Blood Between Us

CHAPTER 1 - The Mistake Olivia woke with a start, her heart pounding. She sat up quickly, realizing she was in a strange room—and completely naked. Panic surged through her as flashes of last night came flooding back. Grabbing the duvet, she wrapped it tightly around herself and rushed to the bathroom. Her reflection in the mirror made her flinch. Her mascara was smudged, her eyes puffy. She looked like someone who had been through emotional war—and she had. "How could I have slept with a random guy I met at the club?" she whispered shakily. The memories rushed in too fast. Yesterday, she'd caught her boyfriend cheating—with her best friend. Now, she’d lost her virginity to a total stranger. The betrayal, the heartbreak, and now this. It was all too much. She sank to the bathroom floor, sobbing silently. The two people I loved most in the world stabbed me in the back. And now this... After nearly an hour, she forced herself to get up, clean up, and pull herself together. When she stepped out of the bathroom, the room was quiet. Empty. She exhaled deeply. Thank God he’s gone. I couldn’t have faced him. But then something on the nightstand caught her eye—a folded piece of paper, beside a pile of money. She hesitated, then picked up the note. It was a phone number. "He must really be stupid," she hissed. "After taking advantage of me, he still had the guts to leave his number? What does he take me for?" She crumpled the paper and tossed it to the floor without touching the money. Grabbing her things, she stormed out of the hotel. --- Back at home, Olivia took a long bath, trying to scrub the night off her skin. She made something light to eat, but her mind wasn’t calm. Jackson and Chloe... Their names echoed in her head. Their moans were still fresh in her memory, like a curse she couldn’t shake. --- It was just yesterday—on a sunny afternoon—when she decided to visit her best friend Chloe. Chloe had been complaining that Olivia had been distant since starting her new job. When she reached Chloe’s apartment, she noticed the front door wasn’t locked. Odd. "Hey B, why’s your door not locked?" Olivia called out as she stepped inside. The sitting room was empty. Then she heard soft moans from the bedroom. Not wanting to interrupt, she quietly sat in the living room to wait. She finally got herself a boyfriend, Olivia thought with a soft smile. I’ll tease her about it later. But she fell asleep. She stirred awake to Chloe’s giggles—and a man’s voice. "I really do love you." That voice. Jackson. Her heart stopped. She stood, walked toward the bedroom—and saw them. Together. Half-naked. Chloe and Jackson. Her best friend and her boyfriend. "Olivia?" Chloe’s face went pale. Jackson couldn’t even speak. "I just came to say hi," Olivia said, her voice trembling. "You were busy, so I waited. Hope you enjoyed yourselves." "Of course we did, bestie," Chloe sneered. "I was just helping you perform your duties. That’s what friends are for, right?" "You know, you’re beautiful, Olivia, but you’re not smart," she added. "Jackson never really loved you. We’ve been sleeping together for weeks." "Chloe, shut up!" Jackson snapped. "Olivia, it’s not what you think—" "Don’t," Olivia cut in, her eyes glassy but fierce. "Chloe, I should have known. Your fake smile, your plastic face—it all makes sense now." She turned to Jackson. "I thought we had something real. But you’re nothing but a lying i***t. Thank God I found out now. I regret every moment I wasted on you." Without another word, she walked out. --- At home, she cried till her chest hurt. Everything was crashing down too fast. Her past, her present. Trust? Shattered. She needed to escape. She threw on a dress and went to the nearest club. "Pour me another!" Olivia yelled, already tipsy. The bartender shook his head but poured the drink. Minutes later, she was on the dance floor, singing, laughing, and swaying like nothing mattered. When she got tired, she stumbled back to her seat. That’s when she noticed him. A handsome man sitting alone. She walked over, tipsy and reckless. "Hey, handsome... you’re so cute," she said, touching his hair. He scowled. "Excuse me? Who are you?" "Awww, are you a baby? Why’s your skin so soft?" she giggled, squeezing his cheeks. "Only babies can’t hurt people. And you’re a baby. I love you," she said before kissing his cheek and hugging him. --- Leo's POV "Young lady, stop embarrassing me. Get your hands off me," I said, trying to untangle myself from her grip. This drunk girl had just marched over and started poking at my face like I was a teddy bear. Then, out of nowhere, she started crying. "You’re not a good baby. That’s why you hurt me... I hate you." She was completely wasted. I tried to walk away, but she followed me all the way to my car. "Why are you following me?" "Because I go wherever my baby goes." She looked up at me with teary eyes. Her lips were pink and trembling. Her whole face was soft, innocent, messy—and heartbreakingly beautiful. I shouldn’t have. But I did. --- They went to a hotel. She was barely conscious. He laid her on the bed and turned to leave. "Please... don’t leave me. Everyone always leaves," she whispered. He hesitated. Then he stayed. And crossed a line. --- That night would change both their lives forever.