Ivy
“Idon’t know why we didn’t check in here first.”
“I mean, it’s not what I was anticipating. He is an asshole, remember?”
“That’s my human you’re talking about.”
“Yeah, your asshole of a human.”
“Ember.”
“Coal.”
“It doesn’t matter now. We found him.”
“I’m not sure I like where we’ve found him.”
“They’re fated mates, Ember. It was bound to happen eventually.”
“I don’t think he’s groveled enough yet.”
“He might have groveled a lot last night.”
“It’s going to take more than a good dicking for her to forgive him.”
“For her or for you?”
“She deserves the best.”
“And he is the best.”
“At fucking shit up, yes. At treating her like the damn mystical goddess that she is? Definitely not.”
“It’s not up to us anyway, Ember. Just let them go with the flow.”
“I will. As long as that flow involves Archer Bowen on his knees, begging for forgiveness.”
“I can get to it right now, Ember. Do you want me to get dressed first, or would you prefer to humble me with a naked apology?”
My eyes dart open at the sound of Archer’s voice cutting through the chaos that is Ember and Coal. I clench my fingers around the sheet barely covering my chest as I blink at the flashes of red darting above us.
Ember grins as Coal hangs his head. “A naked apology is the least of your concerns, Archer Bowen, but I’ll save you for now.
Besides, I don’t think a simple pair of your boxer shorts suffices as a dressed apology.
Especially since they’re in tatters,” she states, glaring at the floor where I can only assume the material lies.
Archer stretches out beside me, amusement flashing in his eyes. “You can grab me something more if you wish,” he offers, and the menacing smile on Ember’s face is undeniable.
She vanishes as Coal clears his throat. “Don’t encourage her maniacal ways, Archer,” he grumbles, avoiding my gaze as a flash of red reappears, along with a ripple of pale pink and baby blue.
“I couldn’t decide what your best color would be,” she sings, nodding toward the two dresses that fall across the bed.
“That’s not what I meant,” he grunts, running his fingers over the material as his attention spans to me. “Would it work?” There’s uncertainty in his eyes, and I can’t deny the fact that I like it, but I shake my head.
“It would be great entertainment, though,” Ember insists, swirling between us as Coal clears his throat again.
“We’ll leave you both to it. I was just worried when I couldn’t find you.”
“Did you need me?” Archer asks, calm and collected as he glances at his sprite, and it startles me how soft he is with him.
I don’t know what I expected, but I’m so used to Archer’s firm voice that anything else knocks me off kilter.
“Your father can’t get hold of you,” Coal mumbles quietly, as if the words aren’t meant for me to hear.
“Thanks, Coal. I’ll take care of it.”
A look passes between them, one that speaks a thousand words, and I find myself wanting to know the meaning of it, but before I can open my mouth, I sink my teeth into my bottom lip to shut myself up.
Without another word, the sprites disappear, and Archer scoffs.
“What?” I murmur, and he grins.
“She was unimpressed with me being here, but she’s not so bothered by my presence to question leaving you alone with me,” he states, and I roll my eyes.
“You’re as dramatic as she is,” I declare, keeping the sheet pressed against my chest as I shuffle to stand.
My thighs ache as I twist the sheet around me, wrapping myself while unraveling him at the same time. He doesn’t shy away from it, though. He lies there in all his glory with his cock stiff and begging for attention. When my thighs clench this time, it’s for an entirely different reason.
Keep it together, Ivy.
Last night wasn’t meant to happen.
Last night was a matter of well-being.
Last night was… not a mistake, but not the first step toward something more either.
It was a means to an end, not an invitation to stay forever.
He folds his arms behind his head, eyes raking over me from head to toe as I clear my throat.
“You can leave now.”
“I can?” he asks, cocking his brow, and I nod.
“You’re sure?” he clarifies, eyes fixed on the material covering my body as I feel my cheeks heat.
“Last night was—”
“If you say a mistake, I will bend you over this bed in two seconds flat and prove to you just how wrong you are.”
Is that a threat or a promise?
I can’t let myself be sidetracked by sex.
“I wasn’t going to say that,” I mutter, and he gives me a pointed look. Shuffling from foot to foot, I tighten my arms around myself. “But it doesn’t change anything. I haven’t forgotten what the four of you did to me, and I never will.”
