Ashamed she’d reverted to one of her mother’s techniques, she sank back a step. His agony-filled face started to blaze with color, making Olivia’s eyes widen. Instead of fearing he might cry, she suddenly worried he would attack. His nostrils flared and his eyes cleared, turning a hard, dangerous black.
"That’s it," he said from between his clenched teeth. "You’re getting the hell out of here. Right now. I don’t care if I have to drive you to California myself. Get your things. You’re leaving."
Olivia blinked rapidly, trying to beat down the sudden urge to weep. She felt awful. God, why hadn’t she slapped him instead? She must be the lowest life form on earth, worse than the scum that grew on pond scum.
"I...I don’t have anything," she whispered, her voice small and timid.
"Just my top." She looked down at the baggy shirt adorning her body. "What about your—"
"Keep it," he bit out. "Go get your top and let’s go. Now."
Not wanting to argue, Olivia rushed back to the room where she’d spent the night in his arms. As she snagged the piece of black leather off the bed, she caught sight of the empty condom wrapper on the floor. It had been intended for his use, and he had indeed used it. Suddenly sick, she glanced away.
If Vivian found out about this, she’d be thrilled. The one time Olivia had tried to break free, she’d ended up doing exactly what her mother wanted. Her stomach roiled; she thought she might vomit.
She’d been a fool to attempt rebellion.
Tucking the bustier under her arm, she rushed from the room and away from the glaring reminder of her failed try at a new start.
Cameron stood waiting by the opened front door, impatiently jiggling his keys. He stormed outside when he saw her, and Olivia followed.
He drove them to the airport in stony silence. Too miserable to speak, she remained mute.
She was returning to Vivian. Dear Lord, she had to go back.
Shadowing her the entire way, Cameron accompanied Olivia to the front desk to buy a ticket. When she heard the price, she counted the cash on her and was panicked when she discovered she didn’t have enough money, not by half.
Grumbling, Cameron jerked his wallet from his back pocket and paid her fare. He didn’t glance at her once as he did so. Olivia didn’t bother to thank him. She instinctively knew he’d only snap at her if she tried.
After that, he escorted her to her terminal. She bit her lip as she walked beside him, unable to understand why he was being nice to her when he was still obviously so mad. His presence comforted Olivia, though. Glad she wasn’t by herself and grateful he was being considerate despite his animosity, she hovered next to him and tried to think up something to say.
Realizing this was the last time she’d see him, she lifted her face. Maybe it was the physical intimacies they’d shared, but suddenly she felt a connection to him. She didn’t want to leave. She was going to miss him. Last night had been nice.
He’d been the best time she’d ever had.
She didn’t want his abhorrence. She wanted to somehow fix the rift. When they called her flight, she bit her lip. Now or never.
"I’m sorry," she said quietly and a little desperately. "It was a stupid thoughtless thing to say." He refused to meet her gaze, and Olivia swallowed her disappointment. "I didn’t mean it. I just...I—"
"I’ll have my lawyer send you the papers through the mail," he said, then turned and stalked off only to pause a few feet later and pivot back. "You’re positive you’ll be okay? If you’re that scared of her, I can—"
"I’ll be fine," Olivia said, her eyes opening wide at his way-too-kind offer. She waited until he nodded and turned away again before she blinked back the tears.
As she watched him walk out of her life, her shoulders slumped. He might’ve been the one man she’d wanted to avoid, but he’d given her something no one else ever had: a night full of hope.
~ ~
Pasadena, California
Nauseated, Olivia stepped from the back seat of her mother’s town car and shivered as a chill of dread raced up her spine. She murmured a thank you to the butler who held open the door for her and then paused to stare up at the house.
The adobe-styled mansion with its clay-shingled roof was the only home she’d ever known. She’d grown up here. So why did it feel more like she was returning to a prison she’d tried to escape? Why didn’t she look forward to going inside her own home?
Because Vivian was in there.
Honestly, though, Olivia didn’t know where else to go. She had no close friends that would take her in. There wasn’t any family left that would claim either Vivian or her daughter and, well, that was about it.