Vulnerable: Book 1 of the Magic Mutations Series | ✓

55: Forgive Me

The moment the car came to a stop in Stephen's driveway, I couldn't climb out fast enough. Unbuckling my seat belt, I leapt out of the car and hurried to the door, knocking lightly on it.

Ben was there quickly, opening it, brows furrowed slightly as he looked at me. But I didn't give him much of a chance to say anything or look at me longer, as I threw my arms around his waist, burying my head into his chest.

"Olivia?" he asked, trying to push me away from him, but I clung more tightly. "What's wrong?"

"I missed you," I mumbled into his shirt, squeezing him again, inhaling his homely smell of musk, cedar, and fresh laundry. His arms tentatively wound around me, pulling me through the doorway so that Lukas could step inside, shutting it behind him as he briskly walked past us.

"I missed you too," he whispered, finally prying me back so that he could look at me.

My eyes raked over him, taking in all the beautiful features I had fallen in love with almost a year ago and had somehow grown to forget. His dark eyebrows framing his incandescent blue eyes. His full bottom lip. His long brown, curly locks.

Concern clouded his gaze as he searched me. "What happened?" he asked softly, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear.

This is what I loved about Ben. We were somehow still fighting this morning, but now that I clearly needed him, missed him, he welcomed me back with open arms, more focussed on worrying about me before keeping up his silent treatment.

How stupid I was to ever stray from him...

Glancing around the corner, Lukas had pulled out his phone, seemingly amused by whatever was on it. Stephen was fixing us drinks in the kitchen.

I turned my gaze back to Ben, and said, "We can move out when we get back. Just you and me. If that makes you feel better, I will do it. Just please don't be mad at me any longer."

Brows turning down, his hand came to my cheek, thumb stroking my skin. He leaned in, pressing his lips lightly to my forehead before pulling back. "Thank you for saying that. But... we can talk about this more later. I'm sorry that I upset you Olivia. I don't mean to. I'm just so scared I'm going to lose you that any small bump sets me on edge."

"I know," I whispered. "I think I keep forgetting that."

He pressed his lips gently, briefly, against mine. A single kiss filled with so much love and warmth.

Guilt permeated me when he pulled back and looked at me. "Did something happen?" he whispered ever so softly.

I shook my head. "Nothing happened."

"Then why... why are you behaving like this?"

"Behaving like what? I just don't want to fight with you anymore. I love you."

"I love you too," he said, but his voice was hesitant.

He dropped his hold on me, taking a couple steps away as he walked down the hallway, turning to Lukas.

"Did something happen to her?" Ben asked, tone forceful.

Lukas glanced up, eyes dead as he looked between us. Like a piece of his soul had just died. "We went in and she was fine. We came out and she just had to see her precious Ben." He shrugged and looked back at his phone. "Who knows. You should be happy."

I didn't understand my friend's comment, but I didn't like that Ben seemed more on edge from that. I reached for his hand, holding it in mine, tugging him back to me.

"Nothing happened," I said gently. "I just realised I was being stupid and that I needed to make it up to you."

Ben looked me over again, before his eyes landed back on mine, confused. Then he spun around back to his once-best-friend. "Did you do something to her again?" he demanded, rage-fueled gaze slicing through the air at Lukas.