Olivia Sparks

At exactly five in the morning, Maxen's leg jerked, startling Olivia in her sleep. 

Tiredness and lack of sleep clouded her mind and she was instantly brought back to a nightmare she kept forcing out of her mind since she was eight.  

One. Two. Three. Four. Olivia rumbled on with her eyes closed as she frisked under her pillow on instinct. Her hand tightened her grip when she felt what she was looking for. She was soaked with sweat, her hair sticking together when a hand crawled on her waist and travelled to her arm. She sighed in relief when she realized who it was.

"Baby, it's me," Maxen cooed, nuzzling his nose on the back of her head. However, his eyes flew open when he felt what Olivia was clinging on to. He snatched it away from her and sprang up the bed. 

Knife. A small pocket knife to be exact.

By the time he was able to formulate his words, Olivia was sitting upright on the bed, her back resting on the tufted headboard.

"Can you explain to me why you have a knife under your pillow?" he asked under his breath.

Mortification painted Olivia's face as she took in how Maxen pulled his hair and swiped his hand over his face. He was as shocked as she was. 

"I… I always have it with me."

"I could see that. But why?"

Noting her nuances, how her eyes darted around the room and how she looked like a scared kitten even under the disguise of her furrowed brows, Maxen didn't press on and dropped the knife on the bedside table. 

He scooted to her side of the bed and enveloped her in a hug.

Reassuring her, he rubbed his hand on her arm, "From now on, you don't need to keep a knife under your pillow, baby."

"I can't sleep without it."

"What if you stabbed me while you're half-asleep?"

"If you're worried about your life, then you're free to sleep by yourself."

Olivia pushed the duvet off her and swung her legs to the edge of the bed where she sat down with her back facing him. 

Looking over her shoulder she reminded him, "This is who I am Maxen. It helps me fall asleep with a knife under my pillow. Just because I let you get away with some things, doesn't mean I'll let you take control of my life."

She pushed herself up and walked towards the en suite, splashing water on her face.

A few moments later, Maxen leaned against the door frame, his arms crossed over his c.h.e.s.t.

Once the cloud of confusion cleared in his head, it took him awhile to gather his thoughts. He read it on her file. 

A burglary happened in her apartment when she was eight and her butler was stabbed to death.

He fixed his gaze on her through the mirror and frowned at her sweaty distraught face.

He didn't want to agitate her more because one, they lack sleep and two, that topic is a sore spot for Olivia.

Pushing himself off the door frame with his arm, he walked towards the vanity and hugged Olivia from behind, leaning his chin on her shoulder. 

"Let's go back to sleep."

Olivia forced a small smile and that was his cue to whisk her up, carrying her bridal-style back to the bed. 

He gingerly placed her on top of the bed and grabbed the knife on the bedside table, tucking it under her pillow.

Olivia choked at his attentiveness to her plight. It was the first time someone found out about her little secret. Lance didn't even know about it or he probably didn't care.

Sitting in front of her, Olivia studied Maxen's face. His understanding smile sent butterflies to her stomach that she rewarded him with a deep searing kiss, so deep, it sent a signal down between his legs. He hovered over Olivia and slowly laid her down on the bed without breaking their kiss. He started to dry hump her and busied his hands on her legs. Reaching her mound, he slid her p.a.n.t.i.e.s to the side and was ready for action when a soft knock echoed from the door.

Annoyed at the intrusion, he grabbed the book on Olivia's bedside table and threw it on the door. The loud thud made Jack, who was standing in posture on the other side, flinch in his spot.

Back inside the bedroom, Maxen retreated between Olivia's legs and laid on the bed, spooning her in a hug instead.

"You should leave," she said, squeezing his arm.

"Go back to sleep first."

Olivia nodded her head and pulled the duvet over her shoulders. She didn't really need it for Maxen's tight embrace was enough to warm her. However, weird as it would sound, hot or cold, Olivia would still cover herself with a blanket just so she could fall asleep.

