Three Way, the Novel by Olivia Hawthorne, Olivia Long Page B

been turned, I would have felt the same way. I could watch him for hours…days even. I was fascinated with every little thing that he did.
    After my shift we went to my apartment. To my surprise Tawny was there with a couple of her friends.
    “Ryker, how nice to see you,” she purred and leapt to her feet. She tried to hook her hand into his arm and lean on him, but he gently pushed her back.
    “Tawny,” he said, “we’re here to pick up Margot’s things.”
    “You’re moving out?” Tawny asked incredulously.
    “She is,” Ryker told her and I nodded.
    “But what about the rent!” Tawny whined. “I’ll be evicted.”
    “I’ll pay six months of Margot’s rent. You’ll have time to find another room mate and get on your feet,” Ryker told her.
    “Is there any way I could pay you back?” Tawny preened and looked up at him from under her long fake lashes.
    “Not at all,” Ryker said coolly and we swept past her, leaving her standing with her mouth gaping and confusion on her face.
    I laughed, “I don’t think she gets shot down like that very often.”
    “She’d better get used to it if she’s putting herself out on display like that,” he said. “Unfortunately women like Tawny have an expiration date.”
    “I never thought of it like that,” I said. “What about women like me?”
    “Well first of all there are no women like you,” he said and closed my door behind us. “There’s only one woman like you. And you’ll be perfect until your last breath, kitten. You’ll have my rapt attention until that moment and beyond.”
    “You’re assuming you’ll outlive me?” I laughed.
    “I hope I don’t,” he said, “but if I do, I won’t live for long.”
    I felt a wave of emotion roll through my body, my stomach clenched at the thought of either of us being gone. I wanted to be with Ryker from that moment until our last breaths together. I couldn’t imagine a world without us together.
    I fell into his arms and he wrapped them around me, holding me tight. “Shhhh, kitten, it’s just talk. We’ll be together forever, you know that.”
    “I want to believe it,” I said and took a long shuddering breath. “I can’t imagine my life without you”
    “Neither can I,” he said and pulled back to look down at me. “But if it ever happens that I’m gone, do what I told you. Live your life and be happy. Let my brother care for you.”
    “I can’t talk about this anymore,” I said, “kiss me and make these thoughts go away.”
    “I’ll do what I can, kitten,” he laughed and bent down to kiss my fears and sadness away.
    It worked. His touch made everything right in the world again.
     
    ***
     
    Each night Ryker took me to my job and watched me work. I smirked to myself every time I looked over and saw some stripper or girl trying to gain Ryker’s attention. He brushed them off so effectively I almost felt sorry for them when they walked away crestfallen, faces saddened.
    Almost. Most of me felt triumphant that I was the focus of a man like Ryker.
    The third night was the first sign of trouble. I looked over and saw him angrily talking to three men in suits. They looked like cops, the way they carried themselves and the way they looked around sizing everyone up. I worried they were here checking for IDs, to make sure all the girls were legal age.
    I walked towards them but Ryker saw me, shook his head and held his hand up, stopping me in my tracks.
    I realized they were solely there for him.
    I raised my eyebrows in question, but his look told me everything I needed to know. He didn’t want to include me in it now.
    I backed away and tried to watch him while I did my job from afar.
    “What’s up with that?” Jake asked as I got a drink order from him.
    “I don’t know,” I said. “It’s weird though.”
    “They look like they mean business,” Jake said and set the shot glasses on my tray.
    I frowned and went about my work.
    On the drive home I tried to ask Ryker about it,