8. Ivy
Ivy
As Trey had promised, Hunter and his friends delivered the items we needed. Necessities like clothing and toiletries sat in bags lining the walls of the living room, waiting to be divvied out. There were a few surprises among the packages: a computer for Trey, photography equipment for Cam, books, art supplies, and, for Niko, a pair of boxing gloves. Despite knowing everyone briefly, they knew things we would want.
Being housebound wasn’t so bad–yet–but the reality was we would all go stir-crazy soon. I wasn’t used to sitting around, and neither was anyone else. We all were so accustomed to being busy between work, school, and family. What did you do when you were trapped, unable to escape the four walls surrounding you?
Additionally, I had been concerned about Frankie and Ros. Rhyker had stayed behind in Clearhaven, but where had Frankie gone? Were they safe somewhere the Order couldn’t find them?
I was a terrible friend. The initial shock of killing Wells had put me in a weird place mentally. I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal after what had happened with my aunt, especially considering he had threatened the guys. I’d done what needed to be done, but Ros’ grandfather had also been taken out, which wasn’t part of my initial plan.
Would she even still speak to me? This was the man who had practically raised her. She’d skirted around his rules every chance that she got, and he wasn’t a good guy. Still, he was her family.
How many people had even died since my move to Clearhaven?
I pulled my phone out and sent Ros a quick text message, hoping she was okay. She responded immediately, not leaving me in suspense.
Ros: We’re fine. Frankie took us to Vegas. She has friends here.
Las Vegas? Who did she know there? Even though she had been my boss and was my biological grandmother, I felt like I didn’t know her. I did some quick mental math and realized they had driven over twenty-four hours.
Me: Are we okay?
Ros: What are you talking about? Of course, we’re okay. Are you okay?
Me: I’m fine. The biggest thing is that everyone is safe.
The reach of the Order concerned me. How widespread were they? How far would they go to find all of us? I didn’t text that, though. It would be like speaking it into the universe.
Me: Text me later to let me know you are okay. I’m sorry your life is a mess because of me.
Three dots bounced at the bottom of the screen for a moment. I waited with bated breath to see what she texted back.
Ros: Don’t apologize. This is an adventure. Besides, it gives me time away from Rhyker and Angel. Things were getting too serious. Angel is now leading the Forsaken, and when he told me he was in love with me, I freaked out. He knows my rules.
Another reason I wasn’t a great friend was that, with everything that had happened in the past while, I hadn’t kept up with what was happening in her love life. Yes, she was technically betrothed to Caleb, but she didn’t love him. Were they still technically engaged?
That he was sitting across the room from me, watching me with dark eyes, told me it was doubtful.
The only good thing about the wedding and hiding in Strathmore was that no one was fighting anymore. The threads of jealousy typically present between the men I had fallen in love with had evaporated. At what point had I fallen in love with all of them?
I still was weary of Cam. He was trying, making an effort. That didn’t take away all the hurt from our past, but he took care of me after I killed Wells. He was the one who let me cry and didn’t judge me.
Now, if only Cam and Niko would make amends with one another. They were tucked away in the kitchen, speaking in low tones about something I couldn’t quite make out. I saw how Cam looked at him when no one was around. Cam loved Niko the way he loved me, even if he had never said it out loud. But Niko was stubborn and had been hurt too many times. Niko’s wounds hadn’t healed yet, but maybe they would, given time.
The sun had set long before we started dinner. Things were beginning to feel almost normal—as normal as they could be when we were virtually under house arrest. Hunter had delivered groceries along with clothing and other items. I pulled a box of pasta from the cabinet, thinking that spaghetti was a safe option.
Everyone had to eat, even if our world had fallen apart at the seams. Especially Sergei, Maya, and Katya. They hadn’t been asked if they wanted to be uprooted in the middle of high school and torn from their friends. Sergei had been moody ever since the wedding. He’d wanted to stay in Clearhaven and had been highly vocal about the fact. Mostly, Niko had ignored his complaints. Looking bored, he and Maya sat at the kitchen table as I filled a pot with water. Katya was hiding in her room; she’d disappeared with a stack of books and a soda.
Hoping to pull the two of them from their mood, I asked, “Does someone want to make a salad?”
To my surprise, Sergei jumped up. “Anything to put me out of my misery. Maybe I’ll accidentally chop off a finger.”
I stifled a laugh at his dry sense of humor and kept my face blank. “Hopefully not. The knives are pretty dull. It would take some effort.”
The corner of his mouth lifted as he pulled a head of lettuce and several other vegetables from the refrigerator. “Might still be worth it, though.”
Even though the smile was small, it made me feel better. I took it as a sign that everything might work out. We worked side by side, and eventually, Maya jumped in to make garlic bread. But the silence felt stifling, and I decided to take a chance at starting a conversation. “Dominic said he found a private school willing to take the three of you after Christmas break.”
From everything I knew, the school would be a perfect way for the three of them to start over. An anchor in the storm while we figured out what to do. It would also be a clean slate. Lakeview High was my high school’s rival, but they had excellent academics and extracurriculars.
Maya nodded, but Sergei stilled, the tomato in front of him forgotten. “You mean he paid someone off to accept us.”
I lifted a shoulder. In truth, I hadn’t asked how he had done it. The only thing that mattered was that they could finish high school safely.
“No one would have accepted me, Ivy. I’ve let my grades slip. Other things seemed like they were more important.”
I let out a sigh. “I know it’s a change, but just give it a chance. We’re all trying our best, you included.” After a beat, I added, “They’ve also found a new psychologist for Maya.”
Her eyes widened as she added garlic to the butter she was melting. “None of this is your fault.”
That was where she was wrong. All of it was technically my fault. If I had just kept my head down and ignored that I was attracted to Cam, Niko, and Trey, they would still happily live in Clearhaven. I didn’t regret my decisions, but their lives might have been easier.
The front door opened, and a barking sound pulled me from the conversation. Initially, I thought maybe I was hallucinating. Why was there a dog in the house?
Sergei rushed past me to see what the commotion was. I dried my hands on a towel and walked out of the kitchen, curiosity getting the best of me. Cam stood beside the doorway; his arms were crossed over his chest, and a smile plastered to his face. Beside him, Sergei kneeled, petting a gray dog plastered with mud. A scar lined its face, and the tip of its left ear was missing.
“Where did you find a dog?” I asked, not believing what I was seeing.
Cam’s smile grew wider. It was probably the happiest I had seen him in a while. All the hard edges and lines had vanished. “Something knocked over the trash can. I removed some bags and saw her digging through everything.”
Under the layer of mud, I could tell the dog was thin. She was probably hungry, looking for her next meal. “We can’t keep her, can we?”
Cam shrugged at me before kneeling beside Sergei. The dog barked again, and Cam petted it. “No one said we couldn’t, but she needs a bath. And a name.”
The last person I had ever expected to want to keep a dog was Cam. I didn’t know why or what was going through his head, but if it made him happy–or Sergei–I wouldn’t say no.