Page 124 of Shadow

“I was anxious about the way you left me there. He told me about your family life. About your brother being some kind of celebrity. But he refused to tell me who your brother is.”

Ripley took a drink of orange juice and wiped his mouth with a napkin before taking a deep breath. “Why the hell would he tell you that stuff? I told you I would tell you anything you wanted to know.”

Olivia chuckled. “I didn’t ask him. What I asked was how he knew you would never not come home to me. And he launched into your whole background.”

“Tyson does love to gossip.”

Olivia reached for his hand, and Ripley gripped it hard. “I don’t think he was trying to gossip. I think he cares about you and just wanted me to know how much you care about me.”

“Now maybe you’ll stop doubting it?”

Olivia lifted his hand to hers and kissed it. “No more doubts. Do you really not talk to any of your family anymore?”

Ripley shook his head. “Nope. Both my parents were only children, so I don’t have any cousins. My grandparents are all dead. So, it’s just me.”

“It’s just you and me,” she corrected.

He leaned in and kissed her softly. “You and me.”

The rest of the morning was quiet, as they waited for their friends in D.C. to handle their end of things, so Olivia and Ripley spent several hours curled up on the couch watching British television and talking about their plans for the future. Olivia wanted to open at least two more bars, and Ripley planned to work with Peter to bring his firm into the cybersecurity sector and not just physical security.

They wanted to get married, but neither of them was eager for children right away. But both agreed that someday a family would be nice.

At one in the afternoon, Olivia picked up her phone and dialed Fiona’s number. There was no answer, so she left a voicemail.

“Hey, Fiona. It’s Olivia. Jack tells me you quit last night. I’m very sorry to see you go. But with everything happening so fast, I need to get you your last paycheck and do an exit interview. Do you think you could come see me this morning at say, nine? I’ll be at Liv’s Place until eleven so just come whenever.”

“Good job, baby girl.”

“Now we just have to hope she takes the bait.”

Ripley’s own phone rang, and he kissed her cheek as he stood to retrieve it from the table.

His shoulders tensed when he answered it.

“I warned you what was going to happen. And that was before I knew you were behind everything. I’m out, Doran. What more could you possibly want?”

Olivia couldn’t hear anything from Brian’s end of the call. Why couldn’t he put it on speaker?

Something Brian said pissed Ripley off, because he stalked into the bedroom and shut the door. She stood and walked to the door, straining to hear. But he must have gone into the bathroom because his voice was muffled.

After several minutes, he came back into the bedroom and she heard him say, “I’ll meet you in two hours. You better fucking come alone, or you’ll be the main story on UNN for the rest of the week.”

He jerked open the door and found her standing right in front of it. His eyes were wild with rage, and he fisted a hand into her hair, pulling her close so his mouth was pressed to her ear.

“Is it polite to eavesdrop, little girl?”

Fuck. Was he really mad at her for trying to listen?

“You better answer me if you want to avoid my belt.”

“No, Daddy. I’m sorry.”

He pulled her into the bedroom, shut the door, and backed her against it, before taking her mouth in a rough kiss. He pinned her shoulders against the hard wood and sank his teeth into her neck.

“Daddy, you’re hurting me. What just happened?”

He tore himself away and ran both hands through his hair as he backed away and sat on the edge of the bed.

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