Midnight Daffodil (Poisonous Petals #1)

Chapter 8Olivia

eight

OLIVIA

T he weeks passed uneventfully. My face and eye healed mostly; after a knuckle to the socket, only slightly blurry vision remained. Hoping it cleared soon, I prayed he didn’t damage my sight permanently.

The last few weeks gave me a lot of time to think, and even if it was hard or lonely, I didn’t want to be with Matt anymore.

The newest iPhone taunted me on the counter as I gazed at my reflection in the bathroom. Matt shut off the one I’d lost, complaining every step of the way. My eye gave me pause; concern soured my blurred features in the mirror. As if summoned, the front door opened and closed. Matt’s footsteps echoed as he searched for me.

“Honey, you killed the flowers I got you.” He frowned at me; his eyes met mine in the mirror. Matt’s arms slithered around me from behind, pulling me close.

“I’m sorry.”

“That’s quite alright, my love. I can always buy you more,” he whispered, nuzzling my neck.

“Matt,” I said quietly. “I need to see an eye doctor.”

His body stiffened against me, and my pulse rose. “Why?”

I turned slowly, hoping to diffuse before it started. “My vision is still blurry.”

He looked down into my eyes and sighed, brushing a strand of hair from my face.

“I suppose it is taking longer than usual to heal.”

I nodded and smiled. The movement hurt, but I wouldn’t dare let that show. I just needed to make sure my eye was okay.

God, if I went blind…

“I’ll have one come here and look at you. He’s a client, his work is reputable, and he’s trustworthy.” He reached for his phone and sent a quick text. “I should hear back from him by the end of business.”

I forced a smile that stung my cheeks. “Thank you.”

Things were calm for now. But that’s just how it went with him. We could go weeks without a fight, but damn when we did, it was intense. He became a different person when he was angry; I justified it for years. But Luke changed things.

His presence was like a lifeline, pulling me out of despair. He showed me genuine care and respect, something I had forgotten. With his support, I started to believe in my worth again. The fear that kept me trapped began to fade.

I couldn't imagine Luke ever hurting me.

And the idea of a future with him—a life with him—didn’t terrify me the way I once thought normal.

“Who’re you thinking about?” He snapped, ripping me out of those fantasies.

“You, babe,” I said, not missing a beat.

He’s a mindreader.

“Hmm.” He placed a firm hand on my face. “I better be the only man that ever occupies your mind.”

“You are; there’s no one but you.” I placed my hand on his.

“While we’re on the subject, I wanted to talk to you,” he said. He led me to our bedroom. “Sit down.”

I bent at the knees and sank, perching on the mattress’s edge. Matt hovered over me. My body was pre-programmed to tremble in his presence.

“Don’t worry, sweet girl.” He kissed my forehead. “I’d never hurt you,” he said as he wrapped one of the blankets on the bed around my shoulders. “It’s a bit drafty in here.”

“What did you wanna talk about? Did I do something wrong?”

“No, not at all. You’re perfect.” He blinked as if confused. “I was thinking, it’s been almost six years.” Another kiss on my forehead sent waves of discomfort washing over me.

“We’ve been through so much, and it’s time we settle down. You have to stop pushing me; I hate fighting with you. I love you more than I’ve ever loved anything in this world.” He knelt on his knees, resting his hands on my thighs. “I bought this for you a couple of weeks ago.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a box, and my heart skipped a beat. Do not propose. God, do not propose.

My body would pay the price of marrying him for the rest of my short life.

He opened the box, a boyish grin spread across his face. Inside, a bracelet with an oversized heart shaped charm glimmered. Inside the heart were the silhouettes of a woman, a man, and, in their arms, a child. The rose gold glinted with diamonds as he slid it onto my bruised wrist, sending a shiver of fear through me.

“What do you think, baby?” His pupils dilated. He smiled, nearly blinding me with the shine of the endosteal implants.

“I love it.” I hated it. “But could you help me understand the gift?”

“Yes, of course; I figured you wouldn’t be able to put two and two together.” He breezed over the casual insult. “I love you, and it's time to manifest this love in the form of a child.”

The fuck?

