Ceaseless Chains Copyright © 2021 by Marzy Opal (xXMopelXx) All Rights Reserved.

Chapter posted - July 30, 2021

** ANNOUNCEMENT **

Hi Queens! I've missed you all - I hope you've been well. I just want you to know that I took the last ten months off from Ceaseless Chains (and EWEW) because I was working towards professionally self-publishing, if you didn't already know. I am happy to finally announce that I have completed the rewrite for Ella and Cade's story - TRAPPED WITH YOU - and it is coming to Amazon on October 13, 2021. Save the dates, my loves. You don't want to miss this one. It's a dark, angsty, new adult with teenage drama and a whole lot of smut. I had so much fun breathing new life into these characters. Ella is an alpha female and Cade is a bad boy with a dirty, dirty mouth signature Marzy style. Together, these two are explosive. I will reveal the blurb and pre-order link soon in the upcoming week on IG, Twitter and Wattpad. This story is nothing like the OG, but it does have crossovers and pays tribute to the first version in more ways than one. I hope you stick around for it. Thank you for helping me work towards my dream. These past nine years have been everything. xo

With that being said, enjoy this new installment of Ceaseless Chains!

Playlist Song: The Weeknd - Montreal

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C H A P T E R  16

Teagan

The days flew by and Oliver and I once again fell into a pattern. A new dance. We barely spoke throughout the day, ate quiet dinners in the evenings, where I would grill him about his dates—and he was all too happy to share details, thank you very much—and quietly watched a Netflix movie before bedtime.

My dating app idea seemed to be working quite well. Oliver came home late but at least he spoke politely, even though his mannerism was detached.

I'm cooking chicken parm tonight. How does that sound? 😊 – Teagan

I have a date. Won't be home for dinner. Enjoy. – Oliver

Okay. Have fun 😊 – Teagan

Oliver left me on read. The next day, when it was his turn to cook, he ordered me pizza because he was busy working late. Thursday, it was my turn to cook.

I found your mom's biryani recipe. Good for dinner? 😊 – Teagan

I have another date tonight. I'll take leftovers for lunch. Thanks. – Oliver

The next day when it was his turn to cook, I texted him, barely containing my annoyance.

Don't bother ordering me takeout tonight (since I know you won't be cooking. Again). I'll fend for myself. – Teagan

Suit yourself, Darling. – Oliver

I hope your date sucks your dick tonight. So when you come home, you won't be sexually frustrated and taking your attitude out on me. 😊 – Teagan

Sucks my dick? I want her to fuck me. Kinda hoping she sits on my face. I miss eating pussy. – Oliver

Unfortunately, I really didn't need to know that Oliver was a pussy-eater. In my book (really, any woman's book), that was a win-win. Not that I'd ever had it done properly to me. A past lover had tried and failed miserably. Unfortunately, also in my book, lusting after my ex-best-friend slash roommate slash landlord was a big lose-lose.

Hence why I had downloaded dating apps on his phone. Really, I should be cheering him on, yet...This vow of celibacy was turning me into a bitter harlot.

You're fucking gross. – Teagan

<3. - Oliver

I wanted to smash my phone against the wall lining the lockers in the backroom of Le Petit Moulin. I didn't know why Oliver was being a jackass. Thought it was sexual frustration but it's obviously more. At least he wasn't bringing his hookups back home. The walls were thin, and I would no doubt hear everything.

My right hand and vibrator were getting enough work as it was.

"What's wrong, poupée?" Elsie asked when she marched into the backroom for her shift and saw my face. It was the rare day where she started after lunch, so Noah and I had to open shop.

Noah was eating his sandwich and watching me wearily. He obviously figured out I was brewing and needed to be left alone. If this were a cartoon, I'd have a thundercloud with lightning crackling over my head.

"Nothing's wrong," I seethed without breaking my grin. "How are you today, Els?"

