A Beautiful Mess by T. K. Leigh Read Free Book Online

quick text, letting her know she was home, before setting her cell phone on the charger.
    Olivia drifted off to sleep fairly easily for once and dreamed of beautiful green eyes.
    On the other side of town, Alexander entered his office and unlocked the wall safe. For the first time since his father was killed over five years ago, he took out an envelope addressed to him, recognizing his father’s handwriting instantly. He debated opening it. And he sat staring at the letter all night, scared of what his father’s last words to him would reveal.

C HAPTER F OUR
A N U NEXPECTED S URPRISE

    “S WEETHEART , hurry up. We need to get a move on!” a young Olivia’s mother shouted at her as she grabbed a few last things from her summer home. They usually didn’t leave their beach house until after Labor Day, but they had to leave early. Olivia’s mother said it was an emergency and that she had to be a brave girl. But she was only six years old. Olivia didn’t know why they had to leave so quickly.
    Olivia sat in the back seat of the car, playing with Mr. Bear, her favorite stuffed animal, as her father sped away. Her mama must have been tired from all the packing because she had fallen asleep in the front seat.
    The car merged onto the interstate and her father became more relaxed, although he checked the rear-view mirror more than he usually did. Out of nowhere, a dark SUV pulled up behind their car. Someone had found them. He tried to accelerate, but his sedan was no match for the SUV steadily catching up. His face remained calm, a staple of his CIA training. He was no longer trying to save his family. He was protecting his assets.
    “I love you,” he said to his sleeping wife. He turned around, his face neutral, trying not to scare Olivia in the back seat. “We love you very much, Livvy.”
    Olivia didn’t look up from her bear. “I know.”
    Then a crash. Olivia’s head snapped hard against the seat in front of her. She slipped into unconsciousness.
    “Hey, Olibia. We need to get out of here, okay?” a boy with green eyes suddenly woke Olivia up as he tried to unbuckle her seat belt. Olivia knew this boy somehow. He always called her Olibia.
    “My mama and papa…” Olivia cried, remembering that there was a crash and her head hurt. She hoped her parents’ heads didn’t hurt.
    “I know. But this is an emergency and you have to be brave,” the boy pled with her.
    Olivia wanted to be brave for the boy. “Okay. I’ll be a brave little girl.” She reached out her hand and he pulled her through the shattered car window. Although he was not very strong, he picked Olivia up, running as he carried her to safety. As he did, Olivia noticed her Uncle looking into the passenger side of the crashed car, a scared look across his face.
    “I don’t feel so well,” she said to the boy. The world spun around her. Her head hurt. She didn’t know what was going on.
    “I know sweetheart. We’re going to get you help. We’re going to protect you always, Olibia. Nothing bad will ever happen again. You can trust me.” And then nothing. Black. Emptiness.

    ~~~~~~~~~~

    Olivia woke up with a start, shaking. She hadn’t had a dream like that in a while. It was always the same. Her parents always died in the dream. She usually never saw who pulled her to safety, but that time she did. The boy with the green eyes. She knew him somehow, but couldn’t remember how. And those words. You can trust me . What did it all mean?
    She tried to get her bearings. She was in her bedroom. She was laying in her large king size bed, Nepenthe curled up at her feet. The shades were drawn and it was pitch black. She heard a buzzing sound and realized that her cell phone was vibrating on the nightstand. She looked at the phone and saw Kiera’s name and photo flashing. She answered groggily.
    “Libby, oh my God. You’re alive. Are you okay?” Kiera screamed into the phone.
    “I’m fine,” Olivia answered.
    “It’s almost five and you