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FOUR
IVY
Liselle’s SUV blocks the entrance, Wyatt’s tyres crunching along the gravel as he pulls up in front of it.
“I guess that means I’m late,” I say with a sigh.
I’m tired, fucking exhausted really.
Shitty sleep, the after-effects of whatever they used to subdue me, and the complete emotional overhaul. The whole thing has me feeling completely fucked.
Numb.
Empty.
Vacuous.
“I’m sorry we didn’t make better time,” Wyatt replies, his hand coming to my thigh.
I didn’t realise just how cold I was feeling until the heat of his touch spreads warmth across a tiny patch, a circle of life blossoming in what feels like my cold and empty soul.
“Ivy,” he says, calling me from a million miles away. “Ivy, I know it’s a lot to take in, but you need to get it together right now.”
His tone catches me off guard, the gentle soothing sound traded for something sharper, more demanding. My gaze comes to his, but it doesn’t focus, words are coming from him, but they never register.
“It’s a garden of remembrance, of sorts,” he explains. “I’m told the wildflowers are beautiful in the Spring.”
The dead patch of dirt doesn’t look beautiful right now, and a chill creeps over my spine that I can’t control. It looks dead, empty, and vacuous.
“I’m going to be sick.”
My stomach twists, a cold sweat breaking out as I open the door to his car and heave the contents of my stomach onto the stones beneath. Any benefit from the juice and water has long disappeared, and the reality is that I’ve found myself in a completely new life and I’m struggling to reconcile the two.
Wyatt rubs circles on my back, pulling my hair back over my shoulder as I fall back into the seat, closing the door again. He hands me a bottle of water, the tepid liquid soothing the burn at the back of my throat.
“I know it’s a lot to take in,” he repeats.No shit.“But those women in there need the security you now have. This puts you ahead. Nick isn’t at risk as far as we know, not yet, and if anyone is going to get themselves entrenched in this game, it’s him.”Or Leo.“He’s your best bet for security here.”
“Good job you all decided that then, isn’t it?”
He accepts the water, stashing it in the door bin without reply. I guess being angry is better than being empty.
“I better get in there.”
“He cares about you, we both do, and I’m reasonably sure we aren’t the only ones watching your back right now. You’ve bewitched us all, but just watch yourself in there,” he warns. “I know Tamsin is your friend and you’ve built relationships with these other women, but at the end of this year, where do you want to be?”
In the house, or the ground?
Those are the words he doesn’t say, but that’s what he means.
“It’s time to put on your game face, babe. You can be scared, upset, angry—”
“Empty,” I add.
“Empty,” he repeats softly. “You can feel however you need to with us; with Nick, me, and to some extent Jake and Leo. You know we’re all here for you, but right now, I need you to pull those big girl pants up and get your game face on.”
Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath, pushing everything down as I exhale slowly.
“What is it that Nick and Jacob say, no retreat and no surrender?” he asks.
