CHAPTER 82: THE MOVING

Chapter Eighty-Two

**OLIVER WEST**

Both Mom and I turned to stare at Kieran. He’d been standing behind me the entire time.

Living with Kieran?!

First, I felt embarrassed that he pitied us so much that he had stepped in. Second, there’s no way I could stay in his house!!

Okay, I was certain mom wasn’t going to agree. . .

"Are you sure? That’s incredibly generous, but I wouldn’t want to impose on your family..." Mom began and I blinked in complete shock.

She wasn’t refusing?!!!

I knew the effort it took before she had permitted me to start having sleepovers in William’s house, and now she didn’t have a problem that her son would live with his ’Boyfriend?’

Did Kieran use black magic on her? Because there’s no other explanation why she liked him to this extent!!

My head snapped to Kieran who broke the silence.

"It’s no imposition at all. We literally grew up together. I will take good care of him," Kieran said smoothly.

TAKE GOOD CARE?

The way they totally treat me like a child whose every decision had to be made for me.

She didn’t even ask if I was okay with it, hmmmph!

"Mom, I don’t think..."

"Ollie, I think it’s already settled, your mom will not be worried if you are staying with me,"

The words slammed into me. Settled without my opinion? This was the height of it!

"But I’m worried, Mom, I want to stay with you and Pumpkin, what if..."

"We will be fine at your aunt’s place, Just listen to Kieran," Mom interrupted as though my words bore zero importance.

How could she deliver me to Kieran to devour on a golden plate?

I avoided looking at Kieran because I would only get more infuriated.

"Mom, I really don’t want to be away. . ."

"Ollie, just listen to me, I’m sure your mom can take care of everything else,"

THAT EVIL BASTARD!!

I totally wanted to scream, throw a tantrum, if that was the only way I would be seen.

Listen to him, as if!!!

Heat crawled up my neck. I caught Kieran’s knowing smirk from the corner of my eye, and my face burst into flames.

"You don’t have to worry Mrs. West, I’m sure Oliver and I will find plenty of ways to... keep each other company, until the whole issue with the house is resolved, I’m deeply sorry that this happened to you" Kieran said casually to Mom and then he looked at me.

The bastard winked.

His gaze triggered a vivid flashback, his hands on my skin, his voice whispering for me to moa... aaahhhhhhh!!

LEAVE ME ALONE!! I screamed inwardly at the unwanted thoughts and further went to make a fool of myself as I stumbled on my own foot and barely caught myself in time against the broken doorframe.

Mom smiled at us, completely missing everything.

’You bastard,’ I mouthed at Kieran, but his smirk only widened.

"That’s so thoughtful of you, Let me call your mother to discuss the arrangements." Mom was saying, already pulling out her phone. "

The moment she stepped away to make the call, I whirled on Kieran.

"I can’t stay with you," I hissed, panic clawing up my throat.

He joined me in our destroyed living room with infuriating calm while I was completely losing it.

"Why not?"

"Because... because..." I gestured wildly. "What if I sleep in the garage? Or get a hotel room? I have like... twenty dollars saved up!"

"Relax, Oliver. You are being dramatic, you are already my boyfriend, it isn’t weird if we live together,"

"I’m being realistic, and it is weird!"

I followed Kieran who walked further inside our house like he owned the place, we were in my bedroom now. I sucked in a sharp breath to see the extent of the damage.

Mom had already gathered all my things, but the whole glass was completely smashed. Weirdly enough, unlike our living room, nothing in my bedroom had been destroyed. It was just my window, not that I was thanking whoever the hell had gotten me into this predicament.

Kieran started gathering my scattered clothes, his fingers lingering longer than necessary on each piece.

What the hell was so interesting about my plain clothes?!

I realized the piece he was holding was the same one he had lent me that first day I’d gotten to his house.

Shit.

I’d totally ’forgotten’ to return it to him.

"Kieran, I mean it, stop instigating my mom to let me stay with you. Besides, I don’t want to burden your famil..."

"If you’re so worried about being a burden, you could always pay me back with your body. If we have sex for every night you stay over..."

I didn’t let him complete that statement, my clenched fist smacked his chest with downright horror.

"Are you insane? My mom is right below!" I whispered frantically.

I spun around, crouching slightly to peer around the broken windowframe, Mom was in our backyard, still making a call.

A sigh of relief shuddered from me, that’s when I felt it - a sharp smack that made me yelp and jump forward.

"OW!" I palmed my mouth instantly, my other hand flying to my stinging backside, I whirled around just in time to glare at Kieran.

"What is wrong with you?!!!"

He’s already treating me like property and we’re not even at his house yet!

"I was just making sure you aren’t stuck, do you believe it would make a good porn story?"

"KIERAN!!!"

