NOVEL WEB Chapter 214: Far From the Tree
He turned around to leave, but Archibald said something to him that stopped him right on his heels.
"Do you know something?" he said. "I have a son right around your age. Though it may seem that... the two of you couldn't be any more different."
"Tyler Mooney," Darren said, half-glancing over his shoulder. "Yeah I know your son. Everyone in the city does."
He hesitated. "By the looks of things, the apple didn't fall very far from the tree."
Archibald instantly grimaced. "Have a goodnight, Mr. Steele."
"Yeah," Darren replied. "You have a good night too."
He sunk both hands into his pocket and headed out of the lounge. The guard followed by his side. Olivia stood up to leave, glancing back at Archibald for a moment.
Standing there, the silver maned lion glared back at her, squinting his eyes like he was communicating to her using the force. Olivia had an uncomfortable look on her face as she turned around and followed after Darren, leaving the private lounge.
They stepped out of the hotel minutes later, meeting the cool night air of the city. Darren merely checked the time for a quick second, 8:35, before he entered into the limousine after Olivia.
His face was a blank canvas hiding the emotions and thoughts stirring within him. And as though everyone understood, they remained silent.
The driver turned the key and the engine took off. Soon, they were on the road.
The city lights of Los Alverez gleamed like broken stars through the limousine windows, blurred by the gentle hum of motion and the tint of the glass.
Inside, the cabin was a sanctuary of leather and the silence that continued ever since they left Le Château de la Lune. Soft ambient lighting bathed the space in a warm glow. Darren sat with one foot crossed over the other, his gaze pinned to the passing skyline, his jaw still sharp with tension.
Olivia watched him from her side of the seat, her hands resting on her lap, fingers delicately interlaced. The confidence he had carried at the supper, the way he spoke to Archibald Mooney without flinching, still echoed in her chest.
She broke the silence.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, her voice gentle, probing. "You haven't blinked in a while."
Darren didn't turn to her. "I'm fine," he said simply, his tone flat. "Just thinking."
Olivia tilted her head slightly, studying him. "It's okay to be a little rocked by it, you know? Some of us become something else; we have adrenaline rushing through us. Fear basically goes out the window."
Darren finally abandoned the window and looked at her. "What are you talking about?"
She giggled confusedly. "What do you mean? The way you spoke to Archibald Mooney — that was just... That was just you? It wasn't a rush of adrenaline or maybe... anger? That made you lose all respect for him? Speak without fear?"
She blinked her eyes as she gazed at him, not sure how she would react if the answer he gave her was 'yes.'
"Yes,' he said.
She choked silently.
"I'm... always like that." He looked elsewhere. "I thought you'd noticed."
"I did..." Olivia said with a surprised tone. "I just didn't expect it at the level with the most powerful man in the state. I mean, Darren... Back there, you were just so… unreal. I felt goosebumps crawl over me every time you spoke. You don't even seem to understand the gravity of what you've done, Darren. That was Archibald fucking Mooney back there. And you didn't just hold your own, you practically stared him down."
Darren looked at her again, his eyes cooler than usual, the steel in them sharp. "I guess maybe I'm overlooking the possible effects of my actions. Those threats he gave me. If he laid out anyone against me I could be floored as quickly as I've risen. But, I don't know if I've told you, Olivia. No man dictates my pace. Not even Mooney."
She let out a breathless laugh, shaking her head. "God, I can't believe it. You know, you were never that confident in high school. Not even in college. I mean... Not exactly like this. Sure, you were daring, but it was the kind of confidence that was always slightly misplaced."
Darren allowed himself a smirk. It was faint. Enough to not make himself look cheerful. "Olivia? Is that a kind way of saying I was reckless."
She smiled back. "I guess it is." Then, catching his handsome blue eyes, she shied away and lowered her gaze. "But if you had asked me to be your girlfriend even once back then... I would have said yes. Jumped at it, actually."
Darren blinked at her nervous green head. He knew this conversation would come up sooner or later, especially with all the time they'd been spending together. And also because she'd already confessed before.
"But you kept chasing Lily and Alison," she continued, eyes now fixed on him, her voice quiet but firm. "It was always them. Even though I was right there. It made me feel... unworthy."
He chuckled dryly. "I told you before. It wasn't anything about you. Alison and Lily were popular. Loud. They wore their confidence like armor. And I felt like I had a better chance with them than with you because you were different. You were smart, calm, and still popular. You were always quiet so I was intimidated by that. It felt wrong and disrespectful to go for you cause I knew I was way below your league."
She turned toward him fully, her expression open, vulnerable, yet laced with a teasing glint. "How about now?"
He raised a brow.
"Are you finally in my league, Darren?"
Darren was calm as he looked at her, into her green big eyes. His heartbeat fastened as she gazed back up at him. "I don't know. You tell me."
Olivia leaned closer, her perfume wafting softly through the cabin. Her eyes flicked down to his lips, then back to his eyes. "You're leagues above everyone now. Even now, I'm the one who is below your league..."
She didn't finish the sentence.
Instead, her lips met his.
The kiss was unhurried, firm, but not desperate. It was the quiet acknowledgment of something long-overdue. A closing of the distance not just between mouths, but years of missed timing.
Darren responded, his hand resting on her thigh as he leaned in, deepening the kiss with the controlled passion of someone who never rushed but always meant every move.
It was intense.
They'd even forgotten that the guards were there. The two men glanced at each other uncomfortably like some omniscient being watching was expecting them to follow suit.
The kiss went on for a moment longer.
Then, they finally pulled away, still gazing into each other's eyes. The limousine continued its silent drive, and for the first time in the evening, Darren's face softened.
He looked at her, down her neck, into her cleavage and sighed. "As much as I want to... we can't do this."
Olivia frowned. Disappointed.
"Not tonight."