“Ivy?” he whispers.
I nod and pull invisible lint off my shirt, finding direct eye contact hard to hold.
He crosses to me in three long strides. He starts to lift his arms like he’s going to hug me, but I take a step back. When I look up at him, I see a flash of pain cross his eyes at my rejection.
“You quit writing to me.” The accusation falls from my lips before I even have time to think it through.
“No, I didn’t,” he says surprised. His gaze holds mine resolutely. “I have written you so many letters it is embarrassingly pathetic.”
“I,” my brow furrows, “I never got anything. After that night,” I trail off. I have been holding onto two years of resentment over this.
“Ives, look at me.”
I flinch at his use of the nickname he gave me all those years ago. It doesn’t make sense that he could have been sending letters and somehow none of them made it to me. I was at the same boarding school I had been at the entire time I’ve known him.
“This is a total mindfuck.” He wraps a hand gently around my neck and waits for me to look up at him again. “I can’t believe you are Jennifer’s daughter, that I never put it together. I swear to you though, I never stopped trying to get ahold of you. I even tried calling your boarding school, but they wouldn’t let me talk to you since I wasn’t family. Which is kind of ironic now, in a twisted way.”
I step away from him again and pull his hand off my neck, “You can’t touch me like that anymore. You are my brother now.”
Gross.
I had sex with the guy who is now my brother.
“Stepbrother. It’s not the same, and you know it. Don’t overthink this.” He reaches for me again, and this time I have nowhere to retreat to as the wall is against my back. “Will you just hug me back?”
I step into his embrace this time and wrap my arms around his waist. I feel him rest his cheek on my head and hear him take a deep breath. I can’t stop my mind from going back to the last time I was surrounded by him like this. His back muscles dance under my fingers, and I hate myself for noticing.
“Are you hungry? Dad and Jennifer went to the country club for dinner tonight. I saw them leaving on my way in.” He still hasn’t let go of me.
“Typical,” I scoff. “She didn’t even come see me before running off with her new man.”
“Yeah,” he finally lets go of me, “she’s a cunt. No offense.”
“None taken.” If he thinks she’s bad now, I can’t wait until he hears the way she talks to me. “I’m actually glad she won’t be around tonight. I’m not really hungry though, so you can go on without me.” I walk back into the closet to keep unpacking. I know we’ll have to have another conversation about the past two years, but I’m tired and just want to finish this before going to bed.
“You sure?” He follows me into the closet. “Holy shit, this is way nicer than mine.” He flips through some of the hanging clothes I’ve already put away. “I guess they haven’t gotten you your uniforms yet.”
“What are they like?” I ask while I start putting my shoes away.
“The uniforms?” He opens one of the island drawers and closes it after seeing my bras laid out inside. “Nice, I guess. One of the girls who graduated last year was the daughter of some designer in New York, and they redid all the designs.” He points at the modest collection of shoes I brought, “No pink Chucks?”
“No, not anymore.”
His phone pings with an incoming text message. He checks it and shoots off a reply quickly. “That’s my friend Connor. He and Griff are pulling up. You sure you don’t want to come with us? We’re partying.”
“Yeah, I’m not in the mood,” I answer.
“Do you at least know where the kitchen is?”
“No, that’s one place your dad forgot to show me on the tour.”
“Come on,” he gestures for me to follow. “I’ll show where it is and introduce you to Babs, our chef, if she’s around.”
I take advantage of my position behind him and check him out. His shirt is so tight I can see how defined his back is, almost as great as a swimmer’s body. His broad shoulders narrow to a trim waist and delicious bubble butt. Why do football players always have such nice asses?
“See something you like?” He smirks over his shoulder having totally caught me checking him out.
My cheeks heat, and I can’t think of anything to say back.
“It’s okay. You look damn good, too, Ives.” He lets his eyes trail up and down my body.
“We shouldn’t be looking at each other like this anymore,” I say when I regain brain function again.
