Confessions and Olivia (Olivia #2) (25 page)

She looked into Mauricio eyes, feeling nothing but pure hatred for the man she had married.

“You make me sick.” She snarled and from the back of her throat she mustered up whatever she had their and spat it, right into his face. He stepped back shocked, wiping the spit out of his eyes with two fingers. She ran out of dining room with Mauricio calling after her.

“Ronnie, you leave this house
you can kiss goodbye to your daughter.”

Veronica halted to a stop in the hallway. The blood rushing from her face.

She felt Mauricio’s presence behind her. He wrapped his arm around her waist lewdly. She winced in disgust, closing her eyes as her body stilled in pain.

“
You touch a hair on my daughters head and I’ll…”

“Yo
u’ll what?” he grinned against her neck. She closed her eyes, despising his contact and silently cried. She had no power over her husband. What could she do? Other than stay and make sure her daughter stayed alive.

Sophia had been eavesdropping on the stair case when Mauricio finally emerged, she followed her dad.

"What will you do to her?" she held back her own tears asking of Olivia’s fate. She didn’t want to seem weak in front of her father. Not now.

Mauricio sighed while he turn
ed to face his beloved daughter. "Sophia my darling daughter, the only daughter I can ever rely on. Please, don’t ask questions you really don’t want to know the answer to. Now hurry, I want you Italy by morning.”

"But she hasn’t done anything dad, she’s your daughter for Christ sake."

He shook his head disagreeing. “Not now Sophia, she’s chose her path. She’s chosen to be with him.”

Sophia tried with no hope in hell to change her father’s mind. If anyone could do it, it would be her, the apple of his eye.

"Yes and they’re making a life for themselves now dad. Calvin loves Olivia, any fool can see that. Just leave them alone, they’re no threat to you. Calvin’s done with this, can’t you see that?"

"Oh he’s far from done Sophia, all this is because of him and his brother, and he knows it. They started this, so as always, I’ll finish it. I killed them boy’s parents and you think they’re done? They won’t stop. I know I wouldn’t, would you?" Mauricio went deep in thought like he was mustering u
p a plan. “No you wouldn’t stop, and they are not standing in my way any longer. When I’m done with them, both will be begging to join their unfortunate parents in hell, and I’ll gladly oblige."

Sophia couldn’t believe how cruel her own father had been
. She was revolted, but still, it was her father and she would always take his side. She had her suspicions about Calvin a long time ago but kept it quiet thinking it may only be her imagination. Plus, she wanted to see her step sister happy. "And what about Olivia?" She asked again choked up.

"She’s made her bed." He shrugged coolly, brushing past her.

Sophia inhaled sharply. She didn’t really know what to think, or to say. She knew full well what her father had done was damn right wrong. It was sickening. She felt guilt stricken towards Olivia. She was even second guessing her own beliefs due to her father’s mind games. Was it because he could see Olivia slipping from his grip? That he acted this way? After all, Mauricio loved nothing more than control, and he could control Olivia no more. What if Sophia had done the same? She shook that thought away, no, he wouldn’t go after Sophia because she wouldn’t disobey him in such a way. Sure she dated guys but always tried to keep it on the low. She worked for her father like he’d asked. She never bothered with college like he’d asked and obeyed to his every command. Yes, he’d poisoned her mother against her but she didn’t know her mother to make a judgment for herself and was always told never to ask Elise. Was that why Mauricio had always clung on to Olivia? Because he had no grasp on Elise? Deep down, did he feel any emotion at all?

Sophia went to find Veronica and found her at the ba
r in the games room. She had stopped crying, instead she stared blankly into the bottom of an empty glass. Her life in turmoil.

Veronica didn’t look up when Sophia sat opposite her on a stool. Her world had fallen apart and she didn’t know whether she was going to be strong enough to cope with it all. Cope with finding
out her husband was a murderer. Her daughter had gone because she knew how much of a monster Mauricio was and she wasn’t there for her. She stayed with that bastard instead of leaving with her daughter, even after Olivia’s pleas, because she believed Mauricio all along.

Sophia plucked up the courage to say some
thing she knew she might regret while Veronica poured herself another vodka.

"Maybe dads right Ron, Olivia brought this on herself." Sophia couldn’t believe them words had come out of her own mouth, but she knew fighting against her dad wasn’t the way forward. Had Mauricio got inside her head that much to betray her step sister?

Veronica came out of her heartache coma. Her eyes rolled over towards Sophia wrathful.

"Can you hear yourself? That’s your
step sister you’re talking about. My fucking daughter! She doesn’t deserve this, neither does that poor boy. And now me? I can’t even go outside my front door because your father has chosen to keep me here, and you stand there suggesting he might be right? You don’t know what the fuck your saying you stupid girl." The thought of Sophia even contemplating that her dad was right in what he was doing was an outrage and it sickened her. She pointed towards Sophia with her vodka in hand appalled.

