Page 49 of Outrun The Devil

Olivia Collins knew those eyes.

Chapter Seventeen

Olivia needed clarity. With all of the weight of the case pushing down on her, she wasn't sure how much she could take before walking away. The detective rarely met a case she couldn't solve. Thanks to that neat little ability of hers, it was nearly impossible for her not to solve a case. But it was like something was blocking the frequencies and she could barely get glimpses let alone anything she could use.

Going to her captain's office, at her home station, made the most sense to the redhead. Failure of catching the murderer and the realization that things that go bump in the night exist, she had a perpetual headache and no answers.

Captain Mike Colson had been her mentor when she came on as a beat cop and worked her way up to detective. He was more like family than her boss, and because of that, she had to pick his brain about it all. The vampires and werewolves, the unsolvable serial murders, and her need to push everyone away as if it was some way to save them from death.

Olivia sat in front of Captain Colson's desk, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, her mind racing with all the unanswered questions that lingered within. She knew that her captain had seen her like this before, that he knew the look of a detective who was on the brink of collapse.

“Talk to me, Liv,” Captain Colson said quietly, his voice filled with concern. “What's going on?”

Olivia took a deep breath, the weight of the world resting heavily on her shoulders. “I can't solve this case,” she admitted, her voice cracking with emotion. “I've tried everything I know how to do, but... it's like something's blocking me. Like I can't see the whole picture.”

Captain Colson nodded thoughtfully, his eyes fixed on her. “This case is unlike anything you've ever faced before, Liv,” he said finally. “We're dealing with creatures that hunt us for fun.”

Realization flowed through every fiber of her being. “You knew?” Her words were barely a whisper, the feeling of betrayal ached heavily in her chest.

The captain sighed deeply, his eyes filled with sadness. “I'm sorry, Liv. I didn't want to put you in danger, but I also knew you were the only one who could solve this case. You have a gift, and it's our responsibility to use it for the greater good.”

Olivia shook her head in disbelief. “And you thought it was okay to keep this from me? To not tell me that vampires and werewolves were real?”

“I understand if you're angry with me, Liv,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “But you have to understand that we're dealing with something beyond our understanding. These creatures have been around for centuries, and they're not going to stop hunting us anytime soon.”

Fury consumed Olivia, igniting her like the blazing embers of her red hair. "And let me guess, you thought you were protecting me?" she spat out, her voice laced with bitterness.

"Don't do that. You are like a daughter to me, Liv," Mike responded, his tone torn between concern and guilt.

"That doesn't give you the right to keep something like this from me, Mike," Olivia shot back, her emotions swirling like a tempest inside her. "Especially when I am a part of this world. I've been searching for answers for years, and you knew. You knew, and you kept it to yourself."

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she fought to hold them back. This was not a time for vulnerability. It was a time for confronting the painful truth that Mike, her trusted mentor and father figure, had withheld crucial information from her.

"I faced dangers, Mike. I've put my life on the line countless times, and you thought sheltering me was the best way to keep me safe?" Olivia's voice trembled with a mix of anger and hurt. "All this time, while I was searching for the truth, you were... What? Afraid I couldn't handle it? That I'd break under the pressure?"

Mike's eyes flickered with a mixture of regret and understanding. "I never wanted to hurt you, Liv," he admitted softly. "I thought I was doing what was best, but I see now that I was wrong."

Olivia felt her anger waver, replaced by a profound sense of disappointment. She had always trusted Mike, and now that trust felt shattered, like fragments of a broken mirror reflecting a distorted image of their bond.

"Mike, you should have given me the choice," she said, her voice tinged with sadness. "I deserved to know the truth, no matter how difficult it might be to accept."

He reached out to her, his hand hovering in the air, but Olivia stepped back, needing space to process the emotional turmoil within her.

"I can't change what I did, Liv," Mike said, his voice heavy with remorse. "But I promise you this: from now on, I won't keep anything from you. You have a right to know, and I won't stand in your way any longer."

Olivia looked into his eyes, searching for sincerity, and found it there, mixed with profound sadness. She knew Mike cared for her deeply, but that realization only made her heartache more acute. She didn't want to fight with him, she just wanted the truth and the freedom to make her own choices.

"I need to find my own path," she said, her voice raw with emotion. "I can't keep living in the dark while you decide what's best for me. This world, the supernatural world, it's a part of who I am, and I need to face it head-on."

Mike nodded, a mixture of resignation and pride evident in his expression. "I understand, Liv. And I'll be here for you, every step of the way. Just promise me one thing… Be careful. The dangers in that world are real, and I don't want to lose you."

A tear escaped Olivia's eye, and she wiped it away with the back of her hand. "I promise," she whispered, her voice breaking. "But I need to do this, Mike. For myself, and for those who need someone to stand up for them."

Mike nodded again, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I know you'll do great things, Liv. You always have."

Olivia took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. “Okay,” she said finally. “What do we do now?”

“We keep working the case,” Captain Colson said firmly. “You're the best detective I've ever trained, hell, ever met. I can't take credit for a naturally born talent.”