It took a full second for my brain to register what I was seeing.One of Brandon’s men stood silently over Jeremy’s unconscious body, calm as ever, as if this was nothing more than routine.“Ma’am,” he said with a firm nod, then tapped the comm device at his collar. “Target secured.”I staggered back a step, shock twisting in my gut. My eyes flicked to Jeremy’s crumpled form on the floor, motionless, dressed in that ridiculous disguise, his makeup smeared, the wig scattered.“What the hell?” I whispered, with my breath shallow. My hands were trembling as I tried to piece everything together.I hadn’t even arranged the meeting like Brandon asked. But somehow, Jeremy had shown up on his own, deranged, disguised, and now unconscious on the floor.Hell, I hadn’t even realized he had more guards tailing me.Two more of Brandon’s men walked in quietly, not saying a word and moved straight to Jeremy’s body, lifted him like he weighed nothing, and carried him swiftly out the back.The first g
146Ivy's POV The first thing I did that morning was knock Brandon out through the bond. I didn’t even think twice. His breathing had just started to even out beside me, his arm slung across my stomach when I closed my eyes, reached for the bond and pushed. His body twitched once, and then went still, slumping deeper into the mattress without a sound.I slipped out from beside him without looking back. I didn’t need to check if he was okay. I knew he was. I didn’t have it in me to deal with him. Not after everything that happened last night.I went about to freshen up and have breakfast, after which he woke up hours later, dragging himself through the palace, and began following me like a restless pup that couldn’t understand why it had been punished. I ignored him. And when he tried to talk, I either walked away or acted like I hadn’t heard a word.It wasn’t until I was back in the royal library, quietly putting away the books I’d been reading, that he spoke again.“Ivy,” he said
145Brandon’s POVI stood over Ivy, her delicate frame restrained in the chair, wrists and ankles bound tightly with soft silk ropes. Her breath came in shallow gasps, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she struggled against the restraints. I could see the fear in her eyes, but there was something else there too, a defiance that I intended to break."Who were you talking to, Ivy?" My voice was calm, belying the tension in the room. "I... I don't know what you're talking about," she stammered, her voice trembling. Her eyes darted around the room, searching for an escape that wasn't there.I sighed, a theatrical display of patience. "Don't play games with me, Ivy. I heard the call. I know you were talking to someone. The question is, who?"Her lips pressed into a thin line, and for a moment, I thought she might hold out. But then, her resolve cracked, just a little. "It was Jackie. Just Jackie."I raised an eyebrow, my skepticism evident. "Jackie? Your friend Jackie?”She nodded
Ivy's POV I didn’t even notice I was zoning out until the sound of the palace gates creaking open from a distance pulled me back. My hand had frozen over the book in my lap, the pages untouched, my eyes staring blankly ahead. It had been happening a lot lately, these moments where my mind wandered off, always landing in the same place. On him. Jeremy.It was ridiculous. I shouldn’t still be scared. Not with the life I had now. Not with Brandon beside me. But fear wasn’t something you could reason with. It didn’t care about safety or logic. It crept in quietly, slipping through cracks I hadn’t realized were there.I still remembered the first time I met Jeremy. I thought he was cute. A little awkward, kind of goofy. He always had a joke ready, always wore that easy smile, always offered to carry my books. He came across as sweet, like the kind of guy who just wanted to help. I didn’t pay much attention to it at first, but things started to shift slowly. And they were little things.
Brandon's POV Ivy was lying on her side, her back turned to me, the sheets slipping low around her waist. The moonlight filtering through the window casting a pale glow across her bare skin. I stayed still for a moment, just watching her as she slept.Her breathing was slow and steady. And my eyes trailed lower, catching on the faint red lines across her back and thighs, marks from my claws, from my fingers. A subtle reminder of the night we’d just had. But yet, something still nagged at me.I couldn’t shake the sense of worry that I felt thinking about her with another man. She hadn’t said anything, but I knew. I knew the way her eyes flickered when she was hiding something, how quiet she got when her thoughts were too heavy to speak. The sweat on her forehead. The way she couldn’t meet my eyes.My jaw clenched as I exhaled through my nose. What if someone had gotten too close? What if something had happened, something she didn’t want to talk about? The thought made my chest tigh
Brandon's POV Kiel was so close to the surface now, his desires were merging with mine until I couldn’t tell where one ended and the other began. I pinned her against the nearest tree, my body pressing against hers, my lips moving against her in a way that was anything but gentle. It was wild, desperate, fueled by the raw energy of the run and how close Kiel was She was so sweet and intoxicating, and it only made me want her more. My hands roamed over her body, grasping her hips, pulling her closer until there was no space between us. I could feel her heart racing against my chest, her breath coming in shallow pants.Ivy moaned into my mouth, her hands clutching at my shoulders, her nails digging into my skin, matching me with a ferocity that only stoked the flames higher.My fingers traced the curves of her hips, the swell of her breasts, and I tore at her clothes, Kiel's impatience guiding my movements. The clothes fell away, leaving her bare with only her panties to the cool nig