Page 35 of Recovering Ivy

“You’re not listening. I’m not a good person.”

“No. You haven’t been payin’ attention, Ivy. You’re so stuck in the past thinking about what those assholes did to you, you can’t see what I see. A strong, intelligent, beautiful woman.”

He was wrong. But there was no reason to argue with him. Suddenly I was bone tired again.

“What now?” I asked.

“Now you’re going to pack what you need. Then I’m going to feed you. Which means we’re going to order something so one of my men can pick it up and deliver it to my apartment. After we eat, we’re gonna get you settled and we’ll go from there.”

“Settled where?” I asked, afraid I already knew the answer.

“My place.”

“Zane…”

“Nonnegotiable. The asswipe knows you sought him out, applied to be his assistant, and that you’ve been following him. I will not take the chance of him getting his hands on you.”

“I was going to say thank you. As much as I hate to put you out, I’m afraid of him.”

His face softened as if he understood how hard it was for me to accept his help.

“You’re welcome and you’re not putting me out. I promise I’ll keep you safe.”

“I’ll get some clothes.”

Before I could pull off his lap, his lips touched my forehead and I closed my eyes. How could the smallest brush of his mouth send waves of warmth over my body?

I wouldn’t know it until much later, but that moment was the beginning.

The first step toward healing.

The first time someone had reached out and offered kindness without expecting something in return. The craziest part was, because he wanted nothing from me, I wanted to give him everything.

13

Zane

Something had shifted after our talk in Ivy’s apartment. I was raw and numb all at the same time. My temper was holding on by whatever was thinner than a thread at this point. I wanted to strangle Ivy’s mother with my bare hands for what she’d done to her. I had seen a lot in my day, a lot of horrific, downright disgusting things. I knew firsthand what men were capable of, but for a mother to behave in such a manner was a whole new realm of revolting.

I’d seen the pain. I knew it was in Ivy, coiled and dormant, waiting to detonate. I’d misjudged her; she was a lot like me. Living a daily struggle, we both lived behind walls of our own making, keeping those around us at a distance. The difference was I deserved to be locked in the cage I’d built for myself; Ivy, however, needed to live in the light. She deserved happiness.

Ivy had just come back into the living room when Declan knocked on the door with our food. I opened the door and took one of the large bags from his hand.

“How’d things end with Amy?” I asked.

“Goldsborough let her go with an order to appear. It was the best he could do when she refused to turn state’s witness. She was offered protection for her testimony, but she refused. She’s scared as shit Forester will get his hands on her kid. She actually wanted charges filed in case Forester found out she was picked up; she’d have proof she hadn’t turned,” Declan informed me.

“Who’s on her now?”

“Linc. He’s taking the first shift. When I leave here, I’ll head over and relieve him so he can get home to Jasmin. I swear to God, he thinks his wife is the first woman in history to give birth. She’s gonna chop his balls off soon.”

“I told him the same thing.” I laughed.

My brother was going crazy. I was a little worried he was going to drive Jasmin to commit murder if he didn’t relax soon.

“I think it’s sweet,” Ivy chimed in. “He loves her.”

“He’s smothering her,” I told her.