Ivy

by Willa Nash

One, and only one, person at Aston knew about her past. And he’d vowed never to share the ugly truth.

Nearly every person in her life was a liar and a cheat.

Ivy’s greatest pleasure came from pushing people. From seeing how far they’d let her shove. Usually, it was out the front door.

Ivy was out of reach. Untouchable. And she made sure that the world knew it too.

And in the center of it all, there he was. He sat on the largest couch with a tumbler of amber liquid in hand as he surveyed his club. A king on his throne. Zain.

This was why she came to Treason. Not for the music. Not for the crowd. Not for the dancing. She came for him. What would Ivy say if she knew Elora was fucking her older brother?

Cassia knew what it was like to be manipulated. To be tricked. To be played the fool. Last time, she’d come home to a dead body.

He was the only man who’d never pushed her to talk just for the sake of filling the silent moments. He was the only person who looked past her empty expression. He was the only one she’d let into her tender heart. And still, she hadn’t been enough.

No man would ever compare. No man would ever make her feel this much. Zain had ruined her.

Nothing mattered except that he was here. That he was hers.

“Oh,” Edwin mimicked. “One of these days, maybe you’ll greet me with a hello.”

“Why can’t I stop thinking about you?”

He hated her. She loved him. Not that she’d ever let it show.

A first kiss smelled like a man. Like clean soap with spicy undertones. Like temptation and anticipation. When Cassia closed her eyes, when she thought of the scent she wanted to inhale before a man’s lips touched hers, it was Edwin’s.

“Because I think about you more than I should.” “Oh.” “Oh,” he mimicked. “So here we are.”

Maybe because her refuge had become Zain. Because she was so goddamn tired and the only person in the world she wanted to see was him.

Everyone wanted something from Ivy. Money. Status. Her father wanted her to be someone else. They wanted the façade. They wanted the rich, beautiful bitch. She’d thought last weekend that maybe Tate had wanted her. The real Ivy Clarence. Who was she kidding? There was no real Ivy. That Ivy was dead, killed in a car crash years ago. With Kristopher.

“What can I say? I like buying you candy. Make sure you stay sweet.” “Oh, Edwin.” She scrunched up her nose. “Please tell me that’s not how you flirt with women.” “Just you,

She couldn’t even be mad that he’d busted into her phone. Because she had a fourth contact. And in true Edwin form, the cocky bastard had even starred his name as a favorite.

stunned speechless. “I said beautiful twice because it deserves to be said twice.” He reached out and ran a knuckle over her cheek. “I don’t date. Not really my thing these days. But here I am. For you.”

“Because I want you to crave me just a fraction of how much I crave you.

“The matching is intentional. That way everyone at the club knows who you belong

“I don’t want to belong to anyone but myself,” she admitted. “Fair enough,” he said. “Then how about this. We match so everyone at the club will know who I belong

Did he know that she loved him? He was her heart. She loved Zain Clarence with her soul.

“Trusting people is how you get your heart broken.” “You’ve got it wrong.” Edwin shook his head. “Trusting people is how you mend your broken heart.”

“I won’t be a secret,” he said. “I won’t play games. I won’t fuck around. I have no desire to be a whatever. We don’t need a label, but I sure as hell won’t pretend you don’t mean something. Clear?”

“I love you.” Her voice cracked. “I’ll always love you.”

All she cared about at the moment was that he’d be here to navigate that path. That he’d be here to love Elora as she loved him.

A woman he could love who could say it back.

She missed him. And that scared the hell out of her.

I needed to wake up from that nightmare and see your face. I needed you. And you should have been there.”

“I’d rather skip what you hate and hear you say that you love me again.” “I love you.”

“You almost died.” She closed her eyes, shaking her head. “I can’t . . . I cannot live without you.” “You don’t have to.” Not today. Not tomorrow. Maybe they’d make it.

“No one in this world knows me like you do. Because I haven’t let them. Not even Mira. And though you might pretend to shut me out, Elora Maldonado, no one in this world knows you like I do.”

“You and me, we fit,” he said. “We fit so fucking perfectly it shouldn’t be real. Yeah, Mira and I were good. But even when we were at our best, nothing can compare to you and me.” He pressed his hand over her heart. “Two hearts.” “One beat,” she finished.

Here, in Tate’s arms, she was his. And he is mine. She was ruined.

Ivy’s heart swelled. There was just too much inside and it came out as a cry. Laughter. Tears. Relief. Maybe even love. Maybe right then, she fell in love with Tate Ledger. Real love. Or maybe she’d fallen months ago. On the dance floor at Treason.

“That’s your question? Christ. I love you, Red,

Right there in that moment, Cassia knew there’d be no other man in her life but Edwin Clarence. Because he knew what she needed when she hadn’t even been sure of it herself.

Two hearts. One beat. An hour later, Zain had the first part of that script inked over his heart. And Elora had the second half inked over hers.

“From the moment I saw you in that club, you were mine. To touch. To hold. To kiss. To protect. You were mine. But that means fuck all if you can’t trust me. If I’m not yours too. Decide, Ivy. You’re either in or out.”

She wanted to be his entire world. She wanted to be so wrapped up in his life that no one would be able to tell where he ended and she began.

“Because, baby, this is going to be so fucking good.” No, this was going to be great. This was going to be the love of her life.

“What are we toasting this time?” “To secrets.” Ivy smirked. “And the friends we trust to keep them.” Cassia and Edwin shared a look. Then they both laughed with the others, everyone clinking glasses once more. “To secrets.”