I dipped my head back at his accusations. Completely true accusations, but still. “Not true. No one could be gayer than you, for starters, and Ollie and I are not together like that.” We were, a thousand percent, but we still couldn’t have anyone know.
“Here we go again, you making light of your relationship ….” Jake trailed off.
“Wait, so you and Ollie aren’t together?” Liam asked, confused.
“No. Definitely not together …” It pained me saying the words out loud.
“Then it’s settled. You come to Jake’s, then,” Liam said, then grabbed my ass and whispered, “Make sure you’re ready for me, darling.”
I pushed him off me with my shoulder, and he quickly released me before turning and strolling away.
Ollie was in viewing distance in his normal seat. I looked over my shoulder to see him, eyes blazing, jaw ticking, and leaning over the table on the brink of pouncing. Returning my attention in front of me, I let out a drawn-out exhale and said to Jake, “I can’t believe I ever had sex with Liam.”
After lifting my tray, I walked away from Jake, irritated, and sat across from Zeke in my usual spot.
“I’m going to kill him,” Ollie said, climbing into the seat next to me. I pressed my fork in the direction of Zeke who sat in a trance, eyes fixed in front of him. “Right … hey, mate.” Ollie flashed Zeke a smile before turning back to me. “He’s dead, Mia. I can’t stand this shit anymore. You think I fancy seeing you being groped right in front of me?”
“You know what will happen once everyone finds out.” And it was true. Ollie had told me what happened last year between Thomas and Livy. Once everyone had found out they were together, the claws came out, and it was everyone’s main agenda to tear them apart whichever way they could. Life at Dolor was pretty dull, for the most part, so anytime there was a hint of a challenge, people would take it and run with it, beat it to the ground until there was nothing left. No one here wanted to see the next person happy.
Ollie ran his palm up his forehead and through his hair. “Don’t let him touch you again. You let it slip, he’ll keep doing it. I’m trying hard to stay away, but if you don’t do anything about it, I will.”
There was a pause in the air between us, the kind where a conversation could go one of two ways. The pause sat there, teetering back and forth on the highest point of a mountain, and I noticed the debating across Ollie’s face. “Shit. I’m sorry … I sound like a fucking prick, yeah? I swear it’s not me staking a claim on you, it’s everything you’ve been thro—
“Ollie.” I grabbed his empty hand on his lap underneath the table and gave it a small squeeze. “It happened so fast, but there won’t be a next time …” I flashed him a small smile to try to ease his troubled mind.
But in truth, he was right.
Though Oscar had strangled me with threats, I still hadn’t done anything about it, which only made that situation worse. Hearing Ollie say he would handle Liam only made me scared of him finding out how Oscar, the ex-trainee turned security guard, was tormenting me. Certain Ollie would do something to send himself to prison. I knew I was hiding the situation only to protect him.
“Jake is expecting me at his place tonight,” I said, changing the subject. “Apparently, he’s throwing parties now—one’s that Liam attend. They cornered me, and I didn’t know what else to say. Will you go with me?”
“Bloody hell.” Ollie rolled his eyes. “You think I’m letting you walk into a den of hungry wolves? Of course, I’m going with you.” Ollie’s smile reappeared. He looked over at Zeke, who had his eyes glued to the tray in front of him before he turned back to me. “Close your eyes, love.”
Every time Ollie asked me to close my eyes, my heart skipped against my ribcage. It was the little sacred moments in crowded rooms when he couldn’t give me the affection he wanted but still tried to make it known how he felt before separating from me.
Shortly after I closed my eyes, I felt his long fingers trail up the side of my thigh before grabbing my hand from my lap, always breaking his own rule of no touching. He brought it to his lips and kissed the inside of my palm before returning my hand over my thigh. I counted to ten mentally, imagining Ollie kissing me goodbye the way he actually kissed because he was already a fantastic kisser, and I opened my eyes as soon as he turned the corner out of the mess hall.
After switching Ollie’s stained shirt out for a fresh one, I strolled into the last class late and paused under the doorway at the view before me. In front of Ollie, in my chair, was Maddie. Ollie immediately averted his head from me, reluctant to meet my gaze.
“Take your seat, Miss Jett. This class doesn’t revolve around you,” the professor hissed. My feet moved in front of me toward an empty chair on the opposite end as my insides burned to a crisp.
During the entire hour, my focus was on Maddie. The way she shook her head to move her bangs out of her eyes. The way she turned in her seat to smile up at Ollie. The way she would prop her elbow on his desk behind her, a chance to get closer. I tapped my foot vigorously, impatiently waiting to be dismissed.
“See you all next week,” the professor said, releasing us. Quick scenarios ran through my head.Do I ignore all of this and run out of here? Do I confront Ollie? How does he know her? Does he evenknow her?
Quickly gathering my things in my arms, I stood too fast, and all my belongings plummeted to the floor. “Shit,” I grumbled and hunched down.
Ollie’s black Chuck Taylors appeared in front of me before he bent down and searched my face. “You okay? You look pale.” He reached for my cheek but dropped his hand before he made contact.
Shaking my head, I said, “I’m fine.”
Ollie gathered my things for me and helped me off the ground, and there she was—Maddie—standing right behind Ollie with a faux surprised expression.
“Mia! Looks like I don’t need to introduce ya to the fella I told ya about,” she said sweetly, but toxins rode the wave of her voice. The boy she had told me about? I thought back to our conversations. The porridge. The cards.The secret boyfriend. My eyes raced back and forth between them as a sickness knotted in my stomach.
“You two know each other?” Ollie asked, surprised.
Maddie gently laid her fingers over his arm. “Mia and I were in the psych ward together.”
