“Get away from him. Get out of that relationship. Walk away and protect yourself.” I didn’t have the resources to protect her right now. “I mean that, protect yourself. You can’t stay with him. If you decide you are going to… then understand when I come for him, I will burn down everything standing between me and that goal.”
If she betrayed this, then my warning to King would be delivered. If she didn’t, if she escaped… then at least she might be safe. Either way, it was a calculated gamble. I really hoped she left him.
Tugging my hand from her grasp, I slid my sunglasses back on and pivoted. I had nothing else to say. No other words to push past the crushing weight in my chest. I was walking away from one of my oldest friends because her choices endangered everyone else I loved.
Karagiani swept aside as I approached and I didn’t look back as I strode down the hallway. I hated leaving Tally behind, but I couldn’t save her from this. I’d warned her. It was on her to save herself.
I had to save my sister and protect my lovers.
Chapter
Two
MILO
Ivy opened the hotel room door before I could even lift a hand to knock. “Before you yell at me,” she said, pulling the door wide as she held up her phone. “Rome and Liam told me you were on the way up to get me.”
I frowned. “You’re here alone?”
“Yes,” she said, waving me in. “Mickey had to go back to Braxton Harbor for the week. He’ll be with us before we need to leave. Jasper and Kel are holding down the fort there, though depending on our plans, that may change.”
“Freddie and Vaughn went to get supplies, and Bodhi is downstairs waiting for you.”
“You really are a brat,” I muttered because her grin had just gotten wider and wider.
“I know, but you love me.” She gave me a hug. “And I promised the guys I would go with you back to Bodhi’s place since we can’t go to Lainey’s.”
Hugging her tight, I closed my eyes. I loved the warmth and happiness that radiated off of her. Each and every time I thought about the absolute tragedy of her life, I wanted to beat the shit out of every single person who should have protected her.
Two of them were dead. The third—well, she had her own issues and if Ivy could find a way to forgive her, then I would leave it alone. As for the fourth and final one? Well, we would be dealing with him sooner rather than later.
All accounts were due.
“Where are the terrible twins off to?”
“I don’t know,” she said as she retreated a step to grab her jacket and tug it on. I should have recognized the setup for what it was. She was dressed in jeans, a loose tunic kind of shirt and boots. She was ready to head out and the guys weren’t here.
No way in hell would I leave her here on her own, period. Particularly not now when everything was in flux. I was going to throttle them. Then again, the twins had been downstairs waiting for me to get here. Yeah, this was definitely a setup.
She picked up her huge bag and slung it over her shoulder. I didn’t even pretend like that was okay. I lifted it by the strap and transferred it from her shoulder to mine.
“I am capable of carrying my own things,” she told me in that tart little tone that made me grin, even if she was giving me lip.
“Yet, you don’t have to and I know the boys wouldn’t make you carry a damn thing if they’re around.” The amused gleam in her eyes betrayed her.
“Of course not,” she said, threading her arm through mine when I offered it. “It wouldn’t be polite.”
A real laugh escaped me and I shook my head. It would absolutely be impolite and Jasper had cracked heads for far less. I pressed a kiss to her temple.
“What was that for?” Like she didn’t know, but still, I adored that easy smile on her face. The fact that everything that had been done so wrong to her was healing and she was… Fuck me, she was happy.
“Because you’re adorable when you’re smug,” I teased her then led her out of the suite and toward the elevators.
The last few months on the road had done her a lot of good. There was warmth in her eyes, color in her cheeks, and their time in Florida netted her a bit of a tan. Not that I could imagine her out in the sun that much. I’d heard about her training sessions. They were grueling, but…
No, no buts. Ivy was thriving and I loved it for her.
In the elevator, she pressed the button for the lobby before dropping back to lean against the wall in the corner. The guys really had taught her well. It was a defensible spot and out of direct line of sight when the elevator doors opened.
“Stop brooding,” she said, poking me.
“Doing my best,” I told her, not even bothering to try and dismiss the charge. “Just a lot on our plates right now, Ivy.”
“That’s why I’m here. Why we’re all here.”
It was. They were coming to help. All of them. Ivy. The Vandals. Adam’s cousin—how he got plugged into the Network I didn’t know and I didn’t ask. I appreciated the Network, and respected it. I also knew to keep a healthy distance.
As much as I wanted to ask her for everything immediately, I waited. We were limiting delicate discussions to spaces we controlled. The hotel was one of Adam’s, I thought. But I could be wrong. Still, it was too public. Bodhi’s penthouse was far more secure and the man took threats to his privacy seriously.
I liked that about him.
When the doors opened, Bodhi rose from where he’d been reading a paper and having a cup of coffee like he did this everyday.
Maybe he did.
“PPG,” he greeted Ivy as he fell into step with us. Bodhi hadn’t parked. The SUV idled out in the valet area in perfect view of the lobby.
