Chapter 48—Olivia

The gentle breeze lifts the ends of my hair, and I gaze out to the vast expanse of the grounds covering my home.

This is the first time I’ve been out here like this in years.

Out on the porch sitting on the wall while I continue writing the plot for my book.

I stopped doing this when Jude took over, and the grounds were covered with guards. Sitting out here and trying to think of my ideas lost its savor as all I saw before me was misery.

Today it looks like the old days, and I’m honing in on another first in a while as I use one of the little notebooks Dad got me. I have a stack of them. Some used, some not. This is one from the pack he would have given me before he was killed.

I’ve been out here for a long time.

Inside the house, Mom and Amy are finishing the rest of the Sunday roast, and Eric is still looking through his things that came in from storage yesterday.

His presence here feels like old times again, although knowing him, he’ll most likely hang out here for a little while with us and then get his own place.

I plan to do the same eventually. I think the whole Jude experience affected Mom and me in similar ways because he was so abusive toward us, so I want to make sure she’s okay before I head out.

I’ve been thinking of going in a different direction with my life which means I might not be working at Markov Tech much longer. It’s my legacy, but it’s not me.

I’ve been home for well over a week now, and things seem like they’re falling into place.

Almost like Jude never existed, especially at work. The atmosphere feels different, like when the sky clears from the dark, angry clouds after a heavy storm. The air is light, and the tension is gone. Like we can hope again.

Eric’s return caused a big stir. Jude made us feel unimportant, but something like the C.E.O, and rightful heir, of a renowned weapons and technology company returning from the dead, is big news.

Things are still changing, all for the best, but my mind is still fractured because I can’t stop thinking about Aiden.

I think I’m supposed to at least try and forget him, but I can’t.

This week is one month since I met him. I never knew a person could have such an effect on another.

I can’t get him out of my head, and it’s becoming clear as the days go by that maybe I can’t because I don’t want to.

I’m drawn from my thoughts when the front door opens, and Eric comes out with an envelope and a muffin.

He looks more like himself without the beard and longer hair. Just a little older. His boyish looks are still there, but there’s an air of maturity in his face and his eyes that can only come from life experiences—the hard kind. I still wonder what he must have gone through all those years.

We haven’t spoken about it in any depth yet, and I’m not sure if we will. I figured he would tell us what he wants us to know. Everything else will be the painful things a person locks away.

“I stole this for you,” he says with a bright smile handing me the muffin.

We used to do that all the time when we were kids.

Mom would make a batch of muffins for dessert, but we’d get to them before dinner and hide away somewhere to eat them.

“Thank you.” I set my book down and gaze at him. I still can’t believe he’s here.

“You are most welcome.”He sits in front of me and stares at me with adoration.

“She knows you know.” I giggle.

“Who knows?”

“Mom. She knows you took the muffin. She always knows and probably cut you some slack this time because she’s happy to have you back.”

He taps the side of his head. “I know, but humor me. Sunday dinner wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t try to take a muffin. I already ate mine. I thought you could use a break from whatever you’re doing. Although I think you’re pretending to work, so you don’t have to cook.”

“Am not. You know I can’t cook like Mom and Amy. I made an amazing salad and fruit punch. What did you do?”

“Oh, no one asked me to do anything, so I thought I’d just eat and look cute.”

We start laughing, and we would almost appear to be the boy and the girl who would do this all the time.

But we aren’t those people anymore. We can never be them, no matter how hard we try, and it saddens me.

As if he’s thinking the same, his laughter fades, and he hands me the envelope.

“What is this?”

“Something that will mean a lot to you.”

I set the muffin on top of my notebook and open the envelope.

When I pull out the contents inside, my heart stills. There’s a picture of Dad and me when I must have been about five, and a name change document that has me listed as Olivia Falcione.

I look at Eric with my lips parted, not knowing what to say or how this was possible.

He was right. This is something that means a lot to me. More than anyone would know. Tears brim in my eyes for the sentiment.

“How?” I choke out. “How did he do this without us knowing? Don’t you have to go to court and do all sorts of things to have this done?”

“Yeah. I’m sure you do, but Dad could do all sorts. He didn’t have control over many things, but for what he could control, he did things like this. He did one for me and one for you. I guess it was something he wanted to keep for himself. Something that kept us with him.” Eric sounds so mature. I guess he would, considering the last time I saw him, he was nearly twenty-five. “It was among his things that were delivered to me after he died. They were from Persephone. I’m sure you can imagine she didn’t want it in the house.”

“I can imagine she wouldn’t. That woman hated us so much.”

Just the mention of that woman’s name makes my skin crawl. I always try to remember that I can’t hate her too much because her hatred toward us is understandable and completely warranted, but I can’t help myself.

