“Oh!”
“Ivy, sorry. I was miles away.” I catch her flailing arm as she presses against the counter and her soft laugh assures me she’s alright.
“Don’t worry. I’m fast enough that I never want to experience being bowled over by you. That would be like a truck running over a mini cab.”
“Still, sorry.”
“Are you okay?” Her humor melts away and concern flashes in her eyes. “You look… tired.”
“A lot on my mind.”
“About Zira?”
“Mostly.”
“What’s…” She hesitates suddenly and quickly sets her empty mug in the sink. “I’m almost too worried to ask, but what’s going to happen to her?”
“I will take care of her.”
“She’s not in any trouble?”
“The Irish blame her, but… everything I’ve seen tells me that she was swept up in this just trying to protect her brother. I can’t fault her for that.”
“But the Irish can.” Ivy’s brows knit together. “That’s so fucked up.”
“There’s a lot riding on those diamonds. The deal they were a part of is huge, and if that falls through…”
Ivy nods slowly. “Everything’s connected, isn’t it? Even the little things.”
“Even the little things. But I’m doing everything I can to keep her as safe as I can.”
“You like her, don’t you?” The sudden honesty of the question catches me off guard and I turn back to Ivy.
“What?”
“You like her. I don’t blame you. She seems like a lovely person, but I can tell. Do you remember last year when we first met and you barely spoke ten words to me?”
I nod slowly.
“Look at you now. You’ve had longer conversations with everyone about her than I’ve ever heard you speak. And I know you’re a man who always gets straight to the point, so it’s like you haven’t realized she’s your point.”
I want to deny it but Ivy smiles and heads for the door, leaving me struggling to unpack how she can come to such a conclusion when I don’t know how I feel.
“Oh, and remember. Ruslan’s birthday party starts at eight, so don’t be late.”
“I won’t be,” I reply, though my voice sounds slightly alien to my own ears.
Zira.
She’s beautiful.
Feisty too.
Strong enough to survive losing her parents at fourteen and raising herself and her brother, yet she blames herself for all of his shortcomings as if they’re a direct result of her actions. She’s loyal to a fault, and yet she threw herself at me as if sex were payment.
I want to know more.
Every detail of her life.
