"What's going on in that pretty head of yours, Olivia?" A single brow of Maxen arched as he regarded his wife. She was looking shy, but he knew her better than anyone, even with how short their time together was. 

It was obvious with how she was gauging him. Olivia wanted to request something that Maxen would one hundred and one percent disagree with.

Ears perked up inside the room, waiting for Olivia to utter a word, but the girl in question was fixing her gaze on Maxen as if her eyes could say a thousand words which her lips couldn't speak of.

Squeezing her waist, it earned Maxen a giggle from Olivia. He then angled his head so he could see her eyes more clearly. The room was poorly lit, with only the four corner lights on to brighten the room in a soft cheesy glow.

"Olivia," Maxen called her name, wiggling his bushy brows to urge Olivia in speaking her mind.

"Well, I wanted to see the damage I caused on Mr. Go, right there," Olivia finally spoke, her chin held high and her shoulders balanced as she gestured towards Lance Go with her palms facing the ceiling. 

She batted her eyelashes at Maxen who almost pushed her off his l.a.p. Just want in the world was she thinking?

"Absolutely not!" Maxen and Lance Go said in unison, agreeing together for the first and probably the last time of their lives.

"Can somebody tape this guy's mouth? He's not part of this conversation," Olivia sassed, slightly lifting her b.u.t.t.o.c.k.s to look on the contraptions on the steel table. She didn't wait for someone to pick up the tape and do as she bid.

Her arms reached for the silver duct tape and she unrolled it as she stood, walking towards Lance Go. She tore it with her teeth that her lipstick got smudged on the edges. 

Lance Go fought back, wobbling his head to avoid being silenced, but a ringing slap froze him. "Did you just f.u.c.k.i.n.g slap me?" He seethed, purple veins adorned his head and his eyes snapped to Maxen who was chuckling on his seat. 

The last thing that a guy wanted to receive was a slap on the face, but the guy deserved it.

"Yes, I did. Now, stop moving and let me tape your mouth with ease," Olivia negotiated even when she did not need to. She held the duct tape on both ends, moving it from left to right.

Watching Lance Go follow the silver strip with his eyes amused her, so she made circles with it. Seeing him follow her every movement made her shiver in her spot. She's disgusted at herself for almost marrying the fool. 

What was she even thinking two years ago, accepting his wedding proposal?

"Okay, this is getting boring," she huffed and rolled her eyes before jutting her chin towards a soldier's way. She did not need to say a word since the soldier knew what had to be done anyway—holding Lance Go's head in place. 

He protested. He cursed. He threatened Olivia who stood in front of him with her eyes closed. She was running out of patience and it was clear on her face.

"Olivia, please don't do this to me. You already shot me. Just… For old time's sake, let me go. I won't bother you. I swear," Lance pleaded, his head slightly bowed as he fought for his cause.

But Olivia had enough of his talking. All she wanted was to negotiate with her husband, but Lance wouldn't stop talking that she had to resort to taping his mouth shut.

"That's it? Are you done talking?" Olivia didn't wait for Lance Go to open his mouth. It was not a question really. It was more of a warning from her. 

Olivia's eyes then darted to her nails, frowning upon seeing a chipped nail polish. When it was silent for a second, she took it as her cue to lift her gaze up. "I see you are done speaking. Now sit back, relax, and be a good boy."

Behaving in his seat, Lance Go felt his energy deplete without exerting much effort. He let Olivia tape his mouth. 

It was the first time in a long time that they were in close proximity and he couldn't help but smell her scent, forgoing the fact that she's about to silence him with duct tape. However, to his surprise, someone pinched his nose and he suddenly couldn't breathe.

"No sniffing," Maxen warned. He didn't let go until Lance's face turned red. Seeing Lance's eyes roll was his sign to let the man catch a breath, so he released Lance's nose—letting the man breath again through his nose.

Walking back to their throne, Olivia tried to argue one more time with her husband, but Maxen beat her to it. "Baby, I won't let you see another man's d.i.c.k. End of discussion."

He slumped on the seat and grabbed Olivia, perching her on his l.a.p where she belonged.

"But a doctor can see any patient. As you see, I am a doctor." Olivia planted a hand on her c.h.e.s.t to prove her point. She fanned her eyelashes, and a smile curved her cherry-colored lips.

"Yeah right. Just because you have a DPhil in your belt doesn't make you a doctor, 'doctor'." Maxen air quoted the last word and it was enough to hush Olivia for a second. Who told her her Philosophy degree warranted her a medical one too.

"Okay, hmm," she trailed off, her index finger slowly tapped on the side of her chin. "Well, you can tell me just how bad it was then." she bargained.

Smiling at her for finally letting the matter go, Maxen's eyes grew big in wonder as he narrated, "It was so bad, the doctor couldn't put his other head back. You made a fantastic job, baby."

Olivia gasped and her hands flew to Maxen's forearm. Her mind told her to look away, but her curiosity won over as she trained her gaze on Lance's jewels. 

"So it's official," Olivia trailed off and twisted on Maxen's l.a.p so she could face Lance Go. "I know a good gender reassignment surgeon. I can recommend you to him if… you come out alive tonight." Olivia winked. 

She then returned her gazed back to Maxen and cupped it with one hand. She's temporarily pacified. Now it's back to business. Time to get some answers on the insolent bastard. "Don't make it easy for him, Max. He tried to ruin us twice. He tried to take me away from you."

Maxen rolled his tongue over his teeth and the nuance made Olivia smile. "And those who dare take you away from me shall bear the consequences of their actions." Pressing their foreheads together, Maxen finally relaxed for the first time since this morning. 

All this time, he was caging the beast inside of him, afraid to show that ugly side to his wife. But her words and her actions somehow buttered him up. "Are you not scared of what I am about to do to him?" he asked in a low, ominous tone. 

He pulled his head back to get a good look at her and his clear blue eyes pierced through her hazel ones. If it was a different person, that guy would have tucked his tail and ran as fast as he could away from Maxen. But not his wife. 

She gazed at him with equal intensity, biting her lip and shaking her head.

"I must admit you look hot."

"But… are you scared of me? Of what I can do?"

"No, it's a breath of fresh air, actually."

Maxen let out a sigh through his nose. His lips curved into a smile. "You're the breath of fresh air, actually," he mimicked the way she sang her reply, making her giggle. "What do you want to ask him first?" Maxen squeezed her waist and pressed the side of his face on her arm.

"Not really sure. We can ask him about the guns first?" Olivia suggested, leaning her cheek on top of Maxen's head, facing Lance Go sitting across from them.

Locking gazes at the fugitive, Maxen instructed, "Since my lovely wife taped your mouth, you can either say yes by nodding your head, or no by shaking it. If I caught you lying, then, this young officer behind you will pull one fingernail. Am I clear?"