Olivia was the shill AKA the inside man. Not the mark.
This was my only comfort as I dragged Olivia off the plane. My fingers were wrapped tightly around Olivia's dainty wrist as I tried to deal with shit as it came at me.
"Stop making such a fuss Harmon. I'm Olivia Hunter—" Olivia whined, reminding me once more of her innocence.
She was just a fucking child and I fucked her. Now she was inadvertently endangering herself because of it. The guilt ate at me.
My chest tightened at the thought of how JR might use Olivia to get to Will. JR was a wild card. She didn't give a shit about anything except completing the job. Thanks Marino. The fucker could have picked someone else but no. He just had to stick me with this crazy bitch. I had to keep Olivia away from JR by any means necessary.
"Shut up. You know that shit doesn't work on me, Miss Hunter. I'm your boss. Next time I give you a direct order, fucking listen or I'll fire your ass. Hunter or not," I said pointedly, fuming at the thought of JR touching Olivia.
Was the problem that it was JR or that it wasn't me? Would it have mattered if her new friend wasn't a dangerous ghost from my past?
"What about little old me?" JR asked with her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she trailed behind us, watching Olivia struggle against my ironclad grip. "Hey I don't mind sharing her, but I'm feeling a little left out here, Chance."
"You're embarrassing me. You're the one that said to stop letting just anything inside me. Well she doesn't have a dick, Harmon. What the fuck has gotten into you?" Olivia screamed, making a scene as she thrashed this way and that, trying to peel my fingers off her wrist.
Baby girl, the shit you don't know about me. About her. If I could, I would look away.
Would you really? The voice in the back of my mind taunted me.
"I'll deal with you as soon as I'm done with her. Don't screw anything up JR," I said, throwing JR a quick glance before increasing my pace with Olivia in hand.
Olivia looked between JR and I, momentarily giving up her struggle to connect the dots.
"JR? I thought your name was Robbie. Do you two know each other? Is that it? Did you fuck her too, Harmon?" my jealous baby girl asked, resuming fighting my hold on her with all her might.
Holding on was no small feat, but having her breathing the same air as JR meant I wasn't letting go for shit.
"Fucking stop it. People are looking. You're going back as soon as the plane has been refueled. End of discussion, Miss Hunter," I said sternly, suppressing a grin at the hateful glare Olivia threw JR over her shoulder.
"Oh angel no. He wishes. We're … just old friends. Isn't that right, Chance?" JR said coolly, catching up to us without breaking a sweat and throwing Olivia a dazzling smile. "I'm all about you, angel. Want to show me around the island?" JR flirted smoothly, puckering her lips and blowing Olivia a kiss.
"Sure thing sugar," said Olivia, once more beaming at JR, lust flooding her eyes. "Just let me deal with—"
Words weren't working. Putting myself between them while I walked Olivia's ass to the resort didn't seem to stop them interacting. Plus fuck JR for trying to bed my baby girl. She had no tact. No class. No finesse.
"What part of shut up did you not understand?" I thundered, completely losing my composure as I pulled Olivia towards me and threw her over my shoulder.
"Fucking put me down. It's my mouth, you control freak. I'll use it any way I want," Olivia screamed, banging her fists against my back.
"Sounds like you're just pissed I'm not the one using it any way I want, baby girl. Stop disobeying daddy because he won't fuck you," I said, taking the bait and goading Olivia right back.
The distinct sound of me slapping Olivia's ass rang out into the air.
"I see how it is," said JR, smirking at me as Olivia yelped, the struggling and screaming quietening down once more.
"It's not like anything, baby. He's just—" Olivia defended, but all the fight had left her.
Baby girl, are you okay?
A pang of guilt at my choice of words went through my chest. Still not safe. No time for feelings. Get her the fuck away from JR.
"That's okay, angel. Relax. Don't let him get to you," said JR, reaching out to Olivia.
"This is my turf, JR. Touch her and I'll have you whacked and take my chances with Marino," I said, the very real threat of death in my voice.
Deafening silence fell between the three of us as JR contemplated her next move while I tapped into a darkness locked away inside me many years ago.
"Daddy please. You're overreacting," Olivia's small voice finally said.
"You just know how to pick them, don't you baby girl? Let daddy fix your mess," I said, rubbing her back soothingly as I waited for JR to challenge me.
"Finally. There's my guy. Welcome back, Chance," JR said at last, electing to stop in her tracks, grinning at me. "He really isn't overreacting at all, angel. I'm a bad girl. I fuck like one too. I'll make you never crave dick again. Send her to me if you can't get the job done. I'll be waiting for you downstairs, Chance. Let's chat, just us besties. Later angel," she said, quiet reverence in her eyes that I hadn't seen since back in the day.
Before our last job seven years ago when everything went south between us.
Things like luggage and welcoming Cupid's Cove's guests forgotten, Olivia allowed me to cart her back to my usual suite like she was drunk off her ass. Only this time she wasn't. She stopped asking to be put down though and I certainly didn't want to let her go.
Once we reached my suite, I set her down on her feet and turned my back on her instantly, willing myself to stay put. She'd have questions. Who wouldn't after that shitshow?
Meanwhile my brain checked out again. I should have been thinking of how I would explain this shit to Will and what we were going to do about JR and Marino. Instead all I could see was my baby girl going to second base with a killer before my very eyes. Having to watch them flirt the entire flight for fear of what JR might do, the engorged vein on the side of my forehead felt like it would burst at any moment.
"Did you just threaten to have someone killed for making out with me?" Olivia asked, coming up behind me and running her hands along my shoulders.
Fear. Anger. Guilt. Too many emotions for someone who was retired from the life. Marino was the devil on a good day. When he was desperate he was a straight up nutcase and he was coming for my family.
My past finally came knocking. Should have known better than to form attachments with that sick fuck putting out feelers for me every couple of years. I got cocky. Thought I handled it but he finally found me.
Fucking COO of Hunter Industries. What was I thinking? Guys like me couldn't have that kind of spotlight on them. That was why I declined the promotion year after year. But not this time. I got sloppy. The Hunters were in this mess because of me.
Baby girl, what wouldn't I do to protect you from who I was?
"Yes. What about it?" I said, too mad at myself to try and play it off as petty jealousy. Heading for the built-in bar, I grabbed a glass to pour myself a drink. "You want anything?" I asked her as I watched the bourbon flow from the bottle into the glass.
Had to move. Do something. Should be on the phone with Will already, but I couldn't calm down.
"Why? Who is she Harmon?" Olivia asked, following me to the bar, coming up behind me once again, having picked up on the seriousness of the situation. "Who the fuck are you?" she called out in a shrill voice, yanking the drink out of my hand and banging it down onto the bar.