“Disagree.” He pushes open a swinging door, and we walk through a butler’s pantry. “You can help yourself to anything in here.” He sweeps his arms out in either direction. “There are gummy bears in this jar,” he reaches up and pulls a glass canister down from a top shelf. “I hide them up there, so I don’t have to share, but I guess I’ll have to lower them for you.” He pulls the lid off and grabs a handful, immediately sorting the colors for us.
“You still remember my favorites?” I’m genuinely surprised and a little touched.
“Of course.” His eyes meet mine, twin pools of sincerity, “I remember everything about you, Ives.”
I take the clear and yellow gummy bears from his hand and pop them in my mouth. He gives me the same boyish grin I became so used to those summers we spent together. Part of me wants to fall right back into our pattern of easy friendship, but I know he’s different person here than he was at camp with me. Isaac’s warning plays on repeat through my head as Levi shows me around the kitchen. Apparently, the chef was dismissed early since our parents went out to eat.
I look up when two guys walk into the kitchen. The first one is tall, with dark brown hair, intense green eyes, and a severe expression on his face as he looks me up and down before dismissing me. The other has red hair, a dark red that borders on auburn. He’s slim but still has an aura of someone you don’t want to mess with. His hazel eyes are coolly inquisitive.
“Ives, this is Connor Volkov,” he points to dark haired guy. “And that’s Griffin Potter,” he tosses his head in the direction of the redhead. “Guys, this is Ivy Bane. My new stepsister.”
A hint of recognition passes over both their faces. I guess I can take that to mean Levi has talked about me, at least in passing.
“Nice to meet you,” I offer them both a smile.
“Same,” Griffin says.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?” Levi asks me one more time.
“Yeah, I’m tired. I think I might just grab one of those protein bars from the pantry and go to bed.”
“Okay. I’ll finish showing you around tomorrow morning, does that work?” he asks.
“Sounds good. Have fun.” I head back upstairs listening to the sound of their murmured voices carry through the foyer behind me.
2
LEVI
Age 17
I swear I could smell her as soon as I walked in the house. That light fruity scent that I used to try to slyly inhale in her presence every summer. It didn’t register that she was Jennifer’s daughter until I opened the door and saw those beautiful, big gray eyes. I was shook.
I can’t even remember what we said to each other those first few moments. It’s all a haze of swirling emotions. Excitement. Happiness. Pain. Anger. Hope. I can’t believe she never got my letters. We’re going to have to sit down and talk about this later. How could she think I would have sex with her and then disappear from her life? She was my secret best friend, not because I was ashamed but because I didn’t want to share her with anyone. I still don’t.
I have two options. First, I can keep living life like I always have. That way I keep Ives to myself, and she and I can figure shit out later. Or I can ditch my brothers and chase the girl who ghosted me for two years. It isn’t as easy a choice as one might think.
“You getting in?” Con glares
at me from the backseat of the town car.
“Yeah.” I shake off the last remnants of shock and focus on Con and Griff. It’s our last Saturday night party at The Abyss, an abandoned granite mine turned party scene, outside of town. “Ready for drinks and pussy.”
“Ivy?” Griff asks with an arched eyebrow.
“Jennifer’s daughter,” I shrug with feigned nonchalance.
Griff, that cagey motherfucker, gives a nod, but I can see his mind working through all the conversations we’ve ever had. Looking through his mental files for any mention of her name.
“Didn’t you know a girl named Ivy at that summer camp you used to go to.” Con words it like a question but says it as a statement.
Both of them are looking at me intently, waiting for my response. Fuck it. They’re my boys. I know I can trust them.
“Yeah. Ivy Bane. You just met her. I had no idea she was Jennifer’s daughter.”
“You liked her,” this question worded as a statement comes from Griff.
“Yeah. I did.” I still probably do if my reaction earlier says anything about it. “She was my first,” everything, “kiss, first crush.”