I didn't have to ask. Clearly, my cousin was doing amazing. Her hair was in soft loose curls aka sex hair, her peach lipstick was just a tad bit smeared, her mint silk slip dress looked like it had been bunched my restless hands and she was wearing a new pair of hooker heels— silver with gemstones—provided by her new beau Daniel. Oh, and she had beard burns.

So basically, everyone around me was having sex. Great. Even Noah was sexting his latest fling while he ate his lunch and watched me attempting not to unravel like a shitshow because Oliver was being an ass.

And I was the only one not getting it on.

"Très bien." Very good. She blushed while shoving her LV bag into a locker.

"Hmm. Daniel keeping you busy, eh?" I nibbled on my bagel. "When do I get to meet him?"

She toyed with the diamond stud in her ear, her blush deepening. "I don't know. He's a private homme and we're taking things slow."

"Ahh. I see."

"Oh, I meant to tell you." She adjusted her hair, but it was too late. I caught the golf-sized hickey on her neck. "I saw Mina when I went to deliver the cherry blossom cake at the Millers' birthday party yesterday afternoon. She was amongst the group of girls attending. She said she misses you and wants to see you soon."

All thoughts of sex and Oliver fled out when I heard Mina's name. I'd been wanting to see her too, had been trying really hard, but there hadn't been an opportunity. Mina always had a chaperone with her and said chaperone would report back to my parents that I was in town and working at Elsie's. Shit would hit the fan.

"I miss her too," I whispered back. "I'm dying to glimpse her in person, Elsie."

My cousin placed a loving hand against my cheek, squeezing. "I know, poupée. Soon."

I hoped she was right.

* * *

That evening I was in the bathroom, washing my face and doing my skincare routine, when Oliver popped through the threshold. The door wasn't locked, and I honestly didn't think Oliver would be home so soon. It was 8 pm and I assumed his fuckfest would go on well over midnight.

But there he was, looking clean and fresh and so fucking masculine as ever. He was still in his work attire and didn't seem like he'd had sex at all—he was missing that post-orgasm glow, if I were being honest.

"Hey," he murmured, crossing his arms over his barrel chest. The white material of his dress shirt hugged his defined muscles like a clingy lover.

"Hi," I quipped, rubbing an aloe vera serum over my face.

"How was your day?"

"Fine."

"Mine was great too," he tsked. "Thank you for asking."

"I bet it was, and you're welcome."

"I'm sorry," he said gently after an awkward minute of me slapping my face with moisturizer.

"What?" I gawked, mid-slap.

"I haven't been home a lot and...I've been busy. I'm sorry for being curt in my texts; I wasn't trying to be an asshole."

"Well, you came off as one."

He huffed a breath. "Yeah, I know. Seems to be my go-to reaction lately."

"At least you're admitting it." I washed my hands and eyed him through the mirror. "We live together, Oli. We're friends. If I did something to bother you, please tell me. If you're just having a bad day, then tell me as well. Don't take it out on me. I don't do that to you."

He reached forward to twirl a strand of my dark hair. "I know, Darling." There was genuine remorse in those three words, so I let him off easy.

"What's up with you?" I cocked a hip against the counter and mimicked his pose, folding my arms over my chest. "Talk to me."

"So much," he whispered, dropping the mask and looking much older than his twenty-two years. "My grandfather is pissing me off, Mickey is making me work ten to eleven hour long shifts because he keeps fucking disappearing at the last minute and Grayson is having girl problems and expects me to have all the answers. I'm just feeling overwhelmed, Tee."

Truth be told, he did look overly exhausted, the eyebags under his eyes amplifying as the days passed. I reached forward to trace the dark circles. "You need sleep, Oli."

He grabbed my hand and kissed my palm, melting me with one significant look. "I think I just need my best friend tonight."

My breath hitched a little.

"What do you say we put the last few days behind us and restart? You've been here nearly a month and there's still so much left unspoken between us. Grab yourself some wine and put on a chick flick if you want. I'll grab a shower and join you. We can just relax and talk."

He looked so hopeful, holding his breath.

As if I would turn down the offer.

