His gaze cut up.

Anger and frustration gone, hunger all there was in her expression.

She felt him hard against her thigh.

And she wanted that too.

His hold loosened. "Climb on, Olivia."

There was no war as to who would be on top, not this time. Necessity dictated she take the top unless he wanted her on the floor (and in that room he would absolutely not take her there) or again at the wall and he was in the mood to watch.

But they were them. The war was had, this being who got to pull and tug what piece of clothing on the other.

But he got her skirt up, her panties off and she got his c.o.c.k out.

Then she got it in her.

She could have the top.

But he was taking control.

And he did. To her eyes widening, her c.u.n.t soaking, his hand fisted in her hair, his other arm around her waist driving her down on him as he thrust up.

He shoved her head to his, their foreheads colliding.

She held on to his shoulders, as he moved her on him, moving under her, Olivia bucking through the ride, their gazes locked.

"Sebring," she breathed.

That was the first time she gave him that.

He liked his name on her lips when his c.o.c.k was inside her way too much. So he angled his head and took her mouth.

They kissed.

They f.u.c.ked.

They came.

A live s.e.x scene played out behind a one-way window as they did it and neither of them paid any attention.

They had both come down, he was still inside her and holding her, his hand now gentle in her hair, having allowed her to slide her forehead to his shoulder.

"I won't f.u.c.k him," she whispered.

He relaxed.

Completely.

And gave her a squeeze.

A G.o.dd.a.m.ned squeeze.

He couldn't stop it.

He knew why. He knew it. He knew he was f.u.c.ked by it.

He shouldn't care who she f.u.c.ked.

But he did.

It wasn't (all) about going ungloved.

It was much more than that.

f.u.c.k.

s.h.i.+t.

f.u.c.k.

Yeah, he was drowning.

And he had to resurface.

Soon.

Chapter Eleven.

A Perfect G.o.dd.a.m.ned World Olivia 12:32 Friday Afternoon I sat across from Georgia at Rioja, barely having my a.s.s to the chair and my purse set aside before I grabbed my napkin to shake it out and put it on my lap. This was my indication, regardless that she chose Rioja, a place I'd normally wish to linger, that I wanted this to go quickly.

"David's disappeared."

At her announcement, I casually finished laying my napkin on my lap and shared, "Not surprisingly, since he'd like to be somewhere far away to enjoy the seven million six hundred twenty-three thousand, two hundred forty two dollars he stole from us."

Her brown eyes went wired and her mouth got tight.

Georgia and I shared Dad's straight black hair and olive skin. She got his brown eyes. Mom's eyes were blue. I had no idea where my eyes came from. I just always liked the fact that there was something of mine that was none of theirs.

"I just finished finding it all half an hour before I left for lunch," I went on. "And at this point, as petty as it is, considering I've been sharing my concerns about David for years, I would very much like to say 'I told you so.'"

"Please be careful, Liv. I'm suddenly not in a good mood."

I wisely decided, considering her moods occasionally could be like our father's, to be careful. Thus I looked away, seeing a waitress coming our way.

Georgia already had a martini.

I ordered sparkling water with lemon and lime and a gla.s.s of Prosecco.

"I would suggest that as soon as possible Gill and or Tommy are dispatched to bring him back. And it would be helpful when they did that they bring back as much of our money as they can," I stated when the waitress moved away.

My sister's still angry eyes narrowed on me.

"Tommy?"

I tipped my head to the side. "He does need more responsibility, doesn't he? Seeing as he has a growing family he needs to take care of. It's time he stopped stagnating and moved up the ranks."

Anger and sisterly tenderness warred in her features as she started, "Liv-"

I turned my attention to my menu. "Let's order. I have a good deal to do and I have plans this evening."

She said nothing. The waitress came back with my drinks. We ordered.

Then she said something.

"It's been years. And now you're over Tommy that easily?" she asked, watching me closely.

"I'll never be over that," I answered then went on foolishly, bringing up a topic I knew all too well I shouldn't bring up, "A heinous lesson that was learned when there was no need to teach it. But still, although never to be over the lesson that was Tommy, I'm over Tommy."

"You guys stole two million dollars," she said carefully.

Yes. I was foolish to bring it up.

I did not want to go over old ground.

