An offer
Olives pov:
“What is this?” I don’t ask. I accuse.
He doesn’t answer.
My voice gets louder. “What the f**k is this, Noah?”
My heart strains against my ribs as I stare at him, his mouth opens but he doesn't say anything as his gaze turns to my open bag.
The blue pills stared back at me from the open bag, small enough to fit beneath a fingernail, yet somehow heavy enough to ruin our lives.
He scratches the back of his head, sweat pooling over his brows as his eyes search our apartment like the answer to my question is hiding behind an ornament.
“I….I….I swear I didn't know,…I…I…was just looking out for us, babe.” He explained, his voice breaking as he spoke.
“Us?” I repeat like I hadn't heard it clearly.
Suddenly, the room feels too small, the air too thick. My legs weaken beneath me, and every word he says has me fighting the urge to throw up.
“You stole from Caesar.” I whisper like it hasn't already happened as the tears streak down the side of my face and I crumple to my knees.
Then…
A creak.
Wood shifting beneath someone's weight.
Someone is walking toward my door. A knock follows and I hold my breath. Noah turns and his stomach growls, he looks the way I feel, sick.
Neither of us move from where we stand as we stare at the door and hope whoever is at the other side is satisfied with our silence.
Another knock. My heart leaps into my throat just as the door bursts open. The sound thrives in the silence as our visitor welcomes himself into the house.
I open my mouth but before I can even say anything Noah is already on all fours, head pressed against the hardwood and yelling. “It was her.” He cried. “She took them.”
Bile rises. What happened to us?
What happened to the three years he'd spent promising me a lake house, a family, a life?
I drag my eyes away from Noah's sorry form onto the man who stood in our living room and__i froze.
His body fills the space. Dark hair, a strong jaw, lips a shade lighter than his tan, and almost-black eyes that hold one simple emotion. Boredom.
This wasn't an event he'd remember. He'll most likely forget us seconds after the job is done.
His eyes meet mine and for an instant, something beneath them shifts.
Although it might have been my imagination because it vanished without a trace.
He takes a step back. “Where are they?” He asks with his eyes fixed on me, completely ignoring Noah who is now lying flat on the wooden floor, sniveling and relentlessly begging.
“Where are they?” The sound of his voice sends electricity through me as I raised my hand and pointed at the bag.
Walking over, he bent down, examined the bag, and rose back to his feet.
He turned to Noah and exhaled as he pulled out a pistol and pointed it directly at his head, his fingers creep towards the trigger and before I could even think it through I was screaming. “Wait!”
He turned his attention to me.
“Don't kill him.”
“Would you prefer I kill you instead?”
“No.” I had no control over my body as I stood, he watched me, carefully. His grip on the weapon not loosening even as his eyes remain on me. “I'll pay you back.”
The world seemed to have slowed as silence falls over the space until he takes a step towards me and says. “Do you know how much he's stolen?”
“I…”
“Three hundred thousand dollars worth of Ecstasy.”
My mouth is wide as a gasp escapes me. He catalogues my reaction and stares, judging if my surprise was true or I'm just a good actor.
“A debt like that can only be paid with life.” He points his pistol back at Noah who shrieks in response, his body trembling viciously. Disgust fills me and from the look in his eyes, it's mutual.
I should let him die, it would be deserved but I don't. “I can work.”
“We don't need workers.”
“I can…”
“3 months.”
“What?”
“3 months of your life.” He clarifies. “In exchange for his.”
Ll0lll“What do you mean?” I ask even though I already know the answer, every single grain of rationality I have left screams at me to let it go, to shut up and let Noah take the fall for his own actions, but I don't.
He releases his aim and walks to where I stand, stopping only a few inches away from me so I can smell the singe of his cologne.
He leans forward and whispers into my ear. “For three months. You'll belong to me.” and as he pulls back, his fingers graze my cheek. Goosebumps erupt but I somehow manage to keep my face neutral.
“Ok.” why?
Even he looks surprised, but he's good at recalibrating cause in a moment his features return to their original state.
“Ok.” He repeats and turns away from me, he picks up the back and begins walking out the door but stops, turns and fires two deafening shots.
I shut my eyes and cover my ears, I thought we had a deal, he said he wouldn't__Noah screams erupt like a siren as blood leaks out of his left thigh and right bicep. Squirming and rolling in pain, spreading the blood across the wooden floor with every unnecessary action.
My chest falls and I let myself breath.
He continues walking but stops again. Turns back to look at me. “What are you waiting for? Come.”
