Page 65 of Recovering Ivy

“Answer me, Ivy. Who will leave you?” Zane semi repeated.

“You’re back early. We’re not done with lunch,” Violet tried.

“Violet,” Jaxon warned.

Perfect, he was behind me, too.

“You know just us girls chatting and gossiping.” Olivia smiled.

“Tesorino.”

Now my humiliation was complete, and Leo and Jaxon were both here to witness my embarrassment.

“What? We were just having girl talk,” she told them.

“Girl talk that includes my woman talking about a man leaving her?”

Violet opened her mouth to speak, but I shook my head. I didn’t want their men getting upset with them because they were trying to cover for me.

It was time to face the music. I stood and turned toward the three men standing at the door. Before I could explain what I’d meant by my comment, I remembered something.

“You’re planning on sending Jaxon over to my place to pack my stuff?” Jaxon’s eyes went over my shoulder and I felt bad for throwing Violet under the bus. “Don’t look at her. She didn’t do anything wrong. It was an innocent statement. She assumed I knew I was giving up my apartment. I mean, hello, that is normally how it works, right? The person moving usually knows beforehand.”

“No, I’m not sending Jaxon. There was a change of plans,” Zane told me, and I felt stupid for bringing it up. “Linc already moved your furniture into storage and he’s bringing everything else over here tonight.”

“Zane!” His answer was a lift of his brow. “Did you think to ask me?”

“No.”

Arrogant ass.

“I told you I don’t like to be bossed around. You can’t just move my stuff without asking.”

“And I told you, your safety is not negotiable.”

“My safety? What the hell does moving my stuff have to do with my safety? We already agreed I’d stay here until Forester and my mother were taken care of.”

“It took under a minute to pick your lock and break in. I was in your apartment waiting for you for fuck’s sake. There could’ve been a crazy person lying in wait.”

“There was a crazy person lying in wait – you. You’re completely insane. I need a place to live.”

“You have one.” Zane spread his arms wide, gesturing around the room.

“I don’t want to have this conversation right now,” I announced, remembering our audience.

“Great. Let’s talk about who is going to leave you.”

Holy shit, not that again.

“I don’t wanna talk about that either.”

“I bet not.” He smirked.

There was something in his smile that made me snap. He thought he’d won and got the best of me.

“You’re gonna leave,” I ground out. “Just like everyone else in my life. You’ll get sick of my shit then where will I be? You’ve made me quit my job. You’ve moved me out of my apartment. When you’re gone, I’ll have nothing.”

“Baby,” he said and took a step toward me.