I smiled, giving him mercy. "Okay. I'll be waiting for you."

* * *

"How was your date?" I asked after five silent minutes of watching 10 Things I Hate About You. Young Heath Ledger had a strong place in my heart.

Oliver quietly drank his whiskey, while secretly enjoyed the movie, I knew. "I was just teasing you. I didn't go any dates. With my hectic schedule, it's been damn near impossible."

Uh, hold up.

"Why did you lie to me then?" I kicked his thigh with my fuzzy sock-clad foot.

Also, why was I so happy that he hadn't gone on any dates?

Oliver tugged his fingers mercilessly through his wet hair. It had grown long to the point where he could tie a small, one inch by nape of his neck. "Like I said, I was dealing with...some family shit along with working ridiculous hours. I didn't want to talk about it and telling you it was dates seemed like an easy cop-out."

"Ahh." I wished he'd confide in me more, but I couldn't push him. Nor would I.

"Nonetheless, I shouldn't have lied," he amended, swirling the liquor in his glass.

"It's all good. Thank you for being honest," I said. "I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything. I'd never judge you. Please, don't feel like you have to lie to me because I'll see you differently. I could never."

He gave me a soft look, gulping. Then he smiled in understanding, before stealing a strawberry from my plate and popping it in his mouth.

Oh boy, that smile.

Over the years it had matured like fine wine, but it still had that cheeky, boyish charm I used to be so obsessed with growing up.

Oliver reached for the pack of cigarette from the coffee table. He put one to his lips and reached for his zippo, lighting his vice with a quick flick of his thumb. His gaze surveyed the coffee table in front of us, which I decorated with coasters and a crystal bowl filled with our favorite individually wrapped chocolates. "Thank you for going to the grocery store and keeping everything stocked. Don't think I haven't noticed you putting in more work around the place. I'm sorry I've been sluggish."

"I'm not keeping tally, Oliver. It really doesn't matter to me who cooks more throughout the week or who cleans more. Your schedule is more hectic than mine and I'm happy to take some stuff off your plate. You'd do the same if it were me."

Oliver's cheeks hollowed as he took a drag and released the smoke in soft curls. "You're too good to me."

"What are friends for? Also, I would like you to make an effort to quit smoking. It's bad for you, Oli."

Oliver was never really a smoker, but Trent told me the last few months took a toll on him and he'd resorted to this bad habit. I couldn't blame him, but still...I didn't like it when Nat had smoked in our teenage years and I certainly didn't like that Oli smoked cigarettes now.

He stared at me like he were trying to decipher something. 

I leaned forward. Oliver stilled, eyes raking over my body. Ever so gently, I tugged the cigarette out his grasp. "Please stop, Oli," I whispered.

His Adam's apple coasted up and down his throat. "Fine," he whispered.

Without looking away, I butted his cigarette out in the ashtray.

His eyes journeyed from my fingers to the length of my arm, dancing briefly near my décolletage, before landing on my face once more. He licked his lips, voice rougher than before. "I'm not quitting cigars though. The boys and I like to smoke those every now and then, and Cher brought an abundance from Cuba."

"I'm not opposed to the occasional cigar or weed," I returned in the same quality, transfixed on how his light brown eyes looked under the dim lighting of the room.

"Fine." He licked his lips again and I ignored what it did to me.

With a shaky smile, I went back to watching the movie before us.

Moments later, my feet were up in the air and I shrieked. They landed on Oli's lap, who was grinning crookedly, without breaking his gaze from the TV. He ripped off my socks before he started massaging the soles of my clean feet.

I moaned, my body sagging into the couch. "Oh, my God. That feels like heaven."

"That's what the ladies tell me."

"Based on your confession, ladies aren't telling you shit." I playfully kicked his chest. He dodged it with a rumbly chuckle.

"I do have a date though. Sunday evening," he mussed after a few seconds.

My ears perked up. "Oh, that's nice."

He cleared his throat and gave me a sidelong glance. "Yeah."