“I want us to have a baby, then we’ll get married,” he whispered, kissing my stiff lips. His minty breath caressed my cheek as he hugged me. “I set up an appointment with my preferred doctor for you to ensure your viability. I’m saving myself for when you're ovulating.”

I could cover this room in vomit like The Exorcist .

Have a baby? What the hell was he thinking? The man who beats me when he has a shitty day wants to add a child to the equation? And that’s if I made it through the pregnancy unscathed.

“I know you’ll be fragile during pregnancy, so I’ll make sure you have the best of care.” He didn’t care what I wanted. Whatever Matt said was law.

“Shouldn’t we get married first?” I stalled.

He paused. “I suppose that would make sense for some, but right now, I’d rather keep you here pregnant with my baby—just one, of course. I’ll make sure to repair your body after you give birth so that you’re still attractive. You need this. You’ve been distracted, which hasn't been good for us.”

Matt’s eyes narrowed as he gauged my response, his jaw clenched. He knew where my thoughts strayed, the way his gaze flickered with a mix of anger and hurt. This was a trap.

Tears stung my eyes.

“Aww, my sweet, darling Livie, I knew you would marvel at the idea,” he cooed. He found comfort in ignorance, and I’d throw myself from this building before confining myself to him with a child. His phone dinged, pulling his attention away as the first tear fell.

“The eye doctor will be over in the morning to see you. I’ll be here to make sure all goes smoothly,” he said, typing a message on his phone. He supervised me more than ever now. He was terrified of me exposing him. The perfect life he’d built with the beautiful woman and successful career would all come crashing down.

“Matt,” I sniffed quietly.

His green eyes met mine.

“Can I please hang out with Vera for a bit this evening?” His brow scrunched. “We can hang out here, and I’ll put on makeup, I promise,” I added, to be as convincing as possible.

He weighed his options, gears turned behind his eyes. He’d been trying to make my time with Vera more scarce. He blocked her number on the new phone; I, of course, unblocked it.

“How about this? You two can take my black card and go out for dinner. I’ll select something for you so you’ll be covered up and appropriately dressed. You need to be home before midnight. I don’t need you running into that pig again.” He walked into the closet and pulled out leggings and a form fitting quarter zip sweatshirt. “This is what you’ll wear.”

“Okay, thank you.” I took the outfit from him with shaking hands.

“If you see him,” he paused, “call me, then call the police and tell them he’s harassing you and you’re afraid for your life.” Matt wanted me to lie as effortlessly as he did.

“But, couldn’t lying get me in trouble with the law?” I asked, my body tremoring, envisioning Luke. Butterflies erupted, taking the nausea with them as he floated through my mind.

Matt’s body stiffened as his vile gaze penetrated mine. “Are you trying to protect that piece of shit?” His words flayed my skin.

I shook my head. “No, I’d never do that. I just thought it would reflect poorly on you if I lied, and I don’t wanna embarrass you again.”

“You already did. When it comes to him, I expect you to do what the fuck I say when I say it. He nearly ruined my face because of you.” His hand reached for my throat. “How could I make money to care for you if you tarnished my appearance and reputation?”

His grip tightened on my windpipe. “I'm sorry; I just wanted to make you happy.”

“Then do what I say, and don’t waste your only brain cell on thinking.” His teeth clenched as he shoved me back, releasing my throat. “And quit fucking shaking. I haven’t touched you.” He stormed past me, stopping at the door to add, “You have the doctor’s appointment for us to start trying in a few days. You better be ready.”

I swallowed.

“Don’t make me force you, Olivia. I can and I will.”

There wasn’t a thing in this world Matt wouldn’t take. Even if it meant me. The memories of his weight pressing me down, his forceful intrusion, the sting of each slap lingered vividly, refusing to fade.

“Yes, I know.”

He slammed the door, leaving me breathless. I narrowly escaped another beating. I hurriedly pulled on the clothes he chose, my hands trembling. Darting to the bathroom, I retrieved the hidden note from Luke, my heart stampeding in my chest.

It was still there waiting for me, though soggy. I peeled it off and peered at the smeared but legible ink.

It was his number with a short message.

If you need me, I’ll come to you.

My heart fluttered, looking at the only thing connecting me to him.

