Page 14 of Recovering Ivy

“Then why are you protecting him?”

“I’m not.”

“Tell me, Ivy, if you’re not fucking the man, you’re not protecting him, you’re not involved, then what? You like following him when he fucks his whores? Do you take pictures of that, too? Does it turn you on knowing he’s taking some hooker into a hotel room and fucking her good and hard against the wall? Is that why you caught fire the minute I slammed your little ass to the wall and fucked you silly? Were you thinking about him as you came all over my cock? Huh, Ivy, is that how it works for you?”

“He killed my sister, you fucking bastard!” I shouted and stood. The chair tipped over, but it didn’t stop me. Every ounce of guilt and anger I’d tried to keep in check lit and spewed out. “I follow him so I can get the proof I need to finally take his ass down. My sister wasn’t the first, but she will be the last, if I have to kill him myself. He fed her drugs, used her, whored her out, she ran his drugs, and when he’d had enough and was ready to move his new piece in, he killed her. So, fuck you for saying I’m protecting him. And I’m not some goddamn freak who gets off watching him, fuck you for that, too. I know you think I’m no better than the hookers he fucked. I let you take me back to your place and fuck…”

“Enough.” Zane stopped my rant. Before I could stop him, Zane had my back to the wall, and both of his palms were flat against the drywall, caging me in. His eyes had gone funny and his features had softened. He looked like the man from last night.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I had to get you to talk.” His right hand left the wall and brushed an errant tear that had fallen.

“Move, Zane.”

“Not until you understand why I said what I did.” It didn’t matter. Nothing did. Everything was ruined and Forester would never be held accountable for anything. Joey was gone. I had failed her in life and now I was failing her in death. I was so tired. I shook my head, not wanting to argue or continue talking. “I needed you pissed, the more the better. I had to know how deep you were in so I could protect you.”

“I don’t need your protection. Now please move. I want to leave.”

“Whether you want it or not, you need it. Give me a second and I’ll take you home.”

He kissed my forehead and pulled back, grabbing my hand and leading me out of the room. Why did his kiss feel so good and his hand so reassuring? Why did it feel good to believe he wanted to protect me when everything inside of me told me it was a lie?

No man gave without wanting something in return.

Deep down, I knew the cost would be too high. Zane had the power to ruin me, more power than my mom and dad and their combined years of drug abuse ever did. He’d be the blade that cut the final thread I was hanging on with.

7

Zane

To say I was fucking angry was an understatement.

I was pissed at Ivy.

I was pissed at myself.

I was really fucking pissed at Forester.

Three sets of eyes swung our way when we walked into the control room. Two sets were alarmed, one set flashed with shock before they transformed to indifference. Perfect, Linc was here. I needed to hear his shit like I needed a hole in the head.

“We need more on Forester Grant. Fuck the corporate spy shit. Dig deep. I want everything on him in the last ten years - who’s lived in his house, where he eats, where he shops, who he buys. Every goddamn second is to be accounted for. Declan, I want you on the whores. I want all the dirt you can find. Garrett, run Joanna Long - how’d they meet, how long, her credit cards, where she went. I also want her autopsy and any other information the ME has on file as well as the PD.”

“On it,” Declan said and left the room.

“I can have the ME and police reports tonight. The rest will take a few days,” Garrett answered.

“And her?” Linc asked, motioning to Ivy.

“She’s clean.”

“Just like that?” he continued.

“Just like that,” I confirmed.

He had something to say, and knowing my brother it was going to piss me right the fuck off. He didn’t delay and he didn’t disappoint.

“Good to know.”

“What is?” I asked, falling into his trap.