After pushing through the crowds of people with a determined stride, she turns her head, and her eyes find mine. I roam her blotchy face, my lips twitching downwards into a frown.
When I reach her, I don’t say anything, I pull her into a hug, and she exhales a sigh of relief. “I’m sorry,” I whisper into her hair. “I’m so fucking sorry, Ivy. I can’t believe he would do something like that to you.”
She squeezes her eyes shut as I cradle the back of her head with my hand, embracing her firmly but gently.
I pull back and take her face between my hands. “I know you’re not okay, but I’m not gonna leave you. Okay?”
Daisy hikes her thumb over her shoulder. “Uh, I’m gonna go. I’ll text you, Ivy. And whenever you need me. I’ll be there.”
“Thanks, Dais.” She glances at her quickly, flashing a grateful smile.
When she leaves, we make our way home.
“Finn’s going to be a mess. No doubt drinking himself into oblivion.”
I kiss her head again. “It’s okay to be angry at him right now, regardless of his issues.”
“I tell myself I don’t care, but I do.”
“Of course you’re going to care,” I admit. “But you need to think of yourself right now, and if you want space. That’s perfectly valid.”
I stop us, wrapping my arm over her shoulder and tugging her into my side.
“Yeah.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“No,” she whispers. “I’d rather ignore it for tonight because I’m breaking inside.”
I rest my forehead on the crown of her head. “Whatever you need, princess. I’m gonna be right here.”
CHAPTER 43
IVY THOMPSON
The entire journey home, I felt numb.
JJ held my hand and brushed his thumb over my knuckles every few seconds as we walked back to the house in silence. Every step made my shoulders sink lower and lower until I was completely weighed down.
How could he do that to me?
Why would he do that to me?
I’ll never understand.
The house is quiet when we return, and my parents are most likely asleep. We creep upstairs, and JJ follows me into my bedroom. I strip myself of my clothes and climb into bed with JJ behind me.
I lay my head on my pillow and stare up at the ceiling. JJ shuffles next to me, wrapping an arm around the back of my neck and tugging me into his bare chest. I exhale a long sigh.
My eyes burn, and no matter how much I want to cry, I refuse to.
He made his decision. He chose to humiliate and betray me.
“Stop thinking so loudly,” JJ whispers into my temple. “Sleep.”
I screw my eyes shut and shake my head. “I don’t think I’m going to be able to sleep.”
“Then talk to me,” he murmurs before rolling me onto my side so we face each other.
