#Heart (Hashtag #6) (10 page)

Braeden

The heated exchange between Rome and I that was brewing got lost somewhere between football and beer.

I didn’t bring it up because I didn’t really want to talk about it.

I was hoping he’d forgotten, but I knew better. Rome didn’t forget shit he thought was important. My guess? He was biding his time, waiting for a good time to bring it up.

Now wasn’t a good time. We were too busy with the pizza and beer we’d stopped off for on the way home.

I was gonna have to do a second workout tonight because of this shit.

But whatever. It would be worth it.

The sound of the garage door opening hummed through the house, and Romeo took a sip of his beer and stood. “Girls are here.”

I couldn’t wait to tell Ivy about the draft.

We stepped out into the garage just as the door finished sliding up. The sound of Ivy’s engine cut off, and we stood there and watched as the girls climbed out.

Rim was in the driver’s seat.

What the fuck was that about?

The pair didn’t see us at first. They were laughing about something as they came around the hood of the car toward the door. Ivy was the first to realize we were watching them. She glanced up, and our eyes aligned almost instantly.

But then her gaze slid away. Almost like she was upset. Or nervous.

That wasn’t our usual greeting.

“‘Bout time you got here,” Romeo called over, and Rimmel’s face cracked into a large smile.

There. That was what I was used to seeing.

Rim hurried across the snow-slick driveway and lost her balance. Rome and I both rushed forward to try and catch her, but she managed to right herself and not fall.

“And you wonder why I don’t want you driving in the snow,” Romeo muttered. “Damn, Smalls. You can’t even walk in it.”

Rimmel gave Ivy a knowing look, and they laughed.

I liked the sound of Ivy’s laugh. It was familiar and comfortable. Like home.

Romeo picked Rim up and tossed her over his shoulder, heading into the house. She squealed the whole way.

I met Ivy in the center of the driveway, snowflakes gathering in her hair and clinging to the tips of her dark eyelashes. “You look like a cupcake,” I announced.

That got me a smile.

I liked it.

I wanted another one.

“A cupcake?” she repeated, amused.

I nodded. “And all these snowflakes fighting for a place on you look like sprinkles. You know how much I love sprinkles.”

That got me a light giggle and another smile.

Damn, I loved her.

“You ever kiss in the snow?” I murmured, slipping an arm around her waist.

“If I have, I certainly can’t remember,” she replied, leaning into my chest.

“Good answer,” I murmured and took my time leaning down toward her. I enjoyed the way her eyelashes fluttered as if my mere closeness was too enticing for her eyes to stay open. The tip of her nose was pink from the cold, and as I leaned in slightly closer, her teeth sank into her lower lip.

She was anticipating me.

Waiting.

For me. For my lips. For a taste of only me.

I allowed my lips to brush ever so lightly over hers, and she leaned up, trying to deepen the contact. I pulled back, depriving her of a full-on kiss. “I love you,” I breathed against her, my lips caressing hers with each word I whispered.

Her hands came up and clutched at the front of my shirt, and I brought us fully together. She parted immediately, already knowing what she wanted. I took my time once again, slipping my tongue against hers before curling it around completely and sucking it gently into my mouth.

The grip on my shirt slackened, and most of her weight shifted toward me.

I tightened my arms and held her up, all the while continuing the slow fuck I was giving her mouth.

I don’t know how long we kissed, but I was in no hurry. We stood out there in the cold, snow falling around us in a silent curtain. I pulled back just as slowly as I began, teasing her with more before finally lifting my head.

Ivy collapsed against my chest and buried her face in the crook of my neck. Her cold nose pressed against the spot where my pulse thumped just beneath the skin. It was a shocking contrast to the way my blood boiled.

“Hey.” I rubbed a hand up her back. “What’s going on?”

She made a sound and snuggled closer.

I don’t know why, but it scared me. Ivy was a lot of things, but clingy wasn’t one of them. It wasn’t that the way she clung to me now was annoying.

It was quite the opposite.

I reveled in it. In being the one she found solace in.

It was the fact she needed solace at all that concerned me.

“Blondie,” I said a little firmer this time and peeled her off my chest. “What’s the matter with you?”

Her lower lip stuck out in a pout and then wobbled.

It wrecked me.

The vulnerability she was projecting fucking took me down.

She reached for me again, and I let her in, drawing her close and allowing her to burrow in as close to me as she could.

I rocked us both back and forth, a slight movement but a comforting one. Clearly, she needed comfort. Maybe that’s the reason Rim had been driving.

“Did something happen today?” I asked, hoarse.

Whose ass do I need to beat?
the possessive bastard in me demanded.

“Promise me something,” she said suddenly, pulling back and blinking the snow from her face.

“Anything.”

Her eyes cleared and she shook her head. “No. No promises. Just tell me I’ll never lose you.”

