Page 45 of Left of the Slash
“It’s great,” Simon says. “They moved Lydia up to your old position, and Jed here got a bump up to manager. So now we’re both rolling in the dough.”
The stocky guy now known as Jed steps forward and nods to Olivia. Now there's two of them acting like I'm not here.
“Hi, Jed,” Olivia says. “Well, I'm glad to see the two of you are doing well.”
“Yes, things are fantastic,” Simon says before Jed can even speak a word. “How about you? I hear you took over your dad’s company after he passed. How is it going?”
“It’s uhh … it’s good,” Olivia says after hesitating and giving away the fact that it’s not going very well, which Simon and fucking Jed pick up on immediately. I can practically see them fighting back smiles from here.
“Oh,” says Simon, with a little pout. I recognize it as an attempt at being cute, and it fills my stomach with boiling hot rage.
“Yeah, it’s fine. This is Quinn, by the way,” Olivia says, finally acknowledging me. “We work together at Obsidian.”
And there it is. All the confirmation I need that Olivia is, in fact,notmy girl.
Simon and Jed both give me quick looks that end with slight head nods. I reciprocate with a nod upward, but no words are exchanged between us, and my dark devil lets out a low growl that only I can hear. I wish they could hear it too, because then they’d know to say their goodbyes and be on their way. But alas, the growl is only for me. Only I know how much danger is present.
As if luck were miles away from the Wonderland Bar, Simon turns to Jed with a wide smile, taps him on the chest, and points his thumb at Olivia.
“Remember the girl I told you about?” he says. “The one who taught me everything I know about the BDSM lifestyle?” Jed nods with raised eyebrows. “This is her.”
“Oh, shit,” Jed barks, bringing his fist to his mouth and leaning back. “Wow. So, you're the reason this guy is a freak?”
Olivia flashes a glance at me again, then tries to calm them down. “Woah, now. I wouldn't say all of that. Simon and I dated for a few months, and then it ended. We don't need to get into the details of our relationship.”
“Oh, don't worry about that,” Jed says as he takes a seat on the other side of Olivia. “He told me all about it already. You changed this guy’s life. He said you introduced him to all kinds of new kinks. He said he learned so much about himself while he was with you. Ain’t that right, Simon?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely,” Simon says with a laugh. “Before you, I was just a normal guy. Now I'm Christian Grey in the flesh and the ladies love it.”
Olivia rolls her eyes. “Wow. So you told him everything, huh? Did you tell him about how you wouldn't honor my safe word? Or about how you cheated on me with Lydia from work? Or how you didn't respect my hard limits? If you're going to tell all of our business, Simon, at least make sure you're honest.”
Simon’s wide smile quickly narrows. “Well, no. But why would I do that? I'm not trying to make myself look bad.”
Olivia rolls her eyes again as she spins back around on her stool. “Alright. Well, you two have a great night.”
“Our night is just getting started,” Simon says, just before he moves to the seat on Jed’s left. He sits down, orders two beers—which the bartender brings him immediately—and angles his body toward Olivia. “So, are you two on a date, Olivia? He the new guy you're showing the ropes? Or did he already know how to handle them when he met you?”
Finally, Olivia looks at me for more than a second. She places her hand on top of mine on the bartop and sighs. “Don't worry about him. There's a reason we’re not together anymore.”
“Ah, so heisyour new beau,” Simon chirps with a giggle. “He's good-looking. Nice broad shoulders, thick arms. He's like theopposite of me. I must’vereallyupset you if you're going out of your way to choose guys that are my exact opposite.”
I let out an exhale, but Olivia squeezes my hand and turns to Simon for me. “I really don't want to get into it, Simon. We’ve been done for months, and there's no need to keep talking about days gone by. Now, if you don't mind, we’re just going to go back to enjoying our evening.”
Simon raises his hands like he's backing off. “Oh, my apologies. I didn't mean to offend. But before we end the conversation, can I just say that you were the best I've ever had? Because you were. You're a lucky guy,homeboy. I hope you know it. Olivia is the best.”
As Jed and Simon chuckle like fucking idiots, Olivia squeezes my hand again, but it doesn't work this time. Anger climbs up my body inch by inch. I tighten my jaw, trying not to ruin what started as a good night, but there's only so much I can take. The same dark devil that loves to hurt Olivia in all the best ways, also wants to hurt these two fuckers in all the worst. My jaw stays clenched, but I can't fight the words back.
“Why are you calling me your fucking homeboy?” I growl.
“What?” Simon says, leaning forward to see around Jed and Olivia’s bodies.
“You heard me,” I reply. “I'm not your fucking homeboy, and Olivia asked you to stop talking to her about your history, but you keep going like you have no control. Are you trying to get a rise out of me? Trying to see how much shit I’ll let you get away with? You're about to find out that my patience has limits.”
Jed is the first to stand up, but Simon does all the talking.
“Woah, buddy. I didn't mean any harm by it, but if you've got a problem, we can handle it right now.”
Olivia turns her back to both of them and looks me straight in the eyes. “Q, it’s fine. Don't let them bother you.”
