Page 29 of Saved By A Dark Billionaire
"No glasses?" I asked.
"Nope. The bottle is for you. Leo and I are drinking beer," Lucas explained, holding up a 6 pack.
"Perfect." I smiled. I opened the bottle, chugging a good amount, feeling like I incinerated my chest. Lucas and Leo stared at me with wide eyes as I downed a quarter of the bottle in one go.
"Damn," Lucas muttered with a smirk, as if he enjoyed seeing the way I could handle my liquor. Leo, on the other hand, had his brows slightly furrowed with concern.
"Where do you want me to start?" I asked Leo, because tonight is about making him feel better, even if it's at my expense.
"At the beginning, tell me about your childhood." Leo smiled. Poor guy probably doesn't realize he's asking for the worst years of my life.
"Okay, one second." I drank more whiskey, to their surprise.
"Is it that hard for you to open up?" Lucas raised a brow.
"You'll see. We should probably sit." I pointed to the folding chairs set out here, probably by staff members. After we each took a seat, I took a deep breath and dove right in.
"I grew up in New Hampshire, in a small house on a winding road. We didn't have close neighbors, and looking back at it now, I know it was on purpose. My father didn't want others hearing the screams." They both looked at each other for a moment as I stared at the ground. I took another swig.
"My mom, dad, and I were only ever a picture perfect family in public, but behind closed doors my father would abuse my mother. I am not sure when it started or why, but as long as I can remember, they would fight. It always started with yelling, leading to things being thrown, and eventually him hitting her."
"Olive…Liv, you don't have to. I'm sorry I didn't realize." Leo shook his head.
"No, it's fine. It's too late now. I've already drunk quite a lot." I smiled. "Anyway, my dad was an MMA fighter, so his punches were always hard. One time I got in front of my mom, trying to keep him from hurting her, but in his fit of rage, he pushed me away to get to her. I hit my head on the corner of the kitchen counter, splitting my forehead open." I touched the scar, remembering the warmth of my blood flowing down my face. I have to continue this story now that I have started it.
"A month after the incident, mom left us. She didn't take me with her and she never contacted me again until last week. Dad raised me from the age of 10 until the second I turned 18. He taught me to fight, and he taught me how to be safe, but the man showed no affection. Not a single hug or a simple I love you. He was cold, and for the first few years, he was determined to find my mother. I had to take care of myself since he had turned into an alcoholic. Eventually, he realized he wouldn't find her and gave up. Which only dove him deeper into the alcohol." Leo and Lucas were so quiet, they were listening attentively. Leo looked at me with deep concern while Lucas had his hands fisted beside him, looking mad as hell.
"My 8th grade year a teacher noticed my giftedness and had me apply for a scholarship to a private high school with a high rate for getting kids into Ivy League colleges. Dad sobered up around then, realizing he was failing as a father. He had to drive me to the high school since it was so far and they didn't have buses. I would get picked on a lot by the students there, since I was the scholarship kid who came from nothing." I picked at the string poking out on my pants, feeling the need to fidget with something as I spoke.
"I hate people like that. Money doesn't make a person. I am sorry you went through all of that, Liv," Leo told me, reaching for my hand and squeezing it.
"Thanks, buttheydefinitely believed differently. I did well in my studies and worked part time to save for college for most of high school. Eventually, I got my acceptance letter to Columbia, and it made it all worthwhile. I was pretty sheltered in high school because of my lack of friends. So I never attended a high school party, or even had a boyfriend. Hailey was the one to burst me out of my bubble freshman year of college." I smiled at the thought of her.
"She took me to my first party where I had my first kiss over a stupid pass the card game. The guy made the card fall so he could kiss me. His name was Adam, and he was a senior. He tried to get me to do more, but I refused, and when he didn't take no for an answer, I beat the shit out of him."
"Of course you did." Lucas smiled at me proudly, making me smile too.
"I am, to this day, still not allowed to any parties on sorority row." I let a laugh out. "Hailey still found other parties for us to attend, and during the second semester of freshman year, I met Julius." I sighed, remembering the feelings I held for him once upon a time. "He was my first boyfriend, but I was still a virgin and I didn't want to hand it over after having held on to it for so long. We dated and eventually he asked me to be his girlfriend. I stupidly said yes, and in the spring of sophomore year I slept with him for the first time. I should have known he had been cheating on me. What guy would be with a girl for a year and be fine and dandy not sleeping with her the entire time?"
"If it were with you, I would be," Leo quickly responded, making me blush a bit.
"Last Friday I walked in on him fucking my roommate, Clover, for God knows how many times. He tried to tell me it meant nothing, but it didn't matter. I don't forgive unfaithfulness, ever." I looked at Lucas as I said this; I am not sure why I felt the need for him to know this. He nodded his head for me to continue.
"That's when Hailey offered for me to stay with her and forced me out to the club where I met this one." I pointed to Lucas with a smile. "It was meant to be a one-night stand to show Julius, and myself, I was just fine."
"Okay, wait, so you're telling me I'm only the second guy you've slept with?" Lucas asked with a shit-eating grin.
"Yes, that's right. Don't get a big head about it. Anyway, I met you and saw him again, and here we are." I summarized.
"Wait, you didn't say why you're here. What's going on with your mom?" Leo cocked his head to the side.
"My dad called me the night you dropped me off," I told Leo. " He told me my mom had gotten a hold of him. She is in hospice here. I wasn't sure if I wanted to see her after the way she left me, but I couldn't deny the little girl in me who wanted her mother. My mom told me her side of things and now I'm using the little time I have left to catch up and talk as often as we can. She has breast cancer, and she's having me get screened. They took my blood yesterday and I'll have results in a couple of weeks, but she doesn't have too much time left. She probably won't be around by the time I get them."
Saying it out loud killed me, making my heart shatter. A dot of water fell on my pants, making me think it was raining until I realized it was a tear. I had begun to cry without noticing. Leo knelt before me, pulling me into a tight embrace. I only cried harder in his arms. I hadn't realized how sad I had been. Between telling them my life story, the alcohol, and the embrace, I was letting everything out.
"We're here for you, Rose." Lucas' voice came from beside me. He wiped at my tears as Leo continued to hold me.
"I'm sorry. I am supposed to be comfortingyou, Leo." I sniffled as my tears slowed. He pulled back, letting me go. I wiped the rest of my tears with my sleeve.
