AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“How do I make it right again?” I ask, my tone pleading. “Because I can’t imagine not making this better so we can be together.” There’s a look of finality on her face and it scares the shit outta me. A lump forms in my throat. It’s never happened before, and I swallow it down in a desperate attempt to not show my emotion. “Please, Lu. Don’t tell me this is it, that we’re not going to make it.”
Ivy stirs, and she turns to look in that direction. “I missed out weeks of her life,” she whispers, “because you said I wasn’t good enough. What changed?” She stares at me for a long minute, and when I don’t respond, she closes the door gently.
I lean my forehead against it and squeeze my eyes closed. I don’t remember the last time I cried, probably not since I was a little kid, but right now, the urge is strong.
I head to my own room and grab my gym bag. It’s the next best thing to necking a bottle of whiskey.
LUNA
“You said what?” gasps Lexi, staring at me in disbelief while I knead some dough. Having filled her in on last night’s exchange between me and Grizz, I expected to feel better, but with the way she’s looking at me, I’m not so sure.
“I did the right thing, right?” She raises her brows and nods, even though she doesn’t look convinced. “Lex, come on,” I say with a groan. “You were the one who said I needed to be honest about how I felt.”
She nods again. “You’re right, I know. And you needed to be honest, but damn, girl, that must have cut him deep.”
“He looked tortured, Lexi. Absolutely broken. And I haven’t seen him at all this morning. He didn’t even come in to kiss Ivy.”
“He was in the office with Axel when I left to come here,” she tells me. “The conversation looked deep.”
“Have I made a mistake?” I ask, putting the dough in the proofing tin.
“No . . . no.” She sighs. “But this isn’t the end . . . is it?” I glare at her, and she holds her hands up. “Okay, sorry. It’s just, yah know, he’s done a lot of good things too.”
“And I’m grateful.”
“He covered up a murder,” she whispers, “and got rid of that awful woman from your life.”
“You’re not helping here,” I snap.
“And when he bought Ivy all that stuff for her room,” she says, smiling and clutching her hands to her heart, “it was so sweet. And he didn’t even know he was her dad at that point.”
I brace myself against the worktop and hang my head. “I fucked up, didn’t I?”
“Maybe you could’ve left a little wiggle room for forgiveness,” she says, shrugging. “He seems to realise how much he messed up.”
“I should talk to him,” I mutter, my heart squeezing in my chest. I can’t get that gutted look he had on his face from my mind. It tortured me the entire night.
“Perhaps just tell him you’re still open to exploring a relationship.”
The bar door rings out, and I glance through the kitchen to see Grizz. “You have to go,” I whisper to Lexi, and she grabs her things.
“Good luck,” she whispers, air-kissing me and rushing out.
Grizz looks up in surprise as she passes him. “Where’s the fire?” he asks, dumping his books on the bar.
“She remembered she had things to do,” I say, leaning in the doorway. “You okay?”
He nods. “Yeah, great. You?”
I shrug. “I guess. Look, about last night?—”
He’s already holding his hand up and shaking his head. “Forget it. I have.” I clamp my lips closed. “You’re right. Let’s just concentrate on Ivy. We got this co-parent thing working now and we don’t wanna mess things up again.”
“We don’t? I mean, we don’t.”
“Great, so we’re on the same page?” I give a nod, and he grins. “I’m hiring a bar manager today,” he says, changing the subject, “so you won’t have to see my face all day.” He laughs, but I don’t join him. I look forward to spending time here with him, away from the club.
“Oh.”
