"That is what James wants," Leo agreed, his voice barely above a murmur.
"What do you want?" Olivia asked.
He didn't answer right away. The kitchen grew motionless as she waited for his response, her heart pounding in her chest.
"I want you safe," Leo finally said.
Olivia knew that was true. She also knew it wasn't the whole answer.
"I should probably leave," Leo said, glancing toward the back door.
Olivia didn't want him to go. The thought of being left alone with her thoughts made her stomach twist.
"Stay," Olivia said, her voice small, her hand reaching out to touch his arm. Her fingers brushed the fabric of his sleeve, a desperate plea she couldn't hide. "Just a little longer. I was going to watch a movie."
The request was small, almost shy.
She watched him study her face in the dim kitchen light. She could see the hesitation in his eyes, tracking the subtle conflict across his features. She knew staying was incredibly risky. She knew the kiss had complicated everything, but looking up at him, she only knew she didn't want to be left alone in the dark.
"Okay," Leo said. His features relaxed, a softness replacing his rigid posture.
They moved into the living room and sat on the sofa, keeping a careful distance between them. Olivia picked an old, classic romantic comedy—something she knew well enough that she didn't actually have to focus on the plot.
Leo made a dry, sarcastic comment about her terrible taste in movies.
Olivia gave him a tired smile. "Don't judge my coping mechanisms, Maddox."
"I would never," Leo said, leaning back into the cushions.
She gave him a skeptical look.
He corrected himself, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "I would judge them respectfully."
As the movie played on the screen, Olivia started to relax by degrees. Her body was exhausted from the emotional toll of the day. She shifted closer, seeking his comfort. The space between them vanished as she leaned in, letting go of the walls she had kept up all day.
Her head came to rest on his shoulder, and then slipped down to find a place on his chest.
Olivia felt him freeze beneath her for a split second, his breath hitching. Then, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, holding her close while still leaving her room to pull away if she chose to.
She didn't. She exhaled, letting her muscles go loose, absorbing the solid reality of him.
The moment felt safe, yet incredibly charged. Olivia wasn't making a grand decision about the future. She was simply allowing herself to be held by the one person who had been there for her through the worst of it.
He didn't push. He didn't try to kiss her again, and he didn't say a single word about his feelings. He just stayed right there, a solid presence in the dark.
Pressing her cheek to his chest, she listened to the rhythmic, reassuring beat of his heart. The tension finally drained out of her, replaced by a profound exhaustion. She closed her eyes, letting his embrace shield her from the rest of the world.
She fell asleep before she could talk herself out of needing him.
As her consciousness drifted away, she felt his grip tighten just a fraction, holding her pieces together as if it were the only promise he cared about keeping.
Chapter 22
Leo
The meeting place was an empty, rain-slicked parking lot behind a shuttered textile warehouse on the outskirts of Charlotte.
Leo sat in his car, the engine idling, watching the headlights of an approaching SUV cut through the darkness. The vehicle pulled in alongside his and cut its lights.