Relief filled my limbs and made them heavy. I wanted to laugh.

I must have smiled because she scowled. “Why is that funny?”

“It’s not funny. It’s just the easiest promise I’ll ever make.”

“It’s not easy. It won’t be.”

What the fuck was she talking about?

“Ivy.” A hard note crept into my tone. “Listen to me and listen good.”

Her eyes bounced between mine, like she was searching for something… but I didn’t know what. I’d give it to her. Fuck, I’d give her anything if I only knew what it was she needed.

“You listening?” I demanded.

Really, I was stalling for time. I had to pull out some words right now. We all know how very little I liked words.

She nodded.

“I don’t know what’s gotten into that beautiful head of yours today, and honestly, it doesn’t really matter. Not for this. I’m not going anywhere. Never. Hell, I should be the one asking you to make that promise.”

She snorted. Clearly, she’d spent the afternoon with my sister.

“It’s ridiculous, right?” I asked.

She nodded, but then I saw the doubt creep into her eyes.

I took her face in my hands, noting how cold her skin felt. “It’s just as easy for me to make that promise as it is for you. You have to trust me, baby. You have to trust that I mean it when I say I’m yours and it’s not going to change.”

Why, why was she suddenly being so… so… chick-like?

Hell, we made it through Missy, our mutual attempt to push each other away, rape, Zach… The list went on. Why did she suddenly need to hear I wasn’t going to leave her?

“I trust you.” There was no doubt in her voice. “More than anyone.”

It didn’t really matter, the reason. If she needed to hear it, then I’d say it.

I tucked her into my side to shelter her from the cold and turned us toward the house. “Come on, Blondie. Your sexy ass is gonna freeze.”

Inside the garage, we passed the Hellcat and Ivy looked up. “I’m sorry. You totally don’t need my emotional baggage right now. Today isn’t about me. It’s about you, and I’m dying to know how the meeting went with Anthony.”

I hit the button on the wall so the door could lower. As it moved, the garage dimmed with the lost sunlight. I stopped short of opening the door leading into the house and leaned back against the wood.

She fit between my legs perfectly, and I clutched the lapels of her red coat and tugged her close. “My very existence is about you, baby. Everything else is just details.”

Her face softened. “I think that might be my favorite thing you’ve ever said. Besides, of course, I love you.”

Words for the win!

“Give me some sugar,” I ordered.

She obliged.

“Tell me you like my cock,” I added when she pulled back.

“Braeden James Walker!” She gasped. “What is it with you and trying to make me say that!”

“A man’s mini needs to know he’s appreciated,” I told her.

She dropped her head back and laughed, revealing the smooth skin of her neck. “He is.”

“Say it,” I urged.

“No!” She laughed.

I dug my fingers into her middle and tickled her. She squirmed away with a squeal. But then she swayed on her feet.

“Whoa.” My hands shot out to grab her. “Easy,”

Her fingers dug into my arm as she steadied herself.

“Ivy?”

She sighed. “I’m just a little lightheaded. I didn’t eat lunch.”

“Is that why Rim was driving?”

She nodded reluctantly.

I bit down on the urge to lecture her. Clearly, she wasn’t feeling well, and while it was her own fault, I didn’t hurt my baby when she was down. No wonder she’d been so emo when she showed. She was starved and had low blood sugar.

“We have pizza and beer inside.” I smiled.

Her eyes lit up. “Is it celebratory pizza and beer?”

I grinned widely. “I’m in the draft.”

Ivy gave a shout and launched herself at me. “I knew it!” she squealed. “I knew they’d accept your application! I’m so proud of you!”

She was bouncing around so much in my arms that we were both gonna end up on the floor. I chuckled and scooped her off her feet.

“Easy, woman. You trying to take us down?”

She cupped my jaw. “You deserve this, B. I’m so happy for you.”

“Thanks, baby.”

She grinned some more and bounced excitedly.

“Come on. You need some food. And I need some beer.”

“I need details,” she demanded as I kicked open the door.

“You eat. I talk. Deal?” I compromised.

“Hells yeah.”

Whatever had been bothering her when she got here was clearly no longer an issue.

Crisis averted.

Ivy

I came awake instantly, a gasp rocked my body, and I sprang up, pushing at the hair hanging in my face and trying to focus my sleepy gaze on the source of the loud, intimidating sounds filling our bedroom.

What on earth?

Prada was in front of the closed bedroom door, her hair standing on end as she growled and barked insistently. It wasn’t a
hey, I have to pee
kind of bark either.

It was a
someone is trying to hurt
us
bark.

Her wails and snarls were so insistent she was going to wake the entire house. It scared me because Prada very rarely acted this way, and my heart started racing. I pressed a hand to my chest as if the action would slow it down.

