His Dangerous Love On Ice (Olivia and Zane) novel Chapter 181

Olive’s POV

My body felt like it had been taken apart and put back together in a completely different body, every muscle in my body fucking hurt and was exhausted, and that’s when Zane carefully lifted me off the bed which eliminated a sound of protest from my lips.

“I’ve got you,” he murmured against my hair, cradling me against his chest like I was something he hadn’t just out a whole fist in my body. “I just need to take care of you. Clean you up.”

He carried me through a doorway I hadn’t noticed earlier into a massive bathroom that looked like it was brought out from a luxurious movie set, it shone with marble and some with gleaming fixtures and a bathtub that could easily fit three people.

Zane set me down gently on the edge of the tub, keeping one hand on my waist to steady me while he turned on the water with the other, testing the temperature until it was perfectly warm.

“Arms up,” he said softly, and I obeyed automatically, letting him pull off what remained of my dress that had somehow gotten twisted around my waist during everything we’d done.

Once I was completely naked, Zane helped me into the tub, the warm water immediately soothing my aching muscles, and I sighed with relief as I sank down into it.

“Feel good?” Zane asked, kneeling beside the tub, and I noticed for the first time that his hands were shaking slightly.

“Amazing,” I assured him, reaching out to grab his wrist. “Come in with me.”

“I need to take care of you first,” Zane said, but I could see the exhaustion in his eyes, could see that he needed comfort just as much as I did.

“You can take care of me from in here,” I pointed out, my lips pouting. “Please. I want you close.”

Something in my voice must have convinced him because Zane quickly stripped and climbed into the tub behind me. pulling me back against his chest so I was settled between his legs.

His arms wrapped around my waist and I felt him press his face into my hair, breathing deeply like he was trying to memorize my scent.

“Are you okay?” Zane asked quietly. “Did I hurt you? Was it too much?”

I twisted in his arms so I could see his face, and what I found there made my chest ache, genuine fear that he’d pushed me too far, that he’d darnaged me somehow, that I was going to leave now that I’d seen the depths of what he wanted.

When had Zane gotten too soft, when had he begin to care of my wellbeing in between our crises that I didn’t pick note of it

“I’m perfect, I whispered quietly, gently cupping his face in my hands. “Well…I’m not going to deny, that was intense and overwhelming and yes, it pushed me to my limits. But Zane, it was also incredible. I’ve never experienced anything like this, plus you didn’t hurt me, rather, you showed me parts of myself I didn’t know existed.”

“Hmmm…” He whispered, chuckling, the sound coming out rough but soothing, “So you still love me,” Zane whispered, his eyes a little bit darker but had this humorous glint beneath it.

“I do,” I confirmed. “I still love you. Even though it’s probably insane to love someone this much this fast. Even though I know loving you is going to be the most complicated thing I’ve ever done.”

Zane’s thumb brushed across my cheekbone, his touch achingly gentle.

“I’ve never said those words to anyone,” he admitted. “Never felt them. Never thought I was capable of them after what happened to me.”

“But?” I prompted.

“But I love you,” Zane said, and his voice broke slightly on the words. “I love you so much it terrifies me. Love you so much I’d burn the entire world down if it meant keeping you safe. Love you so much that the thought of losing you makes me physically ill.”

I stared down at him, and I didn’t know when the tears started rolling down my face, and I didn’t try to hide them.

“That’s possibly the most unhealthy declaration of love I’ve ever heard,” I said, laughing through my tears.

“Probably,” Zane agreed, pulling me closer. “But it’s the truth. I don’t know how to love in a normal, healthy way. I only know how to love you with everything I have, even if that everything is broken and fucked up.”

“I don’t want normal,” I said honestly. “I want you. Exactly as you are.”

Zane cradled my face even closer, and slowly, his lips covered mine, as he kissed me, slow and deep and filled with so much emotions that made it impossible to breathe, and when we finally pulled apart we were both shaking.

“Let me wash you,” Zane said, reaching for the soap, and I let him turn me around so my back was to his chest again.

His hands were incredibly gentle as he washed my hair, massaging my scalp with his fingers, and I melted under his touch.

“Did you mean what you said earlier?” I asked quietly as he rinsed the shampoo out. “About me being the only person you’ve brought here?”

“Yes,” Zane said without hesitation. “This place…this room…it’s where I come when I need to feel in control. When the trauma gets too loud and I need to remember that I have power over my own body now. I’ve never trusted anyone enough to show them this part of me.”

“Why me?” I asked.

Zane was quiet for a long moment, his hands stilling in my hair.

“Because you are my muffin,” he just said, and his reply made me chuckled, because I didn’t know Zane could crack father’s jokes… because that was exactly the same thing Grayson would have said.

Grayson… my mind went back to him… and suddenly flashing to Brenda’s words, for a second, I hesitated, not sure if it was okay to inform Zane, a man who once saved my father’s company that my father was now making decisions in the company which was unlike him.

needed to know what he really felt about all of this, if he was happy… okay with taking my family’s company, if Hunter even knows about this… fuck… Hunter would kill himself if he founds out.

‘He invited me over for a Grayson meeting and spoke to me about handing the company to me… to protect his company From any future crises like this, I tried rejecting his offer but I accepted.”

Why? You should have rejected.., you don’t accept deals like this. You don’t just wake up to become CEO of a company which deals with data and numbers and people who tries to scheme way up to a better position. You are Zane Mercer… a fucking Racer. Why would you accept the offer?”

The bathroom was quiet, except of the little smoke emitting from the water that somehow Zane might have adjusted, and he silence in his face, lacking no expressions and all firmness, told me what I needed to know, because I’ve learned that Zane speaks louder when he was silent, when his face gave out nothing.

But the answer didn’t stunned me, because he had let me known many times, that he would own the world for me, if it gets to that.

Let’s get put from the bathtub, so we don’t catch a cold.”

I tried to stand up, but his hands caught me, came wrapping around my wrist firmly.

“You are not going to be mad at me? For choosing this? For keeping you in the dark?”

For a second, when I turned to look at him, I wondered if Zane was never taught when to use an expression on his face when talking and when not to use.

I waved my head slightly, internally chuckling but the chuckle came out to Zane’s hearing and I saw his eyebrows furrows.

‘Fuck… I was meant to be mad.’ I internally chided myself.

“Yes, I’m mad, that my boyfriend didn’t tell me on time that he’s a CEO. All this while, I thought e was into Cars and ‘ME”

Instantly, his hands came around me, pushing me hard towards his chest.

“Ooh muffin. I’m…”

“Apologize Zane… say sorry… it wouldn’t break any of your finger or that cold heart of yours.”

I heard him chuckled above my ears.

“Hahaha… I am sorry Muffin… I could repeat how sorry I am as much as you want.”

He whispered, and his words sounded so genuine, so genuine that I instantly forgive him which shouldn’t be so. Perhaps I should learn how to be cold hearted from him.