“Ivy,” he starts, but I shake my head.
“You fucked up my whole life, and I will be forever irked that I learned I was a phoenix under these circumstances. Imagine what my life could have been like. How I could have faced this without so much heartache or self-doubt. I’ll never get the chance because the four of you humiliated me in a way I never thought imaginable.
Would you expect me to forgive and forget my father for killing me? ”
He scoffs. “Like hell, but I didn’t kill you. We—”
“You broke me, Archer. My heart, my mind, my soul. Do I want to repair my heart and soul and attempt forgiveness? With every single breath in my lungs, but it’s not simply fixed with a Band-Aid and cock.
” My cheeks burn at my choice of words, but I’m proud of the truth that lies between us.
I can’t bring myself to spend another second listening to excuses, so I bolt for the bathroom before his mouth widens like his eyes.
Slumping back against the closed door, I hold my breath, waiting for him to barge in after me, but to my surprise, I hear the distant sound of my bedroom door closing.
My heart aches instead of easing with relief, and my chin lands against my chest.
Dammit.
Priorities, Ivy.
Stick to the list.
Last night wasn’t on the list, but a blip on the radar can’t be enough to knock me off course.
Finding the strength, I push up off the door and make quick work of turning on the shower before I let the sheet fall away.
My reflection catches my attention, making it impossible to ignore as I stare at myself.
It’s not the first time I’ve had sex, but it’s the first time I was able to take a moment to breathe afterward. Last time resulted in death, and although it’s not quite as dramatic this time, it still rocks me to my core.
I look the same, but I don’t feel the same. Nothing drastic, just more… me?
I roll my eyes. That’s impossible if I don’t know who I am. It’s at the top of my list to find myself, broken down into micro actions set out by Greta and the twins.
This might not be it, but it sure feels like I’ve taken a step in the right direction. Besides, the talk with the girls last night has ensured I know it’s okay to make mistakes, as long as I come back stronger.
Before I can scrutinize myself any further, I step under the spray of water, relishing in the way my muscles ease under the pressure. Tilting my face up, I let the sensation ground me as I inevitably reflect on last night.
The heat was undeniable, waking me in the dead of night, burning me deep inside. It was torture, until it wasn’t.
Coming on his tongue was euphoric, but all it did was intensify the inferno inside me. It wasn’t until I felt the thickness of his cock fill me that I felt any sense of relief.
Falling into the rhythm of my routine, I wring my hair out before shutting the shower off. Draping a towel around me, I secure the fluffy material around my chest before focusing on my selfcare.
With a minty essence in my mouth and the gentle scent of vanilla in the air, I step out of the bathroom, coated in steam, to reveal a figure sitting on my bed.
Archer sits with his elbows resting on his knees, freshly showered, his hair damp, wearing a pair of suit pants and a white shirt. His deep-red tie sits crooked around his neck. Noticing my arrival, he presses his palms against his knees, sitting tall as he assesses me.
Clearing my throat, I grip the twist of my towel. “I thought you left.”
My heart thunders in my chest, the sound rattling between my ears as I stare at him, balancing on the edge of sanity as my thoughts drift.
“I did,” he breathes, and I nod, tension rising as I rake my teeth over my bottom lip.
“I didn’t anticipate you coming back,” I admit, and he nods.
“Honestly, neither did I.” His eyes fixate on mine, rooting me to the spot as he slowly stands.
“Don’t worry, I’m not staying, I have matters to attend to,” he explains, sweeping his hands down the length of him, referring to his choice of clothing, and I nod, fighting against the burning desire to ask what matters he’s referring to.
He eliminates the distance between us with ease, brushing a damp curl behind my ear as he exhales. I can sense him wanting to say something, but what, I can’t figure out.
Neither can he, it seems, as he continues to stare at me, clearing his throat twice before he finally finds his tongue.
“I underestimated you, Ivy.”
I scoff, but the solemn look on his face ties my stomach in a knot before I can give him crap for stating the obvious.
“Fuck, I did more than underestimate you; I judged you without knowing a single thing about you. I assumed I was protecting everyone, and I thought I understood the situation, but the reality is…” He cups my cheek, tilting my face to somehow stare even deeper into my eyes. “I was catastrophically wrong.”
I gape at him as he exhales, a sad smile curling the corner of his mouth.
“Archer—”