April-June 2017

I won't get into the nitty gritty details of our love affair and every exchange we had, because what can I say? As the term resumed, we were inseparable. Again, we had each class together (I had ditched business altogether in favour of being around Olivia more). We sat side-by-side, always touching, always feeling what each other felt. No one dared approach us, probably too sickened by our longing stares and kisses.

Her apartment collected dust the longer she lived with me, and I was convinced that, if she was still around at the end of this term, I'd just tell her to let go of her lease and officially move in with me. We were already committed through our bond.

During the days we studied, and at night we held each other, talking about books, spending time together, recounting the past, imagining the future. I showed her how I could make fireworks in the night sky for her. I manipulated light to write that I love her in the air as we lay in bed waiting for sleep to overcome us.

We tried twice more to get intimate, but this time I knew even sooner when she was scared, and so we dropped it. She felt guilty afterwards each time, but I reminded her she had a lot of trauma to overcome.

But as the last few weeks of term ended, the fated phone call arrived.

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June 2017

"Lukas, love?" Ollie called from the living room while I showered.

"Yeah?" I said back as I washed shampoo suds from my hair. I kept an ear out for her footsteps until she reached the other side of the bathroom door. No matter how many times I told her I could hear her in the living room from here, she always insisted on coming closer so she 'doesn't have to shout'.

But rather than poking her head in, she continued to talk from the other side... because we still weren't at a point of seeing each other fully naked.

"Ben has called you five times now," she said. "I think it's urgent."

I heaved a groan, and replied, "I'll call him back when I'm out."

"Sure you don't want me to just answer it?"

"We've talked about this Ollie," I warned. But she went quiet. Even through the water streaming past my ears, I could hear her heavy breaths on the other side of the door. Then, at once, she turned around, her footsteps padding back towards the living room, my phone making a soft thud on the coffee table.

Finishing off my shower, I dried off and wrapped the towel around my waist to get changed.

But as I walked down the hall to the bedroom and past the living room, I glanced in to see that Ollie had her arms crossed over her chest, lip pouting and tears welling in her eyes.

Look what you've done... my bonded brain nagged me.

Sighing, I walked through the living room and took a seat next to her, towel and all. She glanced my way, eyes going slightly wide to see my lack of clothing. With a flush to her face, she quickly looked away, still trying to pout, though expression now marred with embarrassment.

"Did you just check me out, Ollie?" I teased.

"Shut up."

"Make me."

She shot me a glare, but as she continued to stare, her eyes couldn't help but wander back down over me again, lust swirling in her gaze once more. Realising what she was doing, she whipped her head forward, trying to put up her grumpy facade once more.

I scooted closer to her on the couch, draping my arm over her shoulders and using her attraction to me to my advantage. Then I whispered in her ear, "I'm sorry I upset you."

That was all it took for her to breathe out any pent up anger and relax into me. "I just... You said Ben is like a brother to you. I get you don't trust everyone else but... Why do I have to stay a secret even to him?"

"Because it was my dad who told my uncle about Anja."

"You really think Ben would be capable of doing that? The boy who is infatuated with you?"

Pressing my lips together, I replied, "If it were to get rid of the woman who stole my heart... Erica and I fought a lot about him. He was always inviting himself along or demanding my time... A few times he got in our way of getting together too by stirring trouble."

"Did he ever actually confess though?"

"No. And I think that's part of the problem. He's too scared of the rejection he knows will come so he plays silly games... I can't have his games cost your life, Ollie."

"Well... when your uncle is gone and this is all over, we have to make sure we find someone for him. Someone he can depend on instead of you. Who will give him all their time."

Smiling, I caressed her face with my hand and breathed, "That's a good idea. You know... I think you'd make a good friend for him too. Your light could be enough to pull him out of his dark hole he always buries himself in. Once he stops being jealous of you, of course."

"Mmm," Olivia replied, but I could tell from the look in her eyes, her mind had exited our conversation as her gaze now trailed over me.

