“What are you doing?”she stammered, as she lost her footing and fell onto her backside.A dull ache spread over her tailbone as she thudded against the hard floor.The delivery guy kicked the door shut and locked it behind him, tossing the pizza box down on the floor.
“You made a mistake running from me last week,” the man rasped.
She looked up and sucked in a hard breath.It was the man with the thick dark hair and the eagle’s nose.For a moment she couldn’t breathe.It felt as though all of the oxygen had been siphoned out of the room.
“Yeah,” he said, a slow smile spreading over his face.“I see you remember.”He looked her over, then gestured in an upwards motion.“Get up.You need to come with me.”
Ivy shook her head, words failing her.
“You can either come with me, or I wait inside the door for your police officer boyfriend to get home,” the man shouted.
She shook her head and got to her hands and knees.Ivy caught his movement too late, noticing his boot rocketing toward her side.The breath was knocked out of her.
“That was for my buddy, and the trouble you’ve caused for us.Now get up!”
Ivy glanced up at him, wondering if he would kick her again.She didn’t have much of a choice and obeyed his directions, climbing to her feet.
“Walk in front of me.You make one noise, and I’ll put a bullet in the back of your head.We’re gonna take the stairs down to the parking lot and you’re going to get in the vehicle without a sound.Do you understand, Ivy?”
She nodded.Ivy would do as he said until another opportunity presented itself.When they walked out into the hall a groan startled her, and she looked down to see a young man lying on his side in the hallway.His T-shirt with the logo of the pizza restaurant was stained with blood.The man at her side kicked the real delivery worker roughly and he fell to the floor.
She gasped, putting one hand over her mouth.Ivy looked over her shoulder, trying to get a look at the real pizza delivery worker to determine if he’d be okay.
“I said walk.”The man pushed her along and they entered the stairwell.“Move,” he said, “Stay right by my side.”It was awkward to move down the stairs right next to the man who held a gun on her.His long jeans were frayed at the bottom, and for a moment, she thought it would be a shame if he tripped on the fabric and fell down the flight of stairs.An idea formed in her head.When they got to the next set of stairs, Ivy moved her foot just slightly in front of the man’s ankle, quickly grabbing the rail to brace herself.
“Whoa,” the man yelled trying to regain his balance.
Taking one hand off the railing, she placed it against his back and pushed as hard as she could.He toppled over, and the gun fired.She dropped into a crouch as he somersaulted down the stairs.His head hit the wall with a sickening crack, and the gun went tumbling out of his hand.The thunder of several pairs of boots startled her.Had the man brought backup with him?She turned to run back up the stairs to the safety of Jude’s apartment when she heard someone’s voice screaming her name.No, not someone, it was Jude.He ran past the man, right up the stairs toward her.Ross and Cameron quickly handcuffed the man who was lying incredibly still.One moment, she was sitting on the stairs, and the next she was lifted up into Jude’s arms.
“Oh my God, baby,” he said against her hair, then his shoulders began to shake.
“Are you okay?Were you hurt?”he asked tracing her face with his palm.
“No, but there’s a man upstairs who needs medical attention right away.”As Jude held her and rocked her back and forth, she filled him in on the burnt pasta and the pizza delivery.She told him how the man she’d pushed down the stairs was the same one who had followed her at the estate.
“I panicked when you didn’t pick up your cell phone.I knew something was wrong,” Jude said.
A mewl came from the top step and she turned around to see Milo standing right behind her.“Oh my gosh.I don’t think we shut the door to your apartment.He must have gotten out and followed us.”
“I told you we should have given him a badass name.”
“Kitten!”a child screamed, startling her.A young girl shot up the stairs and crouched on the floor petting the cat.Jude smiled at Ivy.
“We have a lot to talk about.”He laughed.“But it looks like we’re going to have a few more visitors than just Milo.”Two more children appeared on the staircase with Agent Levine behind them.“Sorry.I tried to keep them in the SUV, but they just wouldn’t stay put.”
“Remind me not to hire your ass as a babysitter.”
Later that night, after all three children had taken baths and another pizza was delivered, Ivy sat in Jude’s lap on the couch.“Thank God for bedtime.I don’t think I could have watched one more episode of that demented sponge.”
“Excuse me,” Ivy said in mock outrage.“But I’ll have you know, SpongeBob SquarePants is a beloved childhood favorite.I took great pleasure in revisiting Bikini Bottom with Lily, Ben, and Scarlet.”
“Bikini what?Is that the name of the stoned starfish?”Jude laughed.
“No,” she said giving a playful shove.“The starfish is Patrick.Bikini Bottom is where they live.Pay attention next time.”
“There’s going to be a next time?”he groaned.
“Probably at six o’clock tomorrow morning.”They both laughed and Ivy cuddled in closer, loving the feel of Jude’s strong arms around her.The delivery man had been taken to the hospital, and they’d received an update that he was okay and being discharged.The man who tried to abduct her was in the hospital with a concussion and would be transferred to jail upon release.For right now, everything was right in the world.She had spoken with Ash and Jess, who were both excited to meet the kids tomorrow.Jess had promised to bring a big batch of cupcakes.Ash, who usually didn’t like meeting new people, was eager to meet Ben after learning he was also neurodivergent.Ivy knew that once her brother met the children, he’d enjoy being around all of them.
