Driven to Obsession

Chapter 12: The Wrench

The drive back to Miami was quiet, but this time the silence between Olivia and Sam felt different—less like the comfortable, shared silence they had enjoyed at the cabin, and more like the kind of silence that comes before a storm. Olivia couldn't quite put her finger on what had changed, but there was a tension in the air, a subtle shift that made her feel uneasy.

As they neared the city, Olivia's phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, frowning when she saw the caller ID. It was Carlos. Again.

"Hey, Carlos," she answered, her voice a little too upbeat as she tried to push aside the sense of foreboding that had been nagging at her since they left the cabin. "What's up?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and Olivia could hear the faint hum of the shop in the background. "Olivia, we've got a problem," Carlos said, his voice low and serious. "You need to get back here as soon as possible."

Olivia's heart sank. "What happened?"

"It's Mark," Carlos said, the name sending a cold shiver down her spine. "He's been hanging around the shop all morning, asking questions. He's not leaving, Liv. I think he's waiting for you."

A surge of panic shot through her, but Olivia forced herself to stay calm. "Okay, I'll be there soon. Just... keep him away from the customers, okay?"

"Already doing that," Carlos replied, his voice tense. "But you need to be careful, Liv. This guy gives me a bad feeling."

"Thanks, Carlos. I'm on my way," she said, ending the call and turning to Sam.

His expression was grim, his knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel. "Mark again?"

Olivia nodded, her stomach twisting with anxiety. "He's at the shop. Carlos says he's been hanging around all morning, asking questions."

Sam's jaw clenched, a dark look passing over his face. "I don't like this, Olivia. He's not just showing up by coincidence—he's looking for something, and I don't think it's anything good."

She swallowed hard, her mind racing. "What do you think he wants?"

"I don't know," Sam admitted, his voice tight. "But I intend to find out."

As they pulled into the shop's parking lot, Olivia's heart began to race. Sure enough, Mark was there, leaning casually against a car parked near the entrance, his arms crossed over his chest as if he owned the place. His eyes lit up with a predatory gleam when he saw her, and he pushed himself off the car, a smug smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Olivia's hand tightened around the door handle, her stomach churning with a mixture of fear and anger. She had hoped that after their last encounter, Mark would have taken the hint and disappeared from her life once and for all. But it seemed that whatever had brought him back wasn't going to be so easily dismissed.

Before she could step out of the car, Sam reached over and placed a hand on her arm, his touch grounding her. "Stay close to me," he said quietly, his voice laced with protective determination. "We'll handle this together."

Olivia nodded, taking a deep breath to steady herself before opening the door and stepping out of the car. Mark's gaze was fixed on her, his smile widening as he took in the sight of her with Sam by her side.

"Well, well," Mark drawled as they approached. "Look who finally decided to show up. I was starting to think you were avoiding me, Liv."

"Leave her alone, Mark," Sam said, his voice cold and commanding. "You have no reason to be here."

Mark's smile didn't falter, but there was a flicker of something darker in his eyes as he shifted his attention to Sam. "I don't believe we've been properly introduced," he said, extending a hand as if they were old friends. "Mark Reynolds."