul’s words had gentled and he pulled her into his arms. She went willingly even though she knew it was a mistake to depend so heavily on him. He pulled her close and tucked her head beneath his chin. It felt like home. She breathed in his scent as he rubbed his hands soothingly over her back. Slowly some of the tension eased out of her.
“Give me names, Liv. I can pull a few strings with my buddies on the police force. We’ll get a restraining order and find a way to put him behind bars. But you’re going to have to open up and trust me. You have to tell me everything. It’ll be okay, I promise.”
Olivia wanted to believe him but she knew better than to trust in fairy tales. Paul had no idea what he was up against. He was used to thieves and drug dealers. Ethan was no common criminal. He was a mastermind. “I’m not going to tell you, Paul,” she answered stubbornly as she pulled away. He didn’t allow her to break contact completely as he hung onto her hand. She met his gaze and hoped she could get through to him. He had to understand. “It’s for your safety and mine. The less you know, the less you can interfere. I can’t take the chance you’ll be attacked.”
She could see he wasn’t happy with her answer. “Fine, then let’s resolve another issue. Stay with me here. I have a spare bedroom. Don’t argue because I know you can’t afford to set up a new household – you’ve told me as much. You’ll be off the grid completely and never alone. I have better security than the rentals you’ve been staying in. Come on, Liv. Give us a chance. We have something special here and I don’t want you to disappear out of my life. Say you’ll stay.”
She was all set to say no. She had to look out for herself and couldn’t be responsible for anyone else. Yet it was the vulnerable look in his eyes that got to her and she found herself agreeing. “I shouldn’t.”
“You should.”
“This isn’t a good idea.”
“It’s the best idea, and you know it. You don’t have to run anymore.”
She wasn’t sure about that. She knew she was only delaying things by staying but she wanted to stay more than anything. She had a real weakness when it came to Paul Justice. “I can’t make any promises. And if I see anything suspicious, then I’m gone. Okay? We might only have a few days.”
Paul nodded, obviously glad for the small concession he’d won. “That’s good enough for me – for now. As long as you want to be with me. I don’t want you to feel forced. I may sound like I’m bullying you, but you have to be willing. You have to choose this.”
“I want you, Paul,” she admitted softly. She’d never felt this way about anyone, and never expected it to happen so quickly! She stood on the edge of a precipice; she’d gladly jump if Paul was there to catch her. “I don’t think anything can come of this thing between us but it’s nice to close my eyes and pretend this will last forever.” She eyed him with longing and he tugged her back into his strong arms. Of course she wanted to stay! But she knew it was stupid to grow complacent and to trust Paul to keep her safe. He couldn’t.
“You never know, maybe it will last forever. We’ll take it one day at a time.” He pulled back and grinned. “Come upstairs and let me show you to your room.” He carried her duffle and pulled her along behind him.
There were three doors at the top of the stairs. “This is your room here. It’s nothing fancy.” He strode into the room and set her bag on the bed. The room was small with a full bed covered with a beige quilt. The walls were a pale green. The only other pieces of furniture were a narrow dresser and a small bedside table with a lamp. The window shade was already pulled. “You can use the dresser; it’s empty. And let me know if you need a different pillow.”
Olivia threw him a grateful smile. “It’s perfect, Paul. Thank you.”
“Come on, let me show you the bathroom. I’ll clear out half the cabinet for you and show you where the towels are.”
She peeked into the masculine bathroom that had been recently updated. Twin sinks were set in the granite countertop. Intricate tilework accented the wall between the counter and mirrors. The shower was huge with dim lighting and several showerheads. She noticed a door in the side wall. It was partially opened and led into the master bedroom. She could see that it was neatly kept and decorated in dark shades of gray and tan.
Paul noticed the direction of her gaze. “That’s my room, straight across the hall from yours if you need anything. Get me up in the middle of the night if you have to; I’m a light sleeper. Now, if you’re done up here let’s go down to my office so I can give you a key and teach you about the security system.”
***
Eight months. She’d been gone eight months and nine days. Ethan peered at the clock; the second hand ticked off the sound in his head, cat-mouse, cat-mouse, cat-mouse, cat-mouse. He slammed the clock down in frustration. Eight months, nine days, and twelve hours since she snuck out the back halls of the hotel during that fundraiser. He never should have brought her there. The s
tupid event had been a bore and ended up costing him the only thing he really cared about.
His little butterfly was still gone and he was losing his grip on everything else.
Ethan swiped his hand down over his face in exhaustion. He couldn’t eat; he couldn’t sleep. His business holdings were being neglected. How could she possibly evade him for so long? Didn’t she realize how much she needed him? She couldn’t even dress herself properly without his help. Yet she was smarter than he realized. This game had shown him how resourceful she could be. She’d figured out some tricks of how to hide in plain sight. He couldn’t even find her with his careful system searches. There were no obvious patterns in what towns she chose. She didn’t use her name but that was a logical tactic. She changed her appearance every time she moved. He spread the pictures of her in her various disguises across his desk. Sometimes red hair, usually shades of brown. Never blonde. He picked up one of the pictures and studied her face. So ethereal. So defiant. He would have to teach her to submit to him again. The thought made him excited, but the excitement quickly deflated and he was left with a gnawing ache.
“Soon, Olivia, soon you will come home and you will fill this terrible emptiness you caused. We will be together forever and you’ll never leave me. I’ll make sure you never have the chance to fly away again.”
***
Olivia felt like she was playing house in Paul’s condo. She and Paul tiptoed around each other with extreme politeness. The romance seemed to be put on hold now that she was his houseguest. Once he dumped her bag on her bed upstairs, he hadn’t touched her since. Maybe he felt nervous about having her underfoot and disrupting his bachelor home. She definitely felt nervous about being there, and not because of Ethan. She wanted to please Paul yet she needed to remain self-sufficient. He was so determined to take care of her even though she wasn’t helpless. What did he expect of her? Her room was only a few steps away from his. How could she live so close to the man when she couldn’t get her mind off him? She wanted more from him but she didn’t know what exactly that more was. She wanted to be as close as possible without losing her freedom and giving him too much of herself. He seemed just as confused by their new situation – thus the tiptoeing.
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