It didn't take long for her to drift back to sleep just before the sun peeked out of the horizon painting the sky with hues of pink and blue. And it was not only Olivia who turned in. Beside her, Maxen fought hard to keep his eyelids open, but the tranquil face of Olivia was so inviting that his eyelids felt heavy by the second.

Hours later, when the sun was at its peak, the smell of sauteed onion and garlic woke the pair from their slumber. Olivia got up first, wrapping herself with a robe before walking out of the bedroom. 

Maxen laid still and stared at the ceiling for a while. It was only after Olivia's side of the bed had turned cold that he peeled himself from the bed. He grabbed his watch that sat on the bedside table and tsked upon seeing the time. Well, it was eleven in the morning and he was too late for his flight back to the conference. 

Even with his impending sentence, Maxen had a broad and goofy smile on his face. He never felt this refreshed his entire life. If he had to attend ten more charity events and force a fake smile that he could not even feel his face, then so be it.

Out in the living room, the door to Olivia's apartment opened and rows of clothes paraded inside. 

Donned in what he called 'rad fashion', Eli catwalked inside, wearing an oversized beige coat with a white shirt underneath it, an above the knee shorts, and white rubber shoes.

Olivia contained her laughter but blurted out what she wanted to say. "You looked like a prep school boy on a strike, Eli."

"Lovely to see you too, Livi!" 

The cousins were in the middle of an air kiss when Maxen stepped out of the bedroom, his waist wrapped with a fresh white towel. Water droplets dripped down his sculpted c.h.e.s.t as he walked closer to them and Eli ogled him behind his thick dark sunglasses that covered the frame of his face.

Maxen offered a hand which Eli accepted albeit half-heartedly. While it was nice to see Livi moving on from an insolent bastard, seeing Maxen didn't quite sit well with him considering the bad blood between Henry Lin and the Suis. 

Eli raised an accusing brow towards Olivia as if probing her to explain why the hell was the country's prince half-n.a.k.e.d in her apartment. Although he didn't have a say in her lovelife, he took it upon himself to take care of his cousin's heart this time.

"This is Maxen," Olivia introduced, patting Maxen's hands that were wrapped around her waist.

"I know. But why and how?"

"What do you mean how?" Maxen was taken aback. He untangled from Olivia, rolled his shoulders and crossed his arms over his c.h.e.s.t that his muscles flexed.

The sight was enough for Eli's Adam's apple to bob in appreciation but he didn't stray away from his standing so he asked, "Why and how did you get into Livi's pants? She's off-limits, by the way."

Refusing to back down, Maxen challenged Eli, his eyes never left Eli's as he asked Olivia, "Are you off-limits, baby? Aw! That hurts!"

Eli didn't need to hear Olivia's answer because it was right there mocking him. 

Olivia's not even pinching Maxen's ears for Pete's sake! It looks as if she's tickling him!

He dramatically slapped his forehead at the blatant display of affection of Olivia and Maxen. Now how could he keep up with his 'scary in-law' skit if these two lovesick fools continue to pur at each other? 

"Ok, stop it lovebirds before I puke on your carpet. And you," Eli said, pointing a finger at Maxen, "Shoo away. Go back to your castle, Maxen. We've got some girl things to do."

"Gooo," Olivia pushed Maxen away, and rolled her eyes as she faced Eli.

"Really, Livi? You don't have to pretend when you're around me. Look at the blush on your face. And your glow. Oh. My. Goodness. How big was he?"

The cousins giggled when Olivia pressed her palms together and pulled them away, showing Eli a visual of Maxen's length. 

"God! I hope that didn't damage your w.o.m.b!"

In the kitchen, Yana stifled her laughter at Eli's hysterics while she busied herself cooking lunch. When she was done with her dish, she lifted her head and saw the gown that Olivia was holding up in the air.

In unison, the people that crowded the living room awed when Olivia clipped the gown under her chin.