Confessions and Olivia (Olivia #2) (36 page)

Chapter Thirty Three*

I step inside the bar and walk straight up to the counter and order myself a double vodka. The short bartender watches me warily as I knock it back and pay for another then take a seat in the corner of the room.

The bar is small and oval shaped, decorated with old fashioned greens and browns. There is o
nly a handful of people in here which look to me like old regulars, which I’m glad about.

I sit on my own in the corner, staring blankly into my tumbler. The music is beautiful, I recognize it to be Christina Perry, lonely. Beautiful, but talk about eerie.

The lyrics seep through me,
I’m in the shadow of a girl I used to know.

Was I ever who I wanted to be when I was growing up? I never was. Mauricio controlled my every mo
ve. Every aspect of my life choices. My every step and decision. I thought he was always doing what was best for me. My mom had always made me appreciate what he did for us. Now I think, he obviously controls my mom. He controls everyone around him. He makes them believe that what he says is the best option. That he has your best interests at heart. He is so good at manipulating you that you actually believe that everything he says makes sense and that it was your idea in the first place. You question your own judgment. I was so blind. Yet, when Calvin came along I could see clearly. Calvin made me realize what Mauricio was doing. He’s the one who gave me my voice back. If it wasn’t for Calvin I’d still be in that rut.

But now I’m back there. I have no Calvin. I have no choice. I have to go back to living in a controlled life. That imagine alone stabs me in the back. How have it got to this? Why didn’t Calvin kill Mauricio when he had a chance? Would have it been that easy? Does that make me bad to think of it like that?

I go round and around contemplating other scenarios in my head when something across the bar makes me glance up. I see the back of a head that I recognize. Black, sleek, perfectly styled hair. He’s wearing a sharp black suit on his small frame and he’s looking around for someone. It’s then when he turns to me, his gray eyes meeting mine, that I see Tommy Barrella.

What the fuck is he doing here? I meet the wall clock again with my
eyes and see its ten thirty. Shit. Already? And he’s sent Tommy to get me?

Tommy spots me but speaks with the barman first. I don’t know what he’s saying but they both look over at me quickly. I stare back at them both pointedly, then he makes his way over to me.

“Olivia.” He nods standing over me. I look away from his greedy gaze as he gives me the once over with his eyes.

“He sent you?” I talk with the utmost disgust. Tommy doesn’t bat eyelid at my insult. He’s loving that it’s riled me in-fact. He pulls out
the vacant chair and takes a seat. He clasps his hands together. “Your dad wanted someone you could trust.” He isn’t the least apologetic.

I laugh out load. “Someone I can trust? I trust no one Tommy.”

“Not even your own father?” Is he winding me up?

“He is not my fucking father.” I snarl at him making it crystal clear.

Tommy straightens out his tie. Oh, he’s actually showing a little emotion. “Yes, well,” he clears his throat, “don’t let him hear you say that.”

My eyes burn into Tommy’s. “Why is that? Because he hates me defying him? What’s he going to do? Kill me? He might as well. I’m already in fucking hell.”

Tommy leans over to place his sweating palm over mine. “Olivia, don’t say that.”

I rip my hand away from his.
“Don’t you dare touch me.” The few people that are in the bar all look over at me yelling. Tommy blinks a little embarrassed and sighs.

“Listen, you’re… Mauricio,” he correct himself, “wants to make it right.”

I scoff at him trying to be compassionate and sit back in my seat and cross my arms.

“Spare me the bullshit Tommy. All Mauricio wants is people to bow down to him. Answer to his every whim. Where is the mother fucker anyway?” Tommy grimace’s at my choice of words. Any normal circumstance I would too at my usual bad language but I’m seething.

He slides a small comb over his sleek backcombed black hairdo that he’s pulled out of his pocket.
Really?
He has a comb with him! “I have to take you to him.” He says firmly trying to take control.

I frown bemused.
“What do you mean, take me to him?”

Tommy’s eyes flicker.
“I mean, home. He wants me to take you home.”

The way his eyes moved from mine triggered something in me, telling me not to trust what he’s saying. I don’t trust the creep anyhow but what he’s saying isn’t true.

“So he’s here and now he wants
you
to take me home? Why didn’t he come and meet me himself? Why has he sent you?”

Tommy shifts in his seat and clears his throat. Another indication that’s he’s lying.

“I told you. He wanted someone you knew. I don’t think he thought you would have left with him if he came himself.” He crooks his finger towards the bartender who hastily brings over a bourbon whiskey for Tommy and a tumbler of straight vodka for me. Tommy necks his down in one gasping on the aftertaste. I take mine to my lips, and smell.

“I haven’t done anything to it,
Olivia.” I stare at him for a moment, looking for sighs that he's lying. And drink it down anyway. I need it.

“What has he done with my mom?” I ask slamming my tumbler down ne
xt to the previous empty one then wipe my lips with the back of my hand.

“Nothing.” he says
gingerly twisting his glass in his hand. “But we’re not here to talk about that, Olivia. We should leave.”

I narrow my eyes at him and lean back comfortable crossing my arms again. I’m not leaving until he talks.

“Tommy. What has Mauricio done with my mom?” My teeth are gritted.

I almost feel the impatient tapping of his foot underneath the table while he quickly glances at his expensive wrist watch. “As far as I know she’s home safe and sound. You think he would hurt your mom? He loves her. And he loves you. He’s a family man
, Olivia. He’s a good guy.”

What? A good guy? What planet is Tommy on?

I lean against the table to make myself loud and clear. “There isn’t an ounce of flesh on that man that is good. He’s an evil cruel twisted man, Tommy. I don’t know how he’s brain washed you into thinking otherwise or anything of his other men in blacks.” I laugh audaciously at my own joke.