"Are you that captivated by father’s life that you think what he’s doing is right?"

Sophia placed her head in her hands. "I don’t know what to think anymore."

Veronica looked over at her but felt no pity, especially to what had come out of her mouth.

"You... are just like your father," She snarled, taking her vodka and knocking it back.

"That’s not true." Sophia whimpered.

"Yes it is! Betraying Olivia like that, how dare you. I should have known how cruel and cold blooded you’d end up! Always a brat when you were younger. Always got your own way didn’t you Sophia. Just like my bastard of a husband." Veronica new she’d had way too much alcohol in the short space of time but what she said, was said and she meant every word. No amount of alcohol would make her say those things she didn’t mean. They came from deep within.

"Not Elise though. My beautifu
l Elise. I thought she was being difficult at first, now I know why she distanced herself from this family. From your dad. Wait until she hears about what you just said, about what your dad has done!"

“Ronnie that isn’t fair.”

“Fair?” Veronica yelled. “You want to talk about what isn’t fair? Forcing my daughter to leave isn’t fucking fair. Leaving them children without a mother or father isn’t fair. And you want to talk about what’s fair to you? You have been given everything Sophia, everything. What did them poor boys get? A broken home, a broken heart. All down to that monster you call father.” She slammed the glass down onto the bar in fury.

“You’ve been given everything to Ronnie, you and Olivia. If it wasn’t for my dad, you would still be living in
damp run down hostel, and still working as a stripper!”

“How dare you!” Veronica gasped.

“Well it’s true,” Sophia stood and straightened up. “My dad took pity on the beautiful poor stripper and her child. If he knew you would have been this ungrateful I bet he would have left you there.”

Veronica screamed back in rage, staggering over to Sophia. “I wish he would have left me there if it meant that I’d avoid marring a killer. You evil bitch. Get out of my sight Sophia, before I do something I will regret. Go on, fuck off to Italy.”

Sophia turned and left in haste. She wasn’t sure whether she wanted to cry or scream in rage. She had always got on with Veronica. She was like a mother to Sophia.

What the hell made her say those things. She needed to leave. She needed space and time to think. Home was not a place to be right now.

"Good riddance." Veronica mumbled under her breath staggering back to the bar to fill her glass up again with straight vodka. She wanted her mind numb.

How could she be so stupid? How could she be married to this for so long and take everything in her stride? How could she let this go on and think it was alright. How could she
push her own daughter away for that man? She should have protected her, instead, she chose that fucker of a husband over her own daughter. How did he keep her under his control for so long?

Those
thoughts swam around and around in her head. She knew what she needed to do. She needed to get away from here, she needed to get to Olivia. She needed to figure out how.

Elise,
she thought.

Chapter Twenty Three*

“Calvin, sweet heart, I wish you’d stay. You’ve only just got here.”

Calvin glances over Hazels shoulder to Ashton as he gives his gran a hug. Ashton is staying here with his grandparents. Calvin is yet to tell me why we’re leaving in haste though.

“Olivia, my sweet, sweet, girl. Will you tell him?” I smile warmly as it’s my turn to hug her goodbye.

“Hazel, I’m sorry. I’d stay here forever if I could.” We say our goodbyes before getting into Calvin’s Bentley.

When we climb in Calvin ignores my angst and try’s to divert my attention with a surprise.

“Look on the back seat, Ashton went into town and grabbed it for you.”

I turn cautiously to look in the back seat and see a
white box. I reach over to grab it and realize it’s a new iPhone.

“He got this for me?” Yes I am incredibly surprised.

“Yeah, he thought you could do with a new one.” He shrugs. He’s being cold with me but I try to put it down to my paranoia.

I look at the box. More overwhelmed by unusual gesture from Ashton.

“Wow, tell him thank you.”

“You have your sim card right? Just put it and everything will be back on your phone, like your old one.”

Thank god. I have a phone back. I feel disconnected from everyone without it. Never mind thinking I would have lost all my memories. Photos, messages, everything. Now I have it all back.

I get to work, opening the box and sorting everything out.

Yes. Calvin is right, I have my cell back. Well not mine, by everything on it.

“Please, just don’t call anyone Olivia, not yet.” Calvin's plea is more a warning.

“Why?” I ask vacantly as I'm about to call Tyler, but Calvin nudges the phone out of my hand.

“Because I said. Will you just listen to me?”

I exhale deeply at his abruptness and look away from him. I could do without the strained atmosphere he's setting. I need him to reassure me not act with distance.