She put her front paws up on the door like someone was there. A stranger. Someone she didn’t like.

It made me feel vulnerable.

Braeden groaned, her noise finally breaking into his deep sleep, and I flung out a hand to grip his shoulder. “Something’s wrong.”

He stiffened and sat up, automatically angling his body in front of mine.

Always my shield.

“Giz!” Braeden demanded. “No!”

The sound of the doorbell going off repeatedly filtered upstairs, and Prada started going crazy all over again.

“Someone’s here,” I said. The hand over my heart moved up to rest at my throat, and I swallowed. It was so early. Why would anyone be here this early?

Braeden cursed and tossed the covers back and got out of bed, reaching for the first pair of basketball shorts he found. I clutched at the covers, anxiety pummeling me.

Braeden flung open the bedroom door, and Prada raced down the steps toward the front door, behaving as if she were going to eat whoever it was alive. He stepped into the hall to follow her, but a quick glance at me had him retreating to my side of the bed.

“It’s okay, baby. It’s probably just a neighbor.” His words were soft and so was his touch as he stroked down the length of my hair.

I nodded. He was totally right. It was probably nothing. I swallowed past the lump in my throat and gave him a weak smile.

Fear was kind of a new emotion for me. So was distrust. I didn’t like either, but it seemed they were born out of necessity. I couldn’t get hurt again like I had by people in the past.

I supposed fear was a natural defense mechanism. It sucked I had to defend myself that way.

Our room was the first one at the top of the stairs. So the sounds from downstairs were the easiest to hear where we were.

“Coming!” Rimmel called as she moved around downstairs. The doorbell kept ringing. I heard the lock being turned and the sound of the door being opened.

Prada was still barking and growling, and Rimmel fussed at her to hush.

Then there was an odd sort of silence. The charged kind.

“What are you doing here?” Rimmel’s voice was high pitched and it carried up to us.

“What the fuck?” Braeden swore and strode out of the room and disappeared down the stairs.

The front door slammed, and I heard a deeper, unfamiliar voice. “Where the hell is he?”

“You shouldn’t be here,” Rimmel said. I swear there was a note of fear in her voice. It didn’t make what I was feeling any easier to push aside.

“Where is he!” the man yelled.

The entire house probably heard that.

I stumbled out of bed and hurried to grab a pair of shorts and pull them on beneath Braeden’s Wolfpack T-shirt.

“You looking for me?” Braeden said from the bottom of the stairs. His voice was hard and almost cold.

This wasn’t good. Whatever this was, it was not good.

I ran from the room, my hair trailing along behind me as I flew down the hallway. I lifted my fist to beat on the closed door, and it swung open.

Romeo’s eyes widened when he saw me.

“Someone’s downstairs. Rimmel sounds worried, and Braeden… He sounds upset.”

“You!” the man yelled from downstairs. “Did you think I wouldn’t come?”

“What the fuck is he doing here?” Romeo muttered and rushed past me.

“Romeo?” I called after him.

“It’s okay, princess.” He tossed the words out as he rushed down the stairs.

Call me crazy, but I wasn’t comforted.

I went and banged on Drew’s door. “Get up!” I yelled, then turned the handle and opened the door.

His head popped up from the pillows. “Huh?”

“Downstairs!” I hissed.

I didn’t wait for him, but I rushed away and down the steps.

Romeo was still standing on the bottom step, his back muscles tense and all his attention focused on the man standing in the entryway.

He was wearing a pair of gray trousers that were wrinkled and looked like he’d been wearing them for a long time. His shoes were wet from the snow outside and his white dress shirt was untucked, rumpled, and unbuttoned at the neck.

His gray hair was disheveled and his face was craggy and lacked any kind of energy. The way he swayed on his feet made me assume he was drunk, or at the very least, coming off a drinking binge and suffering from a massive hangover.

He looked like a beaten man. A man who’d hit rock bottom and had nowhere else to go.

He was glaring at Braeden with such open hostility that I squeezed past Romeo and rushed into the room.

B was standing in front of Rimmel like she needed protecting, and Prada was standing near his feet, watching the man with her ears down.

The sound I made rushing across the wood floor barefoot caused the man to tear his boiling eyes from B. His head twisted around, and his stare zeroed in on me.

Offended, Prada started barking again and rushed over to stand in front of me.

I stopped short, and a shiver literally shook me. I felt the blood drain from my head as I stared at the man. There was something about him… something I didn’t like.

He reminded me of Zach.

“Ivy, go back upstairs,” Braeden said, his voice hard.

The man who reminded me of Zach curled his upper lip and looked at me with hostility, then glanced back at B. “What’s the matter? Afraid she might hear what I came here to say?”

“I have no idea why the hell you’re beating on our door at the fucking crack of dawn, but I can assure you I’m not afraid of you,” B replied. I knew that tone. He was getting angry. He was feeling threatened.

