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Home / Romance / Beneath His Rules / Chapter 121 - Chapter 130

All Chapters of Beneath His Rules: Chapter 121 - Chapter 130

135 Chapters

121

Ivy's Pov The train station was crowded and loud when the big silver engine pulled up to the platform with a screeching sound that made me jump a little bit. I was holding a piece of white cardboard with the name Mia written in bright purple marker and I was standing as close to the yellow line as Marcus would let me. I saw a girl with long dark hair and a bright red suitcase step off the third carriage and she was looking around with a confused expression until she saw my sign. She started to run toward me and she dropped her bag right on the ground so she could wrap her arms around my neck in a giant hug. I felt the breath go out of my lungs but I did not mind it because she smelled like the soap from the old city and she felt like a piece of my heart that had been missing for a very long time. "You look so different Ivy and you look like you have been growing an inch every single week since I saw you last," Mia said as she pulled back to look at my face with a big grin. "Your h

122

Ivy's Pov Tuesday morning started out like any other day with the sun hitting the tops of the mountains and the sound of the birds chirping in the trees outside my window. I had decided to go to the market to buy some fresh strawberries and a loaf of crusty bread because Marcus was busy fixing a leak in the bathroom sink. I walked down the street with my canvas bag over my shoulder and I was feeling quite good because I had just finished a new drawing in my sketchbook. The square was busy with people moving between the stalls and the air smelled like roasting coffee and damp stone. I was standing near the fruit stand and reaching for a carton of berries when I saw a man standing by the fountain just a few feet away from me. He was wearing a dark green jacket and he had his back turned to me but the way he held his shoulders and the shape of his head looked exactly like the man who used to follow me home. My heart gave a violent jolt against my ribs and suddenly the air in the squ

123

Dominic's Pov The jewelry store was very quiet and it had a thick carpet that swallowed the sound of my shoes as I walked toward the glass counter in the back. I had been thinking about this for a few weeks and I did not know if it was a good idea or if I was just trying to hold onto a dream that might never come true. The woman behind the counter looked at me with a polite expression and she asked me if I was looking for something special for a wife or a girlfriend. I told her I was just looking for a ring that was simple and strong and I did not give her any more details because I did not want to explain my life to a stranger. She showed me a few different bands made of gold and silver but then I saw one that was made of platinum with a very small diamond that looked like a drop of clear water. I picked it up and I felt the weight of it in my palm and it felt like a heavy secret that I was not ready to tell anyone yet. I bought the ring and I walked out of the store with the sma

124

Ivy's Pov The youth center was filled with the smell of wet wool and cedar wood because a light rain had started falling just as the girls began to arrive for the afternoon. I had spent the last three hours moving the heavy wooden tables into a large circle in the middle of the main room so that everyone could see each other while they worked. I placed a new notebook and a sharpened pencil at every seat and I made sure there was a small vase of dried wildflowers in the center of the circle to make it look less like a classroom. My heart was thumping a bit faster because I had never been the one in charge of a whole group before, but I kept thinking about the letter Dominic sent me, about how I was a rock. I wanted to be a person who could lead others through the dark because I knew the way out better than most people. Twelve girls sat down around the tables and they were all looking at me with a mix of curiosity and a little bit of the same fear that I used to carry in my eyes. So

125

Ivy's Pov I was standing on the edge of the train platform, holding the small wooden box so hard that my fingers were starting to cramp. The train ride had taken a long time, around three hours of just staring out the window at the mountains turning into flat land. I was trying to act calm, but inside I felt like a mess. I had a letter in this box that I had spent three nights writing. It was for the baby I lost back when I was in the warehouse. I felt like I was just a ghost walking around sometimes. This letter was my way of trying to finally say goodbye because the sadness was always there, like a heavy weight in my chest that wouldn't go away. Marcus was walking right beside me. He didn’t say much, which I liked. He knew why we were here. “The beach is just over that hill, Ivy,” Marcus said. He looked at me with a soft expression. “Do you want me to come all the way down to the water with you?” “No,” I said. I looked at the sand. “I think I need to do this by myself. Can