He eventually sighs out of guilt, placing his free hand on my thigh. “Look, my cell was tracked just now. They would have tracked it to my grans. That’s why we had to leave. I have it on me now so they can follow it. I'm going to lead there trail away from my grans and I’ll get rid of it as soon as we're far enough.”

“It was tracked? Mauricio?” I gasp in horror.

“Yeah, by that mother fucker when he answered.”

My stomach tightens and swirls at the thought of Mauricio following us. What would have happened if they went to Calvin’s grandparents’ house? I can’t bear it.

T
hat’s why my mom hasn’t called me? He has her phone so she can't call me. She must know what he’s trying to do by now? She must know that he’s trying to find Calvin and Ashton.

“Is that why Ashton stayed behind?”

“Just in case.” Calvin nods. “He will meet back up with us though. He’s going to take my grandparents somewhere safe. Suggest a small getaway.”

The tone he continues to ta
ke with me is hitting a nerve.

“Does Mauricio know why you’ve been messing with him?”

Again, he answers dryly. “I don’t know, I don’t think so. Not yet, but he will. And we’ll be waiting.”

He repeats what Ashton had
previously said confirming the worst for me.

“You said you did
n’t want to carry on with this. You said you didn’t want it to come between us.” My voice is weak and he ignores me. His grip tightens around the steering wheel instead.

I try again.
“Calvin you said...”

“I know what I said!” he shouts loudly making me jump out of shock. He quickly realizes what he’s done and tries to apologize profusely.

“Shit, Olivia. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Stop the car!” I demand punching the dash board.

He blinks rapidly. “What? We’re on the freeway I can’t do that.”

“Stop the fucking car Calvin!” I scream on outrage, and he momentarily obliges, pulling over.

As soon as the car breaks, I jump out slamming the door on Calvin calling me.

I begin to march up the side of the freeway, furious at everything. How dare he speak to me like that? Acting like this is all my fault.

“Olivia, what the hell are you doing? Are you trying to get yourself killed?” He catches up to me but I don’t stop marching.

“Would you care?” I yell back at him. He yanks my elbow, forcing me to face him.

“What the hell are you talking about? Don’t ever say something like that. Of course I’d care, have you gone insane?”

I swat his hand away from
my elbow and push my air out of my face. “Would you blame me if I had? I’m not going any further with you until you drop the attitude you have with me. Is this how it’s going to be from now on?”

He recoils perplexed like he hasn’t a clue what I’m talking about. “Like what?”

I scoff at his obliviousness. “Georgia was right wasn’t she, you will never be able to see past the fact I lived with your parent’s killer. I will always remind you of it.”

Calvin turns away from me and yells out of frustration. “No Olivia, that’s not true. I’ve told you this.”

“Then why are you acting like this towards me. You’re acting like I’m a nuisance. Like I’m some sort of burden.” I know the last thing I need is to be arguing with Calvin, but I need to have this out with him. Maybe I am a burden. I mean, I'm the only obstacle in the way of him killing Mauricio. What if he hates me for that?

Calvin takes
carful steps towards me and caresses my face.

“Listen to me and listen good because I’m only going to say this once more. Whatever Mauricio has done, has no effect on the way I feel towards you. Nothing he will continue to do, will affect the way I feel for you. Nothing! I may seem pissed and I’m sorry but I didn’t intend to take it out on you. I love you, so stop with the sulking.”

“I’m not sulking.”
I sulk,
pushing his hands away from my head.

Calvin smirks and bends down to kiss me. We get a few honks from cars but I blissfully ignore them.

“Now will you get back in the car and do as you’re told.”

I raise my eyebrow at Calvin’s assertiveness. “Bossy aren’t you.”

“You better believe it.” He winks playfully smacking my backside. This matter still isn’t finished with. He always fogs my mind with a touch of his lips but I still have this matter in the back of my memory and I will hold him to it.

We’ve been driving for around four hours. Calvin has disposed of his cell. I have no idea where we are and I’m so tired. “You wanna bed down for the night?” Calvin asks me rubbing my knee with his free hand. He never let's go.

“Sure.” I yawn loudly.

“There’s a place a couple more miles up the road. It won’t be nice but it’s a bed and
it’s where I told Ashton we'd be.”

“I don’t care where Calvin, you need to sleep too.”

We pull up outside a rundown looking motel. There is only two cars in the parking lot and I can already see why.

We ge
t inside and see a middle age bold man behind a brown warn out desk. He doesn’t look up when we arrive. He’s too engross in playing candy crush. Calvin clears his throat loudly making the man suddenly flick up his eyes. “Oh, I’m sorry. Level seventy five. Hard one.”

I look over to Calvin who’s smirking the same as me.

“You want a room?”

Ca
lvin answers a little humorous. “That’s the idea.”

