Hot Commodity (Banks / Kincaid Family #1)(36)

Cameron sighed as if tired of dealing with her. Olivia couldn’t believe it. He wasn’t intimidated at all. "I told you to get out," he repeated calmly. "And take that creepy old man with you."

Clearly insulted, Nolan thundered a menacing step toward Cameron. Vivian’s face clouded with that mad, purplish-red hue again. Olivia’s eyes shot wide; she just knew someone was going to die, right here, right now.

"Listen here, boy," Vivian growled. "Don’t ever think you can tell me what to do. I paid for this room. I can come and go as I please."

Cameron rolled his eyes and let out another exhausted sigh. "Fine," he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else. He shuffled toward the bed, moving slowly because he was still mummified by the sheet. Then he lifted his pants, draped across the mattress. After digging inside for a moment and fishing out a wallet, he extracted all the cash he had on him. "There." He flung the money at Vivian. "I’m paying you back for the room."

Olivia swallowed. She saw at least two hundred-dollar bills, a couple of twenties, tens and fives and ones galore. She had no idea how much cash he flashed, but it more than doubled the cost of the room. Vivian greedily stared at the cash and went to pluck it from Cameron’s fingers. But once she tried to take it, Cameron tightened his grip.

Vivian’s eyes shot to his.

In a steely soft voice, Cameron hissed, "Enjoy it while you can, bitch. Because this is the last money you’ll ever see from me. I’m one son-in-law you can’t control."

He let go of the cash, making Vivian fall back a step. She stared down at the money with parted lips. Nolan moved to her side, taking her elbow as if he wasn’t sure how to help his wife and sought her instruction. She sniffed and jerked her arm from his grasp.

"You may be excused now," Cameron said and turned away to pull his shirt off the floor.

The cash had somewhat mollified Vivian. She continued to stare at it a moment and then, without speaking another word to Cameron, she turned and looked at Olivia. Her eyes cast blame. Then she snapped her fingers and glanced at her husband as she pointed toward her daughter. Nolan instantly marched toward Olivia and grasped her arm, hard.

As her stepfather dragged her toward the door, Olivia’s life flashed before her eyes. She had no backbone, she realized. She never would’ve been able to stand up to Vivian the way she’d just seen Cameron Banks do. And now her entire existence felt over.

Vivian was probably going build a basement under their house when they got home, just so she could chain Olivia to a wall down there for the rest of her life.

Olivia swallowed, trying to hold back the tears as Nolan yanked her behind him. When he opened the door, her heart gave a leap.

Barely aware she was resisting, she dug her heels into the floor and braced herself, already wincing at the assault she knew her mother was going to give her for balking.

"Come on," Vivian hissed, pushing her from behind.

"No," she said in a voice that was a hundred times stronger than she felt.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Cameron turn. "Hey!" he called. "Hang on there, Bonnie and Clyde."

As Nolan looked back over his shoulder, Vivian paused and slowly turned around to glare at Cameron.

Cameron looked undaunted. "Where do you think you’re taking my wife?"

Olivia’s spun around. She couldn’t believe her ears. It sounded like he was going to help her. Oh, dear God. Was he going to help her?

"What?" Vivian growled.

Cameron shook his head. "I don’t know where you think you’re taking her. But she’s not going with you two."

Vivian laughed. "Boy, this is my daughter. She does what I tell her."

Cameron caught Olivia’s eye. He studied her a moment until he must’ve seen all the desperation inside her because he softly answered, "Not anymore. She’s my wife now. And she’s not going with you. Livy," he said, making her jump. "Do you want to go with them? Or do you finally want to be free?"

Olivia glanced at her mother with wide eyes. Stunned that she was going to do this, she pulled her arm free of Nolan’s grip. When he reached for her again, Cameron let out a growl, and Nolan immediately yanked his hand back. Vivian’s eyes widened. Olivia stepped toward her husband, her back brittle but straight, all the while fearing Vivian would come charging at her, claws extended.

"There. You see," Cameron murmured, slipping his arm over Olivia’s shoulder. "She doesn’t want to go with you. Now say goodbye to your ‘little girl’ and get the hell out."

Vivian stared at Olivia. "You traitorous little bitch," she hissed. "You’re just like your father." Turning, she ran smack into Nolan. Calling him a dirty name, she pushed him into the hall, then stalked out, slamming the door behind her.

"And good riddance to you too," Cameron murmured.

Olivia shook so hard she couldn’t even breathe. She slipped from Cameron’s grasp and backed away from him, her mouth moving though no words came out. He tugged the toga off his shoulders and stepped into a pair of briefs. After slipping them up over his hips and snapping them into place, he glanced her way.

Olivia couldn’t maintain her composure any longer. She crumbled. Right to the floor.

Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh God. She began to hyperventilate.