Chapter 66

Ollie’s POV

If Jake had approached me with this idea before he had started this misguided love bombing, then maybe I would have been more tempted by his offer. I wouldn’t have minded entertaining this conversation with a friend.

But Jake expects something from me that I don’t want to give him. And I’d already considered running. I can’t see a possible way that it would work out for me. Either the brothers would chase me down or I wouldn’t be able to cross the border. Even with someone else with me, I don’t think I’d be able to get very far.

No, to leave the pack, I need to have a purpose, a path forward, and a destination. Transferring to the university in Nightheart has all three of those things. I won’t risk that future for some foolhardy rescue from a man who won’t even listen when I tell him I’m not into him romantically.

Though I can respect his bravery and his romanticism at being willing to complete such a reckless but heartfelt action as running away with me, I have no desire to actually do it.

He’s looking at me with hope in his eyes. In another world, maybe I might have been more receptive to him. Though, again, without him being a very good listener, I don’t know if that’s true at all.

Thinking that, it’s easier to find the words for a rejection than I might have thought.

“I’m sorry, Jake,” I tell him. “But no. I don’t want to run away with you.”

“If you are worried about the brothers,” he starts but I shake my head.

“It’s not that.”

“I know they said I can’t provide, but I’ll find a way, Ollie. I’ll do whatever I have to do to make you happy, I swear it.”

“Jake, it’s not that.”

“If you would only give me the chance –”

“This isn’t about chances,” I say.

“I can make you happy –”

“You won’t!” I say, at my wit’s end.

The outburst startles us both. I can’t regret the words though. No matter the harshness, they seem to be just what he needs to hear to finally listen to me.

“You won’t,” I continue, at a much more regular volume, “Because I don’t want you, Jake. I’m sorry, but it’s true. I keep telling you but you don’t listen. I value your friendship but I have no interest in you as anything more than that.”

He winces like I physically slapped him.

I don’t revel in hurting him, especially with such blunt words. I feel as if I’m trampling all over his emotions. But at least he is finally hearing me.

“You can’t mean that…” he says, though it’s weaker than anything he said before.

I’m getting through to him. I just know it. With just a little more, maybe he will finally understand.

“I do mean it,” I say firmly, not even apologizing this time. I can leave no room for doubt. If harshness is what helps him see the truth, than that is what I must deliver once and for all.

Pain fills his eyes for a moment, and I dare to feel some relief. If he understands we will never be romantic, maybe we can go back to being friends.

Yet, in the next few moments, he blinks away the hurt and a sort of angry resentment remains.

The affection that had shown in his eyes a moment ago vanishes, and in its place is a dark look. I’m not afraid of him, but he looks at me like maybe I should be.

For how much he was saying he loved me not that long ago, now he seems like he hates me.

“Kiss me,” he says. “Kiss me and you will feel differently. You’ll feel something. There’s a spark between us, Ollie. You just haven’t felt it yet.”

“No,” I tell him. “That’s not true, Jake.”

“Kiss me,” he insists.

“I don’t want to,” I say and start to take a step backwards. He reaches out and snatches me roughly by the arms near the elbows. His fingers cut into my skin.

“Just kiss me, Ollie,” he says. “Kiss me and feel the spark, damn it. Then we can run away together.”

The way he’s looking at me, wild-eyed, he almost seems crazed.

I struggle now. “Let me go!” I shout.

“You just need to kiss me!” he shouts right back.

He yanks me closer. I turn my head and squeeze my eyes shut, dreading everything that’s about to happen.

Only – suddenly there’s a gruff grunt and Jake’s hold on me falls away.

I peek my eyes open, at first nervous and then surprised as I see Conrad standing there at my side. Jake is down on the ground, cradling his nose with his hands.

“Stay away from Ollie,” Conrad growls at him. “If I see you anywhere near her again, I will not restrain myself next time.”

“You broke my nose…” Jake whimpers.

“Next time, it will be your neck,” Conrad tells him, before turning to me.

I don’t even know how to express my gratitude, I’m so surprised to see him here.

He doesn’t wait for me to find the words. Instead, he leans down, grabs me by the waist, and lifts me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

I yelp. “Conrad! Put me down!”

“No,” he says firmly and casually starts walking away from the scene, back down the block I’ve walked up, to the ice cream shop and his car parked illegally out front.

“I can walk,” I tell him, embarrassed because people are turning to look at us.

“I don’t care,” he says.

When we reach his car, he finally lowers me down. Immediately, I got to open the passenger door of the car, but the door is locked. I turn back to Conrad, ready to ask him what’s going on.

For an answer, he leans forward, boxing me in against his car, with his arms on either side of me.

“What do you have to say for yourself?” he asks me.

“I-I… didn’t…”

“Don’t lie,” he commands.

“He cornered me,” I admit. “I thought I was meeting someone else.”

“Who?” he asks, his eyes narrowing.

“You wouldn’t believe me,” I say with a small sigh. His eyes bear down into me. This close, there is no avoiding those ocean depths. His eyes are blue like his brothers’, but unlike Declan’s eyes who are a cool ice blue, Conrad’s are a deeper torrent of color.

His eyes are twin pools of water, and looking at him like this, so close, I already feel like I’m drowning.

“I told you not to lie,” he says.

“I’m not –”

“Jake wanted you to run away with him,” Conrad says. “You must have been considering it.”

“I wasn’t…” I say weakly, but I can tell from his growing anger that he doesn’t believe me. He’s already made up his mind not to believe me. It doesn’t matter what I say, I will not convince him to do so.

He leans closer, dangerously close. He must be trying to be intimidating, and he is. But he’s also sending my heartrate racing and my interior heat level raising as hot as the sun.

Voice a growl, he tells me, “You are not going anywhere, Ollie. Not with Jake, or anyone else.”