Recovering Ivy

by Riley Edwards

  We made our way to the kitchen where Jasmin had more food than necessary spread over the island.

  “Damn, this kitchen is huge,” I commented.

  “Yeah. It’s a little big. This house used to be a duplex. It belonged to Zane. I lived on one side and when Lincoln moved back here, he lived on the other side. Once we finally sorted our shit and I got my memory back, Zane had the wall in the middle opened up and made it into one big house. The kitchen was the only snafu. It was easier to make one huge space than replumb,” Jasmin explained. “Anyway, after the work was complete, Zane signed the house over to us as a wedding present.”

  “Over the top bastard,” Violet muttered.

  “It’s awesome.” I looked around the area trying to find where the house was split in two but couldn’t see it. The space was open, one room flowing to the next. I’d never seen a kitchen this big before, not even Zane’s was this large.

  “Sure, if you like to cook. I’m more of a takeout kinda girl.” She laughed and gestured to the containers in front of her.

  “Speaking of weddings,” Violet cut in. “Jaxon and I set a date. Next weekend.”

  “Next weekend?” Olivia laughed.

  “Yep. In our backyard. Jax’s parents and brother are flying out. We have everything set up, small, family only. It will be perfect.”

  Violet’s smile was infectious, I couldn’t help but return her happiness.

  “That is so awesome. I can’t wait to see pictures. I bet it will be beautiful,” I told her.

  “Pictures? You’ll be there. Right?”

  “You said family,” I reminded her.

  “You are family. The whole team will be there.”

  “I just assumed…”

  “We are family, Ivy.”

  “I’ve never had this. Thank you,” I whispered.

  I tried to hold the tears back. The first time I’d met Violet and Olivia I flipped out and turned into a crazy person, now I was crying. Great. They really were going to think I’m a few fries short of a Happy Meal.

  “Well, you have it now.” She graciously didn’t comment as I swiped my eyes. “And in other top-secret news, I’m officially off birth control. Jax wants to start a family right away.”

  “Oh my God. That is so awesome. You won’t be far behind me and Jas. Now we just have to get Zane to jump on the baby train.” Olivia winked.

  “Zane’s ready,” I blurted.

  “What?” Jasmin turned to me, her face had turned to stone.

  “Um…”

  “Zane wants kids?”

  “Well, that’s what he said,” I rushed out. “But we haven’t talked about it again. Maybe he was caught up in the moment.”

  “Z doesn’t get caught up in the moment.” Her eyes narrowed. “Do you want children?”

  “I never thought I did until I met Zane. It’s not like I had the best role model and I was always too afraid to hope. So I pushed it out of my head and tried to convince myself I was alright with my decision. But, yes, I want to give Zane all the babies he wants.”

  “Thank you.” Her mask slipped away, and she looked almost sad. “Thank you for bringing him back to us. I never thought I’d see him happy. Thank you for loving him.”

  “He’s easy to love.” I looked away, not comfortable with the emotions I was sharing.

  “As if.” Violet chuckled. “No part of Zane Lewis is easy. He’s prickly, grumpy, and downright irritable with everyone but you. No one knows the Zane you know, and that’s the way it should be. We all know deep down he is a good man, but he refuses to allow anyone to see the side he shows you. I’m not talking bad about him, I only want you to understand what you mean to him.”

  I thought about what Violet said. Zane was prickly and bossy and he did hold himself back from everyone else, which was a travesty because the type of man Zane was should’ve been praised, not hidden away.

  Over the last few months I’d learned so much about Zane, but what stood out the most was his generosity. He shouldered the burden so others around him wouldn’t have to. He gave his time to his men even if he pretended it was hardship. He gave advice, he listened, and he meddled when he knew one of them needed a push in the right direction. Above all that, his kindness extended tenfold to me. He was patient with me in a way no other person had ever been. When he sensed I was drawing into myself or something was too much, he brought me back around and pulled me from the darkness. He gave me an escape from the demons that had haunted me my entire life.

