Always with You - Part One (The Bad Boys #4.1)
Author: M. Leighton
CHAPTER ONE
Olivia
I curl my fingers into the neck of my shirt as I slide down the back of the closed bathroom door. My brain is running in circles trying to make sense of what just happened, but it seems to be the slowest of my organs. My heart is pounding, my lungs are heaving and every muscle and nerve in my entire body is trembling, I think.
I close my eyes and fight back tears. When a soft knock thuds on the door behind me, I don't even move. It's all I can do to get my voice back online.
"Just a minute," I say in as normal a tone as I can muster.
"It's me, babe. Can I come in?"
My chest squeezes painfully, protectively around my aching heart. "C-can you give me just a minute?"
"Yes, I'll give you a minute. I'd give you the world if you asked me for it. You know that, right?"
My eyes burn like fire. "Yes, I know that," I force out, even though I feel doubtful and betrayed at the moment.
There's a pause, during which I hear nothing on the other side of the door. I know Cash is still there. Not only have I not heard him walk off, but I can feel him through the wooden barrier, like heat beckoning my cold soul toward it.
And then I hear his quiet words. "I love you, Olivia Davenport. You're the most important person in my life. Now. Always."
Tears spill from between my tightly-closed lids. "I-I love you, too."
"Please let me in. I want to hold you. I need to hold you."
I'm just starting to push to my feet when I hear another familiar voice. I smile through my tears.
"Move it, sweetie. This is best friend territory. I'll come get you when it's all clear." Cash makes no response, but I can imagine him glaring at Ginger. I hear a soft rustling sound followed by Ginger's hushed, "God, what are you made of? Lead?"
She's probably trying to push him out of her way, which wouldn't be easy. Not even for a large man would that be an easy task. Cash is still a six foot-five inch wall of broad chest, thick arms, strong legs and lean muscle.
"I'm not leaving until she lets me in," Cash says, determination hardening his voice.
"Just let me talk to her first. Trust me. It's better this way. Now out of my way, Thor."
I hear a grunt and then the doorknob rattles. "Liv, let me in. I've got something very important to tell you," Ginger says. I know it's a ruse, but honestly, I'd rather talk to her for a minute before I see Cash anyway. Somebody needs to talk me down off this ledge of insecurity.
I reach up and twist the lock, leaning away from the door just enough that Ginger can open it a crack and squeeze through. She immediately closes and locks it, then slides down to sit on the floor beside me.
"Phew! Got my workout trying to move the barbarian out of the way. He was not to keen on letting me in here first."
"Yeah, I heard."
She turns to look at me. "He's over the moon for you, you realize that, right?"
I nod hesitantly.
"I mean, the guy doesn't even look at my ass when I walk by. He's definitely off the market."
I smile a little. "Is that the true test of a man's level of taken-ness?"
She frowns as though my question is absurd. "Of course. What hot-blooded man wouldn't at least take a peek at a world class ass as it goes by?"
"Blind ones?"
"Exactly!" she replies emphatically. "Blind ones or extremely taken ones. Hell, even gay men look at my ass. I mean, have you seen my ass?"
"As a matter of fact I have. It's quite dazzling."
"See? And you're a straight, taken woman. It's irresistible." She shrugs. "Just the way it is."
"Is that what you had to tell me that's so important?"
"No, I was pretty sure you already knew that."
I nod. When she doesn't continue, I prompt. "Well?"
"Oh, I just wanted to tell you that Sophie is a conniving whore and we can't trust her."
Although I love Ginger's assessment of her, I wonder what makes her feel that way, other than womanly solidarity.
"What makes you say that?"
She shrugs again. "Intuition I suppose. Something about her … those eyes maybe. I can tell she's up to something. Something not good."
"But what?"
"I can't be sure yet, but the most obvious thing would be that she wants your man."
My heart stutters in my chest. "And do you think that's possible?"
Please say no! Please say no!
My gut tells me that Cash is mine-heart and soul, always and forever. Like I am his. But this whole thing with being unable to get pregnant has my emotions in such turmoil, my heart isn't as certain as it once was. I feel so insecure. So inadequate. Like I've disappointed him, even though he's told me a thousand and one times that his life will be perfect, with or without a baby.