Page 44 of No Mane, No Gain
“Well then,” Chaos said, pulling her closer, “I guess we’ll just have to write our own ending.”
As his lips met hers again, softer this time but no less passionate, Olive felt the last of her doubts melt away. They still had challenges ahead – Tia’s interference chief among them – but in that moment, she knew they’d face them together.
When they finally parted, Chaos led Olive to the couch, his arm wrapped securely around her waist.
“So,” he said, settling beside her, “tell me everything Tia said to you. I want to know exactly what we’re dealing with.”
Olive recounted her encounter with Tia at the restaurant, watching as Chaos’s expression darkened with each word.
“I’m so sorry you had to deal with that,” he said when she finished. “Tia had no right to speak to you that way.”
“It’s not your fault,” Olive sighed, leaning into his side. “But, Chaos... if she keeps this up, I don’t know how we’ll make this work. I can’t constantly be wondering if I’m just a placeholder until you find someone your family approves of.”
Chaos tightened his arm around her. “You’re not a placeholder, Olive. You’re it for me. And I promise, I’m going to make that crystal clear to Tia and anyone else who thinks they have a say in our relationship.”
Olive looked up at him, hope blooming in her chest. “Yeah?”
“Absolutely,” Chaos nodded, his expression fierce. “In fact, I think it’s time we made a statement of our own. How would you feel about going public with our relationship?”
Olive’s eyes widened. “Are you sure? That’s a big step.”
“I’m sure,” Chaos said without hesitation. “I’m all in, Olive. I want the world to know you’re the woman I choose. I don’t care what anyone else thinks, only you.”
A slow smile spread across Olive’s face. “Well, then, Mr. Amato. I believe we have some planning to do.”
As they spent the next hour discussing how to announce their relationship, Olive felt the seed planted by Tia die in the dirt. The road ahead might not be smooth, but with Chaos by her side, she was ready to face whatever came their way.
And if Tia thought she could come between them again, well... she had another thing coming. Olive Russo didn’t back down from a challenge, especially not when it came to matters of the heart.
As the night wore on, Olive found herself curled up on Chaos’s couch, her head resting on his chest as they brainstormed ideas for their big reveal.
“We could do a joint vlog,” Olive suggested, her fingers tracing idle patterns on Chaos’s arm. “My followers would go absolutely wild.”
Chaos chuckled, the sound rumbling through his chest. “I can see the comments now. When are you going to marry her?’”
Olive snorted, playfully swatting his chest. “Please. If anything, they’ll be wondering how you managed to win over the pickiest romance critic on the internet.”
“Oh, I have my ways,” Chaos murmured, his voice dropping to a husky whisper that sent shivers through her.
She tilted her head up, meeting his heated gaze. “Care to demonstrate some of those ways?”
Chaos’s response was immediate and thorough, his lips capturing hers in a kiss that left no doubt about his feelings. As things heated between them, Olive’s last coherent thought was that no gossip article or scheming sister could ever compete with this – the real, tangible connection she shared with Chaos.
Later, as they lay tangled together in Chaos’s bed, Olive’s phone buzzed on the nightstand. She reached for it, squinting at the bright screen in the darkened room.
“It’s Athena,” she murmured, opening the text. “She wants to know if I’m okay.”
Chaos propped himself up on an elbow, peering at the phone. “What are you going to tell her?”
Olive considered for a moment, then typed out a reply:
More than okay. Crisis averted, truth prevailed, and I may have just landed myself the lead in my own real-life romance novel. Details tomorrow over brunch?
She hit send, then turned to Chaos with a grin. “So, future co-star in my vlog. Ready to break the internet?”
Chaos pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Let’s do it.”
As Olive drifted off to sleep in Chaos’s arms, she realized that for the first time in a long time, she wasn’t afraid of what the future might bring. Whatever challenges lay ahead, she and Chaos would face them together.