Connections (14 page)

His blood rushed in his ears.
 
He could feel his heart pounding in his throat as his fist connected with Mr. Miller’s face.
 
A sickening yet satisfying crunch sounded and blood gushed from his nose, warm and sticky.
 
He tried to break away from Alex’s hold, but Alex gripped him tighter, shoving his forearm under Mr. Miller’s chin to push more of his body weight against him.
 
Alex was stronger than him, so it was relatively easy to keep him in place.

Just then he heard Olivia screaming at him.
 
“Alex!
 
A knife!”

He saw something silver flash out of the corner of his eye and he jumped back right before Mr. Miller could catch his side with a switchblade he’d pulled from his pocket.
 
It sliced his hand, but not too deep.

Mr. Miller waved his knife around in wild circles, making Alex think he’d never handled a blade before.
 
It was better for him, but he needed to be careful.
 
He had to get the weapon away.

Alex feigned to the man’s right side and just when Mr. Miller struck out, Alex switched directions and lunged to the left, reaching out to grab his arm.
 
Alex twisted his wrist until he cried out in pain and dropped the switchblade to ground.
 
Alex quickly kicked it away.

He heard sirens in the distance, approaching.

Twisting Mr. Miller’s arm behind his back, he shoved him face first into the refrigerator and growled, “It’s over, you fuck.
 
Give up.”

He continued to struggle but it was useless.
 
Alex had too good of a grip on him.

Alex looked over his shoulder, frantically searching for Olivia.
 
He saw her in the far corner of the room, her phone hanging limply in her hand, her eyes wide from shock.

“Did he hurt you?” Alex asked, his voice dangerously low.
 
Olivia shook her head and Alex felt relief so sweet it nearly brought him to his knees.
 
The fear he’d felt when he saw her…

It was what he imagined hell was like.

He’d never been so afraid.
 
Not even when his father had punished him.

He heard sets of heavy footsteps in the front shop and a moment later, four officers burst through the kitchen door, guns drawn cautiously, yelling at all of them to freeze.

Olivia pointed to Mr. Miller and said, “He’s there.”
 
Her voice shook and Alex twisted the man’s arm once more just for good measure before another officer stepped forward to detain him.
 
The moment he was free, Alex rushed to Olivia and she burst into tears when his arms came around her.

“Shhh, it’s over, darling,” he whispered, inhaling her soft scent.
 
He ran his good hand through her hair before glancing over her more thoroughly, making sure she truly hadn’t been hurt.

Thank God he’d gotten there when he did.
 
But he was so fucking angry with himself for not arriving sooner.

She sobbed into his chest for another moment before she remembered something.
 
Pulling back, she wiped her eyes quickly and grabbed his hand.
 
“Oh, Alex.
 
You’re bleeding!
 
Hold on.”

Olivia raced to a cabinet on the other side of the kitchen and Alex heard one of the officers reading Mr. Miller his Miranda rights as he handcuffed him.
 
A couple more officers entered the kitchen, assessing the scene.

“Sir, there’s an ambulance out front.
 
Would you like them to look at that for you?” one of them asked, pointing to the slice on his hand.

Alex shook his head.
 
“No, it’s not too deep,” he said right when Olivia pulled out her first-aid kit.

As she cleaned and bandaged his hand, he looked her over again, trying to assure himself that she was fine and out of harm’s way.
 
“Are you okay, Liv?” he asked softly, as officers milled around them.

“I will be,” she replied, attempting a shaky smile for him.
 
“It all just happened so fast.”

He nodded just as Mr. Miller was hauled out of the kitchen.
 
“Livy, please look at me,” he screamed as he passed by.
 
“Look at me!”
 
Fury burned in Alex but Olivia laid a gentle hand on his arm, shaking her head.
 
She never spared Mr. Miller another glance.

The next hour was spent giving statements to various officers.
 
When Olivia gave her account of what transpired, Alex struggled to keep his temper in check.
 
He wished now that he’d broken some more bones in that fucker’s body.
 
Olivia detailed the text messages that Mr. Miller had admitted to sending her and Alex handed over the knife that he’d been cut with.

“Look, I’ll be honest,” Officer Charleson said quietly once they were done giving statements.
 
“This guy’s only going to get a penalty fine and maybe six months to a year of jail time at most on battery charges.
 
I’ll have him put down to be evaluated at the psych ward, but you may want to think about taking out a restraining order in the mean time.”

Alex’s jaw clenched at the officer’s words, but he nodded.
 
He’d suspected as much.

The officers left shortly after and Olivia stood looking around her dirty kitchen.
 
By the looks of it, she hadn’t even started cleaning when that fucker came in.
 
Bowls and rags and utensils were scattered on the ground from their struggle.
 
Alex saw the blood from Mr. Miller’s broken nose smeared on the refrigerator and he took a rag and wiped it off before ringing out the rag in the sink.

Olivia had her arms wrapped around her body, but for the most part she seemed to be holding up well.
 
She just looked exhausted.

He approached her and her eyes darted up to his.

“Thank you, Alex.
 
I don’t know what would have happened if you…if—,” he cut her off when her voice shook, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her tightly against him.

They were quiet for a minute as they held one another, but eventually Alex leaned back.
 
“I’m going to take you back to my house and you’re going to take a nice long bath and relax.
 
I’ll come back to clean up, okay?
 
I don’t want you doing any of this right now.”

She shook her head.
 
“Let’s just go home, Alex.
 
I’ll close down the shop tomorrow so I can sort this all out.
 
I’ll call Alice and Sarah in the car.”

