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I stalk through the undergrowth towards him.
“Do you want to talk about—”
“No,” I cut him off. “I’ll see you in a few hours.”
I barge past, knocking into his shoulder and heading to the first underground chamber, where Ivy’s sitting against the wall, wrapped in a blanket. Her eyes are closed, although, judging by her uncanny stillness, I’m sure she isn’t sleeping.
“I know you’re not asleep,” I say, sitting opposite her.
I expect her to ignore me. Instead, she opens her eyes. “And?”
“You should try to rest,” I say. “It won’t be long until sunrise.”
“Thanks for your concern, but I’ve waited years for this moment. I know what I’m doing. Maybe you should sleep,” she replies. “I promise not to kill you.”
“How generous,” I mutter sarcastically.
The light casts half of her face in shadows, making her expression hard to read. She fights back a shiver, pulling the blanket up higher around her neck.
My gaze lingers on her throat, and my stomach sinks from the guilt.
“You were right about what you said. Maybe I’m not the man I want to be…” I gesture at her throat. “I shouldn’t have hurt you.”
She arches one eyebrow. “Is that your attempt at an apology?”
“Yes,” I say.
“I’ve lived through worse.”
“That doesn’t make it better,” I say. “It will never happen again.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” She shrugs. After a long pause, she says, “No one’s perfect, Freddie. And no one expects you to be, either.”
The crushing expectations I put on myself would argue otherwise, but I don’t reply. Instead, I address the massive sex-smelling elephant in the room. “What happened… with me and Callen…”
“We’re all adults,” she says. “It’s just sex. That’s it. No big deal.”
How do I explain to her that it meant more to me? Every time I’m inside her, it cements our bond. Even after everything she’s done, I can’t break it… and I don’t know if I want to anymore.
“I shouldn’t have barged in like that,” I say. The lack of light makes it easier for me to express myself openly when I can’t see her reaction properly. “But you’re the woman I thought I loved. The woman I’ve been thinking about for years. Seeing you together made me…”
Ivy looks at a spot on the wall to the side of my head, refusing to look me in the eye. Maybe she’s afraid of what she’ll see if she does.
“None of this matters.” She opens her mouth to say more, and then presses her lips together like she had second thoughts. A blank mask falls over her features, and she sits up straighter. “Let’s focus on the plan. Trout, the Killers Club, and Spencer. Orgasms are great and all, but we don’t need any more distractions.”
I nod in agreement. No more distractions. Focus on work. I could do that. Even though the matter is unresolved, the atmosphere between us has lightened. For the first time since reuniting, we’re working towards the same goal, and I need this chance to make it up to her. Usually, women like flowers and chocolates, but Ivy wants to kill a man, and the Dukes won’t let her down.
CHAPTER 43
SEB
After an unsettled night spent playing out worst case scenarios in my mind, I’m finally here. Ivy wants to tick a name off her list, and the first part of our plan relies on me getting Trout alone. Usually, I don’t like my family affairs and business crossing over, but this time I have no choice.
I quickly check my reflection in the car window, turning my head. Yep, my blonde hair has grown long enough to disguise my tiny earpiece. I informed Freddie when I left, and they’re already in position.We can do this. I mentally psych myself up. This is step one to taking down the Killers Club.
Behind me, I hear Ralph ask his wife, “Does this tie match my suit?”
He doesn’t give her a chance to reply before launching into a rant about the best silks and where to buy them. I’m glad I insisted on sitting in the front with his driver.