Braeden threatened was not a good thing.

He’d been hurt too many times. He’d been backed into a corner, helpless and unable to do anything far too many times.

“Oh?” the man said with a sense of calm. “Why’s that? You plan to kill me just like you did my son?”

The hush that fell over the room was so definite you could have heard a pin drop the next state over. It was something I’d never experienced before. It was as if time stood still, as if his words were some weird spell that cast a momentary freeze over everyone who stood there.

It clicked.

The reason he reminded me of Zach. This was his father.

Braeden’s face was shuttered; it betrayed not one emotion. It was impressive the way he could control what others saw, but what he couldn’t control was the ghostly color his skin took on.

No.

Nope.

Hell no to the tenth power.

I was the first to shake off the eerie spell. A few steps carried me across the floor, and I stepped up in front of Braeden.

It was my turn to be his shield.

“Leave,” I ordered, my voice calm yet commanding. Braeden didn’t need this. He didn’t deserve it. He was already silently suffering enough. There was no way in hell I’d let this man come here and take any sense of peace B had.

Zach’s father raised an eyebrow. “And who do you think you are to tell me what to do?”

Ugh, the smugness in his tone would take me days to wash off in the shower. God, was it a family trait to be skin-crawlingly horrible?

I lifted my chin. I felt Braeden behind me as I watched Zach’s father dismiss me without another thought and refocus on my boyfriend.

Don’t look at him. Leave him alone.
It wasn’t just a thought, but a feeling, and it gave me courage.

“I’m the girl your son raped.”

He jerked like he’d been shot. All focus on B went out the window.

Good.

Everyone looked at me like they were shocked I’d just out and said it. I admit it wasn’t something I went around saying or even bringing up in normal conversation. But this wasn’t normal. And this guy was out for Braeden’s blood.

Over my cold and dead body.

I pressed a hand to my stomach and waited for a reaction. It didn’t take long to get one.

“How dare you make such an accusation, taint my son’s memory with your ugly lies!” he yelled.

Behind me, Braeden stepped up, so close I felt his heat against my back. I held up my hand, a silent gesture to make him back off. This was one time I wasn’t going to allow him to shield me.

“I’m not accusing. I’m stating a fact. And your son’s memory was already charred and crumbling all through fault of his own.”

“
Charred
?” He gasped. “So not only do you make heinous statements about my son, but then have the nerve to stand there and make cruel and unsightly jokes about the way he suffered in the last moments of his life.”

I blanched.

Clearly, that hadn’t been a good choice of words.

“You need to leave.” Romeo spoke up when words failed me. He came off the steps and walked toward Zach’s father.

“I have to say I’m surprised at you, Roman,” he said, disappointment in his tone. “I knew you and my son had your difficulties, but to be a party in covering up his murder—”

“Zach and I had a lot more than difficulties,” Romeo replied calmly. “And I think if you were sober, you’d realize that.”

“I am sober!” he insisted.

Romeo acted like he hadn’t spoken. “And I would think as a lawyer, you would know better than to come to my private residence and throw around hefty accusations like murder.”

How was he so calm right now? I wanted to pull my hair and scream.

“It’s not just an accusation. I have proof.”

Behind me, Braeden sucked in a breath. I felt the tension radiating from him. I also felt a degree of fear.

My stomach lurched. Why couldn’t we just be happy? Why couldn’t everything just go back to the way it was?

It’s never going to be the same again.
The thought was taunting and cruel.

“There’s no way you have proof,” I spat, anger hitting me after my own tortured thoughts. “I was there that night. I know what happened. Braeden didn’t kill Zach. Zach kidnapped me, pulled out a gun, went on in great detail about how he was going to kill me and then come back for Braeden. So I forced the car off the road. Zach didn’t get out in time. He died. It was no one’s fault but his own.”

“Ivy…” Braeden’s voice was shocked, his hand clutching at the back of my shirt.

“You had time to pull him out of that car.” Zach’s dad ignored almost all of my words. I guess it was easier to not hear the terrible things his son did than to try and deny them. He moved to the left for a clear path to glare at B. “I read the police reports. You pulled that girl out of the car, carried her away, then had time to call 9-1-1 and give them a location and details about the accident. All that time, my son was still sitting in the car. You didn’t even try to go back for him. You left him there to die.”

“Are you suggesting he should have put his own life in danger to attempt to save your son in a wreck he created? They both could have died!” I yelled. I was starting to feel slightly hysterical.

Drew had been silently watching the scene from the stairs, but upon my outburst, he came down and made his way toward me, silently taking a solid stance at my side.

“You just said yourself that my son isn’t the one who created that wreck. You admitted to running that car off the road. Maybe it’s you I should be looking at for murder.”