Lahat ng Kabanata ng Touch Me,Daddies : Kabanata 41 - Kabanata 50

IVY'S POVKai's voice cut through the quiet, low but sharp."Ivy. What's the matter?"Everyone's eyes shifted to me. The weight of it made my chest tighten. My fingers curled into my palms to keep them from shaking.I didn't want to say it. The words felt heavy in my throat, but I forced them out."It's about Mark."That got Asher's attention. He straightened from where he had been leaning over the table, his eyes fixed on me. "What about him?"The warmth of the tea Mark had brought earlier was long gone. I stared at the cup as if the answer might be hiding in the dregs."Last night I couldn't sleep," I said. "I went down to the kitchen for water. I heard Mark's voice. He was on the phone."Kai's expression sharpened. "With who?"I met his gaze. "Damien."The air in the room changed. It felt as if the house itself had drawn a breath and held it."I heard everything," I went on, my voice steadier than I felt. "He told Damien he had passed along our routes, our schedules. And he begged

The radio's static was sharp in the quiet room. Asher pressed the earpiece harder to his ear."Say that again.""They're here," the lookout's voice came, low and urgent. "Two trucks. Armed. Looks like Damien's men."Asher's eyes found mine. There was no fear in them, just the focus of a man who'd been through too many of these nights."They've taken the bait."For a heartbeat the house felt still, like the world itself was holding its breath.Then Kai was moving, pulling on his vest, his voice a calm command. "Levi, get the drone up. I want eyes on the riverfront. Ivy-" he looked at me, "stay sharp. If Damien's smart, he'll try to flank us."I nodded, my pulse already climbing. "I'm not sitting this one out."Levi gave me a brief grin as he checked the drone's controller. "Good. We could use your eyes."Mark slipped into the room with a tray of fresh ammo clips and bottles of water. His face was unreadable. I didn't miss the quick dart of his eyes toward the radio.Asher's tone was cl

I closed my book and let my fingers rest on the cover for a long beat. The night felt like a small, soft thing around me. I was tired in a way that had nothing to do with the day and everything to do with the last few weeks. People kept saying try to get some sleep, breathe, take time for yourself. It sounded like advice from a different life. Tonight, for the first time in days, I believed it.I padded to the edge of the bed and sat, grateful for the mattress that did not ask questions and the lamp that gave a warm circle of light. The apartment was quiet in the way that said the building was still awake somewhere else, but not here. I thought about calling Nana. I always thought about calling Nana. There was something about saying her name out loud that made the world feel less sharp. I reached for my phone, thumb hovering over her contact, and then let it fall back to my lap.It would be too late. She went to bed early now. The night had the way of shrinking people, of shifting hou

IVY’S POVWalking into the villa felt nice.My stomach did a small, hopeful flip. Even that felt like progress.Mark was on the steps with a tray of fruit and small pastries, the house manager’s uniform slightly rumpled. He smiled when he saw me, but there was something else in his face too. Guilt, soft and quick. He set the tray down on the low table and lingered.“Welcome,” he said.“Thanks.”The air smelled faintly of lemon and salt. It made me want to breathe slow, to let the city noises fall away.Mark looked at my shoes, then at my hands. “You look… well.”I could see he wanted to ask more, to undo what had happened and fix it with words. He swallowed and settled for, “If you need anything, you have only to call.”There was worry in his voice, an apology that did not need to be spoken for him to know it was meant. I thought of the last week, of closed windows and hurried whispers, and the sharp relief I felt to be going somewhere new. I put a hand on his arm.“You’re fine, Mark. R

IVY’S POVWe cooked with what had been in the bags from the market. The kitchen was a single long room with a counter that took up most of one wall and a window that framed the olive trees. Kai shoved a crate of tomatoes onto the table and Asher began unwrapping jars and bottles . Levi stood at the sink, rinsing a bunch of herbs, his hands steady and plain.Buddy sat at my feet and watched every movement. He picked up on the rhythm of the room. Whenever a knife tapped the board he would lean forward, ears pricked, as if he were keeping time.We were not trying to be elegant. We were trying to be useful. Someone peeled onions, someone chopped peppers, someone buttered a pan. The house had a limited pantry and a sudden wish to eat without anyone else making it for us. There was a small thrill in being the ones to do it.“You never said any of you could cook,” I told them as I reached for the cocoa and a tin of pancake mix that had found its way into one of the bags. My voice sounded lou