69 - Kittens

"I want to be like water. I want to slip through fingers, but hold up a ship."

― Michelle Williams

. . .

ASHTON CREED

"Olivia."

She looked up from her laptop. It was her last class for the day. She looked radiant. Zavier's love confession had made her radiant. So fucking happy.

"Drive?" I asked.

She nodded, eyes lighting up. I felt a pang in my chest. She should be able to get out as much as she wanted to without worrying. We might bring...love to her life but we did not bring much freedom. Every woman in the mafia was bound by chains they did not choose, except some like Miss Summers and my grandmother who had an active role in the business.

I walked out of the kitchen, letting her do her class in peace. She had astronomy as a subject, too. I did not know she had it since a few days back when we were learning about Daniver. From the looks of it, she wasn't doing good in Astronomy - as bad as she was doing in econ.

I ran into Zavier who, too, was fucking glowing. "Where's Xerxes?" He asked.

"Sleeping." He had been sleeping for too long, probably an outcome of not sleeping for days. We needed to get more sleep. I wished there was a way we could sleep without having nightmares. Drugs had helped at once but they weakened us and no way in hell would the mafia follow druggies.

He nodded, walking away. "Wait."

"Hm?"

"How did you say it?"

He grinned. "Not telling you." "Just fucking tell me, Zavier."

"I just...said it." He shrugged. "I just blurted it out. She didn't say it back but it felt good to tell her." He looked down at his hands. "She said she'll say it back."

I nodded, walking away. Could I say it to her, too? I wanted to.

I exited the house and my eyes fell on Edrick. He was paying with the kittens with Kylie. The kittens. Four little devils spawn Kylie had brought home and Olivia was now in love with them. I didn't even know their names.

Kylie rushed towards me with one kitten in her hands. "Ashton!"

"Hey, Kylie," I murmured, looking at the small kitten in her hands. She was small enough to fit in my palm. She looked up at me with wide eyes, her paws extending towards me.

"Take her!" Kylie gave her to me before I could protest. I held her in my hands. She curled into a ball, purring lowly. What the fuck?

"I'm here!" Olivia descended the staircase, a handbag on her forearm which I knew had all the chocolates she could fit in it. She was wearing a black coat with a white t-shirt which had some paint on it and black trousers. She reached my bicep in the heels she was wearing.

She looked at the kitten in my hands. "You have Hera. She and Aphrodite love cuddling and sleeping." She gently petted the kitten.

Two kittens rushed towards us, jumping around Olivia's feet. "These are Athena and Hestia. They hate sleeping and cuddling." She tried to pick one up but the kitten snarled at her. My eyes narrowed.

"Let's go," I said to Olivia, handing the kitten - Hera, to Kylie who cuddled her to her chest, looking delighted.

I intertwined my fingers with Olivia, pressing a kiss to her knuckles, and led her to the garage.

"Where are the Valentinos living now?" She asked as I unlocked my Bugatti. I held the door open for her.

"They have multiple properties in California," I told her, closing the door after she was in.

"Oh," she said as I entered the car. "They are like your...best friends?" She inquired as I started up the car.

I hummed, shrugging. "How were classes?" She let out a small sigh. "Good. Alright."

I frowned, sneaking a look at her. She was frowning down at her hands, looking to be contemplating something.

"Say it, Olivia." I drove out of the garage and in a few moments, we were on the road. I didn't have a destination in mind. Maybe we could get ice cream and go to the beach. We did own a beach house here but it wasn't safe.

"Nothing," she muttered. "Olivia..."

She looked out of the window stubbornly.

"Is your ass not bruised enough?" I asked, putting a hand on her thigh. "I can make it hurt, little girl. Don't test daddy."

She bit her lip. "You don't tell me anything." I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You could have elaborated on the Valentinos question," she mumbled. "You just shrugged."

"They are our best friends," I said. "We are besties. We paint each other's nails. Happy?"

I didn't like her prying.

She removed my hand from her thigh, looking out of the window. "I want to go back to New York."

"It's not safe."

My hands gripped the steering wheel tighter. I wasn't used to being questioned. She didn't need to know why the Valentinos were our friends.

"I won't tell you anything from now on." A small sniffle. I froze. Damnit. "I'll just shrug and you can tell me what that feels like." She wiped a tear off her face.

I stopped the car on the edge of the road. We were in a fairly uncrowded area.

I undid her belt and pulled her on my lap. "Little one."

She looked away from me. I wiped the tears off her face. "You never tell me anything. I don't even know your middle names!"

"MacQuoid," I answered, setting my forehead against hers. "Valentinos are our best friends, yes, they have been for over a decade."

"How did you meet?" She looked up at me.

A cell.

"We met..." I sighed. "There's stuff I don't want to tell you, Little one. But I can answer other questions."

She nodded, setting her head against my chest.

I turned her till she was straddling me and wrapped an arm around her. "Ask me more."

"Favourite color?"

"Brown. Whatever shade your eyes are."

She smiled, tears were long forgotten. "Favourite author?" I shrugged. "I've never had one. You?"

She shrugged, not answering.

I rolled my eyes, chuckling. "Answer me, you little brat."

"I don't have one either." She fiddled with the collar of my shirt. "Who are you closer to, Xerxes or Zavier?"

"Equal. People expect me and Zavier to be closer but it's not the case." I intertwined our fingers. "Which one of us do you like the most?" I didn't want her to have a favorite.

She smiled shyly. "I like all three of you."

And I love you. If Zavier could say it, so could I. And perhaps I would have if I hadn't spotted him. Someone looking right at the car.

I didn't know who it was. But he was on his phone.

And Olivia, who was supposed to be in New York, was in my arms.

. . .