“And it's safer than your own homes, why?”
“This is about us being together until I know who the hell is fucking with us. Everyone’s under my roof until then,” Landon grumbles.
“You're taking Earlwood as your own, too, now?” Ivy’s sass is coming back strong as ever.
“Not the time, Ivy. And I want Neve and Persephone back as well,” he snipes back at her.
“Like that’s going to happen.”
“Guys, do you have to argue?” The woman with Landon turns around in her seat. “I’m Willow, by the way.” She gives me a genuine smile before twisting back.
“I’ll drop you home. Pack up what you need, and we’ll see you at Earlwood in an hour,” Landon says, continuing to issue orders. “Your car is back safely.” And while he has Ivy’s safety and interests at heart, I’ll happily go along with them.
We pull up outside of Ivy’s apartment, and I bolt from the car, rounding it and helping Ivy out.
“I’m fine, Blake.” She tries to bat away my arms, but I just grab her hand, keeping her close.
“We’ll see you at Earlwood. Soon.” Another command from Landon, and this time, it even grinds my molars let alone Ivy’s.
“I want a shower and to have something to eat, and then, whenI'mready, we’ll follow you.”
“Ivy, for fuck’s sake, this-”
I cut in before this goes nuclear between them. “I’ve got her. Don’t worry. She’s safe with me.”
"Yet to be seen. She was kidnapped inyourpresence. Hardly fucking useful to her safety.”
My chin tips up, first clenching at his accusation. “And now I know there’s a threat, I’ll change my behaviour.” I stare at him through the open window of the car, and I won’t be the one to fucking back down. “But just so we’re clear, it was me that got us out of that shitstorm. Me that kept her safe.”
“Fine. Willow, call Locke. He needs in on this development.” The window rises, and he pulls away into the hectic morning traffic.
I look to Ivy at the mention of Locke’s name. She just shrugs in response. Fine. We can pick that up later.
She eventually unlocks the door to her apartment, after the slow walk up the stairs, I keep her behind me as I step in and survey the space. Nothing seems out of place or disturbed, but I’m not taking any chances. I clear each room before she moves past the entrance hall. If the kidnappers were targeting her and could follow us out into the middle of nowhere, they’d certainly know her address. However, there’s at least a decent amount of security to get through at her apartment.
“All clear. Go grab that shower. I can fix you something to eat.” I rub her shoulders and kiss her head.
“What about if we just crashed and drove tomorrow?”
“No. I agree with Landon. The sooner we get you somewhere safe, the better. Come on.” I push her towards the bathroom. “In fact, you’ll need a hand. You need to keep that wound dry.”
“Says the man with the concussion and bandage to the head.” She raises her eyebrow at me in challenge.
“Believe me, I’ve had worse.” Although not for a few years now.
I head back to the kitchen and pull out a few drawers before finding some cling film and bring it back. Ivy’s already stripped out of the clothes and tossed them in the bath. “They can be burned for all I care. What’s that for?” She points to my hand.
“You need to keep the stitches dry.” Trying to concentrate when Ivy is half-naked is a challenge when I'm clear-headed. Now? Near impossible. All I want is to wrap her in my arms and worship her body, preferably never letting her out of my sight again.
“Hey, stop.” I stalk closer to her, my eyes travelling freely over her curves. “If you start this, we’ll end up in a bed, and then we’ll never leave. If you want to piss my brother off, then go ahead. But this won’t be on me.”
I glance at her bruised jaw, the slight split lip, the colours beginning to show under her skin. She’s right. There’ll be time for this later.
“I’ll hold you to that.”
A shower and a bacon sandwich later, we both feel refreshed enough to get on with this plan. I don't have a change of clothes, and I’m desperate to get out of these scrubs, but we’ll swing past on the way out of town, according to Ivy.
She grabs her laptop and a pile of research documents from the apartment, and we leave, heading for the underground parking.
