My left fist sinks into his gut as my right goes to his throat, gripping tightly. Chad’s groan is cut off and his eyes widen, looking to my father who states flatly, “That’s enough, son.”
“Luca, don’t,” Ivy pleads, and my fingers tighten.
“Why not? He wanted a fight, so I’m bringing one to him.” I speak to Chad, “Or do you only put your hands on your daughter?”
He squeaks out, “It was a misunderstanding. Right, Ivy?”
“Don’t speak to her. Talk to me. I’m the one holding your fate in my hands,” I tell him.
Dad doesn’t lift a finger for Chad and only to take another puff from his cigar.
“If you ever touch her again, you’re dead.” I’ll kill every person on the face of this earth if it means keeping her safe and their hands off of her.
“I’m sorry,” he tells me.
There’s no excuse for the pain he caused her. “It’s not my forgiveness you need.”
Chad glances to his daughter and I debate if she’d hate me if I ended his life here and now as he babbles, “I’m so sorry I lost my temper, Ivy.”
“Next time, you won’t get the chance to apologize.” I finally release him, knowing that if I don’t, I’ll lose the ability to any second.
Dad flicks ashes off his cigar onto the floor, the corner of his mouth curled up. “You’ve punched two men today over her. She must be some lay.”
I hear Ivy’s gasp before she asks, “What is he talking about?”
Dad chuckles, “You didn’t tell her? He got into an altercation with his brother because of you. And now your father. Seems like you’re the common denominator. Don’t you think?”
Her eyes search mine as I stay silent. She doesn’t doubt my father’s words. She doubts me. She walks out, and I focus back on Chad, still wanting to put my fist through his skull as he says, “It won’t happened again.”
It’d better not, his existence depends on it.
As soon as I follow Ivy, I hear Dad proclaim, “My apologies for my son, he’s been all out of sorts lately. I’m thinking your daughter has something to do with it.”
She has everything to do with it. And he knew that before I punched her father. I should’ve decked mine too while I was at it. Three in one day would be even better.
40
IVY
I didn’t know what to expect for a Montclair dinner gathering, but that wasn’t it.
“Ivy, stop,” Luca calls out as my heels click faster against the pavement.
His hand grips my elbow as I swing around to face him. “Why did you fight with Micah? And I want the truth. Please. For once.” Will someone tell me the truth?
Luca releases my arm as he says, “He left the pictures.”
“What?” I gasp. That was not what I wanted or expected to hear. Micah is supposed to be the nice twin. “Why would he do that?”
“He’s fucking with your mind.”
“It worked.” Too well.
Luca motions towards his house. “That was a shit show, and you didn’t touch your food. Let’s go get something to eat.”
“Agreed, but I just want to go home.” Surprisingly, he doesn’t argue and I continue walking home. I’m almost there when my phone dings.
“You cannot be serious right now?” I mutter, reading the message.