But I was so used to doing it when the frequent occasion occurred that my sister tried to explain gently what had been demonstrated not-so-gently, out of habit, I couldn't stop myself from asking, "How can one steal one's own money?"

"Nothing is anyone's, babe, you know that. If it's Shade, it's all the Shades'."

I nodded. "Oh yes, I do remember that being mentioned while boiling oil was being poured on my back."

She flinched.

I kept talking.

"Okay, it has to be said that we're at a stalemate about this that we should call for eternity. I'm over Tommy. I'm really over discussing this. It's clear you agree with Dad that I did wrong and deserved to be punished."

She tried to interrupt. "Liv-"

But I persevered.

"I've made it clear that I felt as a human being I should be free to work and earn my own money and have the right to pursue happiness with whoever I choose without threat of imprisonment and torture. I'm afraid I have rather strong feelings about that ideology, no matter how brutally I was proven wrong. Thus, we won't come to an agreement or even a compromise. So allow me to live my repression with some dignity."

She leaned toward the table and lowered her voice as she said, "Like I've said a million times before, we keep discussing this because you need to be careful about s.h.i.+t like that, sis. I'm not happy David stole from us but I'm glad you found it. Dad'll be seriously p.i.s.sed about David but he'll be pleased you seem more on board, sorting that out, calling the order to get Gill and Tommy involved, taking care of family. But, you keep going the way you're going, saying the s.h.i.+t you say, behaving the way you do, not letting that s.h.i.+t go..." She let that hang and finished, "You have to know, Dad doesn't trust your loyalty."

I let my eyes widen in faux shock.

"Really?" I asked sarcastically. "You can't be serious, Georgie. Gee...that must be why he still watches my house."

"You learned the loyalty lesson once," she hissed, but she said it like she wished she didn't have to. "The way you carry on, Liv, he's not sure it sunk in."

"I did learn a lesson," I agreed. "However, I will note that the lesson taught did not buy loyalty. It bought hatred. And in order to end this discussion once and for all, I'll stop p.u.s.s.yfooting around and say it out loud. I loathe that man. Since he never liked me much, I returned the favor. But after that, I hated him. The only reason I do what I do is not loyalty to him. It's because it's the only livelihood I have. Then there's the small fact I have absolutely no other choice. And last, the only good part about it all, I do it because I love you."

She sat back at my last, her face growing soft.

I watched her reaction wis.h.i.+ng I didn't love her. It might make some things much easier.

But I did because she was my sister. I did because she'd always, as best she could, took my back.

And her showing so readily how much it meant to her was another one of the reasons why.

"Needless to say," I sallied forth, "we need the money back that David stole so if you'd like to take a break from our pleasant conversation at this juncture to give that order to Gill, I'll wait. Or, if you'd prefer I do it, I'll take that opportunity now."

"I'll do it," she muttered, reaching for her purse.

I sipped Prosecco while she did, trying not to think how different this was-having this conversation again with my sister, talking about a business I did not want to be in, harking back again to all that happened which should be history, but I had to admit (regrettably due partially to me) it had not yet been laid to rest-doing all that with something to look forward to in my imminent future.

This being dinner at Nick's that night, something I'd agreed to last night under some duress while f.u.c.king in his bed.

Not painful duress.

A different kind.

But (I told myself) the fact remained that I had survived a dinner at his place without anything catastrophic happening. And the same with f.u.c.king there every night since, except when we were at the club. Not to mention an ugly conversation with him that still made my heart race because it seemed it was spurred by jealousy he shouldn't feel and a demand from him of exclusivity I should not have given in to.

Yes, I'd survived all that.

And I'd survive lunch with my sister.

So dinner again with Nick should be a breeze.

Our meals were served while Georgia was still issuing orders to Gill.

I didn't feel in the mood to be polite, but the truth of it was, I now had two jobs, mine and David's, so I needed to get moving. Therefore I didn't wait before I started to eat.

She joined me when she was done on the phone.

"Unless you prefer otherwise, I'll explain things about David to Dad," she offered, tucking into her pasta.

"That'd be fine," I agreed, willing to agree to anything that offered me the opportunity not to be around my father. But definitely not being there when he heard his trusty friend/employee was an embezzler.