Alex nodded, “I’ll take tomorrow off so I can help you.”

Olivia bit her lip.
 
“You don’t have to do that, Alex.
 
I know how busy you are.”

“You’re way more important, Liv,” he murmured, smoothing back her hair.
 
“I want to.
 
Now let’s lock up and go.”

They were quiet on the ride back to Alex’s house, each lost in their own thoughts, and Alex only half-listened when Olivia called her employees to bring them up to speed.
 
It was only when they reached Alex’s front door that he remembered that they hadn’t had dinner.
 
“Are you hungry?” he asked Olivia, letting her inside.

She shook her head, “No, I just want that bath.”
 
He nodded, figuring as much, and he led her into the master bathroom.
 
He leaned over his rarely-used tub to turn on the valves and let the hot water stream down while Olivia went to the sink and brushed her teeth.

“Do you want to be alone?” he asked quietly, watching her.
 
She’d gone through a lot tonight.
 
He thought about how terrified she must have been when she realized Mr. Miller was stronger than her.
 
He felt another urge to find that low life and ram another fist into his face.

“No, of course not!” she protested, her eyes darting to his.
 
“Stay.
 
I just want to be with you right now.
 
I’m fine, Alex.”
 
She came to a stop in front of him and reached up to help him take off his jacket while his fingers went to her jeans.
 
They made quick work of their clothes and then stepped into the tub.
 
Olivia sighed at the warmth, maneuvering herself between Alex’s legs so that her back was to his chest.
 
She seemed to want comfort more than anything and Alex would gladly give it to her.

“Don’t get your bandage wet,” she reminded him, so he placed his arm on the ledge of the tub and buried his nose in her hair.
 
He had to keep telling himself that she was safe.

He recalled the fear he’d felt, the anger, the rage.
 
Everything he felt bubbled to the surface, making it hard to breathe, even when Olivia was safely cradled in his arms.

“I lost my fucking mind when I saw you tonight,” he murmured, his voice thick.
 
The water in the tub was getting too high so he turned off the faucet just as Olivia turned in his arms so she could see him better.

“It’s okay now, Alex,” she reassured him, her blue eyes shining up at his.
 
He soaked in every graceful line of her face.
 
He memorized the feel of her soft skin and the glow of her warm eyes.

“You’re so beautiful, Liv.
 
So goddamn beautiful,” he whispered, his throat tight, his heart squeezing in his chest.
 
He brushed his lips over hers gently, trying not to scare her after what she went through tonight.
 
“I’m so fucking crazy about you, darling.
 
And if anything had happened to you tonight, I don’t know what I would’ve done.”

“Alex.”
 
Water trickled off her skin when she raised her hand to stroke the side of his face.
 
He focused on her fingers moving softly over his cheek, his lips.

His heart pounding, he gazed down at her and finally said the words he often thought.
 
“I’m in love with you, Liv.
 
Completely in love with you.
 
I hope you know that.”

Her smile started slow but it soon shone on her face.
 
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself close, whispering in his ear, “I know, Alex.
 
I know.
 
I love you too.”

Her words were like a promise and she sealed it with a kiss.

And then that kiss turned heated.

Despite the crappy night she’d had and despite the crappy day that awaited her tomorrow, Olivia was happy.
 
Alex’s words floated around in her head on repeat.
 
I’m in love with you.
 
I’m in love with you.

She tilted her head back with a content sigh as Alex nibbled his way down her neck.
 
He was already hardening beneath her and she slipped her legs around his hips so that she straddled him comfortably.

“I was so scared, Liv.
 
I thought he hurt you,” he mumbled against her breast.
 
He took her nipple between his lips and she gasped.

“I’m okay, Alex,” she whispered, resting her forehead on his hair.
 
“He didn’t hurt me.
 
I’m okay.”
 
He continued to suckle her, only releasing her to switch breasts.

“He’ll never touch you again.
 
I promise you that, Liv,” he continued.
 
“I promise.”

“I know, I know.”

She pressed her hips down, seeking him.
 
But he leaned back with a loud sigh, wiping a hand down his face.
 
“We shouldn’t, darling.
 
Not tonight.”

She didn’t listen.
 
He seemed to think that she was fragile right now, but she wasn’t made of glass.
 
And while tonight had shaken her up, all she wanted to feel right now was Alex.
 
She wiggled against him, searching.
 
She finally reached down into the water to grasp his length, already fully erect in her hands, and then led him to her opening.

He slipped in a couple inches before he bucked out.
 
“Liv…” he said lowly in warning, his hands coming to grasp her arms.

“Alex, I’m fine!” she exclaimed, frustrated.
 
“I’m not broken.
 
I’m not going to break down.
 
I just want to feel you right now.
 
I need you.”

He studied her for a long moment before he gave in.
 
“Okay, let me just grab a condom.”

But Olivia was already shaking her head, slipping him back in between her folds.
 
He groaned, his head falling back.
 
“I got on the pill after that time in your kitchen.”

And with that, she pushed her hips down until he filled her completely.
 
She pressed her breasts to his chest and brushed her lips against his, not moving.
 
She clenched around him and he bucked in response, making them both moan.

They stayed in the water, simply kissing, connected.

After the night they’d had, it felt wonderful.
 
Beyond wonderful.

Water sloshed out the sides of the tub when they began moving against one another, but all too soon the water washed away her arousal, making the thrusts uncomfortable, forcing them to finish their bath and move into the bedroom.
 
They dried off quickly but Alex couldn’t keep his hands off her for too long.

The moment she climbed up onto his bed, he pounced.