I couldn’t use my phone, though.

Matt would know.

What would I even say?

We were next to strangers, but I felt like I’d known him for a lifetime. Something invisible to the naked eye connected us since the moment we met. Like the fleeting wind, we couldn’t see the connection, but we could feel it. Our attraction continued to simmer, and this message made me wonder if he felt it, too. Or maybe this was something he did for all the sad, battered women he encountered.

Part of the job .

I stashed the note in my leggings pocket to take with me. Maybe I could use Vera’s phone to tell him I was okay.

Worse case, he doesn’t care and doesn’t respond, right?

While covering up the remnants of my injuries, my phone blared Vera’s ringtone. I fumbled for the device, trying to answer in time with make up covered fingers.

“Hey girl, hey,” I laughed. “I was about to call you.”

“I have a sixth sense, bestie. What’s up? What’s going on? It’s been weeks, and I don’t like the radio silence. Gets me worried as hell,” she wheezed the words in one breath. And she asked questions I didn’t want to answer. Yet.

“How about I fill you in over dinner, on me?”

“Ooooooh, dinner on you? Or dinner on shit face, Matt? I’m down to spend his money.” The octave of her chuckle pierced my ear.

“I also love to spend his money. Dinner on him, will you drive this time? I’m still shaken up,” I asked.

“Of course! Those greasy freaks won’t ever ruin our night again. City’s full of ‘em,” she chirped. Vera constantly searched for the silver lining, saying that’s what having no man to stress about does for the soul. “I’m finishing a showing down the street, so I’ll be there in fifteen!”

“Okay, I’ll be ready.” I hung up, excitement spreading throughout my body. I knew she wanted to talk about me, but I wanted to ask her about a particular Officer Damsel.

One last glance in the mirror proved I looked decent for the night. The redness in the whites of my eyes had already receded thanks to the fast acting drops I’d used. I closed and locked the door, scurrying to the elevator just as it was closing.

A woman in her late sixties held it, beaming at me.

“Thank you!” I offered her a small smile of my own. Doing my best to keep small talk to a minimum, I nodded and smiled politely, knowing it would upset Matt if I mingled with the neighbors.

She raved about her successful grandson, a professor who’d recently moved to Pittsburgh. I gave tiny responses and nodded to her small talk about that and the weather. The doors opened up to the lobby. My eyes rolled over the room, searching for Vera. Distracted by my phone, the doorman crept up next to me.

“Ma’am,” his gruff voice said so silently I almost didn’t hear.

“Um, yes? ” I fidgeted with my sweatshirt. Unease took root in my belly.

“Wellness check,” he spoke softly. I stared blankly, not understanding. Looking down at me, he sighed. “You haven't been seen in weeks.” The lightbulb went off as he spoke.

Aidan had said something similar that fateful night.

Relief wracked my bones. “I’m okay.”

Vera’s red Lexus RX pulled up outside the doors as the words left my lips. Pulling into the valet parking, she rolled her window down and waved. I excused myself from the doorman and ran to hop into the passenger seat.

“Hi, my beautiful best friend. I missed you!” She pulled me into a pear scented hug.

I squeezed her. “I missed you!”

“Where do we wanna eat? What sounds good? What’re the cravings?” The words flew out of her mouth. The city was left behind as we pulled into rush hour traffic.

“I was thinking something easy and comforting,” I said as I looked out the window. One eye was still unable to focus, but my body finally felt something close to peace.

“Seafood it is!” She turned the car, careening down one of the side streets.

“You don’t like seafood.”

“You do, and I love you, so let’s get you something that will taste and feel good, then we can talk our usual shit. I’ll find something, don't worry.” Her words struck a chord deep within me.

What did I do to deserve a genuinely amazing best friend?

We pulled into the busy parking lot and parked. The restaurant bustled with people. My stomach rumbled fiercely as the scent of fried shrimp wafted through the air. The hostess sat us in a booth in the back, secluded and perfect for our shit talking session. Vera burned through a multitude of topics at the speed of light, hoping to get to the main course faster.

Me.

She told me about new clients, her commission, upgrades she made to her car, and everything a girl boss would do.

