All Good Things(61)

I shook the thought from my mind as I stared out the window of my office. Olivia was nothing like Lexie. Even I knew they were worlds apart, but I couldn't help but be weary of her regardless. She was female and I had learned the hard way how very conniving and ruthless females could be. Lexie had shown me just how heartless the female species were. Beneath their soft skin and wide eyes, they were little demons.

Since Lexie, I had been able to locate the demons they possessed in their eyes, I found greed disguised as love, and manipulation disguised as weakness. In most men, those things worked...but not me. Never again would a woman fool me. Lexie had nearly destroyed me, and yet, even as I searched for something untrue in Olivia, something that would light the much needed fire under my ass so I might regain my control and walk away from her...hell, I would fucking run from her if I could...but I couldn't. There was nothing amiss about her. She was an innocent in every aspect of the word.

Olivia was cautious of everything. She was cautious of me, and yet, she had given me so much more than she had ever given any other. The idea I was the only man on the face of the earth who had ever been inside her was mind-blowing. She was sweet and so fucking untainted by me. If I weren't so weak, I might walk away for her own damned good...but I couldn't. I just couldn't. She was unlike anyone I had ever pursued. She was good and kind and caring. And, she deserved so much more than me. I was poison to her. But, regardless of my toxicity, I was determined to flow through her veins. I wanted to possess her completely. I wanted her to want me, to rely on me, to need me. I had never wanted a woman with such completeness before. The thought terrified me. She terrified me.

I dragged a hand through my hair. My chest felt tight and my breaths were coming in shallow. What the hell had she done to me? How could I be feeling anything for her? My defenses were built so high and impenetrable she never should have found a way to weasel in. She never should have found a way to break through my barriers. But, she had. Somehow, she had found a way into my heart. I cared for her. That was obvious. It was not love. I was not capable of love, and I would never allow myself to live in such a delusional state as to believe I had somehow found the ability to love, but I did care. I cared more than I should.

I turned on my heel and marched out into the living room. My eyes quickly shot to the island where her still steaming bowl of soup sat with the spoon at its side. She hadn't even touched it. Where the fuck was she?

"Olivia?" I called. My eyes wandered to the stairs and I thought just maybe she'd gone to wait for me in my bed. I knew the thought was just wishful thinking. I had dismissed her when I had gone into my office. I told her to eat and leave. It was obvious she had taken one of my commands to heart, although it was not the one I would have preferred her to listen to. Damn! Why the hell did everything she do inflict feelings of intense frustration? The woman was impossible.

I pulled my phone from my pocket and called Olivia's number. It went to voicemail. My blood heated as my heart throbbed viciously in response to her rejection. Rather than pouring my anger out into her voicemail, I hung up and called Gabe.

"Mr. Rush," Gabe's line opened.

"Is she with you?" I snapped.

"Yes, Sir." Gabe said and I released a tight breath.

"Where are you taking her?"

"Home, Sir."

"Can you please put her on the line, Gabe."

"Yes, Sir."

There was muffling in the background as Gabe explained to Olivia I was on the phone, and I wanted to talk to her. My fingers twitched and my heart thundered.

"Mr. Rush," Gabe's voice came back on the line. "She does not wish to speak with you."

If I had thought I was angry before, I was livid now. I wanted to take her over my knee and spank her pretty ass until it was pink and tingling. "Make sure she gets home safely." I gritted my teeth as I spoke. "And, tell her I'm sorry."

"I will, Sir." I did not miss the surprise in Gabe's tone.

***

Gabe pulled up outside my condo and I sighed in relief. Part of me had been terrified Jace had somehow convinced him to turn around and take me back to his condo, but he hadn't. I didn't know if I was upset about that or not. Did he not want me there with him and if he didn't...then why was he calling? Was he mad I didn't eat the soup? If he was afraid of me going to bed without eating, then he was a fool. I was upset and I totally planned on eating away my frustrations with freshly baked brownies and a cup of white hot chocolate.

I reached for the door handle. "Thank you, Gabe."

"You are welcome, Olivia." He said with a glint in his eyes and a fondness in his tone I could not explain. Gabe had never looked at me like this.