I Have an Invisible Stalker (Guardians #1)

Chapter 55

Samuel's POV

For once, I'm the one hurrying to keep up with Nick's brisk pace as we rush down the street. While I'm happy that he and Olivia are on better terms again, I find myself itching to trip him for the open eagerness he's showing.

Quicker than ever before we reach the already closed café, but we have no problem entering because, despite the closed sign, the glass front door is left unlocked. The moment the annoying bell announces our presence Olivia snaps her head in our direction. Instead of the always welcoming smile, however, her shoulders slump, and she turns back to the counter in front of her.

"What's going on?" Nick and I ask as we stride to our usual seats.

While I stop behind my stool, Nick steps closer to the counter and grabs Olivia's hands, which are resting on the spotless surface. The itch to kick him returns, but instead of giving in, I stride around the counter.

"I found out that the car Anya hit me with contains the evidence we need to prove she's the driver," Olivia explains while keeping her eyes on Nick. "She apparently sold the car after the accident, and now she's trying to..."

Her words trail off as I stop behind her and without pausing, wrap my arms around her stomach. Her entire body stiffens, but a moment later she relaxes and even leans her back further against my chest. My every muscle flexes in anticipation. I want to curse at myself for how big of an effect she has on me, but then again it's not like it should be any different—not with the person who has grown to mean so much to me.

I can't resist the urge, so I pull Olivia another fraction closer, which forces her to finally pull her hands out of Nick's hold. Then I take half a step to the side, lift one hand off her stomach and rest it on her chin. Before she can remind me of our audience, I lean down and brush my lips against hers. My intention is pure, as I plan for it to be only a chase kiss. The moment she responds to my kiss, however, all rational thoughts fly out of my head. All I can think about is how soft she feels and how damn good she tastes.

"Do we seriously need to watch this?" The choking sound comes from beyond the counter, but the voice is too high to have come from Nick.

Olivia and I jump apart to find Eliza sitting on top of a table a few feet behind Nick and rolling her eyes at us. Before I can say anything in my defense, I realize that on the chair next to Eliza sits the old hag, but opposite to the fellow Guardian, she is eyeing the way Olivia is pressing her hands against her cheeks to hide her blush.

"Are..." Nick coughs and pulls his hands back to his side of the counter. His dejected expression is impossible to miss, but I can't bring myself to feel guilty. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Olivia clears her throat but keeps her hands pressed against her cheeks. "As I was saying, Anya is trying to buy back the car she sold to Weston."

"Weston?" I snap my eyes back to her. Her former crush is the last person I expected her to name.

"How'd you find that out?" Nick asks at the same time.

Olivia glances at me from the corner of her eye and hesitates for a moment before she answers, "Someone told me this. He's not...a person I would normally trust, but I can't risk the possibility of his warning being true."

"It's Lucien, isn't it?" I shake my head. "We can't trust a word he says."

"I know," Olivia sighs and lowers her arms back on the counter. "But I don't have a choice. If what Lucien told me is true, then we need to keep Weston from selling the car back to Anya."

"How're we to stop him?" Nick asks.

"With Brooke's help," Olivia says. "She's searching for Weston right now. I wanted to go with her, but we agreed that it wouldn't be the smartest decision since she blamed me for breaking up with him. She promised to bring him and the car here the moment she's done apologizing to him, though."