AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ridge has made good on his promise of more sex. He’s taken me in every room, every position known to man, and then some. I have zero complaints, but he’s still a little distant, and that bothers me.
“I hate this,” I mumble under my breath as I look at myself in the mirror. I try not to wear anything too revealing when that asshole comes around. I don’t want to give off the wrong impression.
“What the hell is that?” Ridge asks as he stands in the doorway of my room, leaning against the frame.
“A dress.”
“That thing looks like a tent on you,” he says, nodding toward it once more.
“I cover up when he’s around.”
“You shouldn’t have to. Change it,” he demands.
“No. I’m not comfortable in anything more revealing, Ridge.”
“I said change it. I wasn’t here before. I am now.”
“And that means what?”
“That means,” he says, taking a step into the room. His eyes are laser-focused on me as he walks slowly toward me. “That ifhe so much as looks at you wrong, I will gut him at the table for everyone to see.”
“What?”
“You heard me. Because it’s your family, I will shut the fuck up and keep myself under control, but if he makes one wrong move, Olson, I’m gonna rip his ass apart,” he tells me. My heart leaps in my chest at his words. I have no doubts that he’d do it, too. I saw the anger in his eyes when we talked about this the other night. He was beyond mad.
“You would do that for me?” I find myself asking, confused why he’d do it.
“I’d do a lot more than that for you. I can make him disappear, Olson.”
“Why would you do that for me?”
“If you can’t tell, I like you, Olson. I think you know that,” he tells me. I smile now. I needed to hear that.
“I like you too, Ridge.”
“Good. Now change. I can’t look at you all night in that thing,” he says, nodding toward my dress. The doorbell rings as I head for the closet, and Ridge lets me know he will answer it.
I change my dress into something more fitting and look at myself in the mirror. I don’t know if I should go out there looking like this. I don’t want him looking at me, although the thought of having Ridge stare at me all night causes butterflies in my stomach.
I run my fingers through my hair before I blow out a breath and walk out of my room. I walk down the stairs and greet everyone just like I’m supposed to do but bypass my uncle like usual, although I can feel his eyes on me. It makes me cringe on the inside as I make the pleasantries.
“You look great, Olson,” my mom tells me.
“Thank you. So do you.” I know this is all for show, just like it is every other time we get together. I don’t want them here. Iwant them gone. I don’t like the idea of them being here in my space again.
“Breathe,” I hear Ridge say as he rests his hand on my back. I nod my head, and we walk into the living room, where my mom stares at the tree. It’s different than last year, and I thought it looked better, but judging by the look on her face, it isn’t.
“This isn’t the same tree,” she says, noting the difference.
“I thought we’d try something new this year,” I tell her.
“I picked out the last tree,” she reminds me.
“I know, but I thought something different might be nice,” I tell her. She doesn’t agree, and I can tell by the look of disdain on her face. I sigh and walk to the kitchen, knowing I need a drink or three if I’m going to make it through this. As soon as I step into the kitchen he’s there.
“You look amazing,” he says. My insides clench, and bile claws at the back of my throat. I can’t do this. Not with him. Not now.
He comes closer, and I can feel the heat of his body near mine. It makes me sick to my stomach to even think about him being this close to me.
