His hands came around hers, and he threw them off of her.
“Why? Why can’t you just be sorry you hurt me?”
“Because I didn’t hurt you, I saved you. I don’t love the consequences of that post, but even with losing my job, I’m not sorry I made it. I wish you would accept that.”
She still couldn’t see how wrong she was.
“Don’t you want to stay together?” The words croaked out of his mouth.
“I want that more than anything.”
“Then we have to move past this. If you were to agree to a punishment scene at Club Bandit, it would go a long way in putting it behind us.”
Ivy bit her lip, not meeting his eyes.
His breath caught in his throat. He was sure she’d say no.
“Fine. I’ll do it for you, Gabe.”
“Yes! Thank you!” The stored tension left his body. He kissed her deeply, savouring her taste.
She hugged him, laying her head against his chest.
“You need to get going, or you’ll be late for your shift.”
“Okay, Princess. Don’t stay up too late. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay.” Ivy kissed him on the cheek. For a moment, they hung together, caught between their past, before she hurt him, and it felt like things always had between them, solid and comfortable, somewhere he could be without pretending or being compared.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN – IVY
Ivypacedaroundtheluscious rooftop garden as the ship's horns blared from the harbour.
She pushed her hair behind her ears, wishing she had worn a different pair of shoes. Checking her watch, she gritted her teeth.
Trying to calm her nerves, she walked over to the picnic table, running her hand through the planter box of daffodils set in the middle of the table. She pulled out her phone and scrolled through her feeds.
Alice had messaged her, asking her to call her, her dad sent her a bunch of memes about cats, and her mother posted new photos of her latest stage set.
Looking good, Mom, she typed.
She paused on a message. The message read,Keep your mouth shut, bitch.
“You look like you just read something horrible.”
Ivy startled, pausing to delete that message and quickly tucked the phone away, smiling sheepishly at the tall, well-built Black man striding towards her. She quickly put her phone down.
“Girl, look at where you are and post something about this.” He spun around in a circle with his arms flung out to either side.
“Sorry. Your receptionist told me to wait up here, and the time kind of lagged on and I...”
“Used your phone as a distraction. Of course. Can you believe this weather? It feels like a summer day up here. Seriously, take a photo of this and make a post. Shut up, the haters.” The man’s dark eyes roamed over her as if he could see her insecurities, and Ivy felt her fingers shake.
Was this some kind of interview test? Did he really want her to post about it, or was he joking? Taking in his crossed arms, his searing expression, he absolutely was not kidding.Great, a Dom.
“What should I post?”
“What about this magical spot in the middle of Railtown where industrial meets new modern? About to have the best interview of my life. Smile and snap that selfie.”
