Authors note: Hello everyone. Welcome to the new Twelve Tables series and the new family I have for you all to meet. I hope you come to know and like them as much as the families from the past series. Thank you once again to David and Kate for being my second set of eyes. Enjoy! ~ellie.
*****
Genesis growled deep in his chest, making Olivia look up at him and scowl. He had ordered her to leave Serena, and the last vestiges of the woman who had belonged to Remington Royce, at the hospital when they left. But still she had claimed that she was not Olivia to Marcella. She had explained that Olivia might have been her name once, but Olivia was gone; she died, and so had Serena Seabrook. When asked her name, she had no response. Despite the threats over legalities, and the coming punishments when her body could withstand them, she steadfastly refused to answer to the name Olivia. She would rather have no name than become that girl again.
A battle of wills had begun between Olivia and Genesis once she had arrived at the private clinic and been shown to the suite that she and Genesis would occupy. After the first day, his punishments, though not painful, had begun to hurt, and halfway through the second day neither was giving an inch, though Olivia was regretting that she couldn't give him what he wanted, nor would he give what she needed. She tried to lift her hands and found them still attached to the bed frame despite his presence there. Yesterday, he had at least undone the restraints when he was there to supervise her.
"Tell me what you need, little one," Genesis growled.
"I want relief. Please, Genesis, please," she begged.
"Still such a needy little slut," he murmured and stood to lean over her. His fingertips trailed over her satin-covered breasts, watching her nipple pucker and strain against the fabric. "So needy and ready for my touch, my hands, my mouth," he leaned down to kiss her and trail his lips down her neck. He saw her hips rise slightly from the bed as she tried in vain to close her thighs and rub them together for the slight relief it had given her last night. "Are you ready to accept who you are? Are you ready to take your name back?" he asked in a stern voice and nibbled at her earlobe, hearing her breath quicken again.
"Please, oh God, please Genesis," she whimpered. The hand that had lightly teased her nipples trailed down her body to rest on her mound.
"Who needs this, little slut? Tell me that Olivia needs this and I will gladly give you all the relief you need. Tell me that you will be my sweet girl again, my precious treasure. Admit that you, Olivia, need me to give you, not just this climax, but the fucking you crave," he pushed her with his words, but she turned her head away from him, whining as if in pain. "Still no, Olivia?" he asked and smacked her pussy hard. He could see her body tremble and he leaned over her again and growled, "If you cum without permission then I will not touch you at all as punishment from that point on."
She took a deep breath and grimaced against the pain in her side. Nobody loved Olivia, not her parents, not Kevin really, not even Remy in the beginning, but Serena was loved completely. Marcella might have loved Olivia once, but she was only here to spy for Papa. She wanted to argue, to fight, but knew that would only bring more torture. Why couldn't he be happy that she responded to all his pet names for her? Why did he have to force her to be that horrible girl again?
"Why?" she sobbed. "Why are you doing this?"
Genesis watched her shudder and still her movements as she held back the tide inside her. He understood now why Remington had used drugs on the strong-willed girl. He hadn't thought that she would fight him this hard when they had left the hospital. He was able to do more for her needs and desires in this suite, where he controlled who came and went, but she had refused his every command, every offer of pleasure and punishment. He felt that he couldn't back down now, despite his need now mirroring her own.
"Look at me, sweet girl," he said in a softer tone. "You are mine now. Remington gave you to my care. I am overjoyed about that, but I need the real girl, not one Remington created out of thin air. For you to legally be mine, I need your consent, the consent of Olivia Gambaro. I need that before I can love you properly. We need that so I can give you everything you need, a home, a family, a life with a new name, my name," he explained, not for the first time, although he had never offered to give her his name before. He had stopped before saying that he would do what Remington could not and marry her to make her legally his.
"You need me to be Olivia before you can give me the name you want me to have?" she asked, focusing on the new information.
"My name, yes, but you must show me that you can love me as much as you did Remington, and do as I ask without question. Only then will I give you all he ever promised and more," he vowed.
She turned her head away from him again and closed her eyes. He didn't know what he was asking. He couldn't love Olivia. Not even Remy loved Olivia; she had to be changed, altered and then erased. Genesis wouldn't love her at all if she were Olivia. Why couldn't he see that?
Genesis sighed. He had one last idea of how to overcome her resolve and undo whatever block Remington had put in place against her real identity, but he needed to speak to his cousin before he risked it. Hector had said that he would come this afternoon and examine his new patient.
*****
The five-story building in which Vivienne and Marcella had each been given an apartment belonged to the three brothers. The top two levels housed the four siblings, including Serafina, while the lower levels had one, two and three-bedroom suites for visitors. These were generally vacant except during the Zenati gathering when people who chose to fly in and out of the remote station where the leaders currently lived, opted to stay close to the city.
The Northern Territory was essentially a wilderness dotted with small remote towns. Even its capital, Darwin, was not particularly big in comparison to the other state capitals. It was a very pretty city, however, and Marcella loved the area in which they were staying. She took long walks along the parkway at the top of the cliffs and gazed out at the white boats bobbing rhythmically on the harbour. She felt at peace here, able to think clearly and forget the claustrophobic life that she and Olivia had tried to run from. Olivia had done it, run away without looking back, but the consequences were grave. Marcella, on the other hand, had used subterfuge and negotiation to have the life she wanted but still paid a high price to keep her mother in her life.
Approaching the café that nestled on the parkway across from the building where she was staying, Marcella took a deep breath. She needed all of her skills of persuasion and negotiation to ask the two favours that she needed from Noah. She had finally decided on a plan of action to help Olivia, but she couldn't do it alone. She needed him to join in her deceptions and subterfuge where her father was concerned. She wandered through the beanbags and beach chairs that littered the lawn in front of the café and that gave it a picnic feel, to approach the table where Noah sat waiting for her.
"Hey," He stood as she approached and kissed her cheek in greeting. "Nice walk?" he asked, pulling out a chair for her.
"Yes, thank you," she replied. "I have come to a few conclusions, and I would like your help, if you are willing," she continued with a smile.
"This sounds like a serious discussion, so hold that thought until we order something to drink and some food," he suggested, though it sounded more like a command. "I'll order. What would you like?" He passed Marcella a menu.
