She lifted a shoulder.“Made me who I am today.With a little different look as a consequence,” she added, circling a finger at her face.
Cassie’s stomach clenched.Shit, she’d needed plastic surgery because of what had happened?“No.”
Ivy grinned in amusement.“It wound up being a bit of an improvement, actually.So, you talked to Warwick?”
“He called just before I came down here.”
“Schumacher was the only person involved.It’s actually a little impressive, how fast he was able to pull that together considering how drunk he was.”
“True.”
“He’ll pay more than cash for it, though.Cops are about to have a little talk with him.Soliciting an escort for sexual purposes is a Class A misdemeanor in Oregon.Punishable by fines and up to one year in jail.”
Cassie blinked.“You think he’ll—”
“Go to jail?Not a chance.Rich assholes almost never go to jail when they commit crimes.”Her smile was feral.“But I happen to specialize in dealing with rich assholes.So I know that losing money hurts them most.And Schumacher is about to lose enough to make him hurtbad.”
The look on Ivy’s face was unsettling, but awesome.“What did you do?”she couldn’t help asking, fascinated and a little afraid.It was hard to fathom quiet, mellow Walker being engaged to this woman.They couldn’t be more opposite if they’d tried.Did he know what Ivy got up to?He must.Or maybe he just looked the other way.
“I taught him a lesson no one else had the balls to.But don’t worry, the money’s going to a good cause.My sister Kiyomi runs a charity helping protect orphans against trafficking and abuse.I help her out with various things, including funding.”
Okay, she loved the female Robin Hood vibe happening here.“Well, that’s...Thank you.”
“Oh, it’s my pleasure.”Ivy crossed her arms over her chest and cocked a hip, giving her an assessing look.“I realize we don’t know each other that well, and it’s probably not my place, but I’m gonna ask anyway.I get the feeling that this Schumacher stunt hit harder than the rest of it.Am I wrong?”
Cassie opened her mouth.Closed it.“No.I don’t know why, but it is.”
“Yes, you do.”
Ivy’s stare was unnerving, but not unkind.And it was clear she cared.
So Cassie thought about it.Decided she felt comfortable enough with her to dig deep and be brutally honest with herself as much as Ivy.“I guess deep down I’m worried that I got this job as a DEI hire, and with all this shit happening now, everyone thinks hiring me was a mistake.”
Ivy snorted.“Fuck that.You were hired by CPS because you were better than all the other candidates competing against you.End of story.You think Ryder, Walker or Callum give a shit about DEI when it comes to hiring bodyguards?”She shook her head.“They hire the best candidates.Period.And in addition to your conduct and abilities, they also know you stood up for what was right.At great personal cost.That right there says everything anyone will ever need to know about your character.”
Cassie lowered her gaze, fighting a blush.“Thanks.”
“Anytime.”
“Did Walker ask you to come?”
“Nope.He thinks I’m out running errands.I just thought I’d check on you.”Ivy studied her a moment.“So, who would go to these lengths to target you?Someone from your past?Ex-partner maybe?”
She wasn’t sure what kind of partner Ivy meant but went with the obvious.“Not Dane.No way.”She had a feeling Ivy already knew every name on her list, including him.
Ivy raised an eyebrow.“You know that for sure?”
“Yes.He just wouldn’t.And he defended me when everything hit the fan.It’s not him.”
“Okay, then who?”
She paused.Bet Ivy already had his name on whatever list she’d compiled.But she wouldn’t know Cassie’s personal connections with each of them.Not yet anyway, and Cassie didn’t want to tell her.“There is someone else.But he’s in prison.”
“Who?”
She sighed, pulled her phone from her back pocket.“I’m texting you the list of names I was gonna give Ryder.But the first two are in prison.”She sent them.
Ivy looked at her own phone.“They’re cops?”
