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I glance at Adira as we both stand. This arrest has been a long time coming. It’s about what Hawthorne did to Ro. It’s not about Ivy. And yet… “Do you really think he could kill his own flesh and blood?”
“I cannot believe for one second she would try to kill herself. Not when she was finally ready to face off with Alec,” Adira says as we enter the house. “So I don’t know what to believe.”
We gather around the TV in the living room as the reporter fills us in on how Alec Hawthorne is being arrested for what he did to Ro. Behind her, a couple of officers are leading him out of his favorite eatery, his wrists in cuffs.
His face is a mask of shock, but there’s tension in the way he carries himself. Anger darkens his gaze. He was aware this was coming. Probably practiced looking surprised and innocent a million times beforehand.
A crowd has formed around him as he’s led across the pavement. They take photos and video and shout questions. Someone throws a drink and the milkshake explodes as it hits his shoulder. It splatters the black suit he’s wearing. His top lip curls in an ugly way before he’s yanked away by the cops and shoved into the back of a cruiser.
Riot has his arms wrapped around Ro the entire time we watch. Doe-eyed, she stares at the monster who hurt her.
Nicole is there too. In the background. Storming away as the on-scene journalist tries to ask her questions about the arrest. About Ivy. About how it feels to almost lose her daughter and then have her son arrested for his predatory behavior.
“No comment.” Nathaniel puts his hand up to the camera as he advises Nicole not to say anything. When he removes his hand he takes off his jacket and uses it to protect her from the cameras while he escorts her into the back of a town car.
“Now that Alec has been arrested, we need to focus on Nicole,” Adira tells me. “She has always considered Ivy to be an asset. And not in the good way. Nicole won’t let go without a fight. She’ll want Ivy under her thumb.”
“That’s not going to happen,” I say.
“She’ll try to convince the entire world that only she has Ivy’s best interests at heart,” he says as the story on the screen changes and Ro crumples in Riot’s arms. “Especially if she thinks she can use Ivy to control Alec’s situation. Use her to control you.”
Ro throws her arms around my brother as she buries her face in his shirt. It must be some kind of relief to finally have the world see Alec as he truly is after living with it for so long, no matter the steps that must come before he’s punished and she can move on. If she can ever truly move on.
“You think she wants Ivy as a bargaining chip?” I crush the back of the couch with both hands. I thought Rebel and Riot and I had it bad with our mom and her issues, but at least she wanted to love us. At least she tried while she was able to. “It’s like there’s no love in that family.”
“Mmm.” Adira nods. “Richard was the loving parent. He adored Ivy. That’s where she gets her sweet nature from, I’m sure. God knows she didn’t get it from the evil hag.”
“Should we celebrate?” Rebel asks when Ro finally lifts her head from Riot’s shoulder. “Is that a thing we should do?”
Ro dabs under her eyes with her fingers. It’s been a long road to get to this point. It wasn’t that long ago she couldn’t even be in the same room as my twin. And that tore our family apart. Her smile slowly grows more sure of itself. “I want to celebrate.”
“I’ll get glasses. You get the champagne,” Summer says to my twin.
Rebel’s gaze is overly bright. His shoulders are higher than they’ve been in a long time. Although they drop again when we lock gazes as he follows Summer. So does the curve of his mouth.I wish things were different. Ivy should be here.
This is good. For Ro.But I can’t shake that sensation that the storm is still not over. “I need you to do something for me, Adira.”
“Of course.”
“I want you to acquire a marriage certificate.”
“Fake documents are kind of tricky.” His expression turns unreadable. “I don’t usually get involved with something that shady. You’re asking me to cross a line I’m not comfortable with.”
“What aren’t you comfortable with? I’m not trying to trick Ivy. She will know it’s fake. I’ll know it’s fake. Everyone here will. But you know those reporters out there will verify everything… and the last thing I want is Nicole to have anything she can use against me. A marriage license should be enough to get her to back off.”
“Okay.” His expression softens. He offers Summer a weak smile as she hands out glasses.
“Do it quickly,” I say when she moves on.
Rebel pops the cork from a bottle of Taittinger. The bubbles explode out of the neck and he barely manages to land them in the flute Ro is holding. Riot says something about Rebel blowing his load too quick and then laughs.
And all I can think is I still have another day without Ivy. And that’s if Jason manages to get the restraining order thrown out.
“Are you going to collect her when they discharge her?” Adira asks.
“I plan to.” I wait until Rebel has filled our glasses. “I expect you’ll come with me. If I can’t, because of the restraining order, I want you to pick her up and take her to my apartment. The two of you will stay there until I can deal with it.”
Adira nods as Ro rubs her fingers up and down the stem of her glass. She does that when she’s nervous. “It might only be a start, and there are no guarantees that Alec will ever get what he deserves, but I want to celebrate that, at the least, I got to watch him feel even an ounce of the humiliation I’ve felt. I stood up for myself when I didn’t think I’d ever be able to face what happened. I couldn’t have done it without you boys. Summer. You helped me start to see my worth again. So I want to say that I appreciate you all. And say that no matter what happens I’m going to see this through to its end. He isn’t going to get away with what he has done anymore.”
