Page 131 of When I Was His

"Did he?" I pressed, needing to understand.

"No. It was a lie to get up here. Jonah is a manipulator. I don’t want him to stain your innocence," Oliver said, his voice laced with frustration as he sat beside me on the bed.

"I’m not innocent," I retorted, pulling away slightly, my eyes meeting his with defiance.

"You’re innocent of his misdeeds, and I want to keep it that way. I don’t want you around him," he insisted, his hand reaching out to touch my shoulder, but I shrugged it off.

"He’s your brother," I argued, the words hanging heavy in the air between us.

"He’s done awful things. He’ll never change, and I can’t risk his presence," Oliver responded, his tone resolute, a shadow of pain crossing his features.

"What about when we get married? You won’t invite him?" I asked, my voice filled with disbelief.

"No. I want to enjoy my day, and I won’t if I have to worry about him causing trouble or getting drunk and insulting our guests," he said firmly, his jaw tightening.

"I can’t understand it," I said, shaking my head in bewilderment.

"Because your brothers are good. Matthew and Finley would never hurt you the way Jonah has hurt me. He disgraces the Fox name. My parents would be ashamed if they found out how he turned out," Oliver explained, his eyes darkening with a mixture of sorrow and anger.

"He looks like you," I observed quietly, my heart aching for the man beside me.

"Yes, he does," Oliver agreed, a bitter smile touching his lips.

"Aren’t you afraid he’ll go public?" I asked, the thought of scandal adding to my anxiety.

"With what? If he does, the reporters can dig out a rap sheet as long as your arm. The only reason why it’s not as long as your leg is because I’ve stuck my neck out to save his ass. I can’t do that anymore. I have you to think about and eventually, our children," Oliver replied, his eyes locking onto mine with determination.

"He spoiled a good day," I whispered, the weight of the evening's events pressing down on me.

"Don’t let him. You were brilliant today. I expect great things from you," Oliver said, his voice softening as he tried to comfort me.

"Are you finished for the evening?" I asked, the exhaustion evident in my voice.

"I thought you wanted to sit outside with a glass of wine?" he reminded me, his eyes searching mine.

"Not anymore. I had a busy day," I sighed, feeling the fatigue settle in.

"Are you sure?" Oliver asked, concern evident in his tone.

"Positive. My boss worked me like a pack mule," I replied, managing a small smile despite the heaviness in my heart.

"I should have a talk with him," Oliver said, a playful glint returning to his eyes, trying to lift the mood.

"Maybe I’ll let you," I said, my smile growing a bit, appreciating his attempt to make me feel better.

"Can you tell him I love him and I would like him to hold me?" I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Let me empty out the wine glasses and lock the slider. I'll be back in a few minutes," Oliver replied, his tone gentle and reassuring.

I nodded and snuggled into my pillow, exhaustion overtaking me. It wasn't long before I drifted into a restless sleep. My dreams were troubling, not my usual nightmares, but unsettling, nonetheless.

Jonah's face haunted me, even though I had never seen pictures of him. His resemblance to Oliver made him disturbingly familiar. I woke with a jolt, my heart racing.

Oliver looked up from the paperwork he was paging through beside me. "Are you okay?" he asked, concern etching his features.

"Yes. Just a bad dream," I replied, trying to steady my breathing.

"Another one?" he asked, his brow furrowing.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com