AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My throat tight, I can’t find the words to say it, so I just nod. She instantly breaks down in sobs, crying into her hands.
Harley rushes over to wrap her in his arms. “Will someone tell me what the fuck is going on?”
“Conrad’s our brother.”
THIRTY-FOUR
IVY
I SCAN THE Pelican Bar, spotting Brady and Wren at a high-top table in the corner. I close my eyes and suck in a fortifying breath before walking over to them. Brady has his back to me, and he visibly tenses when I call his name over the music.
Wren leans in, murmuring something in his ear before kissing him on the cheek and squeezing past me. She gives my hand an encouraging squeeze, then takes a seat at a nearby table.
I square my shoulders and take the seat opposite Brady. He refuses to look at me, instead turning his focus to his drink. “Talk to me, B.”
He gives me a one-shouldered shrug. “There’s nothing to say.”
“Yes, there is.”
“No, Ivy,” he says, finally looking at me. “There’s really not.”
He looks completely devastated. I swallow against a lump of guilt. “Well, if you’re not going to say anything, then you’ll have to sit there and listen to me. I have plenty to say.” He takes another drink but doesn’t say anything, so I continue. “I was heartbroken after Lachy left.”
“I know,” Brady growls. “I saw it.”
I shake my head. “No, you don’t know. Not really. You moved in with Wren, and I was happy for you both.” He opens his mouth to argue, but I keep going. “You didn’t even see half of what I was going through. I felt like I’d done something wrong–like I wasn’t good enough.”
Brady’s eyes darken. “That’s bullshit,” he spits.
“Yeah, it is. I know that now. But at the time, that’s how I felt. I was broken. I was angry. I was hurt. I felt so alone.”
“You’ve never been alone,” Brady protests. “You had me and Wren. You had Harley and Jordan. We were all there for you.”
I give him a watery smile. “I had you all, but you also had your own lives with your partners. Like I said: I was happy for you, but I had no one. Until Conrad.”
I watch his fists clench on top of the table. “He’s not good enough for you.”
“He’s changed.”
Brady’s laugh is humourless. “People like him don’t change, Ivy.”
“People like him? What’s that supposed to mean?” I challenge.
“He’s bad news. I told you to stay away from him.”
“Why?”
“Fuck sake–he just is.”
I shake my head. “He’s not, B. He’s been there for me. When I felt alone, he was always there. He showed up. He broke down my walls. I tried to hate him, you know–because of you. Because I knew how you’d react. But when we’re together, he makes me feel wanted. He’s kind and funny, and he treats me so well. He makes me feel happy again.”
Brady drops his head in his hands. “Why him, Ives? Anyone but him.”
“You can’t choose who you fall in love with.”
His eyes dart up to meet mine. “Love?” he chokes out. “How long has this been going on?”
“We only made it official today, but technically a few months.”
