Chapter 30 The Rescue
Blake: POV
I parked my Range Rover across the street from Radiance Inc., killing the engine but keeping my fingers drumming against the steering wheel. For a month now, I'd been trying to reach Olivia—calls, texts, even a goddamn email—but it was like shouting into a void. Complete silence.
At first, I figured she was just busy. Then I tried her office line and discovered she'd blocked my number. That stung more than I wanted to admit.
The last month had been insanely hectic for me too. The International Botanical Trade Show came to San Francisco, and suddenly Bloom Haven was overrun with potential clients. Three major hotel chains wanted exclusive floral arrangements for their lobbies. Two wedding planners begged for partnerships.
A Japanese botanist even offered to collaborate on developing a frost-resistant strain of roses that could revolutionize our winter offerings.
Great for business, terrible for my personal life. Every night I'd collapse into bed exhausted, phone in hand, thumb hovering over Olivia's contact before remembering she'd cut me off.
But today, the contracts were signed, the deals were done, and I needed answers. Why the hell was she ghosting me? What had I done that was so unforgivable?
The evening air was cooling as employees started trickling out of the Radiance building. I scanned each face, waiting for that familiar stride, that confident posture that I could recognize from a mile away.
Twenty minutes passed. The flow of employees slowed to a trickle. Then I saw movement at the building's side entrance—Jason Jenkins supporting a woman whose head was slumped forward, her dark hair obscuring her face as she stumbled alongside him. What was that idiot doing here?
Jason was practically carrying her to his car.
Something wasn't right. Even from this distance, I could see her legs were barely supporting her weight. My gut twisted with unease. The woman's build and height matched Olivia's, but I couldn't be certain.
I grabbed my phone, dialing Theo, my head of security.
"I need people at—" I lowered my voice, "I think Olivia might be in trouble. Jenkins has her, and something's wrong."
"On it. Where are they headed?"
"Not sure yet. I'm following. Send a team to track my phone's location."
I hung up and started my engine as Jason helped the woman into his passenger seat.
Her head rolled back momentarily, and though I couldn't see her face clearly, something about the movement sent ice through my veins.
Keeping a careful distance, I followed Jason's Audi through the evening traffic. He drove to an upscale apartment complex in Pacific Heights—his place, presumably.
I watched him half-carry the woman inside, her feet dragging. The doorman helped them, apparently buying whatever explanation Jason had offered.
I parked a block away, waiting for Theo's team while keeping my eyes locked on the building's entrance.
Fifteen minutes later, two unmarked SUVs pulled up quietly nearby. I texted Theo the apartment number I'd seen them enter, then walked toward the building with determined strides.
The doorman stopped me. "Sir, who are you here to see?"
I flashed a smile that didn't reach my eyes. "Blake Westwood. I'm meeting Jason Jenkins. He's expecting me."
The name drop worked—the Westwood name usually did. He nodded and stepped aside.
I took the elevator to the tenth floor, Theo's men hanging back as instructed.
As I approached apartment 1042, a muffled sound froze me in place. A scream, quickly stifled. Then a crash, like furniture being knocked over.
That was enough. I didn't bother knocking.
The door was solid, but the lock gave way under my shoulder. Pain shot through my still-healing back, but adrenaline pushed it aside. Inside, the scene confirmed my worst fears.
Olivia was backed against a wall, her blouse torn open, hair wild, and a fierce, primal rage in her eyes. Jason stood a few feet away, a fresh bite mark bleeding on his shoulder, his face twisted with anger and shock at my entrance.
Olivia had clearly fought like hell—an overturned side table and broken lamp suggested she'd used whatever was available as a weapon. Despite her drugged state, she hadn't made it easy for him.
"You fucking bastard," I growled, crossing the room in three strides.
Jason barely had time to turn before my fist connected with his jaw, sending him staggering backward. "What the—" he started, but I was already on him, delivering another blow to his stomach that doubled him over.
"How dare you," I snarled, kicking his legs out from under him. He collapsed to the floor with a thud that gave me savage satisfaction. "Wasn't the lesson last time enough?"
I grabbed him by the shirt collar, pulling back for another punch. His lip was already split, blood trickling down his chin. The rational part of my brain had shut down completely, replaced by a white-hot rage that demanded retribution.
"Blake! Stop!" Olivia's voice cut through my fury. She'd pushed herself off the wall and stumbled toward me, grabbing my arm. "Enough. He's not worth going to prison for."
I froze mid-punch, my chest heaving. Jason cowered beneath me, his face already swelling.
Looking at Olivia, I felt something just snap inside me. The way she stood up to what almost went down, how she had the guts to stop me when she could've totally let me destroy that bastard—it hit me like a truck. And fuck, I could feel tears starting to burn behind my eyes.
I released Jason, who slumped to the floor, and pulled Olivia into my arms.
"Are you okay?" My voice cracked embarrassingly. "Did he hurt you?"
She felt so small against me, yet somehow still strong, her hands gripping the back of my shirt.
"I'm fine," she murmured. "He didn't... I didn't let him get that far." She pulled back slightly, a wry smile forming on her bruised lip. "I'm the victim here. Why are you the one crying? Call the police first, emotional breakdown later."
A sound between a laugh and a sob escaped me. Even now, she was indomitable. I slipped off my jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders, covering her torn clothes.
The door opened wider as Theo and his team entered, quickly moving to secure Jason, who was now trying to crawl toward what looked like a phone.
"Police are already on their way, sir," Theo informed me, his men hauling Jason to his feet.
"He drugged me," Olivia said, her voice gaining strength as she addressed Theo. "My coffee at Café Lucia. He tried to... well, you can see what he tried to do."
In the distance, sirens wailed. The next hour passed in a blur of police statements, paramedics checking Olivia, and Jason being led away in handcuffs, charged with drugging, kidnapping, and attempted sexual assault.
When the apartment finally cleared, Olivia sat wrapped in a blanket the paramedics had given her, looking exhausted but still somehow regal.
"Thank you," she said simply, meeting my eyes.
I knelt beside her chair. "Does this mean I'm off the blacklist now? Because I've got to say, getting blocked without explanation was pretty harsh."