LOGINChapter 211: Zane's POVThe only thing keeping me from dragging Olive out of that conference room the second I saw Antonio's hand on her shoulder was the knowledge that breaking my brother's fingers in front of half the office would be bad for business.Not impossible.Just bad for business.And I was trying to be better about separating my personal rage from professional decisions, trying to be the kind of man who could sit through a meeting without imagining all the ways I could make someone bleed, but fuck if Antonio wasn't making it difficult.I'd arrived late on purpose because I'd known what I'd find and I'd needed those extra ten minutes in my car sitting in the parking garage trying to talk myself down from doing something I'd regret, something violent and permanent that would feel good in the moment but cause problems later.My father was using Cole as a spy, I'd confirmed that much through my own sources over the past week, it wasn’t hard to tell the Maddox boy to spill out
Chapter 210: Olive's POVShe didn't look at anyone else, just walked straight toward the table and took the seat directly across from where I was sitting, her movements graceful and deliberate, her amber-green eyes finding mine and holding them as she said in that warm friendly voice, "Good morning, Olive."Like we were colleagues instead of whatever the hell we actually were."Elena," I managed to say.She smiled with that same smile from last night, the one that didn't reach her eyes, the one that said she knew exactly what she was doing and was enjoying every second of my discomfort, and she said, "I hope you're feeling better this morning. You seemed rather... upset when you left last night."There it was, the reference to me walking in on her and Zane, the reminder that she'd been there in his apartment in his arms exactly where I was supposed to be, and I said flatly, "I'm fine.""Good," Elena said, and her smile widened, "because I'd hate for there to be any awkwardness between
Chapter 209: Olive's POVThe office stared back at me like a graveyard as I stared into my computer as if I was reading but it was all a false pretense as I was avoiding the side glances from Sophia and the fact that Jessica had been passing through some series of apprehension because of the possible reason that Antonio might be showing himself today.But I wouldn't blame her because I knew I was once in those shoes before, and I knew her healing would take long, would take a very long time before she could look at him without her heart doing that stupid flutter thing that made you feel like you were thirteen again.I'd been there myself not that long ago, still was there if I was being honest, except my situation was infinitely more complicated than a simple crush on a charming hockey player who probably didn't even know Jessica existed beyond her excellent presentation skills.My situation involved near-death experiences and mysterious men watching from shadows and a brother I'd tho
Chapter 208: Olive's POVNot gently or carefully but wildly, desperately, like he was trying to prove something or claim something or make absolutely sure I understood that whatever was happening between us, whatever complications my mother was worried about, or my worries about Elena, none of it mattered compared to this.His other hand found my waist and pulled me flush against him and I couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't do anything except kiss him back while my mother watched and my face burned and something in my chest cracked open.When he finally pulled back his forehead rested against mine for just a second and he said quietly, "Take care of yourself," then pressed a softer kiss to my cheek before turning and leaving.The door closed behind him with a soft click and I stood there in my living room with my face red and eyes wide and heart racing, completely unable to process what had just happened.My mother stared at me and started, "How DARE he—""He saved Grayson's c
Chapter 207: Olive's POVZane insisted on driving me home and I didn't argue because I couldn't argue when my hands were still shaking and my brain kept replaying the moment that Range Rover had come barreling toward me with what felt like deliberate, murderous intent that made my stomach turn.The drive was quiet in that heavy way where neither of us knew what to say, and Zane kept glancing at me like he was checking to make sure I was still there, still breathing, still okay despite everything that had just happened, and his hand rested on my thigh the whole time, warm and steady and grounding in a way that made me feel like maybe I could survive this.I let it stay there because I needed something solid to hold onto, something real that told me I'd survived and that I was safe even though I knew the worst probably wasn't over, not by a long shot.When we pulled into my building's parking garage Zane killed the engine but didn't move to get out, just sat there for a moment before sa
Chapter 206: Olive's POV"An accident," I repeated, and my voice was shaking now, control slipping. "A car tried to hit me. Black Range Rover. Ran a red light going full speed right at my door. I reversed and it—it hit someone else. There's smoke. The person's trapped. I think it might explode. I don't—I don't know what to do.""Where are you?" Zane's voice had shifted completely now, all the desperation gone, replaced by something hard and commanding and focused. "Olive, where are you right now?"I looked around through the windshield, trying to focus past the panic and the shaking and the image of Alonso's face burned into my brain.A billboard on the corner advertising insurance.A street sign barely visible in the darkness."Pike and Fifth," I managed. "The intersection. I'm still in my car. I can't—my hands won't—""Stay in the car," Zane said, and his voice was steady now, grounding, the kind of calm authority that cut through my panic. "Keep your doors locked. Don't get out. Do
Chapter 39: Olive's POVZane got me the apartment in less than twenty-four hours.I still didn't know how he'd pulled it off—called in favors, threw money around, threatened someone, probably all three—but here I was. Standing in my first real apartment. My space. My name on the lease.The cleaning
Chapter 45: Olive's POVFifteen years ago, I was nine.Walter had gotten Klaus his first car—a sleek silver thing that Klaus treated like it was made of gold. Klaus was always the favorite. I'd known it from the beginning, even when I was too young to understand what favoritism really meant.Walter
Chapter 41: OLIVE's POV"Stock's been climbing like crazy and I don't know, this whole board meeting thing involves us somehow."Brenda was speed-walking down the hallway, iPad bouncing against her chest, heels clicking against the polished floor. I followed behind, trying to match her pace while m
Chapter 44: Olive's POVHow do you describe the look on someone's face when their entire world is about to collapse?Because that's what I saw on Walter's face the second Zane's car pulled into the driveway."God. Fuck. He's here." My father's voice cracked, and suddenly he was clawing at the banda







