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“It’s so beautiful,” she sighs, her breath fogging up the window. Following her line of sight as I step up beside her, I have to agree. The sun is setting over the mountain, my floor-to-ceiling windows depicting a breathtaking scene. Swirls of pink and purple dance across the sky and the trees sway in the breeze.
“The view is something,” I agree, turning my gaze to her.
Ivy’s eyes flick to me. A blush blooms on her cheeks, making her quickly look away. She reaches for her drink and downs the liquid in one gulp. Shocked by the action, I place my drink down on a side table and reach for her just as she begins coughing.
Instead of flailing around, choking, she waves her hand like she’s fine. Then she goes for my glass.
“Holy shit.” I’m so stunned by what I’ve just seen that no other words form.
On a deep inhale, she rasps out, “I have to tell you something.”
“Is it that you want a chaser?”
“No.” She shakes her head, beginning to pace. “I’m afraid it’s a bit more…dramatic than that.”
“More dramatic than ‘Surprise! I’m your wife-to-be’?” Her doe-like eyes widen, looking hauntingly sad. Okay, this isn’t a time to joke. She really is serious. Going to her side, I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. She leans into my touch, and a sigh dances from her lips. “Tell me,” I whisper to her, needing her to confide in me.
I didn’t think what she was about to tell me would be that shocking. Honestly, I was prepared for her to tell me she couldn’t go through with the wedding and then I’d have to fight to show her all the ways we’d work. But she doesn’t say that.
Instead, a different kind of fight comes to mind as my vision hazes over in red.
“I think we should get married now, before someone kills me.”
Chapter Four
Ivy
The words soundridiculous out loud. I can’t even believe I’m saying them.
I wait on bated breath for Connor to ask me if I’m joking. For him to laugh and shake his head at how silly I’m being. It’s a reaction I’m used to from my stepmother and stepsiblings.
He does none of that.
Instead, his body goes tense and his jaw begins to work back and forth, like he’s grinding his teeth. It’s not until he finally says something that I breathe again.
“Over my dead fucking body,” he growls, pinning me with an intense look that should scare me but only heats up my body. I didn’t realize possessive, bad-boy mountain men were my thing but damn. My body was waking up for what felt like the first time in my life.
I open my mouth, not sure what I’m about to say, but he marches from the room. Before I can make a move to follow, he’s back with the bottle of whiskey in his hand.
“Explain,” he demands, refilling his glass and downing it the same way I had. He refills again, and his free hand points to the sofa, indicating for me to sit.
Now the nerves are beginning to hit me. I know I came all this way to say this to him and ask for his help but actually verbalizing the story is daunting. What if once I say the whole thing out loud, I realize I’ve just been an idiot imagining things? Spinning the secret conversations I’ve heard around in my head until the original meaning is deadly and incorrect.
Crap, no. I can’t talk myself out of this. I know it’s true.
Waddling over to the sofa, I study the plump cushions, trying to figure out the most graceful way to actually sit. The task is taken out of my hands when Connor steps forward and lifts me. After setting me down gently, he then takes the seat beside me. Patting down the material of my dress so I can see him clearly, I give him a small smile.
“Thanks.”
“Explain, Ivy. I’m about three seconds away from losing my shit. What do you meanbefore someone kills you?”
“I thought you’d be more shocked at thewe have to marry nowpart.”
“Ivy,” he practically growls at me.
“Sorry, I’m nervous. It’s so weird saying this out loud.” Connor doesn’t say anything this time, waiting, his attention fully on me. I begin to play with the material of my skirt, anything to distract myself from his intense look.
“My father went missing four months ago,” I begin. The words hang between us so I take another deep breath. “He went to Turkey for business, which isn’t unusual, but he missed his plane home. At first I thought he’d just extended his stay and maybe something went wrong with his phone. Stranger things have happened…but…my dad and I are close. Very close. Even when he’s away on business he calls and texts me. But it just stopped.