"I have one too. With Wyatt." I caved in and said yes to him after two weeks. Courtesy of encouragement on Elisa's end.

"That's nice," Oliver returned with the same tone as me.

"Is it?"

"He came to the speakeasy three days ago when I was working. Said he wanted to talk man to man. Trent and Jared gave him permission to make his move on you and, for some reason, he wanted my permission as well."

"Oh..."

"Yeah...Anyways, it had something to do with the fact that we lived together. He wondered if it would make shit weird between you and I."

"What did you say?"

He tossed me a sardonic look. "You said yes to a date with him, right? So what do you think?"

"True," I whispered, my gaze riveted back to Heath Ledger trying to unsuccessfully charm Julia Stiles. "I'm nervous. I've been avoiding it because I haven't gone on a date in nine months."

The last time I went on a date was with Mason O'Sullivan at the end of September. Suffice to say, he left me scarred in more ways than one. He got my ass pregnant in October and, shortly after having an abortion, my vow of celibacy started. The months following that traumatic experience, I wanted nothing to do with men or sex or self-pleasuring. I felt...broken. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally.

"Is it because of your last relationship?"

"Yeah. Like I said, I needed to heal." I still couldn't openly talk about it. No one knew anything. When I came back home in October, Trent had been the one to take me to the abortion clinic. He held my hand through it all and didn't judge me. He didn't know about my unborn baby's father or why I'd been chased out of Boston.

And I intended on keeping it that way.

My mess was my own and I needed to protect everyone to the best of my abilities.

The less they knew, the better.

I could feel Oliver wanting to know more, but he kept his mouth shut, watching me with a flummoxed expression. "You'll be fine. Wyatt is a laid-back guy. Easy conversationalist. Nice."

We used that word a lot, but it did apply to Wyatt. A year ago, he'd be the exact type of steady guy I would have tried to saddled myself with. The end of June was right around the corner and I felt ready. Healed physically and mentally, at least. Would Wyatt be the guy to end my dry spell?

"What about your date?"

"Just some girl I've been talking to for two weeks now. A little bit on the good girl side but she's sweet." He sighed. "I'm not nervous, but it is the first date I'm going on after a long stretch. Five months to be exact."

"Since your ex-girlfriend?"

He nodded.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He shrugged. "There's nothing to talk about. She just left me in the dust with no closure. The first month I was heartbroken and angry at her for fucking me over in this situation. We committed to this condo together and she just bailed. The second month I was worried. Is she okay? Is she alive? By the third month, I stopped caring. I realized we would have never worked out long-term. I dodged a bullet."

I carefully tiptoed around this subject. "But...I heard from our friends that you wanted to marry her."

Oliver rested his head against the back of the couch. "You heard the sordid tale, eh? The morning I proposed to her, she freaked out, said she couldn't marry me, and disappeared that very hour. I hope the front door hit her ass on the way out."

Actually, no. I hadn't heard the story. I couldn't stop my eyes from bulging out.

Oliver said it so casually, like this wasn't a woman who he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. I took my feet off his lap and sat up straighter. "What a bitch. Oliver, I'm so sorry. I can't imagine what you must have felt."

"Devastation, but I got over her quicker than I thought. Once I weighed the pros and cons, I realized how she'd always been overly secretive. She had too much baggage and, if I'm being frank, I'm certain her parents have ties to the Russian Mob. Like Daniel Ivanov from Danny's grill."

"Danny's Grill?"

"Yeah. You've never seen the owner of that bar? Daniel Ivanov is notorious for being affiliated with the Bratva. That's the rumor in the city. He was renowned for being a mobster, ever since we were in high school."

You couldn't escape the mob no matter what city you were in, it seemed. Not Boston and definitely not here. "I leave town for a few years and come back to all this juicy gossip."

Oliver chuckled. "Trust."

We continued the movie in peace until our phones started blasting with notifications. Oliver narrowed his eyes but didn't make a move to pick his up from the coffee table. I reached for mine, swiped it open, and found Jared had sent us a message on our group chat.