I still remember the first night we hung out like it happened yesterday instead of years ago. When I decided she was going to be my best friend over gummy bears.
I watch James, our counselor, walk into the cabin next door and make a break for the trail that leads to the lake. It was warmer last night, good thing I grabbed the black hoodie to wear for cover. I see flashlights in the distance, so I keep to the side of the path, just inside where the trees thicken. I’ve spent every evening sneaking out of my cabin, trying to get away to think. Part of me feels bad for interrupting Ivy while she was doing the same thing, but I’m glad I did it. I like talking to her. She has no expectations for me.
When I get to the dock, she isn’t there yet. I walk to the end and let my legs hang over. It’s been a dry summer, so the water is well below my feet. I feel her footsteps before I hear her. She drops down beside me quietly.
“Hey.” She says as she dangles her legs next to mine.
“Hi.” I pull out a bag of gummy bears from my hoodie pocket. “Want to split them?”
She looks down, giggles, and pulls out a bag of the same thing. “What’s that saying? Great minds think alike or something?”
“Yeah, they do.” I laugh quietly. We sit there taking in the night for a few minutes before I break the silence. “What’s your favorite color?” I shake my bag of gummies.
“Clear and yellow.” She says.
“Seriously?” I fake a gag. “Those are the worst. Red and orange is where it’s at.”
“Everyone likes red,” she says.
“So, you want to be different?”
“No. I don’t mind red. I hate green. My favorites are just clear and yellow.” She says decisively.
“Green is okay. Better than clear and yellow.” I start sorting out my clears and yellows.
“What are you doing?”
“Giving you my clears and yellows. Hand over all your greens and a few reds and oranges.” I grin at her. “We’re perfect gummy bear buddies.”
She returns my grin with one of her own and starts sorting. We spend a while talking about TV shows we like, tease each other about whether team or individual sports are harder, and what music we like. She doesn’t like boy bands like most girls I know; she likes real bands although some of them I don’t recognize the name of. She rolls her eyes when I talk about my love of hip hop. Before I know it, my watch is chirping with the alarm I set, so we could sneak back before final bed checks.
“Do you want to do this again tomorrow night?” I ask.
Say yes.
Please say yes.
“Sure.” She shrugs like she could not care less one way or another.
“Cool.” I am definitely more excited about this than she is. I almost hugged her.
Gross.
“Lev?” Con smacks my chest with the back of his hand. “We’re here. Move your ass.”
I unfold myself from the car and scan the first level of The Abyss. I’m going to need a drink right fucking now. Then I’m going to grab the first girl that walks by giving me the look.
“Are you okay?” Despite the permanent scowl etched onto his face and harsh tone to his voice, I know he’s actually showing concern right now, not annoyance.
“I’m good, bro.” I pat his cheek and walk into the fray.
“Hey Levi,” I feel a pair of hands reach around me and run up my abs. I look down and see a purity ring on the left hand, tipping me off on who is feeling me up.
“Grace,” I turn my body and wrap an arm around her shoulder, “how’s my favorite senior doing tonight?”
Her strawberry blonde hair tickles my arm when she tilts her head back to look at me. “I’m good but hoping to be better later.” She licks her lower lip and peers up at me through her lashes.
Yeah, the girl who has worn a purity ring since she was fourteen is propositioning me for sex. She’s been having sex since then, too. Daddy dearest is a preacher for a megachurch in Virginia.
“Let’s go get a drink, then,” I wink at her, “and you can tell me all the ways your night could get better.”
I walk up next to Con at the bar and see Margaux has suction cupped herself to him already. His patience for that obnoxious, fake Frenchie always astounds me. She offers nothing aside from headaches and drama. Grace might be a walking, talking lesson in irony, but she’s nice to most people. I can’t touch the mean girls that go to Founders Prep with us with a ten-foot pole.