  We’d shared eight Sunday morning breakfasts. Based on how we’d met and his aversion to the meal, it was eight more than I ever thought we’d have. During those mornings he told me stories about his childhood and all the shenanigans him and Linc got into. Even then, as a child, Zane had looked after his mom and brother. He’d learned responsibility early in life and along with that came loyalty, commitment, and honor. But you’d never hear him admit it. His ego was the size of Texas when it came to his abilities on the battlefield, yet he remained humble about his devotion and caring toward his family and team. Everyone knew him to be menacing and deadly. I knew him to be loving and gentle.

  The next few hours were spent eating and gossiping. Communing with my new sisters felt good, a feeling I never wanted to go away. Something else Zane had given me was the courage to accept friendship. Sure, I still had my doubts, only now they were in a faraway place in the back of my mind and I knew when they tried to break free, I was strong enough not to believe the ugly lies my mother had taught me.

  When it was time to say goodbye, I was anxious to get home to Zane. As much fun as I’d had with the girls, I missed being at home with him.

  I got in his Rover and sent Zane a text I was on my way home. I was now driving his very expensive SUV while he drove his ’66 Chevy Nova if we were going somewhere separately, which was rare considering Sarah had up and vanished. I knew she’d slithered away back to Florida. My mother did what she had always done, popped up, spewed her vile poison, then when she thought she brought me low and had me hating myself, she walked away.

  Story of my life.

  Correction, story of my old life.

  27

  Zane

  I read the text message for a second time, still amazed my heart rate ticked up when her name lit up my screen. The only two words of her text that mattered were, love and home.

  “We done?” I asked the DA, who had combed over every detail of evidence we had no less than ten times.

  I appreciated his thoroughness, but enough was enough. The man made my compulsion while planning an op look like amateur hour the way he’d meticulously sorted the reports in front of him. Forester was fucked. The toxicology report came back and a connection was made to the fentanyl used to cut his heroine and the drugs found in Joanna Long’s system at her time of death. He was being charged with murder along with a slew of other charges. Barbara was on the hook for her death, too. Her attorney had tried to cut a deal for a lesser charge if she turned on Forester. I was impressed when the DA turned her down. He was confident he didn’t need her testimony to put Forester away for life.

  “Got someplace to be?” Linc chuckled.

  “Yeah, bastard, home. Same place you should be. Ivy texted, the girls’ lunch is over,” I informed him.

  “Never thought I’d see the day,” Jaxon added under his breath as he started to pack up.

  I didn’t bother with a comeback. Over the last few months, the guys had continued to give me shit about Ivy. I’d heard it all and no longer gave them the satisfaction of a reply.

  “Go ahead and go. I have some work to finish up. I’ll stay while Jones packs up,” Garrett said.

  “Appreciate it.”

  Not wanting to waste time, I didn’t do my normal rounds to make sure everything was running smoothly before I left. As a matter of fact, I’d spent less time at the office than I ever had. I now had something more important than work or trying to make a name for myself.

  I slid into my ’6
6 Nova and turned her over. I took a moment to listen to the growl of the engine before I headed out of the parking garage. Fuck, but I loved this car; she was a beast. I was more than happy to give Ivy the Rover and have an excuse to drive this. The drive home was a blur as was much of my life now, Ivy consuming my every thought. By the time I arrived at the penthouse, my cock was throbbing from the memory of Ivy making Sunday breakfast in nothing but my tee. I’d taken her slow and sweet when we woke up and again in the shower, and I didn’t let her leave until she was screaming my name. That memory had me aching for more of her.

  I had heard, but had no experience of, men complaining about sex life after their woman moved in. That was not my experience. The sex had gotten better, something I hadn’t thought possible. I made my way upstairs, pondering all the ways I could drive Ivy crazy before dinner when I walked in the door to an empty living room.

  “Ivy?” I called out.

  After a few beats with no answer I went in search of her. Nothing. She wasn’t home. I checked my phone; no missed text or call.

