Connections by Emilia Winters

is it with beautiful people and this party? Olivia couldn’t help but grumble silently.
    The woman gave her a once over as well and sculpted her lips to form a small, inviting smile.   “No worries.   We’re women, after all.”   The woman pushed away from the wall, moving towards Olivia.   She stopped about three feet away, but the woman towered over her in her four inch heels.   “You came here with Alex,” the woman stated.   It wasn’t a question.
    “Um, yes, I did,” Olivia started slowly, understanding beginning to dawn while her stomach began to tie itself into knots.   “Are you a friend of his?”
    The woman cocked a brow and gave a throaty chuckle.   “Why yes, I suppose you could say that.   Although, we’ve definitely been more than friends at one point, if you catch my drift.”
    Bingo .   Olivia knew exactly who she was.
    This must be the infamous Julia.
    Anger started to burn softly in her chest for this woman…and maybe a little bit of jealously too.   This woman was gorgeous.   No wonder Alex had wanted her.   Old insecurities couldn’t help but emerge.
    Olivia decided to play it cool and feign ignorance, at least in an attempt to throw Julia off guard.   “Oh?” Olivia asked, her lips forming a calm, almost disinterested smile.   “Are you one of his exes?”   Bam!
    Julia blinked in surprise, but then she turned positively icy, seeming to catch onto Olivia’s game.   “Oh yes.   The ex, if we’re being honest.   I was his longest relationship and I’m sure I’ll be keeping that title for quite a long time, if not forever.”
    “What do you mean by that?” Olivia asked, her lips thinning in irritation.   She couldn’t help but feel insulted.
    “I kept his attention the longest,” she said simply, cocking her head to the side.   Olivia felt an urge she’d never felt before…the urge to claw another woman’s eyes out.   But she tried to control her temper.   “And sure, he’s amazing in the sack and everything, but frankly, Alex is a little…damaged.”   She leaned forward and whispered, “He has daddy issues, as I’m sure you’ve noticed.”
    “Alex isn’t damaged,” Olivia stated, her voice hard.
    Suddenly, another voice broke through the haze of fury that was building up inside of Olivia.   “Get the hell away from her, Julia,” Alex demanded as he stalked down the hallway, his voice as chilled and hard as ice.   Olivia almost shuddered.   She’d never heard him so angry.
    “Oh, hello, sweetheart,” Julia purred, thrusting one of her hips out provocatively, as Alex reached them.   “We were just talking about you and your amazing skills in bed.”   Olivia stiffened in disbelief.   Alex’s jaw began to tic again.   “In fact, I remember this one time when we were in Cabo and you did this most delicious thing with your tongue.   God , I get—.”
    “Enough!” Alex yelled, shaking with anger.   Julia’s mouth snapped shut but she pouted at him.   Even Olivia jumped at the ferocity of his tone.   “Get the fuck out of here, Julia, and never speak to Olivia again or maybe I’ll tell your father that you’ve been fucking one of his business partners for over a year now.   How old is Eddie again?   51, is it?”
    That wiped the smug look off her face and her lips pressed together in rage.   They had a stare down for a brief moment, before Julia stomped passed.   Her side hit Olivia’s shoulder as she passed and she hissed down at Olivia, “Enjoy him while it lasts.”
    Olivia swallowed, not turning to look at Alex.
    After a few beats of silence, she heard him sigh.   “Olivia…” he started, but she held up a hand to stop him.
    Taking a deep breath, she whispered, “I’m not mad, I promise.   I just…I need a second.”
    And with that, she hurried back into the bathroom and locked the door behind her.

Chapter Nine

    Fuck, fuck, fuck! Alex cursed silently, staring at the bathroom door Olivia had hid herself