Charlie carried me into the bedroom, then sat me on the bed. “What do you need?”
I’d had a long day, filled with a lot of triumphs and some pretty dark lows. The contrast between the two was stark and confusing. “I just want you to hold me.”
“I think that’ll both do us some good.” Charlie lifted me onto his lap, and I curled desperately into his warm body.
We didn’t talk about what had happened, but it was just as well. I didn’t want him going off the deep end again.
Charlie fell asleep, but I lay against his chest and counted his heartbeats long into the night, delving deep into my thoughts. I wasn’t willing to give up my friendship with Ivy, not even now. He’d rescued me from myself when I was at the lowest points of my existence. If I was being completely honest, without him, I might’ve done something permanent to end it all, because I didn’t know how to get through life unless I had my friends by my side.
Ivy had helped me through my dark times, so I wasn’t turning my back on him through this. I knew Ivy was hurting. He was an addict and mentally ill. I didn’t blame him for the actions that he took as a result of his illness. I just wanted him to get help.
At the same time, I didn’t know if it was healthy for me to keep associating with him. Or Chancey, for that matter.
I didn’t get much sleep. I woke up around six the next morning, before Charlie did. I knew he wouldn’t be asleep much longer, so I managed to pull myself into my chair and wheel out of the room as quietly as possible.
We’d previously made an agreement that I wouldn’t get out of bed without his help, and I hated going back on that. But if he knew my plan, he’d stop me from where I was going, and I couldn’t have that.
Oberi wrinkled his nose when he saw me roll toward the door.And what do you expect me to tell Sir Rages A Lot when he wakes up?
“Just keep him busy. I won’t be long.”
I hated lying to my husband. Getting mixed up in all of this could potentially drive a wedge between Charlie and me. I had to be careful.
But I also had to at least try to save a friend.
I found Opal first. She was in Commissary, sipping on coffee and doing her homework. My brother was sitting next to her, while Tahoma lay across the rug. The peryton let out a soft bugle as I approached, and his antlers glowed a soft white in greeting.
I patted Tahoma’s head softly, before I said, “Hey.”
“I already know what you’re going to ask,” Opal began. “It’s wrong, Ava, any way you spin it. You shouldn’t even care about getting involved after what Ivy did to you.”
Ez nodded darkly. “Yeah. Pretty fucking pissed about it, myself.”
“We have to do something,” I insisted.
“I’m tired of helping him, but at the same time, it’s aggravating to cut my relationship off with my cousin for the millionth time.” Opal rubbed her face. “This is a vicious cycle. It’s been going on for years.”
“He can get help,” I insisted.
“Sure, but it never lasts. He’s in rehab for a while, he does okay for a month or two, then something will trigger him, and he’ll be back out there with a new fix to chase after,” Opal lamented.
“I know this can change,” I insisted.
“Loving someone with an addiction is one of the hardest things I will ever do,” Opal said flatly. “I can’t forgive him for stealing pills from you, Ava. Not this time. I need to protect myself and think about what I need to do so I can provide a good life for my daughter once I’m out. That means getting her away from our family.”
She sighed, then bent back over her homework. “Ivy’s just as bad as the rest of them.”
Clearly, she was done with it, and probably done with Ivy, too. I couldn’t blame her for not wanting to ride the rollercoaster any longer.
Yet Ivy had gotten me through some of the worst times of my life. I wouldn’t abandon him now, not even if he’d done something as terrible as all this. “Do you know where he is?”
Opal gave a disgusted noise. “Probably at the club, feeling sorry for himself.”
“I can’t get there all on my own. It’s too far.” I sagged in my chair, my energy already spent for the day.
Ez’s face twisted, but he said, “I’ll take you to The Devil’s Playground, but don’t ask me to get involved, sis.”
“It won’t be but a moment. I just need to talk to him alone.”