It was a video of Jared's face cringing, looking miserable in his room, sitting by his work desk and...in the background...all you heard was a muffled, "Trennnnnnnnt. Harder. Fuck me harderrrrrrrr."

Oliver choked on his sip of whiskey. My jaw dropped.

Jared's caption read: Tara, can you get your sorority to knit me earmuffs because I can't do this no more!!! #Cherisafreak #Trentischeatingonme #Icantstudy

"Um, I don't think Jared realized he sent this on the group chat...Where Trent and Cher can also see."

Tara: HAHAHAH. JARED, YOU FUCKING IDIOT. YOU SENT THIS ON THE GROUP CHAT. THIS IS GOLD.

Jared: SHITTTT.

Jared: Oh, my GOD. I think I just heard the #moneyshot all the way from my room.

Natalie: Jared, EW. Why did you send that here? I'm going to strangle you!!

Tara inserted a GIF of a woman whipping a man.

Jared: Kinky, Natty Baby. I'm not into choking though. Cuffing, maybe. x

Oliver: Bro smh...Delete this.

Teagan: I could have gone my whole life without hearing that.

Tara: I've already texted the girls! They are working on an SOS pair of earmuffs, Jared.

Jared sent an emoji with two hands together in a prayer.

Tara: PS: Do you want your initials stitched in there too?

Jared: 100%

I put my phone back on the table. Oliver and I exchanged a wince. "Well, Trent is going to blow a fuse when he sees this."

Oliver cocked his head. "That's putting it mildly."

"At least Nat and Jared are back to being...civil?"

"Mhm." Oliver gave me an unreadable look.

We went back to watching the movie and I munched on a chocolate covered strawberry. A guilty pleasure, but a reward for all the cardio and core workouts I did throughout the week, sans faute, for years.

"Grayson is going to come over Monday night for dinner," Oliver said after a moment of companionable silence. "I hope that's okay."

"Of course, I love having him around. You don't have to ask me."

"He loves being around," he grumbled. "I think he's developed a crush on you, along with this new Leona girl at school he never shuts up about."

Mina mentioned Leona and Grayson to me through text, I remembered. "I'm pretty sure it's my cooking he's enamored with."

"No, it's not just that. It's you."

"Yeah?"

"I told you, Darling. You're unforgettable. When people know the real you, you linger in their hearts."

I swooned. "The same can be said about you."

He hid a smile against the lip of his glass, as if he didn't believe me.

"Don't you know, Oli?" I shook my head. "We spent nearly half a decade away from each other, yet I never forgot you. Every year in July, I'd pick up my phone to text you happy birthday, but I was scared of the outcome so I never did. I think...I was more scared of you not answering me than I was of your reply."

Oliver's eyes burned as he regarded me, regret etched over his features. He rubbed my thigh absentmindedly, but not in a sexual way. The touch comforted me like the feeling of home did. "You should have, Tee. I'd have answered."

"Yeah?"

"The guys aren't just my best friends—they're my brothers. But the relationship I had with you? I never had that with Tara or Cher or Nat. I missed you, Teagan. You left and something inside of me remained hollow."

I tangled our hands together, weaving our fingers until our matching tanned skins melded. "Oliver..."

You left a void in my heart, a space that never cemented no matter how many guys came into my life. They weren't you. No one was you.

"I was so drunk that night at Jared's party and spewed bullshit I can't properly remember. I know I insulted the guy you were fucking, and made a mess of my emotions, but that's about it. Whatever was said, it was enough to scare you away and I've been afraid since then to ask you  what I uttered. All I knew was that I was responsible for driving a wedge between us because I opened my big fat mouth. I hated myself for it, and I projected that onto you because it was easier. I can't even convey to you how sorry I am."

This felt like a breakthrough moment for us. Oliver was apologizing. Oliver didn't remember what he said precisely...And it was better that way.