Tommy doesn’t even flinch. He checks
the time again so I knock his wrist out of his sight. I think that vodka has gone straight to my head.

“What are you s
talking your watch for?” I hiss. “You shouldn’t have come in the first place. I have no idea what any of this shit has to do with you.”

He then leans over the table towards me
his expression turning sardonic. “You think I want to be here? If you wasn’t such a spoiled little brat none of this would be happening right now.”

I recoil in m
y seat at his sudden bitterness. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. If you didn’t run off with that dickhead who thought he could overpower Mauricio, I wouldn’t have to be here. You know Mauricio was right,”

He shifts his seat
towards me, his greedy gray eyes staring at my breasts then back to my face.

I flinch in di
sgust but he continues. “You should have let me take you out. I would have showed you a good time. Instead you chose him. I can still show you what you’re missing.”

With that he leans over grabbing
at my wrist. My eyes move to where he has me, then back to his eyes. He's watching me lewdly. He looks like he’s about to kiss me so I lean back out of his grip and raise my other hand to push him away from me but he grasps his fingers around that wrist.

“Don’t fight me Olivia. It could b
e me and you, no more fighting. Your step dad would approve, he would love it in-fact.” I scrape my seat back to try and wrestle my wrists out of his grip. “Tommy, get the fuck off me. Your delusion. Nothing will ever happen between me and you. Ever.”

Tommy is about to stand from his chair to take me with him but a ruckus outside diverts his attention. I pull my arms away from his but he loses hold of me anyhow when the door of the bar comes crashing open
. I don’t look up, I grab my purse from the back of the chair ready to leave then hear Tommy curse in front of me.

“What the fuck? Olivia, you were meant to come by yourself. Do you want us both to get killed?”

With that I look up bemused to what he’s talking about. My heart stops. Completely stops.

Calvin is almost running towards us and before I have chance to do or say anything he sends Tommy flying over the table with one swift punch. I hear a slight crunch as blood bursts from Tommy’s nose. I move out of the way quickly before I get hit while Calvin tackles Tommy to the ground and lays into him. Punch after punch, kick after kick. Its takes me a few moments to register that Calvin is here. How?

That’s doesn’t matter right now. If I don’t do something Calvin is going to kill him.

I’m about to rush over to stop him but two men from the bar come rushing over quickly and try to pull Calvin away from Tommy but they fail. Calvin is like a wild bull. I’ve never seen him so angry. I need to intervene. I need to stop this. Tommy deserved the first punch yes and Calvin could kick him all around the bar for all I care but Calvin can’t be here. What if Mauricio won’t let us be because of this? I told him I wouldn’t be wit
h Calvin and now Calvin is here. He’s going to go berserk thinking I went back on my word.

I rush over to Calvin. He’s already fought off the men trying to calm him down and is continually laying into Tommy, kicking the shit into him. Tommy is laying on the ground cowering
cowardly, begging Calvin to stop.

I grab on to Calvin’s arm in the midst of some courage. “Calvin
, you need to stop. Right now. You can’t be here.”

Calvin glowers at me while his lips curl in rage. His expression automatically forces me to take a step back. “Then why the fuck is he here? And why are you here? What are doing Olivia? You was going to leave me? For him?”

What! “No! How could you think that?”

He gives Tommy one last kick in his ribs and stands over him. His
breathing is ragged, his pullover is almost ripped and his eyes are as black as the night. “You stay the fuck away from Olivia, do you hear me?”

Tommy rolls around on the floor
groaning, spitting out blood while he holds on to his ribs. I hardly recognize him. He’s been beaten to a pulp. “You’ll fucking pay for this.” Tommy sputters earning himself another kick from Calvin. I flinch.

The barman comes over to help him out. “I think you better leave before I call the cops.”

I nod my head frantically pulling Calvin with me. He harshly knocks my arm out of his grip then walks in front of me.

When we get outside he’s darting me a thousand question's.

“What the fuck are doing here with him? I call you and Ruby tells me you’re gone? You promised me you wouldn’t leave Olivia. I rushed back tonight to get to you and you were gone, then I find you in at that bar with
him
!” His spits his words unpalatable. 

The way he looks at me could send me to break down. He’s so angry with me. I hate it. I get it. But I hate it. I try to be strong
because I need to get out of here before we get spotted.

“Calvin,
you can’t be here. He will kill both of us you know that? I can’t be with you.”

He blinks excessively.
“What do you mean? You can’t be with me?”
I press on while looking around the dark street in a panic. “I can’t be with you anymore. It's killing us both. The longer I stay with you the more danger we’re in and everybody around us. They are probably watching us right now. You need to go.” I regretfully push him away from me and try to leave. Calvin rushes to my side, pulling at my arm forcing me to look at him.

“W
ait. You’re leaving me?” His brows furrow, his voice is full of apprehension.

I inhale deep
ly to console back tears. “I have no choice. I’m doing it to protect you. Like you did for me.”

He turns away from my groaning for a second running his hands over his face, then turns back. “I came back to you and swore I would never leave you again. And you’re not going anywhere either
, Olivia. It will kill us if we’re apart, not together.” I try to ignore the croak of Calvin’s voice. I’m putting him on the brink of devastation and I hate myself for it.

“Don’t you get it? He will never let us be together Calvin. He will always be there
, ruining our lives. He will torture us until he gets what he wants. I can never allow him to hurt you. I would rather be the one to do that.”

He gasps slightly.
“You don’t believe that.”

“I have no choice.” My voice is low and brittle. I turn away from him walking fast paced, but he's marching beside me.
“Yes you do Olivia, you do. All your life you have lived with Mauricio’s choices. It’s been his way or no way. And now, you’re doing exactly the same thing. Your letting him win.”