Page 123 of Punishing His Runaway Bride
"Shit," she said again, louder this time, "Olivia, you..."
"I know." I opened my eyes, stared at the ceiling. "I know it was stupid."
"It's not about stupid, damn it!" She stood up, paced the room, then turned back to me. "Olivia, have you lost your mind?"
"I know." My voice stayed flat. "I know."
"What did you know?" She crouched down, hands on my knees. "You know he's a gangster? You know what he did to you five years ago? You—"
"I know!" I screamed it, the sound exploding in the living room. "I fucking know all of it!"
She froze, stared at me for a long moment. Then she took a deep breath and sank back against the couch.
"So what are you going to do?" she asked. "Keep going to these lessons?"
I wiped at my tears. "Yeah."
"Are you insane?"
"I signed a contract," I said, "and Juliet."
"Juliet?"
"She," my voice dropped, "she's wonderful. She's sweet, she's smart, and when she smiles..." I stopped, pushed down the ache rising in my throat. "I want to be there for her. Even if it's just as her teacher."
Ella was quiet for a long time.
"What if he finds out about Leo?" she asked.
My fingers clenched the fabric of my shirt.
"He won't," I said. "I'll be careful. I won't let him find out."
"You're walking a tightrope, Olivia."
"I know."
"You know and you still—"
"Ella," I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands, my shoulders starting to shake, "I owe Juliet five years. Five years. I never saw her, never held her, never heard her call me mom. And now she's standing right in front of me, calling me teacher, telling me she likes me."
Tears leaked through my fingers, dripped onto my legs.
Ella's eyes went red.
"I can't leave her again," my voice shook, "not right now."
She looked at me for a long moment. Then she reached out and took my hand.
"Okay," she said. "But you have to promise me you'll be careful."
"I will."
"And," she continued, "if he finds out anything, you tell me immediately."
I nodded.
Ella stood up, went to the kitchen, poured me a glass of water, brought it over.
