Filed to story: Submitting to My Bestie’s Daddy Read Online >>???
“Maybe even Alessandro. He would be a good choice for you. He cares about you, and he’s around your age, too.” He brushed a hand through his hair, looking incredibly tired and stressed. “He’s a better match for you–”
“Are you done?”
My voice was cold, practically liquid nitrogen, as it hit him, and his eyes widened as he finally looked at me, flinching back from whatever he saw in my eyes.
While my voice was cold, my body was not. Every word out of his mouth had only served to feed the anger that had only started budding. Now it was in full bloom.
And if he thought my anger was as pretty as a rose, he was mistaken. This was a corpse flower, a disgusting, ugly thing that only wanted to devour all of him in its blind rage.
I slipped off the other end of the bed, getting to my feet before I faced Giovani, crossing my arms over my chest. In a T-shirt used as a nightgown, I knew I didn’t look the most intimidating, but by the wary look on Giovani’s face, I was getting through his thick skull.
“Are you done deciding my life for me?” I snapped, keeping my glare on him as he flinched back. “You and Alessandro both think that you know what’s best for me, but you don’t! This is my life!”
Shame crossed his features before he started with that bullshit again.
“I just think–”
“I don’t care what you think!” I retorted. “I am not going to let you decide what’s best for me because only I can do that!”
I clenched my fists by my side, my lip trembling as emotions rippled through me. Anger, sadness, doubt, frustration, fear–I felt all of it at once, and it was overwhelming.
“I’m sorry, I just want you to be safe, to be happy,” Giovani tried with a helpless expression.
“And I can decide that for myself!” My hands shook at my side, my whole body screaming with frustration. “Not you! Not Alessandro! Me!”
“I know, but you don’t understand–”
“You think I haven’t thought about all the potential downfalls?” I cut him off, not listening to any of it. “You think I haven’t thought over and over how it could ruin my friendship with Dahlia or that I might get hurt, or worse, die?”
He flinched, getting to his feet.
“I would never let that happen,” he growled, reaching for me.
I brushed his hands away, stepping back. “But you have!” I told him fiercely. “I am already caught up in all this. It’s my decision to stay, my decision to be with you, not anyone else’s. I don’t care about the danger, or age difference, or anything else! I want to be with you!”
I breathed out heavily, my anger fading like a dying flame. I wrapped my arms around my middle, trembling as I glanced at Giovani. Tears began to run down my face as the fear returned to devour me from the inside out.
Without him… what was I even staying for? Why would I put myself through this mental torture over and over again if he didn’t even want to fight for me?
He’d said he loved me.
But doubt was a stubborn and hungry creature.
“I love you.” My voice broke as I glanced at him helplessly. “That’s all that matters to me.”
“Olivia.”
He reached out for me, but I shook my head, stepping back one final time as I held myself together as best as I could. I brushed the tears from my face, hardening like a stone as I glared at him.
“But that’s clearly not enough for you,” I bit out, harshly.
He stepped back, a wounded look on his face, but I wasn’t the one going to give in now. I was tired of hiding, of lying to my friends, of being afraid.
I clenched my fists, my anger returning as I closed the distance between us, standing face-to-face with him.
“I’m going home,” I declared. “I’m tired of being scared. I was only staying for you, for our relationship, but clearly, I don’t matter more than everyone else’s opinions.”
I stared into his eyes, searching for something, anything, but all I saw was darkness. I shook my head disappointedly, turning away from him.
Right as I did, however, a strong grip latched onto my arm.
“Giovani, let go–” I snapped, turning around, but I didn’t get to finish as I was pulled into a hard body, his lips meeting mine in a kiss.
He grabbed my jaw with his other hand, holding me still as he dove into my mouth, taking control in a flurry of passion and, despite how angry I was, I melted into him.
Our tongues battled for dominance, and I wrapped my fingers into his hair, gripping it tightly as he held my waist with the other.
I was so stunned, I forgot exactly what we were talking about as I could only focus entirely on his lips on mine.
I was swept away by the passion as he tasted me over and over again, only breaking for breath when I couldn’t breathe anymore. But with the fresh air in my lungs, my eyes flew open as I remembered what was happening.
“No!” I pushed him in the chest as hard as I could, my meager strength not even able to move him, but he backed away anyway.
I tried to catch my breath, my mind whirling to understand what had happened.
“Olivia–”
“No!” I shook my head, standing firm as I glared at him. “I’m tired of the secrets and sneaking around. If you just want some late-night sex, you can go find someone else! I’m not doing this anymore!”
It hurt to say those words aloud, sounding too final to my ears. I shuddered, my heart breaking in two as I stood there on the other side of a line that I myself had drawn between us.
But it was a necessary one.
“Olivia…” he said softly, reaching for me.
I was too exhausted now to fight him off as he brushed my cheek and raised my head to meet his gaze.
“I love you.” He ran his thumb along my bottom lip, a tender and sweet look on his face. “I want you, not just for sex.”
As much as I wanted to trust him, to place my faith in him, I knew I couldn’t for one simple reason.
“You’ve said that before,” I said sadly. “How can I believe you now?”
Giovani flinched, casting his eyes downward like he was searching for an answer. I shook my head sadly, pulling out of his grip.
His face flashed with an expression I couldn’t quite name. Sadness? Desperation?
“Fine, Olivia. It’s your decision to make,” he said, a tone of nonchalance taking over his voice as he stared at me. “But you have to know this is more than just sex to me. I want you to stay. I want to be with you. But I can’t force you to do anything against your will, and I won’t beg for you. If you go, I’ll never be the same. But it’s your choice. Stay or go. Either way, I love you.”
*Olivia*
If you love something, let them go.
That’s what my mom always said. I always thought it was just a funny saying with not any real meaning to it, until this very moment.
