Sighing loudly, the blonde collapsed back into her lover’s arms in defeat. “Promise you won’t get mad?”
“Cross my heart, Alex.” She vowed solemnly.
“That night, after we left the club, we heard screams. So Ling, Jack Henry and I followed the sound, and found Mary Kaitlyn. Ling and Jack Henry tried to pull the boys off, while I ran back to the club to get help.” Slowly, Alex drew the memory from its tightly sealed vault. “While I was gone, Cass and her friend jumped in. By that time, Ling was down and was pretty beat up, despite her black belt in judo… and Jack Henry had his hands full…”
“And?”
“Basically, Cass and her friend kept the fight going until real help came…”
“I see.” Olivia threaded her fingers gently through her lover’s flaxen locks. “I’m surprised you didn’t pick up a stick and beat somebody with it.”
“That’s a threat I reserve for particularly aggravating people, like you and Ling,” Alex tapped the brunette on the nose, and teased back. “Besides, a popsicle stick would probably be the only kind of stick I’d find, with my luck.”
“Oh? You’re usually pretty lucky, at least when we play any chance-based games,” the brunette reminded.
“Well, not that night.” Alex rolled her eyes. Visibly embarrassed, she complained, “My luck sucked. I sucked.”
“Why, Sweetheart? What happened?”
“When I came back out, I did try to take a swing at one of the guys,” she chuckled lightly. “I ended up hitting Cass on the nose, and bloodied it.” Glaring at her lover with her fingers readied for attack, she warned, “Not a word from you. No laughing either.”
Snickering and covering her nose, Olivia taunted, “Do you just have something against people’s noses?”
“Drop it.” Blue eyes narrowed threateningly. “If you know what’s good for yours.”
The brunette laughed softly, and shook her head. Refocusing the conversation, she pursued, “So what did you think of Cass?”
“What do you mean?” Alex asked, her walls going up once again. This was a part of her past she didn’t want to revisit, not now, not ever. “Why don’t you just tell me what it is that you really want to find out from me?” It would not be any easier for the blonde, but at least she wouldn’t have to play guessing game with her lover.
“Ling told me you were Jenny Devereux for a while.”
Ling is so going to die, she silently raged. Taking a deep breath, holding it and then exhaling slowly, she attempted to relax and stay her fury. Olivia had lulled her into a false sense of security, laid the snare and tied her up in a neat little bundle.
“I’m assuming she was more than just a friend, or a girl who saved Ling. Am I right?”
“Right.”
“So tell me,” the brunette insisted.
“Why, Olivia, why do you want to know?” Her voice quivered. Perhaps it was anger. Or maybe it was the sudden rush of emotion she felt, that she didn’t think she would feel.
“Just curious. You promised to tell me about the people from your past if I asked. I’m asking now.” Tenderly, Olivia tucked her lover’s hair behind her ear and showered her face and lips with warm kisses. Until, finally, Alex softened and kissed back.
Guess I did promise… Why did I do that? Ling probably told you more than she should already, but I suppose you want to hear it from me, in my own words. She searched for confirmation in the fathomless dark eyes, and came up short. “I don’t know…”
“Come on, Sweetheart,” the brunette coaxed, caressing fair skin gently. “You know every sordid detail of my past. Something tells me your feelings for this girl was anything but,” she offered with a smile.
Suddenly, Alex was afraid. Perhaps it was an irrational fear, but at that moment, it was so real. The consequences were so unbearable.
“Alex?” Sensing the turmoil, Olivia beckoned. “Baby?”
Refusing to look up and on the verge of tears, the blonde voiced her consternation, “You’ll get mad, and you’ll stop loving me.”
“I won’t, Sweetheart, I promise.”
“But I worked so many technicalities with you…”
“If it’ll make you feel better, I worked my own share of them.”
That perked the blonde’s curiosity. Lifting her eyes, she asked, “About what?”
Wiping away the moisture that trickled down the pale cheeks, Olivia pledged, “I’ll tell you, every single one of them, if you want. Afterwards.”
“You really won’t get mad?”
“I love you, Alex. I will always love you. Nothing’s gonna change that, no matter what you tell me.” The brunette answered the unvoiced question instead. “If anything, it’ll only help me feel closer to you,” she added sincerely, and waited.
“Remember I said I liked bad girls?”