“Speaking of a new commission!” she sang. “I got you a present!”

“A present? Why? For what?”

“Because you’re my best friend, and I have money to blow, duh,” she said, rolling her eyes as if the question was stupid. She bounced in her seat as she slid the little box towards me, chanting, “Open it!”

I untied the little bow, tearing into the tape and wrapping paper. My heart lodged in my throat as I unboxed my gift.

“Why’d you get me this?” The waver in my voice prominent as I gazed at the new iPhone through teary vision.

“Because,” her tone turned serious. “You need something that’s just yours. You need communication with the outside world that isn’t tracked. I don’t wanna make this about me, but it’s hard to live normally when I don’t know what’s happening to you.”

The plate of appetizers held my gaze during her monologue. My stomach churned with embarrassment, thinking about how I’d allowed myself to be treated by a man. Her intent wasn’t to shame me, but the emotion plagued me.

“How much is it a month?” I asked as she took the phone out of my hands. She began typing furiously on it, airdropping pictures and numbers. She shared our location and changed the background to a photo of us with the cats before sliding it back across the table.

“For you, there’s no charge. Just take the phone and keep it safe, charged, and the location on. I promise not to be weird, but I have to make sure you’re safe. I hope this isn’t overwhelming for you.” Vera fingered at the appetizers steaming on the plate.

I squeezed her hand from across the table. “Not at all; this means a lot, so thank you.”

She smiled. “Now that that’s out the way, where should we start?” she asked, taking a long sip of her vodka cranberry.

We slurped drinks and inhaled appetizers for the next hour, barely pausing to breathe. When our entrees finally arrived, the steam from my shrimp alfredo curled in the air, my mouth watered. Vera’s chicken sandwich sat next to a mountain of golden steak fries. The savory aroma wrapped around me, reigniting my hunger.

“So I may deny this later, but I’m kinda interested in a certain someone,” she said, analyzing me with those catlike, verdant eyes.

“Oh? And who might that be?”

“If I tell you, it can and will be used against me in a court of love.”

“I hate that you just said that.” I laughed through a mouthful of pasta and scallops. “Why don’t you just ask him out?” I knew she was talking about Aidan, and though tempting, I wouldn’t make her say it out loud.

“Cuz,” she turned her nose up. “I don’t chase men; they chase me.”

“Oh, whatever,” I chuckled. “You’re both stubborn.”

The conversation continued to drift back to the hot cops we both came to know and ogle. Her feelings for Aidan were conflicting; put simply, she wanted him. We were sure he wanted her, but she swore she’d do nothing about it.

“The way I threw up still haunts me.” She tossed her head back, laughing. “Like girl, I puked, and he got a front row seat to it, and he still asked for my number. With vomit lingering on my breath. Not to mention the thong hanging out.”

“Shut up! Did you give it to him?”

“Fuck no,” she chuckled. “I won’t lie, he’s hot, and I’d love to see what weapon he’s packing, but I don’t wanna complicate shit with feelings. And that’s what men do. They make you feel things. I prefer money. I have plenty of dick in my side drawer.”

She wasn’t wrong. Men did stir up feelings. Especially hot men. Hot men with eyes bluer than the beaches in the Maldives. With hair black as night's darkest shadows and skin that was a smooth, velvety canvas stretched taut over the chiseled contours of his physique. Every inch of him radiated potent strength, leaving me wanting him.

“Ope, there she goes, daydreaming about her man again,” Vera implied, smirking at me.

“I wasn’t thinking of Matt.” My voice came out breathy and weak. A light sheen of sweat slicked my chest.

“Oh, I didn’t mean him.” She winked at me as she stood. We paid at the kiosk, ready to hightail it out of there. “Let’s go; it’s almost midnight, girl.”

We left the restaurant with our to-go containers and crossed the parking lot. Our tires screeched as we pulled out, bumping into 2000s pop on a playlist that reminded me of carefree nights and daydreams.

She pulled up in front of my place, and we said our goodbyes. The bright lights blinded me in the lobby as I approached our floor. Matt was home tonight, and I just wanted to spend it harmoniously. I wasn’t in the mood to play pretend.

I had to stick it out a little bit longer.