Aiden told me a few things about her hand in guiding Jude to destroy us, so I think my hatred toward her is understandable too. Considering Dad practically disconnected from us because he thought he was protecting us when all the while she was in the background pulling strings.

Eric sighs. “We have to move on, Olivia. Move forward. I’m going to make the first step by apologizing for putting us all in danger.” He pulls up the sleeve of his shirt, revealing the tattoo that marks him as a member of the Order. “I’m having this removed.”

“Really?”

“Keeping it is dangerous on all fronts, and I never should have had it, never should have gone down that path, and never should have listened to Jude. I was just so anxious to belong and be more than I was. In my head, my father was a man from the Italian mafia and my grandfather from the Bratva. It flows in my blood. It’s who I am, and when Jude approached me, I was being suppressed from both. I was an easy target. Young and dumb, easily fooled for a man who has so much education. All the while, I knew he would use me for my talents. I pushed it to the back of my mind because I didn’t want to believe it. I kept thinking if Grandfather trusted him, then I could too. It wasn’t until they got me chained up in Brazil that I saw the depth of his treachery when Persephone came to visit and practically laughed in my face.”

I suck in a sharp breath. “Jesus.”

“Yeah. They were all evil. Olivia, I am sorry for what I did, and even though I’m grateful for your bravery, I wish I never put you in the position where you had to take such a risk to find me. That’s a guilt I don’t think I’ll forget. It’s me who is supposed to protect you, but I played into their trap.”

I shake my head. “Don’t blame yourself. We all make mistakes. You just got involved with the wrong people. I knew that all along. I’m sorry too. I know there’s so much more you aren’t saying.” Like not talking about Robert. I noticed he hadn’t mentioned him once, which means he must truly blame himself. That doesn’t stop me from expressing my condolences. “I’m sorry about Robert.”

His face hardens up, and his eyes become just as hard. It’s almost scary, and I think I would be scared if he weren’t my brother.

“Don’t be,” he replies in a clipped tone. It’s odd, and I’m not sure if he’s angry or in grief, or both.

“What happened to him, Eric?”

“Story for another time, sis. Another time.”

“Okay,” I answer respectfully. “We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

“I will. I just need time. But I promise I’ll tell you. Right now, I just need to get my life back on track. Which leads me to the other thing I wanted to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“I’ve been invited to join the Syndicate, and Aiden has asked me to be his Obshchak. I have accepted both offers, so I’m going to be moving to L. A.”

I hold his gaze, and my stomach clenches, all that I feel scrambles into a lump that forms in my throat.

He’s going to L. A., and he’ll be working with Aiden in such a massive capacity. He’s replacing Ilya.

He’s leaving and going to work for the man I’m supposed to forget.

“Oh,” I breathe, then I quickly school myself and force a smile. It’s not insincere, but it’s not real either. “That’s really good.”

“I’m not going yet. I’m not going for another couple of months. I thought it would be nice to spend some time together as a family first. So maybe another four to six months, and then I’ll head out. Either way, I’m going to be in San Francisco at least once or twice a week. It’s not exactly that far away.”

“No, and that’s good. Thanks for sticking around.”

“Of course. Is it okay that I’m working with Aiden?” he asks tentatively.

“Yes. It’s great that he offered you such an amazing role. Honorable.”

“It is, but that’s not what I’m asking. A man doesn’t run into a burning building to save a woman if he doesn’t care for her. I don’t think she would look the way she did either every time his name is mentioned. It’s me, Olivia, you can talk to me. I know you had feelings for him. Or maybe I should say have.”

I stare at him for a beat, wondering what I’m supposed to say. I can’t deny it because he’ll know, and I can’t deny it because I don’t want to.

“It was just one of those things that probably shouldn’t have happened.”

“I wouldn’t put it that way. What happened?”

“He said it’s too dangerous. Too dangerous for me to be with him.”

He doesn’t answer. Instead, he stares back at me in contemplation like he’s trying to find the right words to tell me to make me feel better. Except there’s nothing he can say because Aiden was right.

“Time,” he rasps, and I’m not sure what he means.

“Time?”

“Time will choose the answer for you. Some things are just out of our control, and you just have to leave them alone to take the form they’re supposed to take. When they do, you have to accept it whether you want to or not.”

I nod, understanding perfectly.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it. I guess I should go in and do something. Maybe I can set the table.” He smiles, and just like that, the mood shifts like we weren’t having a serious conversation.

He stands and plants a kiss on top of my head.

“What was that for?”

“Everything.”

He goes back inside, and I stare after him, wondering what shape time will change things into and what state I’ll be in whenever that period is complete.

Especially when I know, I’ll never feel the way I do about Aiden with anybody else.