“You don’t get to quit.” I stand, moving to the foot of the bed. “You did this on purpose. You promised me you wouldn’t give up.”
“Obviously I wasn’t thinking clearly.” Her head turns to the side as she tucks her arms over her chest. “And besides, you killed my mother. So, I’m pretty sure all previous agreements are null and void. So, how about we call it even and you fuck off.”
I state, “I’m not leaving. I’m here because I need you, and I believe you need me too.”
“Believe it or not, Luca, your dick isn’t a cure-all. You don’t get to stand here and pretend like you can fix everythingyoudamaged.”
“Ivy, I?—”
“Everything about you, me, us was a lie.” Her breath catches as she sobs, “My entire life is a lie.”
Stepping beside the bed, I reach for her and plead, “I’ll do anything. Just tell me what to do. How to repair us. I can’t lose you.”
She lets out an ear-piercing scream, wailing and thrashing around. “Don’t touch me. Get the fuck away.” A nurse runs in, spotting Ivy who’s still screaming and crying as she repeats, “I hate you. Get out.”
The nurse moves between me and Ivy, her back to me as she says, “You need to go. Now.”
I agree. But my feet don’t because it feels like if I walk out of this room, I’ll never see her again. She’ll hide away. Disappear from my life forever.
“Miss, I need you to calm down,” the nurse tells Ivy before she hollers at me, “I’ll call security if you don’t leave.”
When I don’t move, the nurse continues yelling at me. Another comes in, trying to help her restrain Ivy before they push a button on the side of the bed. A third nurse rushes in and inserts a needle into Ivy’s IV. It’s less than a minute before her shrieks are muffled until she falls asleep. She looks unsettled, her hair matted to her tear-streaked face.
A hand grabs my arm, tugging me towards the door. When I look over, I see Anthony. He reassures me, “Give her time. She’s been through a great deal.”
Because of me.
Once we’re in the hallway, he says, “I’ll stay with her.”
I know the man well enough to know he’s got a soft spot for her, grown to care about her and it’s the only thing that allows me to go. “Please take care of her.”
He nods. “You have my word.”
This has to be the hardest time I’ve ever had walking away from her. Mainly because I truly worry it’ll be the last time I’m given the chance.
85
IVY
The freaking hospital. I stepped in front of a car. And I feel every bit of the impact throughout my body. The doctor informed me that there’s a hairline fracture in my shin so I’ll be in a hard brace for a while. My rib is broken again, along with two others, but my shoulder is fine.
“Ivy,” Anthony says softly. He’s the only one in the room, and I’m grateful it’s him and not Luca.
“This isn’t real.” I close my eyes. “You called me Ivy. No way I’m awake.”
A few seconds later, I lift my head and find his expression worried. “You scared me.”
The guilt weighs heavily. I don’t like the thought of hurting Anthony or traumatizing some person who was just driving along. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
He moves the chair closer to my bed, leans back, and folds his hands on his lap. “We don’t always realize how much our actions affect others.”
Son of a bitch. “If you’re here to advocate for him, you’re fired.”
Anthony keeps a steady, composed appearance. “Luca said you did this deliberately.”
When I don’t deny it, Anthony asks, “Was it?”
I remain quiet.