  I dialed her number and after a few rings it went to voicemail. I discounted and called again – straight to voicemail.

  What the fuck.

  “Ivy, call me.”

  Five minutes later, my impatience was through the roof. I’d reread Ivy’s last message, she was coming straight home. That was almost an hour ago. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed.

  “Hey.”

  “Where’s Ivy?”

  “Nice to talk to you, too.” Jasmin chuckled.

  “Where is Ivy?” I tried again, pacing the living room.

  “How the hell should I know. She left here like over an hour ago.”

  “Was she upset? Did someone say something to her?”

  “Are you for real? No, she didn’t leave here upset.”

  “What did you guys talk about?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Jesus Christ, Jasmin. What the fuck did you guys talk about?”

  “The fuck is your problem, Z? We didn’t talk about anything. Jaxon and Violet setting a wedding date. Erin being a pain in the ass. We talked about babies and shit. Girl stuff I guess.”

  “You guess?”

  “Not like I have a lot of female friends. So, yes, I suppose that’s what women talk about when they convene with each other. What the fuck is your problem? You’re being extra dickish.”

  “Ivy’s not here,” I told her.

  “Okay?”

  “She’s not fucking here, Jasmin. She said she was coming straight home. I called, it rang three times, and I was sent to voicemail. I called again and her phone is off.”

  “Well, you big prick, why didn’t you start with that? I’ll send Linc over to your place and I’ll call the girls and see if they’ve heard from her. She was fine when she left. Smiling and happy, wanting to get home to you.” I heard noise in the background before Jasmin yelled. “Linc! Get to Z’s. Ivy’s gone.”

  “Yo.” My brother’s voice came on the line. “I’ll call Jax and Leo. Jas will handle the girls - I’ll be to you in five.”

  “Copy that.” I disconnected the call but continued to stare at my phone. In a moment of sheer terror I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do next. What if something had happened to Ivy? What the fuck would I do?

  Tex.

  I needed Tex.

  I slid my thumb across the screen and found the number I needed.

  “Yo.”

  “My woman’s gone,” I blurted, unable to think of what else to say.

  “How long?”

  “An hour.”

  “We’ll find her. Is she chipped?”

  “Fuck!” I shouted. “No.”

  I hadn’t gotten around to asking Tex to make me one of his special tracking devices. Wolf and his team all had chips in their women’s jewelry for times like these, something I’d failed to do for my woman. Leo even had a chip on Olivia.

  “Last known?” Tex continued, ignoring my outburst.

  “Linc and Jasmin’s.” I rattled off the address and jogged into the bedroom to double check nothing had been moved or was missing.

  “What vehicle is she driving?”

  “My Rover. It has tracking. I can have Garrett run the…”

  “No need, brother. I’m in your system now, pulling the intel I need.”

  “I don’t even want to know how you breached my security protocols so quickly.”

  If I had been in the right frame of mind, I would’ve been pissed Tex was able to hack into my network, but right now, with time not on my side, I was grateful.

  “Your car is on Elm Road.”

  “Elm Road,” I repeated, mentally canvasing the area. “That’s about ten miles from Linc’s. What direction is the car moving?”

  “It’s not, Zane. Air bags have been deployed.”

  “Fuck. Thanks, man. I owe you.”

  I didn’t wait for him to respond before I hung up, grabbed my keys, and dialed Linc.

  “She’s been in an accident. Elm Road. You should be passing her soon. I’ll be right there.”

  The trip from the elevator to the parking garage was painfully slow, the drive over to Elm Road was excruciatingly far. All I could picture was Ivy bleeding and injured, trapped in the car – or worse. She had to be breathing. I’d know if she wasn’t. There was no way Ivy could’ve been taken from this earth and my heart still be beating.

  I locked the brakes and came to a screeching halt when I saw my Rover in a ditch, front end smashed into a tree. I barely got the car in park as I jumped out and ran to Linc as he circled the Rover.

  “She’s not here,” he informed me.

  “What the fuck?”