126

Dominic's Pov I stepped into the small community center. The building was old, and the walls were a dull beige, but I didn't care about the luxury I had once enjoyed. I only wanted to do a good job. I had told Elena, the director, that I was ready for my first day. She said it would be hard, but she was sure I could handle the at-risk youth because of my life experience. I felt like I was finally a tool for something good, rather than just a means to make money. I wanted to tell everyone that Ivy was the reason I was here. She was my inspiration. But how ironic my life had turned out. What was happening was exactly how I wanted my new life to start. I was trying to save these kids, their futures, and their hearts from being broken by the world. Only this time, I had a real purpose. And at least with this job, I was choosing to be here. I was not forced into this work. My eyes stung as I tried to keep from tearing up when I saw the first boy waiting for me. I could hear people t

127

Ivy's Pov I had told Marcus that I wanted something permanent. I told him that my skin had been touched by people who didn't care about me, and I was no longer just a clean slate. He said it didn't matter anymore. He was sure that this would help me feel like I was taking back my life. I felt like I was just a tool for everyone else for a long time. I wanted to tell the whole world that I didn't care about being perfect. I only wanted my freedom. But how ironic my life had turned out. What was happening was exactly how I wanted my new start to feel. Before, I was just a tool for the men who took me to save their own twisted needs. Only this time, I had a real idea of who I was becoming. And at least with this tattoo, I was the one who asked for it. I was not forced into this mark on my skin. My eyes stung as I tried to keep from tearing up as I looked at the drawings on the wall. I could hear the buzzing of a machine in the back room, and the sound of someone talking on the

128

Ivy's Pov I had told myself for a long time that I was too broken for anyone. I said it didn't matter if he changed because the past was still there. But in the dream, he was sure that we could just build something together. I felt like I was just a tool for my own fear for so long. I wanted to tell the version of him in my head that I didn't care about the warehouse or the old mistakes anymore. I only wanted a partner. But how ironic my life had turned out. What was happening in my head was exactly how my life started with him in the beginning. I was also just a tool to keep him going, and he was my only way to survive. Only this time, I had a real idea of what a healthy life could look like. And at least with this new feeling, I was asking myself if I wanted it. I was not forced into thinking about him. My eyes stung as I tried to keep from tearing up as I looked out the window at the mountains. I could hear the wind blowing against the glass, birds chirping, and Marcus

129

Ivy's Pov I had told Sarah that she was talented and that her voice mattered more than the bad things that happened. She said it didn't matter because no one would want to read about someone like her. I was sure that everyone wanted to have the possibility of seeing the world through her eyes. I felt like I was finally a tool for something good in this village. I wanted to tell her I didn't care about the rules of the application. I only wanted her to feel proud. But how ironic my life had turned out. What was happening was exactly how my life started with Marcus and Martha. I was also just a tool to save my ego and my heart from being broken by the warehouse. Only this time, I had a real idea of how to help someone else. And at least with Sarah, I asked her if she wanted to do this. She was not forced into this writing project with me. My eyes stung as I tried to keep from tearing up as we walked toward the main computer station where the final submission was. I could hear

130

Dominic's Pov I sat in the airport terminal, staring at the gate. Everything my heart told me led me to one thing: I had to get back to her. "Is this seat taken?" a man asked, pointing to the chair next to mine. "No, go ahead," I said. I was acting calm compared to the turmoil within me. "Heading home or leaving it?" he asked. "Heading toward a chance," I replied. I felt the small velvet box in my pocket. I wanted to tell him I didn't care about the miles. I only wanted Ivy. "Flight 402 to Ivy’s city is now boarding," the intercom blared. I stood up. "That’s me." "Good luck with that chance, buddy," the man said. "Thanks. I’ll need it," I said. I felt like I was just a tool for my own hope now. I walked down the tunnel and met the flight attendant at the door. "Welcome aboard, sir. Seat 22B is just down the aisle." "Thank you," I said. My eyes stung as I tried to keep from tearing up. It was finally happening. I sat down and squeezed my eyes shut as the engines start

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