"Only me do I threaten. Only me do I kill."

- Anne Sexton

. . .

Ashton Creed

I didn't know how to say goodbye to her, it was as if I was never meant to say it, or be good at it. Olivia left with Xerxes, the black jet turning into a dot till it was nothing at all. 

Michael sighed. "On the bright side, you can kill people in your mansion now." He smiled, patting Zavier on the back. Zavier eyed his hand. Michael hid it. 

"Now that she's away," I said. "I'd like to weed out the Blood MC."

"And ask why they have such an awful name?" Asked Samuel. 

"That, among other things," Zavier muttered and walked back to the car. I followed. 

"She's going to be alright," I said to him as I drove. It was sunny in New York. We could be at our favourite restaurant, having lunch with Zavier grumping his ass off, instead, she was on a plane to a place we did not have much foothold. 

"I know," Zavier said. "Xerxes will make sure."

"Have you considered," Michael said, unrequired as always. "Letting her run off without any one of you for a while?"

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"She's young," Samuel said, his voice quiet. "Don't they want to...spread their wings?"

"What else do you think she's doing?" Zavier grumbled, rubbing his forehead. He looked like he hadn't slept. I had for a while because Olivia was with me. Xerxes had abused his piano the whole night. "She's spreading her wings, as she wants, and we're going to keep her safe. That is all." He opened the dashboard. "Where's water?"

"I don't have it," I said.

"Why don't you have fucking water?"

I rubbed my temples. He was going to be a little bitch for days now. He had been like that when she left for California. I stopped in front of shat looked like a grocery store. "Get the fuck out and get your damn water."

He got out, slamming the door shut.

I started the car.

"Um... Ashton?"

"Yes, Michael?"

"Zavier-"

"I've had enough of his bullshit for the day." He was not the only one whose mind was fucked with worry.

"Okay."

As soon as I stepped into the office, I was surrounded by work which helped with keeping my mind occupied.

A knock sounded on the door.

I sighed. "Who's there?"

"It's your mom."

"I will kill you, Gio."

Giovanni grinned like a motherfucker as he walked into the office. The first thing I noticed was his knife, eyes trained to see weapons first, and then my eyes lifted to his brown hair which was in a ponytail - a fake show of calmness.

"Heard your girl flew away."

"Yeah." I put the papers down on the table. He looked around the large, books filled office.

"Who are you tricking here?" He asked, letting out a chuckle. "This whole show of being civilised." He grinned again, putting his hands in the pocket of his suit. "Grading papers."

"You've said those same sentences seven times."

"And seven times I meant them." He sat on the chair across from me, his knee bouncing. "Is she safe?"

"I've made sure she is. Touching Paris, she's going to run off to every Museum she can, exposing herself for hours." My head throbbed with pain. The lack of sleep and constant worrying was getting to me.

He frowned. "Xerxes can't make her stay inside?"

"No."

"How does that work?"

"That we're still trying to figure out." With other women, I didn't have to go out of my way to protect them because no one saw us together. Now, the whole world knew Olivia as ours.

His knife traced the edge of the table, peeling off some of the wood. "You know about the fight tonight?"

"Some fighter from Europe?" I asked. The Valentinos held fights in Italy and New York. Fighters trying to make themselves known to the mobs  participated. Even the Russian Mafiya took part in one of those which happened in Italy recently.

Alexi had fought two men. Killed them both within thirty minutes.

A show of power on foreign soil. The man knew what he was doing. Giovanni, unable to help himself, had proceeded to close the night with four kills.

"Yes," he said. "New, too. His first fight in my rings but has a name for himself.  would fight but I already have one lined up and Fabiano is pretending to not want to fight."

"Ask Zavier."

"He has one lined up."

I sighed. "Okay."

"You'll do it?"

"Yeah." I stood up. "One condition."

He raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Make it to the death."

He grinned that predatory grin of his. "Now we're fucking talking."

. . .

"Hello!"

I smiled, wearing my shoes. "How's my little one?"

"I'm good," she said. "The flight was exhausting."

"Rest for the day," I said, pulling my shorts up. The locker room was empty. "You can see the city tomorrow."

"I think I will sleep for a bit." That showed just how exhausted she was.

I knew for a fact if she fell asleep she'd want up in hours. "Okay," I said. "Do you like the dorm?" Even though she could have stayed at one of our properties, Olivia had insisted on staying in a fucking dorm.

Still, there was an apartment waiting for her near the school.

"It's small. I'll make it small and beautiful. My roommate should be here soon."

"Send me a picture of the dorm," I said to her. The roommate was another worry.

"I will," she said. "Xerxes is grumbling about the bed being too small. What are you doing?"

"Getting ready for a fight."

"...what?"

"A fight, my love. I won't get hurt, don't worry."

"Okay," she mumbled. "Will the other person get hurt?"

"That's how a fight works." I removed the phone from the speaker, pressing it to my ear. "I love you, Olivia. I'll call after the fight."

"I...I love you, too."

. . .

World sucks.

Who allowed people who hate cats to exist?

Someone give me coffee.

Henry Cavill is hot.

Harry's house is gold.

Eddie Munson is hot.

I am sick.

My right-hand hurts.

Plotting books is hard.

'Choke her with a sea view' killed me.

I feel Matilda in my bones.

I need chocolate.

Anyways, thoughts on the chapter?

Future predictions? (I love these)

Anything else to say to me? 👀

Everyone meet Smol he is my bestie.

Byeeee