Tamed

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Next To Me

Charlotte

(Present Day)

Shock, followed directly by unspeakable anger, are the emotions I'm feeling right now.  Oliver loves me?  I call bullshit.

            He's still staring up at me like I'm supposed to say something.  How am I supposed to respond to that?  I love you too?  Not happening.  The way he's stumbling around trying to remain upright is a clear indicator he's wasted.

            I grit my teeth.  "Don't move. I'll be right down."

            Oliver gives me half a nod and laces his fingers on top of his head.  I almost feel bad for him.  The sadness in his eyes is apparent even from this distance and it makes my stomach flip.  I'm not heartless.  Despite what he did to me, the last thing I want is to cause him pain.

            Carefully, I lower the window and step around the shards of glass scattered on the hard wood floor.  I make a mental note to grab a broom on my way back.        

I throw on a long grey sweater on my way out the door.  Oliver has his back to me as I approach.

            "You proud of yourself?" I ask, taking another step closer.

            He shakes his head as he turns around to face me.  "I'm sorry about the window.  I'll fix it, I swear."  He staggers forward and reaches for my hand.  "I didn't mean for that to happen.  I was just trying to get your attention."

            I laugh.  "Well, you got it."

            "I love you," he says again.

            I give him a shove backwards and he trips over his feet a little.  Balance isn't his friend right now.  "Stop saying that."

            His eyebrows pull in.  "I can't," he slurs. "I should have said the first time I felt it—because let me tell you something, darlin'."  He leans closer to me and draws his hand into his chest. "I fucking felt it.  I've loved you for so long I can't even remember how it started.  All I know is in that moment I was terrified."

            The whiskey on his breath is masking the sincerity in his eyes.  I don't believe him, but I also don't want him to stop talking.

            "Why?" I ask finally.  "Why would that scare you?"

            Ollie releases a sound of anguish.  "Because."  He throws his arm out the side.  "I knew it would end like this."

            "Like what?"

            "With you hating me."  His eyes close for a moment and then he shakes his head as if to erase his thoughts. He takes a breath and then opens them, burning me with his gaze.  "Because that's what happened isn't it?  You didn't want a reminder that I ever existed."

            My stomach drops.  "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say it that way."

            Ollie laughs once.  "No, I think you did."  He takes a step closer, placing his hands on my arms.  "I deserve that. I do."

            "You don't," I whisper.

            His eyes drift to my lips for a beat, but he doesn't lean closer.  Instead, he looks me straight in the eye.  "I love you.  I didn't think I needed to say it for you to know that I felt that way.  It's fucking stupid and I was too dumb to realize what I was doing."

            I take a shaky breath.  "You know that's not the reason, right?"

            He nods.