The bold man’s cheeks turn bright red and he smiles weakly at me. He nods and turns his back to reach for a key. “Number thirteen is available. It’s just outside, third door.
One night only or?”

“I hope it’s only for one night.” Calvin scoffs.

The man’s bushy brow rises suggestively, as he twirls his tongue in his cheek. “Oh, I get it. Late night pit stop.” He then wolf whistles making me giggle childishly. I look over to Calvin who is not amused. He swipes the key out of his hand and throws down some cash.

 
“Thank you.” I tell him on an appreciative smile while Calvin marches me out.

“I felt quite sorry for him.”
I smirk.

“Olivia
, you feel sorry for everyone.”

***

“It’s disgusting.” I complain as I take in my surrounding's. The room is dark and dingy and the smell resembles sewage. The dusty brown curtains have slits in them which to me, look like peep holes. There isn’t a separate living space to the bedroom either, everything is in the same room. There is a brown two seated couch which has seen better days, an armchair, and an old box TV and a bed. My shoes are sticking to the blue tiled floor as I walk squelching and the yellow wallpaper on the walls is peeling away at the edges.

My eyes stare at the bed wide and horrified. It’s a double with a brown itchy look blanket.

“I did tell you this,” Calvin chuckles at my reactions, taking off his knitted jumper leaving him in his loose t-shirt. He sighs wrapping me up in his arms. “You want to go? Keep driving until we find some place better?”

“No, I don’t want you driving any longer. Here will be fine, plus, you said Ashton was meeting us here.” I’m regrettably grumpy. I know he’s doing his best for me and I don’t want to seem ungrateful. I think to myself, its only one night and we need the rest.
I can do this.

“Another reason this place is perfect, is because they won’t think to look here.” He shrugs almost amused but apologetic.

I take a seat on the end of the bed next to Calvin. “Why are we running?”

He turns to face me taking h
old of my hand that’s in my lap. “Olivia, what else do you suppose I do? You know, if it wasn’t for you I would go to Mauricio and save him the fucking trouble in trying to find us. I’d kill the mother fucker myself.” That’s what I was afraid of hearing. “I want to keep you safe, and if it means taking you away. Then that's what I’ll do.”

“Why he is trying to find us?”

“The only reason he is trying to track us down is to kill me and Ashton. Why else.” He says it so calmly like he isn’t bothered in the slightest.

“Kill you?” I feel sick saying the words. I whisper them trying to ignore the cramp in my stomach.

“Yes. He probably would have worked out what we have on him by now. And he won’t let it lie. That’s not the man he is.” He kisses my cheek and along my jaw. Trying to distract me from the conversation.

I tilt my head to the side, unwillingly away from his mouth to focus. He is so unruffled by this and I have no idea how because I am secretly petrified for him. For us. “So what? We run for the rest of our lives?” We can’t do that.

“No. We’ll work something out. I just need time.” He pulls my chin to face him with his index finger and slides my hair behind my ear, then strokes my ear lobe as he does. It sends shivers down my spine but I’m not done talking. I hate that this seems to be for me. That we are running to protect me.

“If you didn’t come back for me, you could have carried on. You would have killed him by now and got on with your life.”

“Don’t say that!” He scolds me taking his hand away from me and bows his head down, looking between his parted legs. I shift to face him.

“It’s true. I’m in your way. I should just leave. Let you and Ashton carry on.”

I don’t want them to, I don’t want them to stoop to Mauricio’s level but at the same time I can’t endure the thought of Ashton and Calvin letting him get away with what he has, just because of me? This is the man that killed their parents. They will not let this go, and with me out of the way, it will be easier. Wont it?

Calvin jumps up of the bed i
n anguish and glares down at me. “Stop thinking all these stupid things!”

“Why? If I left wouldn’t it be better for you? I was just part of your plan wasn’t I? I don’t see how you can stop wanting to get revenge just because of me.”

He closes his eyes briefly like the thought of me leaving him destroys him.
It destroys me.

“Don't say that,”

“I'm just thinking if...”

“Well don't,” he disputes, “You’re not ever leaving me Olivi
a. Don’t you get it? You are my life now. I have never had a real purpose for life. I gone through life acting without a care in the world because it’s just that, I had no care in the world. I had no one to care for. Sure I have Ashton, my grandparents, but what else did I have? I lived for either blocking out my parent’s murder or trying to seek revenge for them. What life is that? Drinking, playing poker, getting in to fights? Trying to get information on my parents. That was my life. Every fucking day. You think I liked living like that? When you came into my life something changed. Yes you were part of my chance to break him down from the start, but there was that something else. I didn’t take you to meet my grandparents as part of the plan. I didn’t invite you to Vegas as part of the plan, and I didn’t give you that necklace for nothing either,”