"Are you thinking dirty thoughts, Ollie?" I quizzed as her eyes flickered to mine.

Biting her lip, she climbed on top of me, legs straddling my side with only the towel and her underwear beneath her skirt separating us. "But you're so clean," she whispered, before she pressed her mouth to mine.

I kept my hands on her back, and sides, creeping up under her shirt, following the usual safe zones and cues. Anything below her waist was off-limits I had learned. But as she continued to kiss my neck, nails trailing down my back as I could feel myself growing and pressing into her, she began to slowly slide back on the couch until she was off me and kneeling on the ground.

"What are you..." I whispered, until she grabbed at the towel and peeled it away from my body. "Oh Olivia," I moaned as she touched me.

· · ───── ∘☽༓☾∘ ───── · ·

I held her close to my chest on the ground, fingers running through her hair.

"That was messy," she giggled.

"It was amazing," I purred into her ear, still feeling dazed from release. "I wish I could do something for you."

She shook her head. "One day. For now it's just me and my hand in the shower."

Pressing my lips together, I held back the comment that I knew about what she did in there... because I had heard it a few nights as I waited for her in bed. "Maybe I should get you a toy."

"That could be fun... Though I'd much rather you."

My face turned a bit solemn at her comment, but she cupped my cheek in response, gaze going tender.

"One day," she whispered. "Thank you for being so patient with me."

Shaking my head, I replied, "You never have to thank me for respecting your boundaries, Ollie. You know that."

She shrugged in response. "Was it... good by the way?"

"I mean... you were touching me. Surely you could feel I enjoyed it."

"Yeah... but I want to hear you say it."

"Delightful. Amazing. Spectacular," I said, planting kisses on her mouth between each word.

"Good. Because I had no clue what I was doing."

"No?"

She shook her head. "Like, I had a theoretical concept from... you know... porn. But most of it was going off what you seemed to enjoy."

"You never—"

"Missionary sex. That's all Jacob wanted."

I could feel the rage bubbling inside me. Every time her ex came up and I heard more about the lack of appreciation he had for the most wonderful woman in the world, I wanted to travel straight to Australia and snap his neck. Even if I burnt to a crisp in the process.

"Hey," she said softly, calling me back to her. "It's okay. He's a distant memory now. I have you to make everything better."

"Yeah," I breathed, turning a little sad at the thought that I couldn't do that though because of her ex and the guy in the alleyway... How had both her sexual encounters been so bad before me? It wasn't fair for her... "When you are comfortable with me, Ollie... I'm going to make you scream... in the good way, of course," I said nonchalantly as I twirled a lock of her hair around my finger.

"Is that so?"

"Mhmm."

"How much?"

"Until you lose your voice."

"Oh really?"

"And until all of London can hear you."

"All of London, hey?"

I couldn't wipe the goofy smile from my face as she played into my banter, and she returned it before kissing me on the nose.

"Now, as long as I would love to stay on the floor, admiring that gorgeous, naked body of yours... we have exams to study for, groceries to get, and you have to call Ben back. Remember him? The reason we fought and you came out in a towel and—"

"Yeah, yeah," I grumbled, feeling mad he came up again. And so we disentangled ourselves from each other. I went back to the bathroom, having another quick rinse so that no sticky residue remained on me before trying again to head to the bedroom and get changed.

Once that was done, I picked up my phone, picked up Ollie's legs as I sat on the couch and draped them over my lap, all the while she read a book for class. Then I dialled his number.

"You rang?" I asked when he picked up.

"Like, twenty times," he grumbled back.

Rolling my eyes, I then said, "What do you want?"

"We... um... need to meet."

"I'm not ready to come back to the house yet." I glanced at Ollie. There's no way I'd ever go back until she was coming with me... or until I'd have to send her to Australia.

"It's not about that... My dad is in town. He wants to speak to you."

"Okay..."

