Hidden glances

19. Through it all

Hey everyone, this update took forever and I am so sorry.. I appreciate all the messages and comments to come back so much, I love how much you love this story! So here's an extra long chapter, I'm back! Hope you're all keeping safe and healthy❤️
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"Who is this?" His clear irritation by the presence of another man was soaring through the apartment. "Jake please just go."

"She asked you to leave." Fitz said simply, walking closer to the pair. "Liv who is this dude?"

Fitz cringed at the behavior this man was exhibiting. "No you don't just show up at my door, demanding answers, my life is none of your concern. I won't ask you again to leave Jake."

The man scoffed, shaking his head. He walked away, not saying another word to either of them. Liv quickly closed the door. Something told her this wasn't the last time that he was going to show up.

"Are you okay? Who was that?" He felt like he knew the answer, but he asked anyway. "That was Jake Ballard, I dated him a few years back. I haven't saw him since I was 21 I don't know who he thinks he is showing up like that."

"He's the one that hurt you?" Fitz said quietly.

"Yeah he couldn't keep his pants on." She laughed. It used to hurt, but now she has Fitz, and Fitz is everything that Jake wasn't and never will be. "We dated for 3 years, he treated me like second best, he put his friends before me always, I'm pretty sure he was ashamed to bring me home to his parents because I'm black and he couldn't control his wandering eyes. I think back to those times and I feel like vomiting, just the reminder that I put up with that makes me cringe." Fitz pulled her into his arms, cuddled her into him on the sofa.

"God I'm so sorry Livvie." He kissed her head. Ignoring the anger that rumbled in his body at the idea of anyone making her feel like that. "No, really I am okay, I am so over all of that, it took me a while to get over it, but I'm a different person now. I know what and who I deserve. I didn't back then. Everyone thought he was so great and nice, and we shared friends, I put up with it because of that. But god I have learned from it."

He let her talk on, He knows she usually isn't a huge sharer, so he always appreciated it when she confided in him. "You first asked why I was single, earlier when we first met. That's why- I developed this huge wall, I said I was never going to get hurt like that again, and I also promised myself that I would never settle for someone like that again. So I didn't." It was her time to look to him.

Fitz felt overwhelmed, she laid her heart out for him, he is the only man she was ready for that to happen with. They didn't need to say anything else, instead he pulled her into his laps. They sat in comfortable silence, taking each other in.

"You deserve the entire world, and I'm going to show you that every single day." His caring whisper sent tears to her eyes, she will never get over how sweet he is.

They spent the evening cuddled up together, just talking. Talking for hours. Stopping every so often to share kisses or hugs. Before, eventually tiredly crawling into her bed, holding on to one another as they drifted into a comfortable sleep.

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"I'm sorry about last night." Olivia felt the need to bring that up again, it was the elephant in the kitchen, at least for her it was.

"No, I'm sorry you had to see him again, don't you worry about me. Come here." He held his arms open as she easily slipped into them. The smell of breakfast food, the sound of his voice and the warmth of his arms gave her a sense of security she's never felt before.