"What? Don’t blame me when you put your ass in perfect range, it was basically winking at me" Kieran said innocently, and I didn’t know whether or not to just curse him or cry.

"Lunatic, seek help!" I glowered still massaging the stinging flesh.

"Oliver? Everything okay?" Mom called from outside.

"Fine! Everything’s fine!" I squeaked, my cheeks burning.

And yes, it was both cheeks.

"Just brushing debris off his clothes," Kieran called back helpfully, his insufferable smirk pissing me off all the more.

This was pure proof that I couldn’t live with him. He would completely bully me to death if I shared his space.

I marched to the bed, scattering the clothes he had already begun to arrange in a bag he found somewhere. "I’m not staying in your house,"

"Your mother already agreed," He said quietly like it was the only explanation in the world.

"But, I don’t agree..."

"Do you believe in fate, Oliver? I think it’s a wonderful opportunity for us to know each other more. It’s just you and me, no unwanted distractions"

The way he said ’You and I’ and the intense gleam in his eyes made something in my stomach squeeze uncomfortably and I realized that Kieran was glad about our misfortune.

Who knew, he probably jinxed this bad luck on us!

Before I could strangle him, Mom joined us with a brighter expression.

"Kieran dear, your mother was so understanding. She said Oliver is welcome for as long as needed. I also received this," Mom walked towards us, holding up her phone.

It was a blurry security camera image.

"The police managed to get this from across the street. Do you recognize this person?"

I squinted at the unclear photo. The figure was too unclear to make out any real features.

"No, sorry. I can’t tell who that is."

The video showed the figure dressed in a green watermelon striped hoodie. He was tall and walking with a limp, but that was all.

It also wasn’t dad.

But it didn’t mean that Dad couldn’t have sent him.

"Well, hopefully they’ll find better footage," Mom sighed.

That’s when Pumpkin appeared in the doorway, stepping carefully around broken glass.

"Is this your honeymoon phase already?" she asked with a grin, staring at the bag Kieran had half packed, which I’d also scattered.

"Pumpkin, don’t even start!" I warned.

"What? Moving in together is like, major relationship stuff." She turned to Kieran, her eyes gleaming with the evil glow that has haunted me since she was born.

"Make sure you make him work hard for his stay. Oliver’s super lazy when he doesn’t have chores."

"I am not lazy!"

She continued and I clenched my fist not to smack her stupid head.

"Oh, and he still sleeps with the new teddy bear you got for him. Sometimes, I think I should have been his elder sister. I sleep without teddies, I’m not scared." Pumpkin added cheerfully.

"PUMPKIN!" I shrieked, mortified.

I watched in horror as Kieran filed the embarrassing detail, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Fascinating, I don’t think he will need the teddies anymore though," He smirked at me, and I could only scowl deeply at both of them, ignoring the way my pulse peaked.

"So where will Oliver sleep? Do you have bunk beds or will you share?" Pumpkin asked innocently.

"We’ll figure something out," Kieran replied, shooting me a look that made my knees turn soft.

"Oh, and don’t worry, I’ll definitely put him to work, I have lots of... tasks... in mind for him. Your brother won’t be lazy, trust me," Kieran continued, his casual touch on my shoulder becoming more lingering.

I wanted to shove him, for his not-so-innocent remark, but I also didn’t want to seem weird and make Pumpkin suspect a double meaning.

"See? I like him already. He gets it" Pumpkin declared, sticking her tongue at me while she stared at Kieran with genuine adoration.

"You’re both terrible," I muttered, trying to push Kieran away from me.

He followed me to my bed and started repacking my stuff again, I shoved him even harder, glaring.

"I can pack my own stuff!"

He had already gotten what he wanted, now I was trapped with him.

My own mother didn’t even want me, and my little sister respected him more than me, isn’t my life so miserable? What the hell did I ever do to deserve this?!!!

"Oliver! Don’t be rude to Kieran. He’s doing us an enormous favour." Mom’s sharp voice made me freeze.

"But, I never asked for it..." I started to protest.

"Don’t listen to him, Brother Kieran, Oliver’s just grumpy because you are more responsible than him," Pumpkin said to Kieran in a whisper that was obviously made loud on purpose for me to hear.

BROTHER KIERAN?!!

Yet, that little pest calls me by my name!

"I am not grumpy! And he’s not more responsible— I’m way older than you show some respect, you can start by calling me brother Oliver too,"

My aggrieved words only earned a loud snort from her.

"Definitely grumpy," Pumpkin sang excitedly.

"You little pig, monsters eat twelve-year-olds like you—"

"Oliver West, Apologize" Mom said firmly.

I stared at her in betrayal. "But she started it!"

"You’re seventeen. She’s twelve. Act like it."