Page 20 of Ivy’s Poison

“Welcome to the party.” The second glass I drank slower and barely finished. My stomach was hesitant about accepting it all. Maybe my body was a bit traumatized. Maybe it was because I knew I had to convince Ivy to work me over.

Setting down the glass, Ivy sounded as exhausted as I. She whispered, “I made a mistake bringing you here.”

Mustering strength, I asked, “Would I have known about her?”

Even in their puffy state, the depths of Ivy’s greys soothed my darkness. I knew pain. I’d caused it and lived it. Life had never been beautiful for me. It had always been full of anguish… but damn it if I didn’t see the beauty in her.

Silence had Ivy explaining, “Things you said in the alley—in the hotel room—told me you didn’t want complications like her in your life, so… no, you would never have known of her.”

“She’s perfect, isn’t she?” I didn’t really need Ivy to confirm it. I saw it in the way the two women did whatever it took to keep Jade safe.

This time, Ivy’s eyes watered with pure joy. She clutched her chest. “I didn’t know I would ever find any beauty in this horrid world. But there she is.”

Staring at my beautiful sight, I sighed. “And there she is.” Ivy had spoken words I needed to hear, not knowing I was thinking of her. Maybe it was because I was so utterly drained that I was delusional, or maybe being utterly drained kept my mind clear of stupidity, but I was starting to see that Ivy was so much more to me than sex.

Slowly, her palm reached out and rubbed my beard. “I know we don’t know each other, and this may sound nuts, but… I’m so glad it’s you.”

Lightly, I chuckled. “It does sound nuts, but so far, that seems to be our style.”

She smiled. In hell, her swollen lips shined, for me. “Yeah, we’re not exactly traditional kind of people.”

It was unsettling how the cut on her lip stretching didn’t faze her, but I didn’t speak of it. It would’ve changed nothing. So, I teased, “Flowers and a movie wouldn’t turn you on in the slightest.”

She quickly muffled the burst of laughter that escaped her. “You got that right, Champ. Not unless you were tickling my tits with rosebuds or some shit.”

Now, I was smiling and totally imagining the scenario. I also understood why she didn’t complain about the pain on her lip, like I wasn’t, because the true-hearted smiles were worth every sting and rip.

She playfully smacked my shoulder. “Stop imagining it.”

“Fuck that. I’ve already picked out the color of the roses.”

“Tell me.”

“Nope. You’ll have to find out.”

Her smile melted as if I had poured pure acid on her face. Then she paled. “It’s cruel of you to give me hope.” She backed away from me as if I caused her nothing but aches.

I growled, “Ivy. Get back here.”

“Fuck you.” She gestured around. “Look where we are.” She smacked her chest. “My motherfucking hell, where I’m to stay.”

Shocking the hell out of myself, I was offering her freedom and obliviating my number one rule. No connections. Being attached to anyone was deadly for all involved, but it was too late. There was no chance my kid was staying, and there was no way I was leaving her mama behind, not after all Beth had told me. “If you could leave, would you take it?”

Her jaw locked. “Again, you’re taunting me with a hope I can’t afford. Are you still clueless of the shit-show we have front row tickets to? And guess what, Champ? It’s audience participation time.”

“Would. You. Take. It?”

“Fuck. You.”

“Listen here, you crazy bitch—”

Just like I knew she would, Ivy charged me. “Don’t call me that!”

Once she was near me, her right hand lifting in the air so she could slap me, I used what little freedom of movement I had with my chain and grabbed her left arm. Before she could react, because I was using all my speed, I moved my hand up her arm and yanked down. Repeating this maneuver, Ivy and I were face to face in a second and a half.

Wide-eyed, she stared at me, her breath brushing my face like sweet feathers.

I growled, “I asked you a question.”