Grace leaves with me after our fourth or fifth round. When the car pulls up in front of my house, I look up to Ivy’s window and see the lights are off. Good, she won’t see us go into my room.
I’m not even up the stairs before Grace has my pants unzipped, and her hand is sliding inside, wrapping around my cock and tugging. She pushes me against the wall right outside Ivy’s room, and I quickly swing her into my room, closing the door quietly behind me. By the time I turn around from locking the door, she’s naked and on her knees ready to suck me off.
The alarm I set for Grace goes off at five. She groans as she rolls onto her back on the other side of the bed. She’s one of the only girls I let sleep in here because she respects the no cuddling rule I have. I grab her clothes off the floor and toss them across the bed to her.
She mumbles thanks and stands to dress. When she’s finished, she walks to the door and waits for me.
“You know how to get out of here,” I say while I make no move to get up.
“Levi,” she glares. “Walk me to the front door like a gentleman. My car just pulled up.”
She didn’t want me to be a gentleman last night when she was begging me to pull her hair and call her a slut. But fine, I’ll walk her to the door. “Let me grab some pants.” I’m tired and hung over and just want to go back to sleep.
Right as she opens my bedroom door, the door opposite of mine opens. My stomach drops as I take Ivy in. She’s wearing a sporty two-piece swimsuit and has a towel over her arm and goggles in her hand.
Fuck me.
Every single thought and emotion Ivy has shows on her face. First, she’s startled. I’m sure she didn’t expect anyone to be up this early. Second is understanding, not the good kind, the bad kind. When she realizes I’m walking a girl out that I just fucked, there’s another flash of hurt. Then I watch as she erects walls around herself. I’ve seen her do it before, and I know exactly what’s happening.
I feel Grace’s eyes bouncing back and forth between us. She looks up at me for a clue as to whom Ivy is, but I’m not about to introduce them. Grace isn’t important enough.
“Let’s go.” I herd Grace to the front door. “Get you to your ride.”
How the fuck am I going to fix this? Do I even need to fix this? Ivy and I have no hold over each other. It’s been two years. I thought she ghosted me, she thought I ghosted her. I don’t owe her any expla
nation.
Who the hell do I think I’m kidding here? I need to fix this like I need air to breathe. Being in Ivy’s orbit again feels nothing short of amazing, and I’m going to do anything to keep her in mine. I walk into the kitchen and grab a bottle of water where I watch her through the window swimming laps. Before I think better of it, I’m walking out the back door toward the pool.
3
IVY
I don’t know what was more shocking, the sight of Levi escorting a girl out of his room at five in the morning on a Sunday or how delectable his body looks now. All that golden skin stretched taut over roped and bunched muscle. The way his sweatpants clung to his ass was criminal.
I wonder if the willowy blonde is his girlfriend. Their body language didn’t scream couple to me, and he didn’t touch her. I don’t know what would be worse, for her to be a serious girlfriend or a random fuck.
Either way, it hurts. We were young when we last saw each other, but I had actual feelings for him. I haven’t had a boyfriend, let alone had sex with anyone since that night. It’s safe to say he has.
Their pool is rectangular and illuminated by blue lights from below. I thank the swimming gods that it is not zero entry. The sun is just starting its ascent, turning the sky into the milky gray of dawn.
I busy myself getting my swim cap wet and sliding it over my head. I turn music on my phone, connect it to my waterproof ear buds, and sliding down into the pool. The water is a little warmer than I like, but I guess that’s to be expected after such a warm summer. I press my palms to my goggles to suction them to my face and kick off the wall.
I decide to just swim moderately paced freestyle laps. The pool isn’t long enough to make it worth my trouble to time or race. I love listening to chill indie music while I practice, so I have my Maggie Rogers playlist cued up. When I’ve swum for a solid twenty minutes with no breaks, I stop by the wall to grab my water.
Relentless (Titans of Founder's Ridge Book 2) Page 2