I didn't miss how he couldn't say Blake's name. He bothered him still. No matter how shitfaced he was the night of Jared's party, he remembered me confessing my newfound relationship and maybe how...angry he'd been towards me, Blake and the universe.

That much Oliver remembered and he was ashamed of that part in his life.

I remembered after that night, embarrassment took over and Oliver avoided me like the plague.

He didn't remember the kiss and that was fine. He didn't remember confessing to liking me, nearly loving me, and that was fine. It meant nothing. Puppy love, as Cher had called it. So what was the point in me reminding him everything that went down? Plus, it would be painful and an insult to the grown people we were now.

Oliver was better off suppressing that night.

And I was better off not reliving the memory of it.

"I can't remember that night very well, Oli," I lied easily. He saw through it. "But if I could go back in time and change the past, I would. Anything for us to regain the years we lost. Anything to apologize if I hurt you with something I said. But all is forgiven and forgotten. All that matters is here and now."

He arched his eyebrow. Nothing is forgotten.

"What I'm trying to say is—"I breathed deep to gather my thoughts, "—I missed you, too, Oliver. You left and something inside of me also remained unfulfilled."

Oli's thumb grazed the back of my hand lovingly. He soaked in these words, a myriad of emotions playing over his face. "We screwed up, eh?" he murmured low.

"We did." All those wasted years. "I missed having someone to talk to—someone who understood me inside and out. My sense of humor and my good and bad days. The girls are my best friends. The boys are too. Even when I was in Boston, they knew something was wrong and would relentlessly text me to tear me out of my shell. Yet the one person who could do just that didn't even want anything to do with me."

Meaning Oliver. He'd always been that person. My person.

An anguished sound left him. "Come here."

Oliver reclined against the armrest of the sofa, his arms opening up and making room for me. An invitation for me to climb on board and sink into his warmth. I could have laughed it off, but the seriousness in that grave expression undid me. I was suddenly on all fours, crawling across the couch to him. My face tucked into his neck and Oliver's muscular arms caged me, his legs tangling with mine.

"Is this wrong?" I whispered against his beating heart, referring to us intimately wrapped together like the world didn't exist beyond this.

His lips brushed my temple. "What?"

"Us. Like this."

Oliver's head shook, his chin moving in my hair. My words only caused him to hold me tighter. "Nothing we ever do is wrong, Darling."

So I burrowed myself deeper into him. I wanted to zip him open and creep into his skin where he could keep me safe, happy, and close to his vital organ. Because that's where I was fulfilled. Right here, locked in our own slice of heaven.

Belongingness thrummed through my veins until every line in my body pulsed with emotions for this guy.

"It's confirmed. We're back to bestest best friend status." His deep voiced caused the wispy baby hairs at my forehead to move.

"Confirmed." I kissed his t-shirt, over his heart.

"What's eating at you?" he rocked me gently, my senses filled with his scent. Aftershave, mint and a hint of tobacco. "Something's been bothering you for days and I can't figure it out. It's not just me behaving like a grade-A asshole. Talk to me."

When I didn't say anything, he urged me again. "I vented. Now it's your turn."

"My sister, Oli. I want to see Mina so bad. I want to hold her for the first time in four years. But my vindictive parents won't allow that. There's always a bodyguard patrolling the mansion. Always a chaperone when she goes out."

Thankfully, my parents didn't know I was in the city. They would up security if they knew—anything to keep Mina and I apart. Especially from my whorish ways and illicit influence, according to them.

Oli kissed my tilted crown, whispering, "You'll see her. Soon."

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A/N: Hi babes. How did you find this chapter? What did you think of sexually frustrated Teagan and Oli owning up to his aholeness? The text conversation lmfao? Their little moment together at the end? These babies are slowly falling in L again. I'm going to be attempting weekly updates for this because I already have chapters written. Have a lovely weekend, my loves!

Spoiler alert: next chapter is their KISS!

As always, if you're enjoying this free story, please remember to press the star button and VOTE. It helps me out tremendously!

Chapter goal: 650 votes? xo