  “Shit, Z. I don’t take this way home; I take the shortcut through the back roads. I’m so fucking sorry.”

  I was stunned into silence. What the hell did Linc mean Ivy wasn’t here? I looked around for evidence she’d been taken to the hospital, but I knew that wasn’t the case. Someone would still be here to tow the car. Something wasn’t right.

  A million scenarios played out in my mind. All of my enemies that would give zero fucks hurting an innocent woman to get to me.

  My phone vibrated in my pocket and I fumbled, trying to pull it out as quickly as possible.

  “Yeah,” I answered.

  “I tried to track her phone, it’s off. Last known was 495 - 95 split, headed south.”

  “She’s not here.”

  “Did you hear me? 95 split,” he repeated.

  “She’s not fucking here.”

  “She’s headed south.” Tex’s tone was even and matter-of-fact.

  “Someone is going to die,” I spit out.

  Fear mingled with anger and the panic melted away to a white-hot rage I’d never felt before. A deep burning in my soul. I didn’t care what the consequences were or if there were repercussions for my actions, someone was going to bleed. Fuck rivers of blood, there would be oceans. And any man who stood in my way would suffer the same fate.

  “Zane!” Lincoln hollered from the mangled mess of smashed-up metal. “Brother?” he tried again.

  “Fuck!” I roared.

  I would find Ivy. If it’s the last act I carry out on this earth, I would find her.

  28

  Ivy

  “Not so high and mighty now, are you?”

  “Huh?” My head was throbbing, and my vision was blurred. I tried to sit up but thought better of it as a wave of nausea hit me. I turned my head in time to throw up over the side of the bed.

  Once the contents of my stomach were emptied onto the floor, I looked around the unfamiliar room.

  “Such a fucking lightweight,” my mother said with such disgust I flinched.

  “Where are we?”

  “I’m taking you home where you belong.”

  Fear was the only emotion I could summon. My brain was fuzzy and my body lazy. I was too tired to move. I knew I needed to get up and find a way to run, but I couldn’t. Instead, I
closed my eyes and let the darkness take me.

  Loud yelling pulled me from my sleep, but I still couldn’t get my limbs to cooperate. I had no idea how long I’d slept. It could’ve been minutes or days for all I knew. The tiny crack in the curtains told me it was dark outside, but other than that, I knew nothing.

  “What the fuck, Sarah? What do you want me to do with her?” a man yelled.

  “Sell her.”

  “And how am I supposed to do that when the bitch can’t even handle a little benzo?” The man’s impatience was increasing.

  “She’ll cost you less than the others in the long run. She’s clean. No tolerance yet, but you won’t even have to start giving her the good stuff for a while. How many other bitches do you have in your stable that aren’t feins?”

  I wanted to protest. Beg them not to give me anything more. However, as desperately as I tried, no words would come out. “Besides, I gave her enough to knock out a horse. Lower the dose and she’ll be compliant. What’s wrong with you, Lance? I’m offering you fresh pussy and you’re complaining.”

  “This shit is low, even for you. Selling Joey to Forester was pretty jacked. But Ivy? Your own flesh and blood? Bitch, you got no soul.”

  This couldn’t be happening.

  I fought so hard to get away from her. From this life. It was all for nothing.

  “I don’t need a lecture from the man who left me his kid and is a fucking pimp. Do you want her or not?”

  “I’m not giving you more than ten grand for her. She’s gonna be a pain in my fucking ass. I won’t be able to have her turn a trick for at least six months. Not that my men will mind breaking her ass in, but she’s gonna cost me money.”

  “You said fifteen,” my mother argued, trying to haggle a better price for her only child.

  “That was before I saw her puke her guts up from a tranquilizer. I figured she was a junkie like you. She’s fucking clean, Sarah. I need to put work into her. Ten or I walk.”

  “Fine. Ten.”

  “Let me say goodbye to Miss Goodie-Two-Shoes, then she’s all yours.”

  The man chuckled. “I’ve never met a bitch as low down as you.”