"So if you give me your address, I can tell him—"

"No," I quickly interrupted. "I don't want anyone coming here."

Olivia's eyes went wide next to me as she set her book down. Then, ever so slowly, she moved closer on the couch, pressing her head to the phone to eavesdrop. I mocked swatting her away, but she responded by grabbing my hand and softly pressing her lips to it. So I let her, wary of whether Ben would hear her breaths at all on the other end. Hoping she made no noise regardless of what she heard him say. Because anything Ben said to me, I would relay to her afterwards... I just had to make sure no one knew she existed yet. For her safety.

"I can meet him. But not here," I then said.

"Okay..." Ben trailed off, evidently confused about my assertiveness on the matter. "Can you come to the house for it?"

"Yeah. Does tomorrow work?"

"Can you come tonight? It's... pressing."

"Nights..." I said, glancing at Ollie who had a crease worrying between her brows as she thought evidently the same thing, "Aren't good for me."

"It's really urgent," Ben emphasised.

"What's it about?" I then pressed.

"It's... I can't talk about it over the phone."

My heart stopped for a moment. "Is everyone okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. But, um..." Ben was quiet for a moment, and I waited him out. Sometimes he needed time to collect his words. "It's related to our pill supply."

"I get them directly from the London dealer myself. Is he not—"

"Lukas. Please... I wouldn't be calling you if it weren't important."

I looked over to Ollie, whose face had swirled with more worry. But then she mimed 'go' to me.

"I'll be there in like, half an hour. But I can't stay too late," I replied.

"Okay. See you soon."

I hung up the call then looked out the window. The sun was already starting to set. And while the daylight hung around longer in the brink of the summer season, it would still be dark by 8pm.

Turning to Ollie, who clung to me anxiously, I said, "I'll be really fast."

She nodded, understanding permeating her touch, though the worry still festered within her.

"I've casted so many spells on this place. No one can hurt you here, okay?" I added, trying to soothe her.

She nodded again, still not saying anything.

But wanting to quell her fears, I quickly darted into my magic room before sitting back beside her, passing her a potion in a spray bottle.

"What's this?" she asked, finally gracing me with the melodic sound of her voice.

"A confusion potion. You will be safe here alone. But if by some chance a mere mortal manages to get past my barriers, all it takes is a spray of this on any part of their body. The moment it seeps into their skin, you can tell them to 'go away' and they will immediately walk away from you."

"Can I tell them to dress in drag and do the hula?"

Grimacing at her, I replied, "This isn't The Lion King, Ollie. But no. It's not strong enough for that. You can't get people to give you money. It's just to confuse them long enough to give you time to lock doors or hide somewhere. And I'm a phone call away and I will run as fast as I can if you need me, okay?"

Biting her lip, she nodded.

"And when I get home, you will stay in my arms all evening until you feel better, okay?"

She nodded again.

"Now give me a kiss before I go," I whispered.

A small smile slipped onto her face, but it didn't reach her eyes as she leaned in. I held her head to mine, relishing in the feel of her touch, worrying about her anxiety, fretting about whatever Ben had to tell me. But as we pulled apart, she whispered, "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Come back to me, okay?"

The corners of my lips turned up and I said, "Is part of you worrying I won't come back?"

"Yeah," she mumbled, looking down.

"We promised forever," I said softly. "And I mean it. I'll always come back to you, Ollie. Nothing can keep us apart. Even if you have to run to the other side of the world for a while to stay safe..."

I knew some of what I was saying was empty promises. Because I couldn't know we'd be safe forever. My uncle was such an unreliable force... and anything could happen to strike me or Olivia down. But these promises were all I had to keep the smile spreading back onto her face.

"Just continue your night routine until I'm back," I told her. "And that will be before you know it," I added for good measure.

"Okay," she breathed. And with that, I pulled her to her feet, gave her a giant bear hug, before I released her and headed off to the Hammersmith House.